Karkonosze
Encyclopedia
Krkonoše ˈkr̩konoʃɛ is a mountain range located in the north of the Czech Republic
and the south-west of Poland
, part of the Sudetes mountain system (part of the Bohemian Massif
). The Czech-Polish border, which divides the historic regions of Bohemia
and Silesia
, runs along the main ridge. The highest peak, Sněžka (Polish: Śnieżka), is the Czech Republic's highest point with an elevation of 1602 metres (5,255.9 ft).
On both sides of the border, large areas of the mountains are designated national parks (the Krkonoše National Park
in the Czech Republic and the Karkonosze National Park
in Poland), and these together constitute a cross-border biosphere reserve
under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. The River Elbe
rises within the Krkonoše. The range has a number of major ski resorts, and is a popular destination for tourists engaging in downhill and cross-country skiing, hiking, cycling and other activities.
The Czech writer Bohuslav Balbín
recorded in 1679, that the mountains are known under various names: Krkonoše (Cerconossios), Rhipaeos Montes, Obrovski Mountains, Snow Mountains or Riesen Gebirge.
The Czech
name "Krkonoše" is first mentioned in singular "Krkonoš" in a 1492 record on division of the Manor of Štěpanice into two parts. The first map occurrence of the name dates back to 1518, when Mikuláš Klaudyán
referred to the mountains as "Krkonošské hory" (the Krkonoše Mountains). The origin of the name is usually interpreted as a compound of "krk" or "krak" - an Old Slavonic word for Krummholz
(reference to local vegetation) - and "noš" - derived from "nosit" (carry). Alternative linguistic theories mention a connection with the pre-Indo-European
word "Corconti
," which is first listed by Ptolemy
and refers to a pre-Celtic or Germanic people.
In Simon Hüttels chronicle of Trautenau (Trutnov
) from 1549 the names Hrisenpergisches Gebirge, Hrisengepirge, Hrisengebirge, Risengepirge appeared for the first time, but in the coming centuries several other names were still used too. The current term Riesengebirge became widely accepted only in the 19th century. The range is also often referred to in English as the "Giant Mountains".
The main ridge of the mountains runs in east-west direction and forms the border between Poland and the Czech Republic. Its highest peak, Sněžka-Śnieżka
(Schneekoppe), is the highest peak of the Czech Republic
. The Silesian
northern part in Poland drops steeply to Jelenia Góra
(Hirschberg) valley, whereas the southern Czech part slowly lowers to the Bohemian basin. In the north-east direction the Krkonoše continue to Rudawy Janowickie
(German: Landeshuter Kamm), in the south-east to Rýchory. The pass Novosvětský průsmyk (Polish:Przełęcz Szklarska, German: Neuweltpass) at Jakuszyce forms the western border to the Jizera Mountains
(German: Isergebirge). The Bohemian ridge in the Czech Republic, running parallel to the main ridge, forms a second ridge (also called inner ridge). At Špindlerův Mlýn
(Spindlermühle) the river Labe divides the Bohemian ridge.
The ridges are divided by the rivers Elbe, Mumlava, Bílé Labe, Velka Úpa, Malá Úpa and Jizera, which originates in the Jizera mountains. The rivers on the Czech side often fall over steep edges into valleys formed by ice-age glaciers. The largest waterfalls on the southern side of the mountains are the Elbfall with a height of 50 m, Pančavský waterfall (140 m, the highest waterfall in the Czech Republic), Horní Úpský waterfall, Dolní Úpský waterfall and Mumlavský waterfall (10 m). The most important rivers on the Polish side are Kamienna, Łomnica and Bóbr (Bober). They also form impressive waterfalls, such as Wodospad Kamieńczyka (27 m), Wodospad Szklarki (13,5 m), Wodospad na Łomnicy (10 m) or Wodospad Podgórnej (10 m).
The main ridge of the Krkonoše forms the water shed between North and Baltic Sea. The rivers on the southern Czech side drain into the North Sea, the rivers of the northern Polish side into the Baltic Sea.
The higher parts form the montane vegetation zone. Their natural coniferous forests were also in large parts replaced by spruce mono cultures, which are often heavily damaged due to air pollution and soil acidification. In many places, the forest is dead. The reason is the geographic location in the Black Triangle, a region around the German-Polish-Czech border triangle in which a large number of coal-burning power plants exist. Although the sulfur dioxide emissions, which are mainly responsible for acid rain, and the emission of many other concentrations are greatly reduced since the beginning of the 1990s the forest die-back, which started in the 1970s and culminated in the late 1980s, could not be stopped entirely.
The clearing of forests in the surroundings of mountain huts created species-rich mountain meadows, which were maintained in alpine pasture farming. After the population exchange in 1945, this type of management largely came to a standstill and the mountain meadows were largely abandoned.
Above the timber line in about 1250 metre follows the subalpine vegetation zone, which is marked by knee timber
, mat-grass meadows and subarctic highmoors. This habitat of special importance in the Krkonoše because of a relic of Arctic tundra, which was typical during the ice age in Central Europe. At the same time, however, a connection to the alpine grasslands of the Alps existed and plant species coexist here, which are otherwise separated by several thousand kilometers, such as cloudberries. Some species evolved under the specific conditions of the Krkonoše unlike in the Alps or in the tundra, especially in Śnieżne Kotły
. They are endemic, which means they only appear here.
The alpine vegetation zone, which is characterized by large rocky deserts, can only be found on the highest peaks (Snezka, Luční hora, Studniční hora, Kotel and Szrenica
). Only grass and lichen survives here.
Especially species-rich are the cirque glaciers such as the Obří důl, Labský důl and Důl Bílého Labe on the south side and the dramatic Śnieżne Kotły, Kocioł Łomniczki and the calderas of mountain lakes Wielki Staw and Mały Staw on the north side of the main ridge. The species- richest areas are called zahrádka ("garden"). There are about 15 in Krkonoše, for example Čertova zahrádka und Krakonošova zahrádka.
as national park
s and nature reserve
s.
The Czech Krkonoše National Park
(Krkonošský národní park, KRNAP) was created in 1963 as the second national park in Czechoslovakia
, making it the oldest national park in the Czech Republic
. Its area is approximately 370 square kilometres (142.9 sq mi), including not only the subalpine zone but also large parts down to the foot of the mountains.
Poland's Karkonosze National Park
(Karkonoski Park Narodowy, KPN) was created in 1959 and covers an area of 55.8 square kilometres (21.5 sq mi). It covers the highly sensitive higher parts of the mountain range from an altitude of about 900–1000m and some special nature reserves below this zone.
The strict conservation regulations of the Polish national park prohibit reforestation of damaged and dead forests. On the Czech side, however, large-scale reforestation projects are common.
Until the Middle Ages
the mountain range and its foothills were an unpopulated place of deep, impenetrable forests. The first traces of human settlements probably appear near two provincial paths between Bohemia and Silesia in the 12th century.
The first wave of colonization by Slavonic settlers goes back to the 13th century, but only includes the foothills, whereas the ridges of the mountain range were still unaffected. The second wave of colonization (Ostsiedlung
) during the later 13th century to the foothills was carried out mostly by German settlers, which first colonized the Silesian northern part, where farming conditions were better, and later the southern Bohemian part along the Elbe and Úpa river. Many agriculture settlements, market and handcraft communities and cities were founded during this time, which formed a base for the further colonization of the mountain range.
The first people who explored the inner parts of the Krkonoše were treasure hunters and miners looking for gold, silver, ores and valuable stones, mainly on the Silesian side. In the 14th and 15th centuries foreigners who spoke a different language then German came to the mountains. These foreigners were called "Wallen" (see Walha
), and their journeys to the "treasure" deposits were recorded in so called "Wallenbüchern" (Wallen books). Mysterious orientation signs from these "Wallen" are visible to this day, especially on the northern side of the mountains.
At the beginning of the 16th century (1511) German miners from the region around Meissen
in Saxony
started their work in Obří Důl directly below mount Sněžka-Snìežka, and at the same time many other mines were opened in other central parts of the mountains too, like Svatý Petr (Saint Peter), now a part of Špindlerův Mlýn
(Spindlermühle).
In the 1530s, Christopher von Gendorf, a Carinthian
aristocrat and royal senior captain of King Ferdinand I, appeared in the Krkonoše and obtained the entire dominion of Vrchlabí
(Hohenelbe, literally high Elbe
). His enterprising spirit became crucial for the further development of the area. For the supplement of the miners he founded many smaller towns in higher parts of the mountains. Further down in the valleys iron work furnaces were built and water wheels provided the needed energy. Due to the intensive economic activity the first deforested enclaves on hillsides and on the peaks appeared during this period.
By the orders of Christopher von Gendorf widespread timber cutting for the silver mine in Kutná Hora
started in many places, which caused irreparable damages. These orders led to the third wave of colonization, which fully affected the mountain ridges. In 1566 he invited lumberjacks from alpine countries to settle in his domain. These people from Tyrol
, Carinthia
and Styria
changed the character of the mountains and shaped the cultural landscape significantly. Hundreds of families especially from the Tyrol
region created another group of inhabitants who spoke a different German dialect and brought another domestic culture to the Krkonoše. On the mountain hillsides they founded new settlements, laid down the basis for later farming by breeding cattle and built wooden dams to retain the water. The entire mountain range was already in the 17th century a densely populated region with meadow enclaves and cottages (called Bauden), which were used during the cattle pasturage in the summer and sometimes even through the winter. Around the same time Albrecht von Wallenstein
acquired parts of the mountains and the town Vrchlabí (Hohenelbe) served as a base for armament of his army. During that time non-Catholics found refuge in remote places in the mountains. Later entire village communities of non-Catholics from Austrian countries found asylum on the now Prussian northern side, where they settled in Marysin, Michalovice, Jagnietkow or Karpacz (Krummhübel).
During the 17th century the mountain range on the Bohemian side was divided among new landowners, most of them of Catholic faith and foreign to the region. This included the families of Harrach
, Morzin and de Waggi. Disputes about the borders of each domain followed soon, which were settled between 1790 and 1810. The court decision from 1790, which set the border between the Bohemian dominions and the Silesian Schaffgotsch dominions (which owned this region since the Middle Ages), defines the border between Bohemia and Silesia to this day.
In 1918 the Republic of Czechoslovakia
was founded, and the coming years were characterized by an influx of Czechs on the Bohemian side of the mountains. Usually these people worked for the government (opposed to the German inhabitants they spoke both Czech and German, which was required), but some of them also worked in the tourism industry and managed mountain huts like Labská bouda (German: Elbfallbaude) or Vosecká bouda (German: Wosseckerbaude). Many of these mountain huts were previously owned by aristocratic landowners and given to the Czech Hikers Club (KCT) after the Land Control Act. This influx was stopped when the Czechoslovakian side of the mountains was occupied by Germany in 1938, and many of these Czechs left the region or were expelled.
After World War II
almost the entire German population was expelled
and replaced by Poles on the northern Silesian side and by Czechs on the southern Bohemian side of the mountain range. Today the population density on the area of the national park is 2/3 lower than before World War II as the resettlement was only partly successful and many houses are only used for recreational purposes at weekends. The population exchange moreover led to a decline of the cultural landscape. In large parts of the mountains the meadows run to seed, settlements deracinated, hundreds of traditional houses and mountain huts decayed or turned into architecturally worthless objects and countless memorials, chapels, shrines, landmarks and springs were destroyed, either because they were German related or ecclesiastic.
word Buode, which means booth or building. The Polish name is schronisko. Most of the time they were either called after the location or its constructor and first occupant. The latter however often changed after the expulsion, when several mountain huts especially on the now Polish side received new names. Entire colonies of mountain huts were called after the families who lived there. They are located in the higher parts or the ridge of the Krkonoše and were used by shepherds as wooden refuges in the summer. After 1800, some of the mountain huts became interesting for the first hikers, and towards the end of the 19th Century many were converted into hostels. Later, these huts were often expanded to host a larger number of guests. Known historical mountain huts include Luční bouda (Wiesenbaude), Martinova bouda (Martinsbaude) and Vosecká bouda(Wosseckerbaude) in the Czech Republic and Schronisko Strzecha Akademicka (Hampelbaude), Schronisko Samotnia (Teichbaude) and Schronisko na Hali Szrenickiej (Neue Schlesische Baude) in Poland. In other places, the old mountain huts were replaced by newer buildings which were specially built for tourism purposes. Those huts from the 20th Century include Petrova bouda (Peterbaude) or the hut on top of mount Sněžka-Śnieżka.
The Krkonoše also offer numerous very impressive rock formations, such as Dívčí kameny-Śląskie Kamienie and Mužské kameny-Czeskie Kamienie above 1400 m on the main ridge, Harrachovy kameny on the Czech side or Pielgrzymy and Słonecznik in Poland. These weathered blocks of granite form high towers which often resemble on humans or animals and reach heights up to 30 meters. Similar formations can be found in other parts of the Sudetes.
The Krkonoše are one of the most traditional tourist areas in Central Europe. Already in the 18th und 19th century ascents to the Schneekoppe (Sněžka) were common, such as by Theodor Körner
or Johann Wolfgang Goethe. Artists like Caspar David Friedrich
and Carl Gustav Carus
hiked through the mountains to find inspiration. At the end of the 19th century two mountains clubs were founded, the German Riesengebirgsverein (Giant Mountains Club) on the Silesian side and the Austrian Riesengebirgsverein on the Bohemian side. Both set, among other things, the touristic development of the Krkonoše as their goal, which primarily meant the construction of hiking trails. In the next years they created a network of 3000 km, with 500 km on the Silesian (main) and Bohemian ridge alone. As a result the mountains became one of the most popular vacation areas in Germany
. During the Gründerzeit
(19th Century period of industrial and economic growth) many manufacturers from Berlin
built numerous holiday villas on the Silesian side, which are often preserved to this day and provide a special flair, as in Szklarska Poręba
(formerly Schreiberhau). Direct rail links from Schreiberhau to Berlin, Breslau, Stettin
and Dresden
and later even Deutsche Luft Hansa
air links via Hirschberg
guaranteed a convenient and speedy arrival.
After 1945 and the population transfer of the German inhabitants an expansion of ski resorts with new lifts and slopes took place on both sides of the mountains, while the traditional mountain huts were neglected. Many were victims of fires, such as Elbfallbaude, Riesenbaude, or Prinz-Heinrich-Baude. Similarly many hiking trails, ski jumps and luge tracks fell into disrepair due to lack of care. The cross-border hiking trail on the main ridge called "Polish - Czech Friendship Trail" was closed in the 1980s for all but Polish and Czechoslovak citizens. The mountains are on the route of main Sudetes hiking trail, Główny Szlak Sudecki
which follows along the main ridge.
Today, the Krkonoše are a popular holiday destination in summer and winter especially for visitors from Germany
and the Netherlands
. The nearest international airport is located in Wroclaw
. Large ski resorts are located on the Czech side in Špindlerův Mlýn (Spindlermühle) and Harrachov (Harrachsdorf) and on the Polish side in Szklarska Poręba
(Schreiberhau) and Karpacz
(Krummhübel).
Nordic skiing
was introduced during the same time when in 1880 Dr. Krause from Hirschberg (Jelenia Gora) bought some Norwegian skis in Stettin
(Szczecin). A pair of them, the first recorded skis in the Krkonoše mountains, ended up at the Peterbaude (Petrovka). The locals however didn't know their purpose, and it wasn't until Fridtjof Nansen
s "Paa ski over Grønland" (The First Crossing of Greenland) was translated into German in 1891 that skiing became popular. At the same year the first ski manufacture of Austria–Hungary was established in Jungbuch (Mladé Buky) by master carpenter Franz Baudisch. The first crossing of the main ridge was done in 1892/93. Skiing as a popular sport was mainly brought forward by forest wardeners, teachers and industrialists and business people who provided money to create and maintain the needed infrastructure and sponsored equipment for poorer people and schools.
Around 1900 a number of sports clubs were founded in the Krkonoše mountains. The leading role of the region back then was emphasised by the fact that 5 of the 12 founding clubs of the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) were located in this part of the Bohemia, that the office of the ÖSV was located in Hohenelbe (Vrchlabí) for the first three years (afterwards it moved to Vienna
and finally Innsbruck
) and that the first president of the ÖSV was Guido Rotter, a local from the mountains. The clubs on the Silesian side were part of the German Ski Association
(DSV). After the breakup of Austro-Hungary and the creation of Czechoslovakia the German clubs of the Bohemian side of the Giant mountains joined the newly founded HDW, an association for all German winter sports clubs in Czechoslovakia, whereas the small Czech minority joined the Svaz lyžařů, an association for all Czech winter sports clubs.
The towns and villages of the Krkonoše mountains became a popular venue for national and international competitions, its athletes ranked among the best of the era. The first German Nordic combined champion was a local, the competition itself was staged in Schreiberhau (Szklarska Poręba). Schreiberhau also hosted several luge championships. Martin Tietze
and his sister Friedel
from neighbouring Brückenberg (Karpacz) won the European luge championchips many times. The first Rendezvous race, predecessor of today's Nordic Ski Championchips
, was hosted by Johannisbad, the majority of the competitions were won by HDW athletes.
After the expulsion of the German population the athletes settled in West
and East Germany. They again won several national titles and became pillars of the respective ski associations.
, a half-mischievous, half-friendly goblin
of German folklore
.
The Krkonoše provide the setting for Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué
's "Der Hirt des Riesengebürgs," or "The Shepherd of the Giant Mountains
."
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and the south-west of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, part of the Sudetes mountain system (part of the Bohemian Massif
Bohemian Massif
The Bohemian Massif; or Český masiv; is in the geology of Central Europe a large massif stretching over central Czech republic, eastern Germany, southern Poland and northern Austria...
). The Czech-Polish border, which divides the historic regions of Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, runs along the main ridge. The highest peak, Sněžka (Polish: Śnieżka), is the Czech Republic's highest point with an elevation of 1602 metres (5,255.9 ft).
On both sides of the border, large areas of the mountains are designated national parks (the Krkonoše National Park
Krkonoše National Park
Krkonoše National Park is a national park in the Liberec and Hradec Králové regions of the Czech Republic. It lies in the Krkonoše Mountains which is the highest range of the country. The park has also been listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve site...
in the Czech Republic and the Karkonosze National Park
Karkonosze National Park
The Karkonosze National Park is a National Park in the Karkonosze Mountains in southwestern Poland.The park is located in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, along the border with the Czech Republic. It was created in 1959 to cover an area of 55.10 km²; today it is slightly larger at , of which 17.18 km²...
in Poland), and these together constitute a cross-border biosphere reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. The River Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
rises within the Krkonoše. The range has a number of major ski resorts, and is a popular destination for tourists engaging in downhill and cross-country skiing, hiking, cycling and other activities.
Names
Bohuslav Balbín
Bohuslav Balbín was a Czech writer and Jesuit, the "Bohemian Pliny," whose Vita beatae Joannis Nepomuceni martyris was published in Prague, 1670,...
recorded in 1679, that the mountains are known under various names: Krkonoše (Cerconossios), Rhipaeos Montes, Obrovski Mountains, Snow Mountains or Riesen Gebirge.
The Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
name "Krkonoše" is first mentioned in singular "Krkonoš" in a 1492 record on division of the Manor of Štěpanice into two parts. The first map occurrence of the name dates back to 1518, when Mikuláš Klaudyán
Mikuláš Klaudyán
Mikuláš Klaudyán was a physician and scholar in Mladá Boleslav, Bohemia and member of the Unity of the Brethren. He printed the oldest map of Bohemia . He was in close contact with printers in Nürnberg....
referred to the mountains as "Krkonošské hory" (the Krkonoše Mountains). The origin of the name is usually interpreted as a compound of "krk" or "krak" - an Old Slavonic word for Krummholz
Krummholz
Krummholz or Krumholtz formation — also called Knieholz — is a particular feature of subarctic and subalpine tree line landscapes. Continual exposure to fierce, freezing winds causes vegetation to become stunted and deformed...
(reference to local vegetation) - and "noš" - derived from "nosit" (carry). Alternative linguistic theories mention a connection with the pre-Indo-European
Indo-European languages
The Indo-European languages are a family of several hundred related languages and dialects, including most major current languages of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and South Asia and also historically predominant in Anatolia...
word "Corconti
Corconti
The Corconti or Korkontoi were a Germanic people in of the Geography of Ptolemy . They were in the vicinity of Asciburgius Mountain somewhere near the sources of the Vistula...
," which is first listed by Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
and refers to a pre-Celtic or Germanic people.
In Simon Hüttels chronicle of Trautenau (Trutnov
Trutnov
Trutnov is a city in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 31,239 and lies in the Krkonoše in the valley of the Úpa River....
) from 1549 the names Hrisenpergisches Gebirge, Hrisengepirge, Hrisengebirge, Risengepirge appeared for the first time, but in the coming centuries several other names were still used too. The current term Riesengebirge became widely accepted only in the 19th century. The range is also often referred to in English as the "Giant Mountains".
Geography
The expansion of the Krkonoše amounts to 631 km², 454 km² on Czech and 177 km² on Polish area.The main ridge of the mountains runs in east-west direction and forms the border between Poland and the Czech Republic. Its highest peak, Sněžka-Śnieżka
Snežka-Sniezka
Sněžka or Śnieżka is a mountain on the border between the Czech Republic and Poland, the most prominent point of the Silesian Ridge in the Krkonoše mountains...
(Schneekoppe), is the highest peak of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. The Silesian
Silesian
Silesian or Upper Silesian is considered either a dialect of the Polish language , or a separate Slavic language of the Lechitic group spoken in the region of Silesia...
northern part in Poland drops steeply to Jelenia Góra
Jelenia Góra
----Jelenia Góra is a city in Lower Silesia, south-western Poland. The name of the city means "deer mountain" in Polish, Czech and German. It is close to the Krkonoše mountain range running along the Polish-Czech border – ski resorts such as Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba can be found...
(Hirschberg) valley, whereas the southern Czech part slowly lowers to the Bohemian basin. In the north-east direction the Krkonoše continue to Rudawy Janowickie
Rudawy Janowickie
The Rudawy Janowickie is a mountain range in Western Sudetes in Poland....
(German: Landeshuter Kamm), in the south-east to Rýchory. The pass Novosvětský průsmyk (Polish:Przełęcz Szklarska, German: Neuweltpass) at Jakuszyce forms the western border to the Jizera Mountains
Jizera Mountains
Jizera Mountains , or Izera Mountains, are part of the Western Sudetes on the border between the Czech Republic and Poland. The major part is formed from granite, with some areas formed from basalt. The mountains got their name from the Jizera River, which rises at the southern base of Smrk...
(German: Isergebirge). The Bohemian ridge in the Czech Republic, running parallel to the main ridge, forms a second ridge (also called inner ridge). At Špindlerův Mlýn
Špindleruv Mlýn
Špindlerův Mlýn is a town in the Czech Republic in the Krkonoše. It received its name after a mill belonging to Spindler's family, where neighbours used to meet...
(Spindlermühle) the river Labe divides the Bohemian ridge.
The ridges are divided by the rivers Elbe, Mumlava, Bílé Labe, Velka Úpa, Malá Úpa and Jizera, which originates in the Jizera mountains. The rivers on the Czech side often fall over steep edges into valleys formed by ice-age glaciers. The largest waterfalls on the southern side of the mountains are the Elbfall with a height of 50 m, Pančavský waterfall (140 m, the highest waterfall in the Czech Republic), Horní Úpský waterfall, Dolní Úpský waterfall and Mumlavský waterfall (10 m). The most important rivers on the Polish side are Kamienna, Łomnica and Bóbr (Bober). They also form impressive waterfalls, such as Wodospad Kamieńczyka (27 m), Wodospad Szklarki (13,5 m), Wodospad na Łomnicy (10 m) or Wodospad Podgórnej (10 m).
The main ridge of the Krkonoše forms the water shed between North and Baltic Sea. The rivers on the southern Czech side drain into the North Sea, the rivers of the northern Polish side into the Baltic Sea.
Nature
The river valleys and lower layers form the sub-montane zone. The aboriginal hardwood and mixed forests are largely replaced with spruce mono cultures. Only the river valleys offer remnants of hardwood forests.The higher parts form the montane vegetation zone. Their natural coniferous forests were also in large parts replaced by spruce mono cultures, which are often heavily damaged due to air pollution and soil acidification. In many places, the forest is dead. The reason is the geographic location in the Black Triangle, a region around the German-Polish-Czech border triangle in which a large number of coal-burning power plants exist. Although the sulfur dioxide emissions, which are mainly responsible for acid rain, and the emission of many other concentrations are greatly reduced since the beginning of the 1990s the forest die-back, which started in the 1970s and culminated in the late 1980s, could not be stopped entirely.
Above the timber line in about 1250 metre follows the subalpine vegetation zone, which is marked by knee timber
Krummholz
Krummholz or Krumholtz formation — also called Knieholz — is a particular feature of subarctic and subalpine tree line landscapes. Continual exposure to fierce, freezing winds causes vegetation to become stunted and deformed...
, mat-grass meadows and subarctic highmoors. This habitat of special importance in the Krkonoše because of a relic of Arctic tundra, which was typical during the ice age in Central Europe. At the same time, however, a connection to the alpine grasslands of the Alps existed and plant species coexist here, which are otherwise separated by several thousand kilometers, such as cloudberries. Some species evolved under the specific conditions of the Krkonoše unlike in the Alps or in the tundra, especially in Śnieżne Kotły
Śnieżne Kotły
Śnieżne Kotły are two glacial cirques in the western Krkonoše mountains , situated in the Karkonosze National Park on the Polish side of the border. They are a unique example of the alpine landscape in the area and have been a nature reserve since 1933.- Description :The walls of both cirques are...
. They are endemic, which means they only appear here.
The alpine vegetation zone, which is characterized by large rocky deserts, can only be found on the highest peaks (Snezka, Luční hora, Studniční hora, Kotel and Szrenica
Szrenica
Szrenica is a mountain peak situated in the western part of Karkonosze on Polish and Czech border within the Karkonosze National Park. Its name originates from the Polish word szron . There is a weather station situated close to the summit. The peak is deforested, both the southern and the...
). Only grass and lichen survives here.
Especially species-rich are the cirque glaciers such as the Obří důl, Labský důl and Důl Bílého Labe on the south side and the dramatic Śnieżne Kotły, Kocioł Łomniczki and the calderas of mountain lakes Wielki Staw and Mały Staw on the north side of the main ridge. The species- richest areas are called zahrádka ("garden"). There are about 15 in Krkonoše, for example Čertova zahrádka und Krakonošova zahrádka.
Nature protection
On both the Czech and Polish side, large parts of the mountain range are protectedProtected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
as national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s and nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s.
The Czech Krkonoše National Park
Krkonoše National Park
Krkonoše National Park is a national park in the Liberec and Hradec Králové regions of the Czech Republic. It lies in the Krkonoše Mountains which is the highest range of the country. The park has also been listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve site...
(Krkonošský národní park, KRNAP) was created in 1963 as the second national park in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, making it the oldest national park in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. Its area is approximately 370 square kilometres (142.9 sq mi), including not only the subalpine zone but also large parts down to the foot of the mountains.
Poland's Karkonosze National Park
Karkonosze National Park
The Karkonosze National Park is a National Park in the Karkonosze Mountains in southwestern Poland.The park is located in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, along the border with the Czech Republic. It was created in 1959 to cover an area of 55.10 km²; today it is slightly larger at , of which 17.18 km²...
(Karkonoski Park Narodowy, KPN) was created in 1959 and covers an area of 55.8 square kilometres (21.5 sq mi). It covers the highly sensitive higher parts of the mountain range from an altitude of about 900–1000m and some special nature reserves below this zone.
The strict conservation regulations of the Polish national park prohibit reforestation of damaged and dead forests. On the Czech side, however, large-scale reforestation projects are common.
Climate
The climate of the Krkonoše is marked by frequent weather changes. The winters are cold and snow heights above 3 meters are not uncommon. Many parts of the mountains are covered with snow for 5 or 6 months. Higher altitudes are often wrapped into dense fog. On average mount Sněžka-Śnieżka is at least partly hidden in fog and/or clouds on 296 days. The average temperature on mount Sněžka-Śnieżka amounts to approx. 0,2 °C, which is similar to much more northern climates like in Iceland. The main ridge belongs to the most wind-exposed areas of Europe. On the northern side Foehn wind is a frequent meteorological phenomenon. The annual precipitation ranges from approx. 700 mm at the foot of the mountains up to 1230 mm on mount Sněžka-Śnieżka. However, the highest precipitation with 1512 mm are reached in the snow pits in the valleys at the foot of the main ridge.Colonization
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the mountain range and its foothills were an unpopulated place of deep, impenetrable forests. The first traces of human settlements probably appear near two provincial paths between Bohemia and Silesia in the 12th century.
The first wave of colonization by Slavonic settlers goes back to the 13th century, but only includes the foothills, whereas the ridges of the mountain range were still unaffected. The second wave of colonization (Ostsiedlung
Ostsiedlung
Ostsiedlung , also called German eastward expansion, was the medieval eastward migration and settlement of Germans from modern day western and central Germany into less-populated regions and countries of eastern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The affected area roughly stretched from Slovenia...
) during the later 13th century to the foothills was carried out mostly by German settlers, which first colonized the Silesian northern part, where farming conditions were better, and later the southern Bohemian part along the Elbe and Úpa river. Many agriculture settlements, market and handcraft communities and cities were founded during this time, which formed a base for the further colonization of the mountain range.
The first people who explored the inner parts of the Krkonoše were treasure hunters and miners looking for gold, silver, ores and valuable stones, mainly on the Silesian side. In the 14th and 15th centuries foreigners who spoke a different language then German came to the mountains. These foreigners were called "Wallen" (see Walha
Walha
Walhaz is a reconstructed Proto-Germanic word, meaning "foreigner", "stranger", "Roman", "Romance-speaker", or "Celtic-speaker". The adjective derived from this word can be found in , Old High German walhisk, meaning "Romance", in Old English welisċ, wælisċ, wilisċ, meaning "Romano-British" and in...
), and their journeys to the "treasure" deposits were recorded in so called "Wallenbüchern" (Wallen books). Mysterious orientation signs from these "Wallen" are visible to this day, especially on the northern side of the mountains.
At the beginning of the 16th century (1511) German miners from the region around Meissen
Meissen
Meissen is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche...
in Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
started their work in Obří Důl directly below mount Sněžka-Snìežka, and at the same time many other mines were opened in other central parts of the mountains too, like Svatý Petr (Saint Peter), now a part of Špindlerův Mlýn
Špindleruv Mlýn
Špindlerův Mlýn is a town in the Czech Republic in the Krkonoše. It received its name after a mill belonging to Spindler's family, where neighbours used to meet...
(Spindlermühle).
In the 1530s, Christopher von Gendorf, a Carinthian
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
aristocrat and royal senior captain of King Ferdinand I, appeared in the Krkonoše and obtained the entire dominion of Vrchlabí
Vrchlabí
Vrchlabí is a town in the Czech Republic in the Giant Mountains . Nowadays it has about 13,000 inhabitants. It is notable for having a large Škoda Auto factory located there.-External links:***...
(Hohenelbe, literally high Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
). His enterprising spirit became crucial for the further development of the area. For the supplement of the miners he founded many smaller towns in higher parts of the mountains. Further down in the valleys iron work furnaces were built and water wheels provided the needed energy. Due to the intensive economic activity the first deforested enclaves on hillsides and on the peaks appeared during this period.
By the orders of Christopher von Gendorf widespread timber cutting for the silver mine in Kutná Hora
Kutná Hora
Kutná Hora is a city in Bohemia, now the Czech Republic in the Central Bohemian Region.-History:The town began in 1142 with the settlement of the first Cistercian Monastery in Bohemia, Kloster Sedlitz, brought from the Imperial immediate Cistercian Waldsassen Abbey...
started in many places, which caused irreparable damages. These orders led to the third wave of colonization, which fully affected the mountain ridges. In 1566 he invited lumberjacks from alpine countries to settle in his domain. These people from Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
, Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
and Styria
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
changed the character of the mountains and shaped the cultural landscape significantly. Hundreds of families especially from the Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
region created another group of inhabitants who spoke a different German dialect and brought another domestic culture to the Krkonoše. On the mountain hillsides they founded new settlements, laid down the basis for later farming by breeding cattle and built wooden dams to retain the water. The entire mountain range was already in the 17th century a densely populated region with meadow enclaves and cottages (called Bauden), which were used during the cattle pasturage in the summer and sometimes even through the winter. Around the same time Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein , actually von Waldstein, was a Bohemian soldier and politician, who offered his services, and an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men during the Danish period of the Thirty Years' War , to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II...
acquired parts of the mountains and the town Vrchlabí (Hohenelbe) served as a base for armament of his army. During that time non-Catholics found refuge in remote places in the mountains. Later entire village communities of non-Catholics from Austrian countries found asylum on the now Prussian northern side, where they settled in Marysin, Michalovice, Jagnietkow or Karpacz (Krummhübel).
During the 17th century the mountain range on the Bohemian side was divided among new landowners, most of them of Catholic faith and foreign to the region. This included the families of Harrach
Harrach
The Harrach family is a Bohemian and Austro-German noble family. The Grafs von Harrach were among the most prominent families in the Habsburg Empire.-History:...
, Morzin and de Waggi. Disputes about the borders of each domain followed soon, which were settled between 1790 and 1810. The court decision from 1790, which set the border between the Bohemian dominions and the Silesian Schaffgotsch dominions (which owned this region since the Middle Ages), defines the border between Bohemia and Silesia to this day.
In 1918 the Republic of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
was founded, and the coming years were characterized by an influx of Czechs on the Bohemian side of the mountains. Usually these people worked for the government (opposed to the German inhabitants they spoke both Czech and German, which was required), but some of them also worked in the tourism industry and managed mountain huts like Labská bouda (German: Elbfallbaude) or Vosecká bouda (German: Wosseckerbaude). Many of these mountain huts were previously owned by aristocratic landowners and given to the Czech Hikers Club (KCT) after the Land Control Act. This influx was stopped when the Czechoslovakian side of the mountains was occupied by Germany in 1938, and many of these Czechs left the region or were expelled.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
almost the entire German population was expelled
Expulsion of Germans after World War II
The later stages of World War II, and the period after the end of that war, saw the forced migration of millions of German nationals and ethnic Germans from various European states and territories, mostly into the areas which would become post-war Germany and post-war Austria...
and replaced by Poles on the northern Silesian side and by Czechs on the southern Bohemian side of the mountain range. Today the population density on the area of the national park is 2/3 lower than before World War II as the resettlement was only partly successful and many houses are only used for recreational purposes at weekends. The population exchange moreover led to a decline of the cultural landscape. In large parts of the mountains the meadows run to seed, settlements deracinated, hundreds of traditional houses and mountain huts decayed or turned into architecturally worthless objects and countless memorials, chapels, shrines, landmarks and springs were destroyed, either because they were German related or ecclesiastic.
Characteristics
Typical for the Krkonoše are its numerous mountain huts, which are called bouda in Czech and Baude in German. Both names are derived from the Middle High GermanMiddle High German
Middle High German , abbreviated MHG , is the term used for the period in the history of the German language between 1050 and 1350. It is preceded by Old High German and followed by Early New High German...
word Buode, which means booth or building. The Polish name is schronisko. Most of the time they were either called after the location or its constructor and first occupant. The latter however often changed after the expulsion, when several mountain huts especially on the now Polish side received new names. Entire colonies of mountain huts were called after the families who lived there. They are located in the higher parts or the ridge of the Krkonoše and were used by shepherds as wooden refuges in the summer. After 1800, some of the mountain huts became interesting for the first hikers, and towards the end of the 19th Century many were converted into hostels. Later, these huts were often expanded to host a larger number of guests. Known historical mountain huts include Luční bouda (Wiesenbaude), Martinova bouda (Martinsbaude) and Vosecká bouda(Wosseckerbaude) in the Czech Republic and Schronisko Strzecha Akademicka (Hampelbaude), Schronisko Samotnia (Teichbaude) and Schronisko na Hali Szrenickiej (Neue Schlesische Baude) in Poland. In other places, the old mountain huts were replaced by newer buildings which were specially built for tourism purposes. Those huts from the 20th Century include Petrova bouda (Peterbaude) or the hut on top of mount Sněžka-Śnieżka.
The Krkonoše also offer numerous very impressive rock formations, such as Dívčí kameny-Śląskie Kamienie and Mužské kameny-Czeskie Kamienie above 1400 m on the main ridge, Harrachovy kameny on the Czech side or Pielgrzymy and Słonecznik in Poland. These weathered blocks of granite form high towers which often resemble on humans or animals and reach heights up to 30 meters. Similar formations can be found in other parts of the Sudetes.
Tourism
Theodor Körner
----Theodor Körner, Edler von Siegringen served as the fifth President of Austria, between 1951 and 1957.- Life :...
or Johann Wolfgang Goethe. Artists like Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning...
and Carl Gustav Carus
Carl Gustav Carus
Carl Gustav Carus was a German physiologist and painter, born at Leipzig.A friend of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, he was a many-sided man: a doctor, a naturalist, a scientist and a psychologist and an advocate of the theory that health of body and mind depends on the equipoise of antagonistic...
hiked through the mountains to find inspiration. At the end of the 19th century two mountains clubs were founded, the German Riesengebirgsverein (Giant Mountains Club) on the Silesian side and the Austrian Riesengebirgsverein on the Bohemian side. Both set, among other things, the touristic development of the Krkonoše as their goal, which primarily meant the construction of hiking trails. In the next years they created a network of 3000 km, with 500 km on the Silesian (main) and Bohemian ridge alone. As a result the mountains became one of the most popular vacation areas in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. During the Gründerzeit
Gründerzeit
' refers to the economic phase in 19th century Germany and Austria before the great stock market crash of 1873. At this time in Central Europe the age of industrialisation was taking place, whose beginnings were found in the 1840s...
(19th Century period of industrial and economic growth) many manufacturers from Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
built numerous holiday villas on the Silesian side, which are often preserved to this day and provide a special flair, as in Szklarska Poręba
Szklarska Poreba
Szklarska Poręba is a town in Jelenia Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. The town has a population of around 7,000...
(formerly Schreiberhau). Direct rail links from Schreiberhau to Berlin, Breslau, Stettin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
and Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
and later even Deutsche Luft Hansa
Deutsche Luft Hansa
Deutsche Luft Hansa A.G. was a German airline, serving as flag carrier of the country during the later years of the Weimar Republic and throughout the Third Reich.-1920s:Deutsche Luft Hansa was founded on 6 January 1926 in Berlin...
air links via Hirschberg
Jelenia Góra
----Jelenia Góra is a city in Lower Silesia, south-western Poland. The name of the city means "deer mountain" in Polish, Czech and German. It is close to the Krkonoše mountain range running along the Polish-Czech border – ski resorts such as Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba can be found...
guaranteed a convenient and speedy arrival.
After 1945 and the population transfer of the German inhabitants an expansion of ski resorts with new lifts and slopes took place on both sides of the mountains, while the traditional mountain huts were neglected. Many were victims of fires, such as Elbfallbaude, Riesenbaude, or Prinz-Heinrich-Baude. Similarly many hiking trails, ski jumps and luge tracks fell into disrepair due to lack of care. The cross-border hiking trail on the main ridge called "Polish - Czech Friendship Trail" was closed in the 1980s for all but Polish and Czechoslovak citizens. The mountains are on the route of main Sudetes hiking trail, Główny Szlak Sudecki
Główny Szlak Sudecki
Główny Szlak Sudecki – public hiking trail in Poland running along the Sudetes. The total length of this route is 350 km and the approximate time to cover it varies between 87 and 90 hours. The trail was constructed in 1947 and throughout its history has been several times modified...
which follows along the main ridge.
Today, the Krkonoše are a popular holiday destination in summer and winter especially for visitors from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The nearest international airport is located in Wroclaw
Wroclaw
Wrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
. Large ski resorts are located on the Czech side in Špindlerův Mlýn (Spindlermühle) and Harrachov (Harrachsdorf) and on the Polish side in Szklarska Poręba
Szklarska Poreba
Szklarska Poręba is a town in Jelenia Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. The town has a population of around 7,000...
(Schreiberhau) and Karpacz
Karpacz
Karpacz is a spa town and ski resort in Jelenia Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, south-western Poland, and one of the most important centres for mountain hiking and skiing, including ski jumping. Its population is about 5,000...
(Krummhübel).
Winter sport
The Krkonoše mountains are a traditional winter sports centre in Middle Europe. August Neidhardt von Gneisenau described a sledging of 10 kilometers from Grenzbauden (Pomezní boudy) to Schmiedeberg (Kowary) already in 1817. Much earlier however heavy sledges already transported timber and hay whereas smaller and more manoeuvrable sledges, so called "Hitsch'n", were used to get faster from the ridges down into the valleys. Races with both types of sledges were a popular pastime among the locals and became an attraction for tourists. As sledging became more and more popular competitions were organized, the most popular and earliest during the late 19th century in Johannisbad (Janské Lázně). Around 1900 3930 sledges with long horn-shaped runners and 6000 sport sledges were counted on both sides of the mountains.Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, as opposed to Alpine skiing....
was introduced during the same time when in 1880 Dr. Krause from Hirschberg (Jelenia Gora) bought some Norwegian skis in Stettin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
(Szczecin). A pair of them, the first recorded skis in the Krkonoše mountains, ended up at the Peterbaude (Petrovka). The locals however didn't know their purpose, and it wasn't until Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In his youth a champion skier and ice skater, he led the team that made the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888, and won international fame after reaching a...
s "Paa ski over Grønland" (The First Crossing of Greenland) was translated into German in 1891 that skiing became popular. At the same year the first ski manufacture of Austria–Hungary was established in Jungbuch (Mladé Buky) by master carpenter Franz Baudisch. The first crossing of the main ridge was done in 1892/93. Skiing as a popular sport was mainly brought forward by forest wardeners, teachers and industrialists and business people who provided money to create and maintain the needed infrastructure and sponsored equipment for poorer people and schools.
Around 1900 a number of sports clubs were founded in the Krkonoše mountains. The leading role of the region back then was emphasised by the fact that 5 of the 12 founding clubs of the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) were located in this part of the Bohemia, that the office of the ÖSV was located in Hohenelbe (Vrchlabí) for the first three years (afterwards it moved to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and finally Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
) and that the first president of the ÖSV was Guido Rotter, a local from the mountains. The clubs on the Silesian side were part of the German Ski Association
German Ski Association
The German Ski Association is the national governing body for skiing in Germany. The organisation was founded in 1905 among local ski clubs. The DSV headquarters are located in Planegg, south of Munich...
(DSV). After the breakup of Austro-Hungary and the creation of Czechoslovakia the German clubs of the Bohemian side of the Giant mountains joined the newly founded HDW, an association for all German winter sports clubs in Czechoslovakia, whereas the small Czech minority joined the Svaz lyžařů, an association for all Czech winter sports clubs.
The towns and villages of the Krkonoše mountains became a popular venue for national and international competitions, its athletes ranked among the best of the era. The first German Nordic combined champion was a local, the competition itself was staged in Schreiberhau (Szklarska Poręba). Schreiberhau also hosted several luge championships. Martin Tietze
Martin Tietze
Martin Tietze was a German luger who competed during the 1930s. He won seven medals at the European luge championships with five golds and two silvers...
and his sister Friedel
Friedel Tietze
Friedel Tietze was a German luger who competed in the late 1930s. She won two gold medals in the women's singles event at the European luge championships ....
from neighbouring Brückenberg (Karpacz) won the European luge championchips many times. The first Rendezvous race, predecessor of today's Nordic Ski Championchips
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women. Championship events include nordic skiing's three disciplines: cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined...
, was hosted by Johannisbad, the majority of the competitions were won by HDW athletes.
After the expulsion of the German population the athletes settled in West
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and East Germany. They again won several national titles and became pillars of the respective ski associations.
Highest Peaks and Peaks of Interest
| Czech | Polish | German | Elevation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sněžka | Śnieżka | Schneekoppe | 1602 m (5,255.9 ft) | highest peak; chairlift from Pec pod Sněžkou Pec pod Snežkou Pec pod Sněžkou is a small town at the base of Sněžka Mountain, near Trutnov in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic.The town is one of the most well-known and most frequented mountain resorts in the Czech Republic, with year-round use and with accommodation capacity of 8,500... |
| Luční hora | Łączna Góra | Hochwiesenberg | 1555 m (5,101.7 ft) | highest peak of the Bohemian Ridge |
| Studniční hora | Studzienna Góra | Brunnberg | 1554 m (5,098.4 ft) | |
| Vysoké kolo (Krkonoš) | Wielki Szyszak | Hohes Rad | 1509 m (4,950.8 ft) | highest peak in the Western Krkonoše |
| Stříbrný hřbet Smogornia Smogornia - peak in the Karkonosze Mountains on Polish and Czech border. It is situated in the eastern part of the main range. The peak is not accessible; the main Sudetes trail and Polish - Czech Friendship Trail traverses the mountain ca 300 m north from the peak... |
Smogornia | Mittagsberg | 1489 m (4,885.2 ft) | |
| Violík Łabski Szczyt Łabski Szczyt or Violík is a mountain peak located in the western Karkonosze on the Czech-Polish border. The source of the River Elbe , one of Europe's major rivers, is situated on the southern slopes of the mountain.- Situation :In the main range the very distinct peak is situated between... (Labský štít) |
Łabski Szczyt | Veilchenstein | 1472 m (4,829.4 ft) | |
| Malý Šišák | Mały Szyszak | Kleine Sturmhaube | 1440 m (4,724.4 ft) | |
| Kotel Kotel Kotel may refer to:Bulgaria:* Kotel, Bulgaria, a town in Bulgaria* Kotel Pass, a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria... |
- | Kesselkoppe | 1435 m (4,708 ft) | |
| Velký Šišák (Smělec) | Śmielec | Große Sturmhaube | 1424 m (4,671.9 ft) | |
| Harrachovy kameny | - | Harrachsteine | 1421 m (4,662.1 ft) | |
| Mužské kameny | Czeskie Kamienie | Mannsteine | 1416 m (4,645.7 ft) | |
| Dívčí kameny | Śląskie Kamienie | Mädelsteine | 1414 m (4,639.1 ft) | |
| Svorová hora | Czarna Kopa | Schwarze Koppe | 1411 m (4,629.3 ft) | |
| Růžová hora | - | Rosenberg | 1390 m (4,560.4 ft) | |
| - | Kopa KOPA KOPA is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Pala, California, USA. The station is owned by the Pala Band of Mission Indians... |
Kleine Koppe | 1377 m (4,517.7 ft) | |
| Liščí hora | Lisia Góra | Fuchsberg | 1363 m (4,471.8 ft) | |
| Jínonoš Szrenica Szrenica is a mountain peak situated in the western part of Karkonosze on Polish and Czech border within the Karkonosze National Park. Its name originates from the Polish word szron . There is a weather station situated close to the summit. The peak is deforested, both the southern and the... |
Szrenica | Reifträger | 1362 m (4,468.5 ft) | chairlift from Szklarska Poręba Szklarska Poreba Szklarska Poręba is a town in Jelenia Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. The town has a population of around 7,000... |
| Lysá hora Lysá hora Lysá hora is the highest mountain of the Moravian-Silesian Beskids range in the Czech Republic and also of Cieszyn Silesia. It is considered the rainiest place of the country with an annual precipitation over .-Etymology:... |
- | Kahler Berg | 1344 m (4,409.4 ft) | charlift from Rokytnice nad Jizerou Rokytnice nad Jizerou Rokytnice nad Jizerou is a town in the Czech Republic. The town is also a ski resort in the winter, with a ski school and 2 chair lifts and 2 T-bar lifts.-External links:*... , ski resort |
| Stoh | - | Heuschober | 1315 m (4,314.3 ft) | |
| Černá hora Cerná Hora Černá Hora means black mountain in Czech, and in the Czech Republic, it is used for Montenegro. It may refer to:* Černá hora , a peak in the Šumava mountains, the Vltava source lies near it* Černá hora , a peak in Jizera Mountains... |
Czarna Góra | Schwarzenberg | 1299 m (4,261.8 ft) | cable car Cable car A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems.-Aerial lift:Aerial lifts where the vehicle is suspended in the air from a cable:... from Janské Lázně Janské Lázne Janské Lázně is a small spa town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 850 inhabitants. It is located in mountainuous area 519 meters above sea level.... , TV tower, ski resort |
| Medvědín | Medwiedin | Schüsselberg | 1235 m (4,051.8 ft) | chairlift from Špindlerův Mlýn Špindleruv Mlýn Špindlerův Mlýn is a town in the Czech Republic in the Krkonoše. It received its name after a mill belonging to Spindler's family, where neighbours used to meet... , ski resort |
| Čertova hora | Czarcia Góra | Teufelsberg | 1021 m (3,349.7 ft) | chairlifts from Harrachov Harrachov Harrachov is a town on the Mumlava river in the northern Czech Republic, 300 m from the border with Poland. It is within the Krkonoše mountain range, about above sea level.-History:... and Rýžoviště, ski resort |
Legend and Literature
The Krkonoše is the legendary home of RübezahlRübezahl
Rübezahl is a folklore mountain spirit of the Giant Mountains , a mountain range along the border between the historical lands Bohemia and Silesia. He is the subject of many legends and fairy tales in German folklore.-Name:The origin of the name is not clear...
, a half-mischievous, half-friendly goblin
Goblin
A goblin is a legendary evil or mischievous illiterate creature, a grotesquely evil or evil-like phantom.They are attributed with various abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been classified as constantly annoying little...
of German folklore
German folklore
German folklore shares many characteristics with Scandinavian folklore and English folklore due to their origins in a common Germanic mythology. It reflects a similar mix of influences: a pre-Christian pantheon and other beings equivalent to those of Norse mythology; magical characters associated...
.
The Krkonoše provide the setting for Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué
Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué
Friedrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte, Baron Fouqué was a German writer of the romantic style.-Biography:He was born at Brandenburg an der Havel, of a family of French Huguenot origin, as evidenced in his family name...
's "Der Hirt des Riesengebürgs," or "The Shepherd of the Giant Mountains
The Shepherd of the Giant Mountains
The Shepherd of the Giant Mountains is a German ballad by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué which was translated into English by Menella Bute Smedley in 1846.-Synopsis:...
."
Important towns
- KarpaczKarpaczKarpacz is a spa town and ski resort in Jelenia Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, south-western Poland, and one of the most important centres for mountain hiking and skiing, including ski jumping. Its population is about 5,000...
, ski resortSki resortA ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
in Poland - Szklarska PorębaSzklarska PorebaSzklarska Poręba is a town in Jelenia Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. The town has a population of around 7,000...
, ski resort in Poland - Špindlerův MlýnŠpindleruv MlýnŠpindlerův Mlýn is a town in the Czech Republic in the Krkonoše. It received its name after a mill belonging to Spindler's family, where neighbours used to meet...
, mountain resortMountain resortA mountain resort is a place to holiday or vacation located in a mountainous area. The term includes ski resorts, where winter sports, including skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing and ice skating are practiced, as well as places where summer activities such as mountain biking, mountain boarding,...
in the Czech Republic - HarrachovHarrachovHarrachov is a town on the Mumlava river in the northern Czech Republic, 300 m from the border with Poland. It is within the Krkonoše mountain range, about above sea level.-History:...
in the Czech Republic - Pec pod SněžkouPec pod SnežkouPec pod Sněžkou is a small town at the base of Sněžka Mountain, near Trutnov in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic.The town is one of the most well-known and most frequented mountain resorts in the Czech Republic, with year-round use and with accommodation capacity of 8,500...
, mountain resort in the Czech Republic - KowaryKowaryKowary is a town in Jelenia Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland.It lies approximately south-east of Jelenia Góra, and south-west of the regional capital Wrocław.-History:...
in Poland - Janské LázněJanské LázneJanské Lázně is a small spa town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 850 inhabitants. It is located in mountainuous area 519 meters above sea level....
in the Czech Republic