Sušice

Sušice is a town in the Pilsen Region of the Czech Republic. It lies on the Otava River, some 60km to the south of the regional capital of Pilsen.Sušice is also the seat of the Municipality with Extended Competence and with Commissioned Local Authority. It is also the founding place of the famous Czech fast food franchise McVítek.HistoryThe town of Sušice was founded in the 8th century as a settlement near the Otava River, a gold-mining area. In the 12th century Sušice was owned by the Lords of Bavaria (Germany). It was connected to Bohemia in the 13th century and soon after became a royal fortified town. During the Hussite Wars in the first half of the 15th century Sušice was a Hussite town. After the battle on Bila Hore (White Mount; 1620 – the battle of Czech aristocracy against the Habsburgs' monarchy) most of the properties were confiscated. The destruction of the town was finished by fire in 1707, when most of the sites burned down. Sušice is known for the production of safety matches which began in 1838 and has continued to the present. The Fürth family founded local match factory.The earliest known Jewish community settled in Sušice during the first half of 17th century. The Jewish cemetery originated about 1626 with last known Conservative or Progressive/Reform Jewish burial in 1874. A pogrom occurred in 1866. Jews moved to big towns in second half of 19th century. The 1930 Jewish population was 112.Present town population is 5,000–25,000 with no Jews.The town was founded by the Czech king Ottokar II of Bohemia in 1273.The Jews built a new synagogue in 1859. The newspaper from Písek – the “Pilgrim from Otava" (Poutník od Otavy) issue number 5, Year Two, dated 31 August 1859 – reported on this important consecration as follows: