Řeka (Polish: Rzeka) is a municipality and village in Frýdek-Místek District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 600 inhabitants. The municipality has a significant Polish minority.

Řeka
Rzeka
General view of Řeka
General view of Řeka
Flag of Řeka
Coat of arms of Řeka
Řeka is located in Czech Republic
Řeka
Řeka
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 49°38′28″N 18°34′17″E / 49.64111°N 18.57139°E / 49.64111; 18.57139
Country Czech Republic
RegionMoravian-Silesian
DistrictFrýdek-Místek
Founded1644
Area
 • Total13.45 km2 (5.19 sq mi)
Elevation
420 m (1,380 ft)
Population
 (2024-01-01)[1]
 • Total551
 • Density41/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
739 55
Websitewww.obecreka.cz

Etymology

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The name literally means 'river'.

Geography

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View of Šindelná from Řeka

Řeka is located about 15 kilometres (9 mi) east of Frýdek-Místek and 27 km (17 mi) southeast of Ostrava. It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids mountain range. The highest point is the Šindelná mountain at 1,100 m (3,600 ft) above sea level, located on the southeastern municipal border. The Ropičanka stream flows through the municipality.

History

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Řeka was founded in 1644 was formed by the separation from Smilovice and Guty, and originally named Řeka smilovská. It belonged then to the Duchy of Teschen. The village was established as a typical mountain settlement by associating already existing scattered mountain pastures and mountain farms. In the following years, other small farmers settled in the newly formed village. The main source of livelihood of the inhabitants was mountain farming.[2]

After Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire a modern municipal division was introduced in the re-established Austrian Silesia. The village as a municipality was subscribed to the political and legal district of Cieszyn. According to the censuses conducted in 1880–1910, the majority were native Polish-speakers (between 95.5% and 99.6%) accompanied by a small German-speaking minority (at most 19 or 4.1% in 1890) and Czech-speaking people (growing from 1 in 1880 to 10 in 1910).[2] In terms of religion in 1910 the majority were Protestants (92.6%), followed by Roman Catholics (6.8%) and 3 people adhering to another faiths (but not Jewish).[3]

After World War I, Polish–Czechoslovak War and the division of Cieszyn Silesia in 1920, it became a part of Czechoslovakia. Following the Munich Agreement, in October 1938 together with the Trans-Olza region it was annexed by Poland, administratively adjoined to Cieszyn County of Silesian Voivodeship.[4] It was then annexed by Nazi Germany at the beginning of World War II. After the war it was restored to Czechoslovakia.

Demographics

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Polish minority makes up 10.1% of the population.[5]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1869553—    
1880524−5.2%
1890476−9.2%
1900488+2.5%
1910515+5.5%
YearPop.±%
1921454−11.8%
1930449−1.1%
1950433−3.6%
1961497+14.8%
1970529+6.4%
YearPop.±%
1980496−6.2%
1991450−9.3%
2001466+3.6%
2011495+6.2%
2021543+9.7%
Source: Censuses[6][7]

Sport

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There is a small ski resort in the municipality.[2]

Sights

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Řeka is poor in historic monuments. The only protected cultural monument is a wooden folk house from the mid-19th century.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024". Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. ^ a b c "Historie obce" (in Czech). Obec Řeka. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  3. ^ Piątkowski, Kazimierz (1918). Stosunki narodowościowe w Księstwie Cieszyńskiem (in Polish). Cieszyn: Macierz Szkolna Księstwa Cieszyńskiego. pp. 265, 283.
  4. ^ "Ustawa z dnia 27 października 1938 r. o podziale administracyjnym i tymczasowej organizacji administracji na obszarze Ziem Odzyskanych Śląska Cieszyńskiego". Dziennik Ustaw Śląskich (in Polish). 18/1938, poz. 35. Katowice. 31 October 1938. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  5. ^ "Population Census 2021: Population by selected ethnicity". Public database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
  6. ^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21.
  7. ^ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
  8. ^ "Výsledky vyhledávání: Kulturní památky, obec Řeka". Ústřední seznam kulturních památek (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
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