Remember Antonín Semanský’s generous gift as we enter. This is the Uhříněves Cemetery of St. Wenceslas. It’s more than a final resting place. It’s a story of community spirit. It’s a testament to religious tolerance.
The original Uhříněves cemetery surrounded the Church of All Saints. That was the common practice. By 1822 it was full. A new cemetery was needed. This new space was near the site of the later Spolková rolnická továrna na cukr. Today it is the southeastern tip of Nové náměstí. But Uhříněves continued to grow. This second cemetery became too small as well.
In 1907 discussions began about establishing a new cemetery. Citizens complained that the cemetery was in the town center. Early 20th-century rules dictated separate cemeteries for each religion. The Evangelical cemetery was in nearby Benice. The Jewish cemetery was behind the Uhříněves game park. The church needed permission from authorities in Vienna to build a cemetery. Local records are full of letters. These letters involved the council, the local parish, and imperial offices. They all discussed permission for the cemetery.
After much debate, Antonín Semanský stepped forward in 1911. Semanský was the mayor. He donated nearly a hectare of his field. This was for the new cemetery. Semanský was a devout Catholic. He included a condition in the donation. Believers of all faiths could be buried there. Even the non-religious. Suicides often were buried outside cemetery walls. Semanský insisted they be buried inside the wall. Surprisingly the Catholic Church and Vienna authorities accepted this.
The old cemetery closed on September 30, 1911. Some graves were moved to the new cemetery. Remains were exhumed. They were placed in new coffins. These were reburied in new graves. Unclaimed graves stayed put. Tombstones were removed. The area became a garden.
The new cemetery was on the main road to Říčany. This is today’s Přátelství street. It was named after St. Wenceslas. It has served its purpose since October 1, 1911. It provides a respectful place for the dead. The cemetery was consecrated on September 28, 1911. It covers 9,571.6 square meters. That is just under a hectare. There are 779 brick tombs or dug graves. The Filip family tomb is like a small chapel. There are 357 urn graves. A scattering meadow exists as well. Ten columbaria sections each hold twelve boxes. Each box contains three urns. The columbaria and scattering meadow were added in the early 21st century.
From the start, a gravedigger lived in the house by the main entrance. Mr. Pecháček was a long-time gravedigger. Mrs. Červenková followed him. Then several others quickly came and went. After 1990 the town sold the gravedigger’s house. An outside firm maintained the cemetery. Citizens often criticized their work. The contract ended May 31, 2012. Since June 1, 2012, city workers have cared for the cemetery. Improvements were quickly visible. New trash cans and benches were installed. Shrubs and trees were trimmed. The cemetery is mowed and raked regularly.
The exact number of burials is unknown. Records exist from the start. But many families do not report burials. This includes coffin, urn, or scattering of ashes. The city records show 4,046 burials as of June 30, 2023. That averages about 37 burials per year. An estimated 4,440 people are buried here in total. Records for coffin burials are more accurate. These require stricter permits. For every coffin burial, there are about nine urn burials.
Many notable people rest here. Jindřich Bubeníček was an academic painter. Michal Klich and Václav Novák fought at Zborov. Pavel Genza was an academic painter. František Pařízek was a folk musician. Ludmila Šimrová was a teacher and local historian. Karel Gut was a hockey player and coach. Libuše Votavová was a teacher and co-founder of the Uhříněves Museum.
The Uhříněves Cemetery of St. Wenceslas offers peace. It also shows the history of this community. Remember the stories connected with this sacred ground as you leave.