From Písek in the Footsteps of Good Soldier Schweik

Xenophon, the warrior of antiquity, tramped all over Asia Minor and heaven knows where else, without any maps. The ancient Goths likewise achieved their expeditions without any topographical knowledge. Any anabasis involves marching straight ahead, penetrating unknown regions. These are the opening words of Jaroslav Hašek´s Schweik´s anabasis. It is easily said march straight ahead. But how does one get back? If you look at the map of Schweik´s wanderings, you might think that the clever rascal found possibly the longest route to go from Tábor to České Budějovice in order to reach his regiment as late as possible. But if you look closely you will find that Schweik made more or less a circular route around South Bohemia which somehow defeats the point of an anabasis. But thinking about it why should one rush ahead all the time? To think and act with clear thoughts, that's what matters in life…

Hašek got acquainted with the region in 1896 when he came to spend his holidays here after the death of his father. The stories of the locals and the South Bohemian Region itself made such an impression on him that when he was writing The Good Soldier Schweik in 1921, more than 20 years later, he had no troubles depicting even the smallest details of the region. The names and descriptions of the villages correspond to the real villages, with the possible exception of Hašek´s Malčín, Sedlec and Štěkno (being Malčice, Sedlice and Štěkeň). In these cases the author used the colloquial names for these villages.

The town of Písek seems to be the imaginary centre of Schweik´s anabasis as this was the place he reached after all the crises overwhelming his way from Tábor. He was taken to Písek by the gendarmes of Putim and from Písek he was despatched by train to his regiment in České Budějovice.

"You were trying to find your regiment?" he said. "That must have been some hunt. Tábor, Milevsko, Květov, Vráž, Malčín, Čížová, Sedlec, Horažďovice, Radomyšl, Putim, Štěkno, Strakonice, Volyň, Dub, Vodňany, Protivín, Putim, Budějovice. A thorny path!"

These pages describes the places of Schweik´s anabasis with the aim of covering the best things which we feel that you, as followers of this famous soldier, might like to experience and see. Should we make a slight detour, it is only to make your trip that bit more interesting. We are quite sure that willing locals will show you the route Schweik took all those years back. We would like you to have the same feelings as Schweik when he came to South Bohemia "And how do you like being in Bohemia?" "First-rate", replied Schweik. "I´ve never met such nice people anywhere." We would like you to see our architecture and culture, to breathe the fresh forest air, to enjoy yourself in local pubs over a pint of beer, and experience our region as it is. Should you get lost on your journey in the deep woods of Vráž or take the wrong turning on your trip to Sedlice, do not despair and bear in mind Schweik´s advice: All roads also lead to Písek.

The reason why you should stay in Písek will be revealed; how and why to set off on trips to the majority of places described in Hašek´s work comes after that. You might like to plan your route through the Písek region using the detailed database on these internet pages - use the "Maps" section to search out routes between individual places and to locate places of interest, and where to stay and eat.

We would like to thank PhDr. Radko Pytlík, CSc. for his kind assistance in describing the course of Schweik´s anabasis through South Bohemia.

This project was supported by the action plan of the programme Development of the South Bohemia Region for 2007 and 2010.

Note: Quotes in italics are extracts from The Good Soldier, Volume 2 by Jaroslav Hašek, translated by Paul Selver (using the name Schweik) or by Cecil Parrott (using the name Švejk). Zenny Sadlon's new translation of The Fateful Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk During the World War, Book Two by Jaroslav Hašek that is available at zenny.com. To learn more about the the global impact Švejk, visit SvejkCentral.com.

File date: 5.11.2010