Welcome to the village Slatina

Village of Slatina is located southwest of the capital city of the Czech Republic - Prague, about 1.5 - 2 hours by car in the direction of Strakonice, Blatná, Horažďovice. Slatina by Horaždovice was established in the half of 12th century (about a year 1150) and belongs with few others to the oldest communes in the area. Besides construction of the church court by the St. George`s monastery there was build a wooden church about year 1220. It was the first in the area. St. George`s monastery owned the court in Slatina till the year of 1254. The church in Slatina was burned out by Hussite troops in 1421, when Hussite commander (Žižka) led his army to the Rabí castle. The village Slatina had 11 owners throughout the centuries. The last owners were lords from Chanovice, baron Goldegg (1948) in the concrete.

The rich history and the Jewish heritage

Village of Slatina is important also from a cultural standpoint. The indivisible part of the village is its Jewish history beginning in the early 17th century, when owner of Slatina, Kunáš from Machovice begins the consecutive settlement of Jews in Slatina. He offered them free construction plots for building their own houses, which later became the base of Slatina ghetto. A cemetery was built close to the commune in 1723. The old small wooden synagogue has been replaced in 1868 by new brick larger one. The remains of Jewish ghetto, synagogue and cemetery create thanks its unusual dimensions a very unique complex. More detailed info in sections "History of the village Slatina" and "Memories of Jewish history"

Synagogue Slatina (cultural landmark)

The original synagogue was wooden, standing on a four wooden supporting pillars, with dimensions of 8×6 meters.

The synagogue was situated in the center of the ghetto. The new synagogue in Slatina is standalone, simple classicist building with hip roof (also called hipped roof). The exterior dimensions are 18,9 x 11,4 meters, height to the main cornice is 7 meters. Synagogue was built in 1868 (some sources indicates already in 1850). The divine services took place in the synagogue until 1912. On the 20th September, 1917 the last Jew, Karel Sabath, left Slatina. That same year the synagogue was purchased for 10 800Kčs (Czech Krowns) by tradesman and music teacher, Mr. Karel Volmut. He rebuilt part of synagogue where then school was, and turned it into a store. The former chapel was converted to a barn. After the World War II, he moved and the abandoned synagogue helped out to village and to a newly established collective farm. When the collective farm started to use the synagogue as storage for fertilizers, it seems that her doom was certain. Fortunately, in 1975 the synagogue was sold by the then owner JZD Svéradice after the consolidation of collected farms, and new owners renovated the synagogue in 1983 to today's image.

Jewish Cemetery in Slatina

Jewish cemetery in Slatina is located approximately 1km, north from the village square, in the wood, west from the road to village Chanovice and Bezděkov. With dimensions of 58 x 28 metres is covers area of 1624 square metres. From its surrounding, it is divided by 2 metres high stone wall, already largely destroyed.

The cemetery presents a place of rest of many generations of Jews, from Slatina and wide surrondings, to whom belonged significant personalities, representatives of community and clerkish rabbis. Jews from Slatina and surrounding were buried here since the year 1668. Yet in March 9, 1723 the then owner of Slatina, Ferdinand Kunáš from Machovice, permited to Jews in Slatina establishing of the Jewish cemetery. Based on the establishment deed, the Jewish cemetery had dimensions of approx. 15 x 15 metres.