Monument to Josef Jungmann - Hudlice

He was one of 10 children of a local shoemaker. He dedicated his life to the renewal and salvage of the Czech language, as did two of his brothers Antonín and Jan. The most important work of Josef Jungmann is the Czech - German Dictionary. The work on which the basics of standard Czech are based. His pedagogical influence is not negligible either. In 1800 he became the first, albeit unpaid, teacher of the Czech language in Bohemia. In education, he eventually reached the highest position. He became the rector of the University of Prague. Another honor he received was promotion to knighthood.

His brother Antonín was also the rector at Charles University. He gained a reputation as a doctor and his Prague obstetric school was recognized throughout Europe. He too was honored with knighthood. Another of the brothers, John, became a priest. Both contributed greatly to the creation of the Dictionary.

The preserved timbered cottage in Hudlice, where the Jungmann family lived, now serves as a memorial. It stands behind the church of St. Tomas. The pseudo-Romanesque church building from the end of the 19th century is interesting for its origin. In its place stood a wooden church, which was first surrounded by the current church and only after its completion demolished.
Other interesting buildings in the vicinity of the monument are the local falconry from 1924 and the school building from 1824. Not far from the church you can see another preserved log cabin. In the village there is also a chapel of St. Jan of Nepomuk, which was built by the parents of the Jungmann brothers.

Other important natives of music include Adolf Patera, a First Republic historian and librarian of the National Museum and his contemporary Petr Cingr, a journalist and politician. The smallest Czech, František Řeřicha, was born in Hudlice. He founded the first Liliputian variety show Bohemia before the First World War, with which he performed in many countries, including America and Palestine.

If you want to get a little overview of all the weight of a dignified music community, head to the northern part of the village. There you can climb the Hudlická rock. The cobblestone formation, which divides the village into two parts with its long ridge, provides an unobstructed circular view of the surrounding landscape.

Author: Ivana Dondová