Dolní Věstonice

For information on the Dolní Věstonice archaeological site, please see Dolní Věstonice.
Dolní Věstonice
Village
Dolní Věstonice, 2007
Flag
Coat of arms
Country Czech Republic
Region South Moravian
District Břeclav
Elevation 174 m (571 ft)
Coordinates CZ 48°53′14″N 16°38′38″E / 48.88722°N 16.64389°E / 48.88722; 16.64389Coordinates: CZ 48°53′14″N 16°38′38″E / 48.88722°N 16.64389°E / 48.88722; 16.64389
Area 8.76 km2 (3 sq mi)
Population 322 (2014)
Density 37/km2 (96/sq mi)
First Mentioned 1312
Timezone CET (UTC+1)
 - summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 691 29
Location in the Czech Republic
Wikimedia Commons: Dolní Věstonice
Website: http://www.obecdolnivestonice.cz

Dolní Věstonice (German: Unterwisternitz) is a small village in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It is known for a series of ice age archaeological sites in the area. These sites were used by mammoth hunters, and finds include a triple burial and the Venus of Dolní Věstonice. Although prehistoric artifacts have been found in the area for some time, formal archaeological research started in 1924. The village became a target for tourists interested in archeology, wine, architecture or traditional costumes.

History

A small fortress was built here during the Great Moravia period. The place is mentioned in written documents from 1312. During the 13th century the place became inhabited by German colonists. In 1460 it received city rights. From the beginning of the 16th century Habaners (Habáni, members of anabaptist sects expelled from German lands and Switzerland) settled here. They were expelled again in 1622.

Until 1918, the village was part of the Austrian monarchy (Austria side after the compromise of 1867), in the NIKOLSBURG district, one of the 34 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Moravia.[1]

A post-office named UNTER-WISTERNITZ was opened in 1869.

In 1938, it was occupied by the Nazi army as one of the municipalities in Sudetenland. The German speaking population was expelled in 1945 (see the Beneš decrees) and replaced by Czech settlers.

Population development

Before World War II the village was ethnically German speaking:

Census year Population Ethnicity of inhabitants
year German Czechs other
1793 630
1836 766
1869 779
1880 752 742 0 10
1890 826 812 1 13
1900 842 835 6 1
1910 771 768 3 0
1921 686 658 10 17
1930 688 642 36 10
1939 633

[2]

References

  1. Die postalischen Abstempelungen auf den österreichischen Postwertzeichen-Ausgaben 1867, 1883 und 1890, Wilhelm KLEIN, 1967
  2. Historický místopis Moravy a Slezska v letech 1848–1960, sv.9. 1984
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