Rekvizice zvonů v Čechách v 1. světové válce

Zprávy památkové péče 2014, 74(4):310-313

The requisitions of bells in Bohemia during the First World War

Petr Vácha

The lack of ferrous metals for war purposes was initially resolved through collections, followed by requisitions. Bells represented an enormous amount of necessary material.
The first requisition began in the second half of 1916 and continued in 1917. Since the lists were not consistent with the reality, some valuable bells that were supposed to have been preserved were removed. Some valuable bells that had already been pulled down were saved, while others were destroyed, even with no documentation, before the decision was made to protect them. Bells were removed either whole or broken up, even directly in the towers, while some were thrown out the window.
With the first requisition, a recorded two-thirds of the total bell mass was obtained. The second requisition demanded all bells with a diameter from 25 cm, with the exception of signal bells of railways and ships and bells of "special artistic or historical value." Bells cast up until the year 1600 were to be protected. The planned third requisition was very drastic, but was stopped by the end of the war.
During the requisition, bells were documented, inscriptions were copied by drawings, plaster casts of decorations and complete bells were made, and photo documentation was carried out. Steps were taken to rescue valuable bells, and continuous developmental series were preserved thanks to the exchange of bells.
The requisitions of the First World War destroyed 3/5 of the total number of bells and clock cymbals, which in Bohemia comes to approximately 10,000 pieces.