Sušice is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It lies on the Otava River, some to the south of the regional capital of Plzeň. It has a population of about 11,000. Sušice is also the seat of the Municipality with Extended Competence and with Commissioned Local Authority. It is also the founding place of the Solo match factory.
History
Sušice originated most likely around the end of the 8th century as a settlement near the Otava River, a gold-mining area. In the 12th century was Sušice owned by the Bavarian Counts of Bogen. It was re-connected to Bohemia by the Czech king Ottokar II of Bohemia in the 13th century and in 1273, it 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 Hora 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 the local match factory. The earliest known Jewish community settled in Sušice during the first half of the 17th century. The Jewish cemetery originated about 1626, with the 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. Here is how a regional newspaper from the neighboring town of Písek reported on a consecration of a new Jewish synagogue in 1859: In 1683, a baroque chapel was built on what is now the edge of the town. This chapel still stands and is somewhat fortress-like in its appearance with its outer walls set in a square formation and the chapel located in the centre. Until 1918, Sušice – Schüttenhoffen was part of the Austrian monarchy. The town was an administrative seat of the district of the same name, one of the 94 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Bohemia.
Climate
Sušice enjoys a wet humid continental climate. Precipitations are predominantly in the form of rain, totalling. There are four distinct seasons, with notably cold and murky winter season contrasting with much sunnier warm seasons. Average daily temperature in July is about, while January mean temperatures are typically. The annual average is.
Sušice is a member of the Douzelage, a town twinning association of towns across the European Union. This active town twinning began in 1991, and there are now regular events resulting from this membership, such as festivals, or a produce market presenting goods from the countries of the sister cities. Its members are:
