FRANZ JOSEPH EMPEROR SCHOOL
Reasons for Construction and Opening
The impulse for constructing a new school building was the poor accessibility of the existing institutions – the Volksschule (primary school), the Bürgerschule (middle school), and the girls’ school. All were housed in the building below the Svornost mine, originally the palace of Laurentius Schlik. Children from the lower part of the town faced considerable difficulties reaching school, especially during winter months.
The construction of the new building was symbolically connected to the fiftieth anniversary of the coronation of Emperor Franz Joseph I. The school was ceremonially opened on 1 October 1898 under the name Franz Joseph Kaiser Schule. At the same time, a new educational plan was introduced to regulate the distribution of pupils between the two school buildings.
Development of Czech Education after 1918
Following the establishment of Czechoslovakia, the first Czech class in Jáchymov was opened in this building on 17 October 1921. A kindergarten was also established here. After further expansion of Czech education in 1927, the kindergarten was moved to the former poorhouse building known as “Modrák” near the cemetery. The town subsequently sought to establish a fully Czech school independent of the original German educational system.
Post-war Period
On 3 September 1945, five primary school classes and one kindergarten class were opened in the building. Over time, however, the school’s capacity proved insufficient. As the original school building below the Svornost mine housed an institution for behaviourally disturbed youth, the construction of a new school building was approved. The new school in Hus Street was opened on 29 August 1954 as a highly modern and well-equipped facility. The so-called Old School retained only the lower primary grades and the school club. Older pupils attended the new Marie Curie Sklodowska School.
Radon, Structural Condition, and Closure
In 1992, the clock in the tower was restored; its mechanism had been supplied by the company Kohlert from Kraslice. A turning point came with comprehensive radon measurements in Jáchymov buildings. Borderline radon levels were detected in the school, leading to the installation of a new ventilation system.
On 15 August 1994, the Town Council was informed of possible infestation of the wooden structures by wood-destroying fungi. Work was suspended until 22 September, when a biological survey was conducted. Notably, no comprehensive structural assessment or cost estimate had been prepared prior to the installation of the ventilation system. Based on the survey results, the school was declared unfit for operation on 3 October 1994. On 13 October, the relocation of 16 classes with 248 pupils to the Marie Curie Sklodowska School was arranged.
Abandoned Reconstruction and Current State
On 14 February 1995, a reconstruction plan estimated at nine million crowns was presented to the Town Council. The Ministry of Education offered a maximum subsidy of only three million crowns. Consequently, reconstruction was abandoned and the building was declared redundant on 13 October 1995. The decisive factor was that the new school could accommodate all pupils and the school club.
Only the caretaker’s apartment remained in use, with the caretaker appointed as building manager. This arrangement proved economically unsustainable, as the entire building required heating, costing nearly 250,000 crowns annually. The building remains vacant to this day and, like many other structures in Jáchymov, has fallen victim to speculative ownership transfers without subsequent maintenance.
Architecture
The architect of the building is unknown. It is likely that standardized plans were used under the supervision of the district builder or the State Construction Authority for the Ore Mountains. The design follows uniform neo-Renaissance school plans widely implemented in Bohemia in the late 19th century.
The influence of leading neo-Renaissance architects such as Josef Zítek and Antonín Wiehl is evident, particularly in the stucco decoration and façade articulation. The building features a symmetrically arranged façade with a prominent entrance portico. Decorative rustication, cornices, tympana, and projecting elements enhance its architectural character. High windows in unusually tall classrooms ensured abundant natural light.
