Hornacko Region
HRUBA VRBKA
The village of Hruba Vrbka is one of the oldest settlements in the Hornacko region.
The first record mentioning the village dates back to 1360AD, however, the archeological research conducted in this area pushes its origins further back in time – to the 4th century BC, when this area was populated by the Celts. The excavations rendered, among others, shards of a ceramic melting pot used for metal casting, glass bracelets, and the remains of a human skull.
Similar to Janosik in Slovakia, Hruba Vrbka also has its local Robin Hood-type hero – his name was Martin Polcak. Polcak did not form his own group of highwaymen from scratch, there had been already one operating in the area, established by his own brother. After his brother had died, Polcak joined the group. The highwaymen were admired and supported by poor people in the area, but eventually, they were caught and killed (most of them shot dead) by the army. The fate awaiting their leader, Martin Polcak, however, was much crueler; he was captured and sentenced to death – the ordered way of execution was quartering.
In Hruba Vrbka, there is also a native house of Matej Pavlik, bishop Gorazd (1879 – 1942). Originally a catholic priest, he later converted to Eastern-Orthodoxy. During WWII, he helped hide the paratroopers responsible for the assassination of the Nazi Chancellor of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, Reinhard Heydrich – an event which had tragic repercussions for many people in the country: whole villages were wiped out and a great number of people were arrested by the Gestapo, tortured, and executed – bishop Gorazd among them. The church later commemorated his selfless deed by canonizing Gorazd (in 1987).
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Contact
Vzdělávací a informační středisko Bílé Karpaty, o.p.s.
Marie Petrů
Bartolomějské náměstí 47, 698 01 Veselí nad Moravou
Tel.:518 322 545
e-mail:visbk@bilekarpaty.cz
http://bilekarpaty.cz/vis
