Naučná stezka lyžování na Novoměstsku
MAKE IT SWISH!
Nové Město na Moravě is located 600 meters above sea level and the altitude of the neighbouring hills reaches up to 800 meters. The exquisite conditions for skiing in winter are created by a hilly landscape, forested hills, and wide plains. The first person to try skiing was a district forest officer, Rudolf Gabessam, born in 1890 in Fryšava, who then inspired Adolf Slonek from Rokytno and other local craftsmen to make skis. In the early 20th century, due to its increased popularity, skiing overshadowed the up until then more preferred ice-skating. In 1910 the local Ice-skating club turned into a Ski Sports club, being one of the first in all of the Monarchy. Among its founders were the local big names, for example the first director of the local Realschule – author Leander Čech or an architect and mayor, Josef Sadílek.
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SKIERS OF THE NĚMECKÝ FAMILY
The house no. 34 at Palacký’s square is where the Německý family lived, they were also often called “Varhaníkovi”.
The sports-dynasty of the Německý-Varhaník family begins with Josef, a son born on 06/12/1900. He had eleven siblings, most of which competed in cross-country skiing, but only Josef and Ota made history. Josef worked in agriculture at home, which served as a perfect form of training – skis during winter and athletics in summer. He won the Czechoslovak National Championship three times – once in an 18km race and twice in a 50km race. He was also the International Champion of Yugoslavia. Competing at the 1924 Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix, he finished 17th in the 50km race and at the 1928 Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz he finished 11th in the same distance race. He was remarkably successful in the 18km and 50km races at five World Championships – in Jánské Lázně, Cortina d´Ampezzo, Zakopane, Holmenkollen and Oberhof.
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HARUS HILL AND THE SKI JUMPING HILL „NA ŠIBENICI“
The transformation of Nové Město na Moravě into a ski resort during the period of the First Czechoslovak Republic required the necessary infrastructure in order to house and feed the racers. For that reason, the so-called “skiers’ stations”, which were usually located in pubs, and tourist chalets were built.
The location for the Tourist chalet at Harus hill was chosen prior to the World War. However, the construction did not start until 1922, when a so-called “small chalet at Harus hill” was built. Almost 1,000 visitors came to the grand opening. The surface area of the chalet was only 40 m² and could only accommodate six people.
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VYSOČINA ARENA
Some locals remember going to the Plačkovský forest to pick blueberries and swim in the Černý pond, in quiet valley with one more smaller pond with a spring at its end. An ideal place for lovers. Dance parties (organized by Sokol, the firemen or others) were organized near the Mercedes lodge. And the Varhaník’s field with the most beautiful marguerites used to be in the place, where the Ski Hotel now stands.
Ski races used to start at various places, usually right in Nové Město. A change came after the construction of the Ski Hotel in 1973, when the ski activities moved to the surrounding area.
SKIING AND THE MERCEDES VILLA
Mercedes Scouts lodge and its surroundings played a significant role in the development of skiing in Nové Město na Moravě. Since 1923 the Scouts helped organize ski races hosted by the local Sports club. The lodge, which was at first made of wood and then in 1939 rebuilt with bricks, was frequently used by the Scouts during ski races as facilities. “We used to ski down to the Mercedes lodge from Brožek’s hill and there we made tea from a special Scout herb mix on a small sheet metal stove” Jiří Šebek recounts. In 1938 the lodge was used during the IV Championship of the Moravian High Schools, which was held during a ski course. The event was organized by the instructor, Professor Jaroslav Puchýř. During the Second World War, the lodge was occupied by the Hitlerjugend, and the Scouts could not use it again until the winter of 1946.
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FAMOUS SKIERS AT THE CATHOLIC CEMETERY
Rudolf Gabessam (13/06/1858 Olešnička u Štěpánova – 08/01/1912 Nové Město na Moravě)
a district forest officer, the first skier in the Novoměstsko region
In 1890 he ordered a pair of skis from Norway to make his work in forests easier in winter. After a week of training, pulled by a horse-drawn sleigh, he skied to Koska’s pub in Studnické Paseky to play cards. He showed everyone what he learned in the field in front of the pub. Inspired by Gabessam, the district forest officer’s friends had their skis made and skiing started gaining popularity in the region.
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YOUTH SPORTS SCHOOL
After the February of 1948, a united physical education was created and individual sports had their own sections there, led by a committee and a main coach. The main coach of the ski section was Bohuslav Tvrzník, who had many friends and co-workers among the skiers of Nové Město na Moravě. At the beginning of 1952 he asked prof. Jiří Beranovský, a former Nordic Combined athlete and an Academic World Champion, at that time a mathematics and physical education professor at the Realschule in Nové Město, to come up with modern training programs for the youth. The plan worked with a regional selection of talented juniors and a training camp. And a plan for the future was to accommodate the athletes near the school. Nové Město and Jilemnice with the coach Václav Mečíř were chosen as a pilot project. They drew inspiration from similar project in Sweden and the USSR. Professor Beranovský made use of his experience from skiing, but also light athletics to prepare the program and the syllabi.
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SKI TOURISM BOOM
Trains from Brno, accommodations – First Republic hotels
Since the 19th century Railways played a vital role in the history of cities. During industrialization they represented a significant step in the city’s development process, especially in terms of transport of goods and transport of citizens.
First efforts to build a Railway in Nové Město na Moravě appeared in the 1860s, when a commission was created in cooperation with nearby cities, whose task was to negotiate the construction of a railway from Brno through Nové Město na Moravě to Německý Brod. The project never became reality due to a lack of finance. Despite the long-term effort, the negotiations did not become successful until the beginning of the 20th century, when a new mayor, Josef Sadílek, took over. The construction was finished in 1905.
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THE SLONEK FAMILY AND SKI PRODUCTION IN THE NOVOMĚSTSKO REGION
A key factor of the development of skiing at Novoměstsko was the availability of a high-quality sports equipment. In the past you could buy imported Scandinavian products since the 19th century. However, it was expensive, and most ski enthusiasts could not afford it. Nevertheless, skilled local joiners and wheelwrights were able to make faithful copies based on the imported originals The production was limited by a shortage of quality wood, so the first ski enthusiasts made their skit at home, these were called “dužky”, because they were made from stave, with a strap to hold the foot.
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SKI JUMPING HILLS IN NOVÉ MĚSTO NA MORAVĚ
You are at a place, which the locals call Obora. In the past, the steep hills offered great conditions for skiing activities.
The main sporting site during the First Republic was a jumping hill made of snow at the edge of the Obora forest (where the Hájkova street now begins), where you could jump 10 – 12 meters. However, a much bigger jumping hill could be found in the middle of the Obora forest, where the distance jumped neared 15 meters.
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