Jan Mydlar patri k nejznamejsim katum stredoveku diky ucasti na
nejvetsi hromadne poprave toho veku – poprave 27 ceskych
panu, prevazne protestantu, kteri vedli stavovske povstani proti
krali Matyasi a nasledne krali Ferdinandovi II.
Zivotu Jana Mydlare se nejvice venoval cesky spisovatel
historickych próz, Josef Svatek, ve svem ctyrdilnem romanu
Pameti katovske rodiny Mydlaru v Praze. Za precteni rovnez
stoji kniha Kat Mydlar - ve sluzbach cisaru spisovatele
Karla Storkana, ktery pri jejim psani vychazel prave z knih
Josefa Svatka.
Podle Svatka pochazel Jan Mydlar z chrudimske mestanske
rodiny a byl magistrem lekarstvi prazske university (k uplnemu
titulu mu chybely pouze zaverecne zkousky, avsak podle jinych
pramenu zkousky udelal, jen neabsolvoval promoce). Misto toho, aby
se stal uznavanym lekarem (byl velmi talentovanym studentem),
nastoupil u chrudimskeho kata jako jeho pacholek, cimz se prakticky
odsoudil na pokraj spolecnosti.
Co jej k tomu vedlo? Nic jineho nez laska. Jan Mydlar byl jiz za
studii zamilovany do krasne Dorotky. Byl laskou natolik zaslepen na
to, aby si vsimnul, ze Dorotka opetovava lasku temer kazdemu, kdo
se ji dvori. Dorotka si posleze vezme za muze stareho mlynare
Vanuru, ktereho vsak v zapeti s pomoci korenarek otravi, a tim
sprovodi ze sveta. Je za to odsouzena k trestu smrti.
Jan Mydlar, hnan svym srdcem, okamzite zanecha studii a zamiri do
rodne Chrudimi Dorotce na pomoc. Do zalare vsak smi vstoupit jen
kat a jeho pomocnici. Jan nevaha a stava se holomkem chrudimskeho
kata Jiriho, prestoze vi, ze se tak navzdy vyradi s pocestne lidske
spolecnosti. Zachranit milovanou Dorotku se mu ale nepodarilo. U
katovskeho remesla vsak jiz musel zustat, nebot byl navzdy
povazovan za necisteho cloveka.
Ukazku z knihy si muzete precist
zde.
Tato historka je vsak naprosto vymyslena Josefem Svatkem v jeho
Pametech katovske rodiny Mydlaru. O Janu Mydlarovi se dochovalo jen
malo overenych zprav. Historicke prameny dokladaji, ze se Jan
Mydlar pravdepodobne skutecne narodil v Chrudimi a nepochazel z
katovske rodiny. Slavnym se stal az po poprave 27 ceskych panu 21.
cervna 1621, nebot prave na nem bylo vykonani rozsudku. Podobna
poprava se nekonala dosud nikde. Jmeno prazskeho kata se rozletlo
Evropou. Na trzich se prodavaly "zarucene prave" mece s vyrytymi
jmeny popravenych nebo s Mydlarovym monogramem. Jan Mydlar se stal
zamoznym muzem. S manzelkou Alzbetou, dcerou slanskeho kata
Spetly, si koupil roku 1637 dum na okraji Noveho Mesta, tam, kde se
rika Na bojisti - v blizkosti pozdejsi proslule hospody U kalicha.
Z jeho synu jsou znami Jan Vaclav a Jiri, kteri otcovo
remeslo zdedili.
Nicmene ze zacatku pusobil Mydlar jako pomocnik prazskeho kata
Jarose, ktery vsak asi po roce zemrel. Jan podal na
Staromestske radnici o misto mistra popravciho vsech tri prazskych
mest. Magistratu vyhovoval Mydlar proto, ze byl dostatecne fyzicky
vyspely a zrucny. Vyhodu mel i v tom, ze jako studovany medik vedel
kam seknout mecem, jak pustit zilou. Je historicky overeno, ze kdyz
obhajoval svou zadost o ustanoveni staromestskym katem, nekteri
oponenti, vcetne purkmistra Krocina hovorili o tom, ze sice mlady
je, avsak upozornovali na jeho zkusenosti. Katovstvi mu bylo
prirknuto ve dvaadvaceti ci triadvaceti letech.
Fakta
O dospivani a studentskych letech Jana Mydlare se muzeme jen
dohadovat, protoze chybi verohodne udaje. Pres spekulace o datu
Mydlarova narozeni je jiste, ze v lete roku 1603 zazil Jan Mydlar
uz jako prazsky kat pad Jeronyma Makovskeho z Makove, nejvyssiho
osobniho komoriho Rudolfa II. Byl take svedkem vzestupu intrikana
Filipa Langa, nastupce Makovskeho, ktery byl 1. cervna 1608 uvrzen
do zalare, kde skonal prirozenou smrti pred vynesenim rozsudku v
hrdelnim procesu. Jan Mydlar byl ve sve funkci svedkem udalosti
provazejicich vydani Majestatu Rudolfa II., 9. cervence 1609. Na
prani cisare Rudolfa II. se vypravil za magistrem Kelleym na
Krivoklat, aby z neho dostal tajemstvi elixiru mladi a ziskavani
zlata umelou cestou.
Staromestska katovna
Kat Mydlar bydlel z pocatku ve staromestske katovne v Praze u
Stareho zidovskeho hrbitova, tam kde se dnes styka jeho zed se
severni casti budovy Umeleckoprumysloveho muzea. Za popravy a
muceni dostaval vysoke odmeny, za ktere si koupil v roce 1634 s
manzelkou Alzbetou dum na okraji Noveho Mesta u Svinske brany.
Brana stavala v mistech dnesniho namesti I. P. Pavlova. Dum stal
tam, kde je dnes ulice Na Bojisti, v blizkosti pozdejsi proslule
hospody U kalicha.
Herman Krystof Rusworm
Prvni zminka o poprave kata Mydlare je poprava Hermana Krystofa
Rusworma. Byl popraven 29. listopadu 1605 Janem Mydlarem, bez
pacholku, ve velke sini na Staromestske radnici. Herman Krystof
Rusworm, ktery slavil nejvetsi uspechy za tureckych valek v letech
1593 az 1606, padl do lecky italskych generalu a nechvalne znameho
cisarova komoriho Filipa Langa. Pikantni je, ze jen nekolik hodin
po provedene poprave dorazil na radnici posel s osobnim prikazem
cisare Rudolfa II., v nemz udeluje svemu vojevudci milost.
Jan Mydlar a Jan Jessenius
Jednoho vecera Mydlare navstivil Jan Jesensky s prosbou, zda by
mohl byt pritomen poprave stetim. Pri jejich setkani se stala
podivna vec. Kdyz Jesensky vstoupil do katova domu, vyrazne se na
zdi pohnul mec, kterym se stinaly hlavy. To znamenalo, ze dotycny
clovek jednou skonci na popravisti a bude sprovazen ze sveta prave
timto mecem. Jan Jesensky se katove obave smal, povazoval to za
hloupou poveru. Bohuzel, tato vestba se naplnila – i on byl
21. cervna 1621 mezi popravenymi pany. Jan Mydlar se stal
dodavatelem mrtvol pro Jana Jessenia, ktery je pouzival ke svym
anatomickym studiim. V roce 1600 se Jan Mydlar zucastnil prvni
verejne pitvy s vykladem profesora Jessenia.
Zena Tobiase Stefka z Kolodej
Na dobovych kresbach a rytinach je zaznamenano, ze zeny odsouzenych
ceskych panu chodily prosit, plakat a podplacet uredniky, kteri
mohli rozhodnout, bude-li ci nebude jejich manzel propusten.
Tragicka zoufalost zen, jejichz manzele byli odsouzeni k poprave,
vrcholila v jejich odhodlani ucinit cokoli, aby svemu choti, kdyz
nic jineho, ulehcili. Zena zalarovaneho Tobiase Stefka z Kolodej
prisla za Mydlarem a dala mu pro chote jed a svedla jej.
Historickymi dokumenty je take potvrzeno, ze v okamziku, kdy se
prazsky kat Mydlar chysta setit hlavu Stefka, meni mec za ostry,
aby to odsouzeneho „nebolelo“. Splnil prani jeho zeny,
i kdyz kdokoli muze namitnout, ze vymena mece byla nahodna. Stejne
tak je dolozeno, ze vymenil svuj mec za novy ostry i pred stetim
hlavy sveho pritele Jana Jessenia
Staromestska exekuce 21.6.1621
Poprava
27 ceskych panu
21. cervna 1621 na Staromestskem namesti v Praze je dulezity meznik
ceskych dejin. Byla symbolickou teckou za protestantskym povstanim,
ktere zacalo defenestraci 23. kvetna 1618 a bylo porazeno
8. listopadu 1620 v rozhodujici bitve na Bile hore u
Prahy.
Exekuce trvala od pate hodiny ranni az do desate na pul
orloje.
Deset urozenych panu slechtickeho stavu, a navic jeste dva mestane,
byli stati postupne ctyrmi popravcimi meci a zbyvajicich patnact
mestanu bylo obeseno bud na brevne vystrcenem z okna v patre
staromestske radnice anebo na sibenici, ktera stala o nejakych
tricet ctyricet kroku dale od popravciho pódia smerem k dnesni
Parizske ulici.
Nekterym panum byly pred samotnym stetim hlavy useknuty ruce.
Rektorovi prazske univerzity, Janu Jesseniu, kat vyrizl
jazyk.
Jeste druhy den byl pisar Mikulas Divis pribit na sibenici za jazyk
a takto ponechan po cele dve hodiny. Tri mestane byli z mesta
vymrskani.
Telo Jana Jessenia bylo
rozctvrceno a
rozveseno za mestem.
Dvanact utatych hlav Kat Mydlar vynesl hned odpoledne po
vykonane exekuci ve dvou putnach, tak jak mu bylo narizeno, na
Staromestskou mosteckou vez a tam je z horniho ochozu jednu po
druhe vystrcil nabodnute na dlouhych zeleznych prutech v dratenych
kosich, aby byly vsechny zdola dobre viditelne. Sest jich pak
trcelo z veze na staromestskou stranu a sest na opacnou stranu
smerem k Mensimu Mestu prazskemu, prave nad vstupem na vlastni
most.
Na hlavu hrabete Jachyma Ondreje Slika, a stejne tak i na hlavu
doktora prav Jiriho Hauenschilda, polozil podle prikazu take jejich
odtate pravice, kdezto na hlavu univerzitniho rektora Jana
Jesenskeho polozil jeho jazyk, ktery mu jeste pred popravou zaziva
vyrizl.
Hlavy byly pro
vystrahu vsem stale na ocich.
Jako kdyby se proti teto desive vyzdobe Staromestske mostecke
veze vzbourila sama priroda, prudky dest pristiho jara zviklal
nektere zelezne pruty s dratenymi kosi natolik, ze 11. brezna roku
1622 spadla i s kosem na mostni stranu veze hlava Prokopa
Dvoreckeho z Olbramovic a brzy nato jeste dalsi hlava. Obe spadle
hlavy vsak musely byt na prikaz cisare znovu umisteny na ochoz veze
a vystaveny nadale s ostatnimi pro vystrahu vsem poddanym a na
posmech porazenym, nebot Ferdinand II. byl ve sve krute mste
dusledny a neoblomny.
Pouze hlava pana Jachyma Ondreje Slika odtud byla po roce katem
snata, nebot cisarsky majestat dne 9. kvetna roku 1622 vyhovel
prosbe hrabenky Slikove a povolil ji vydat hlavu popraveneho
manzela, aby ji mohla dustojne ulozit do hrobu k pohrbenemu telu.
Vsech zbyvajicich jedenact hlav vsak dal potupne trcelo z horniho
ochozu Staromestske mostecke veze na jeji vychodni i zapadni stranu
vystaveno rozmarum pocasi a zvolna tam zahnivalo v dratenych kosich
na zeleznych prutech.
Svedomi kata Mydlare
Kat Jan Mydlar skoncil jako obet utoku cizi moci na samou podstatu
ceskeho statu. Jako prazsky kat byl postaven pred rozhodnuti splnit
nebo nesplnit prikaz cisare Ferdinanda II. a cisarskeho komisare
Karla z Lichtenstejna. Rozkazali mu zvednout mec, ale pro ci blaho
tak cini? V historickych pramenech nalezame jeho vnitrni nesouhlas
s popravou. O jeho chovani pri poprave vydal svedectvi knez Jan
Rozacius. Kat Mydlar byl pod oboji, pri stinani panu „dal
pozor na to, ze v modlitbach jim prekazeti nechtel, ale cekal casu,
az smysl modliteb dokonan byl“ . Nikdy se nevyrovnal s
tim, ze popravil sveho pritele Jana Jesenskeho. Uvedomuje si, cemu
se podvolil. Od onoho tragickeho dne se na neho divaji nevrazive a
nezvou ho, jako drive, do sve spolecnosti. Nic mu nejsou platne
jeho penezi nadite mesce. Do te doby se citil normalnim obcanem,
nyni je pro vsechny krvavym katem. Ztraci zenu, ktera neunesla jeho
provineni a dobrovolne si vzala zivot. Bitva na Bile hore byla
nepripravena a naivne prohrana bitva. Kat Mydlar si klade otazku,
proc prave on ma pykat za prohru bitvy, v niz bojovali spatne
placeni zoldneri a krale dosazeneho na trun ceskymi stavy.
Vyuctovani za exekuci
Celkova castka cinila 584 kopy misenskych grosu, coz predstavovalo
cenu domu ve stredu mesta. Mistodrzici Karel z Lichtenstejna dal
katovi velkoryse vyplatit jeste 50 kop navic
Na okraji spolecnosti
Mistr popravci ve stredoveku patril mezi osoby tzv. nizke a stal
mimo spolecnost. Jeho obydli stavalo za mestskymi branami, v
kostele mel vyhrazeny prostor, kde smel sedavat a v hostinci nemohl
sdilet stul s ostatnimi hosty. Lide se ho stranili, doslova
stitili, a ruku mu jen tak nekdo nepodal. Pro vstup do mesta mel
svou zvlastni branu, kterou zadny jiny clovek neprosel. Kati byli
vyhledavanymi ranhojici, ke kterym se lide obraceli, aby jim
pomohli napravit zlamane kosti. Krome vlastniho remesla meli mistri
popravci jeste dalsi neciste povinnosti. Napriklad odklizeni mrtvol
sebevrahu, sbirani zdechlych zvirat, likvidaci toulavych psu a v
nekterych mestech (napr. v Ceskem Krumlove) i cisteni zachodu v
jednotlivych domech. Pri takove praci kati nevoneli a to byl dalsi
duvod, proc se jim ostatni lide vyhybali. Katovske povolani bylo
dedicne. Po otci nastupoval jeho syn, kteremu nic jineho nezbyvalo,
protoze spolecnost by ho mezi sebe neprijala. A to i presto, ze po
materialni strance byvali kati velmi dobre zajisteni. Krome Jana
Mydlare byli na nasem uzemi znamymi katy Antonin Nimbursky,
popravci mistr mesta Pisku, Karel Huss, popravci mesta Chebu nebo
Jan Krtitel Piperger, popravci mistr Kralovstvi ceskeho.
Poznámka pod carou
Velmi dekuji uživatelce Wandrika, která se zasloužila o
predklad tohoto obsáhlého listingu do anglictiny.
A k samotne kesi
Zavede vas na misto, kde stavala Staromestska katovna (naproti pres
silnici). Pri loveni budte maximalne opatrni – ti, kterych si
ani nevsimnete, vas mohou bedlive pozorovat. Doporucuji ranni ci
vecerni odlov.
K uznani logu je potreba se zapsat i do logbooku i sem.
Vracejte keš na puvodní místo.
POZOR NA MUDLY ZA OKNY
Budte, prosím, duslední. Nenechte tuto kešku, aby byla
neustále kradena a obnovována.
Prague Executioner Jan Mydlar
(*about 1572 Chrudim +14. 3. 1664 Prague)
Jan Mydlar is one of the most well-known executioners of the
middle Ages because he carried out the biggest mass execution
– the execution of 27 Bohemian rebel leaders. They were
mostly Protestants, leading the rebellion against king Matyas and
subsequently against King Ferdinand II.
The life of Jan Mydlar is described in the novel "The memoirs of
a Prague Executioner" by Josef Svatek. Noteworthy is also the book
"Kat Mydlar - ve sluzbach cisaru" by Karel Storkan, which is based
on Josef Svatek's book.
According to Svatek, Jan Mydlar was born in burgher's family
in Chrudim. He studied medicine at the university of Prague (he did
not pass the final exam to be a doctor; according to other sources
he passed the exam, but did not graduate). Instead of becoming a
respectable physician (he was a talented student), he became
executioner's apprentice in Chrudim. This decision in fact cast him
to the edge of the society.
What reason could lead him to such decision? Neither more nor less
than unfortunate love. Jan Mydlar fell in love with pretty Dorothy
during his studies. The love wholly blinded him. He didn't realize
that Dorothy repeated love to anyone who courted her. Dorothy had
to marry old miller Vanura, and later she poisoned him. For this
crime she was condemned to death
Jan Mydlar immediately left his studies and hurried back to Chrudim
to save Dorothy. But only the executioner and his assistants could
enter the prison. Jan did not hesitate and he became an apprentice
of Chrudim executioner Jiri despite knowing that he will be cast
out from respectable society. Though he didn't manage to save his
beloved Dorothy, he had to carry on the executioner's work because
he was already considered "untouchable"..
This story is a fiction made up by Josef Svatek. There isn't
much authentic information about Jan Mydlar. According to
historical records Jan Mydlar was possibly really born in Chrudim
and he didn't originate from executioner's family. He became famous
only after the execution of 27 Bohemian leaders on 21st June 1621.
No similar execution has been made before. The name of Prague
executioner has spread abroad to Europe. Some merchants were
selling "genuine" swords with engraved names of executed rebels or
with Mydlar's initials. Jan Mydlar became a wealthy man. Together
with his wife Elisabeth, daughter of executioner Spetla, he
bought a house in New Town, near well-known pub "U kalicha". His
sons Jan Vaclav and Jiri succeeded to their father's
trade.
Nevertheless in the beginning Jan Mydlar worked as an assistant of
Prague executioner Jaros, who died about a year later. Jan
applied for the job of the main executer for all three Prague
towns. The town council agreed because Mydlar was both robust and
skillful. As a medical student, he also knew exactly where to cut
hid sword and how to draw blood. It is historically proved that
when Mydlar defended his application for the position of Old Town's
executioner, some opponents including burgomaster Krocina pointed
out that despite his youth he is very experienced. He got the
executioner position in the age of 22 or 23 years.
Facts
We can only guess about Jan Mydlar's adolescence and studies
because we lack reliable information. We don't know his date of
birth, but we know that in 1603 Mydlar (already as Prague
executioner) saw the downfall of Jeronym Makovsky from Makova, the
highest personal chamberlain of Rudolf II. Mydlar also saw the rise
of intriguer Filip Lang, the successor of Makovsky. Filip was sent
to prison on 1st June 1608 where he died by natural death before
the delivery of his verdict. Jan Mydlar witnessed the events
accompanying Rudolf's Letter of Majesty on 9th July 1609. According
to the wish of Rudolf II, he visited magister Edward Kelley in
Krivoklat to learn the secret of elixir of life and the
transmutation of gold.
Old Town Executioner's house
Mydlar lived in a house near Old Jewish Cemetery, where the
cemetery wall meets the Museum of Decorative Arts building. He
received high wages for executions and tortures. In 1643 he bought
a house in the Upper New Town near Pig Gate, together with his
wife. Pig Gate used to stay on (later) I. P. Pavlov square. The
house used to stay on the place where the street "Na Bojisti" is
today, near well/known pub "U Kalicha"..
Herman Krystof Rusworm
The first mention of Mydlar's execution is the execution of Herman
Krystof Rusworm. He was executed on 29th November 1605 by Jan
Mydlar alone, without assistants, in the big room in Old Town's
Hall. Herman Krystof Rusworm held his greatest achievements during
Ottoman wars from 1593 to 1606. He fell into a trap of Italian
generals and defames chamberlain Filip Lang. It is interesting that
only a few hours after the execution a messenger arrived to the Old
Town's Hall with Emperor Rudolf's personal order to pardon his
general Rusworm. .
Jan Mydlar and Jan Jessenius
One evening Jan Jessenius visited Mydlar and asked for permission
to be present at beheading execution. A strange thing happened:
when Jessenius entered executioner's house, the sword on the wall
moved. It meant that the man in question will end his life on the
scaffold, killed exactly by this sword. Jan Jessenius only laughed
at the executioner's concern and he considered it a stupid
misbelief. Unfortunately this prophecy came true – he was one
of the executed rebel leaders on 21st June 1621. For a long time
Mydlar supplied Jessenius with dead bodies for his anatomical
studies. In 1600 Jan Mydlar participated in the first public
autopsy with the explanation of professor Jessenius. .
The wife of Tobias Stefka from Kolodeje
Old drawings and engravings show that wives of condemned rebel
leaders came to sue, cry and bribe functionaries responsible for
the decision if their husbands will be released. Women were so
desperate that they decided to do anything at least to ease their
husbands' pain, if nothing else. The wife of Tobias Stefka from
Kolodeje came to Mydlar; she gave him a poison for her husband and
seduced him. Historical records also confirm that before Mydlar
beheaded Stefka, he changed his sword for a sharp one to save the
executed man from pain. He fulfilled the woman's wish, even if
someone may argue that the changing of swords was accidental. It is
also confirmed that Mydlar took a sharp sword before beheading his
friend Jan Jessenius. .
Old Town Execution, 21.6.1621
The execution of
27 Bohemian rebel
leaders
On 21st June 1621 on Old Town's Square is an important milestone of
Czech history. It was the end of the protestant rebellion which
began with the defenestration on 23rd may 1618 and it was
defeated on 8th November 1620 in the battle of White
Mountain near Prague. The execution went on from 5 AM to 10 AM. Ten
noble men and two burghers were beheaded in turn with four swords.
Fifteen remaining burghers were hung either on a log pushed out
from the window on the fifth floor or on the gallows some thirty or
forty steps away from the scaffold towards today's Paris Street.
The executioners cut arms of some rebels before beheading them.
They cut out the tongue of Jan Jessenius, rector of Prague
University. On the next day, the scribe Mikulas Divis was nailed to
the gallows by his tongue and left there for two hours. Three
burghers were
whipped
out from the town.
The body of Jan Jessenius was
quartered and hung
behind the town.
According to the orders, Mydlar took out twelve heads in two
dossers to Old Town Bridge Tower and pushed them out one by one
from the upper walkway. The heads were placed in wire cages, stuck
on long iron bars to be clearly visible from the street. Six heads
were on Old Town's side and six on the other side towards Lesser
Town.
Mydlar placed cut hands of Earl Jachym Ondrej Slik and doctor of
law Jiri Hauenschild on the top of their heads. He also placed the
tongue that he cut out from Jan Jessenius.
The heads were left
there as a warning
It seems that the nature itself rebelled against this
horrific decoration of Old Town Bridge Tower. Next spring an
intense rain unfastened some iron bars. On 11th march 1622 the head
of Prokop Dvorecky with the cage fell down to the bridge side of
the tower. Another head soon followed. Both heads had to be placed
back to the tower as a warning for people and a mockery of the
defeated. The emperor Ferdinand II. was relentless and consistent
in his cruel revenge.
Only the head of Jachym Ondrej Slik was removed after a year. The
emperor allowed countess Slik to bury the head of her executed
husband. Remaining eleven heads kept on hanging from the upper
walkway of Old Town Bridge Tower to the east and west side. They
were exposed to the weather and slowly decayed in wire cages on
iron bars.
The conscience of executioner Mydlar
Jan Mydlar ended as a victim of the attack against the fundamental
Bohemian principles. As an executioner he faced the decision
whether to obey the order of Emperor Ferdinand II and his proconsul
Karl I. from Lichtenstein. Mydlar was ordered to lift his sword,
but for whose sake? Historical records describe his inner
disagreement with the mass execution. Priest Jan Rozacius wrote a
testimony about Mydlar's behavior during the execution: Mydlar was
a Hussite and he took care not to disturb the last prayers of the
executed, but he waited until they finished their prayers. He was
never resigned to the execution of his friend Jan Jessenius. He was
well aware of what he complied with. From that tragical day on,
people were hostile to him; they excluded him from the society. His
bags full of money were useless. Until then, he felt as a normal
citizen, but thereafter everyone considered him a bloody murderer.
He lost his wife who couldn't bear his guilt and took her life. The
battle of White Mountain was poorly prepared and naively lost.
Executioner Mydlar kept on asking himself why he should suffer for
the defeat of badly paid mercenaries and the king instituted to the
throne by Bohemian nobility.
Accounting of the execution
The whole sum was 584 loads (a load means 60 pcs) of small
Groschen, which is price of a house in the center of the town.
Proconsul Karl I. from Lichtenstein ordered to pay the executioner
50 extra loads.
Marginalization
Master executioner belonged to so-called inferior people and he was
excluded from society in middle ages. His house stood behind city
gates, he had a special appointed place in church and he couldn't
share a table in a pub with other guests. People shunned and
loathed him, nobody would shake his hand. He had his own special
gate to enter the town and no other man would pass this gate.
However, executioners were often renowned wound-healers and people
asked them to manipulate fractures. Apart from their main
profession, executioners had other unclean duties like removing
suicide bodies, picking up carrions, killing stray dogs and in some
towns (like Cesky Krumlov) even cleaning toilets. Such work didn't
give them a nice smell and that was another reason why other people
avoided them. Executioner profession was inheritable. Executioner's
son carried on his father's job because he had no other choice
– the society wouldn't accept him, despite the fact that
executioners were wealthy.
Besides Jan Mydlar there were other well-known executioners in our
country: Antonin Nimbursky from Pisek, Karel Huss from Cheb and Jan
Baptist Piperger, the chief executioner of Bohemian Kingdom.
Special thanks to user Wandrika for
translating listing to english.
The cache
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