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The project seeks to assemble all of the Jewish families from the small town of Dlouhá Ves in Southwestern Bohemia.
Current Czech Name: Dlouhá Ves
Other Names/Spellings: Stará Dlouhá Ves, Alt-Langendorf, Langendorf [Ger]
Location: Dlouhá Ves is a village and municipality (obec) in Klatovy District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. The municipality covers an area of 14.97 square kilometres (5.78 sq mi), and has a population of 811 (as at 2 October 2006). Dlouhá Ves lies approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Sušice, 28 km (17 mi) southeast of Klatovy, 63 km (39 mi) south of Plzeň, and 120 km (75 mi) southwest of Prague.
History: In the 13th century, Dlouhá Ves was the center of a manor, whose owners called themselves Dlouhoveští of Dlouhá Ves. The name of the village was probably derived from the shape of the built-up area along the ancient road from Sušice through Tuškov to Kašperské Hory. The first written record documenting its existence comes from 1290.
In 1470 the family of Dlouhoveští sold Dlouhá Ves. Many owners subsequently purchased the land. In 1787 the Jan Josef Schwarzenberg obtained the property. The Schwarzenbergs later united Dlouhá Ves with their manor in Prášily, becoming part of the their estates in south-west Bohemia. They kept Dlouhá Ves until 1930.
The first Jewish families settled in Dlouhá Ves (Langendorf) during the 2nd half of 17th century. In 1702 six percent of families were Jewish. Throughout the 18th century, about 20 families lived in the area between the manor-house and the church, where they also founded a small synagogue and a cemetery. In 1837, about 26 houses had Jewish owners; in 1849, 36 families (210 people). They were mostly merchants, selling tobacco, spirits, leather and flax. During civic emancipation - the Jewish families moved to bigger towns. In 1880 there were Jewish 52 adults in Dlouhá Ves, (still 7% of total population). The kehilah merged with the community of Kasperske Hory in 1890. In 1900 there were 28 adults (3%), in 1930 - 8 (less than 1%). In 1937 the synagogue burned and was razed. The old Jewish cemetery with the tombstones from the 18th and 19th centuries has nevertheless survived to date (about 300m to the southeast of the church).
The manor-house with the chapel started to deteriorate after 1930, when the Schwarzenbergs lost the property of Dlouhá Ves. During the World War II the manor building served as a dormitory of French war prisoners. The manor-house burned in 1949, with just a fragment of the chapel remaining until 1984. Today, the Dlouhá Ves Šumava farmstead occupies the site of the former manor-house. Only the old fountain in center of the farm evokes the era of local noble inhabitants.
Genealogical Resources: Birth, Death and Marriage record books for Dlouhá Ves beginning in around 1800 are preserved and located at the Czech State Archives in Prague.
Dlouhá Ves/Langendorf Cemetery
Jewish Families in the 1793 bohemian census