Hřbitov Hladké Životice

Hřbitov Hladké Životice is a small parish cemetery lying directly behind the Church of St. Nicholas at the heart of the village of Hladké Životice, in the Nový Jičín district of the Moravian-Silesian Region. The site layers centuries of local history, from the medieval origins of the settlement to the fate of the German-speaking community that lived here until the mid-20th century.

What is the history behind this place?

The earliest written mention of Hladké Životice dates back to 1324, when the village belonged to the Fulnek estate held by the lords of Kravaře. A wooden church already stood here in the 14th century, and by 1337 it had its own parish priest, named Albert. After this point the historical trail of the parish goes cold — it is believed to have lapsed, with Mass in the wooden Catholic church instead being said by monks from the Augustinian monastery in Fulnek. Meanwhile, Lutheranism took strong root in the area, and at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries the Bohemian Brethren were also active locally. Following the Thirty Years' War, Hladké Životice was administratively attached to Kujava, remaining so for roughly 160 years until 1784, when the village (together with neighboring Pustějov) became an independent locality again.

The old wooden church was replaced in 1686 by a Baroque stone building, financed chiefly by the Augustinian monastery of Fulnek, which acted as its patron. The new church was dedicated to St. Nicholas, and it was around this building, on its rear grounds, that the parish cemetery gradually took shape.

What can visitors see at the cemetery today?

According to the Cimiterium database of historical Czech cemeteries, the burial ground in Hladké Životice still preserves a number of German headstones, evidence of the centuries-long presence of the German-speaking population in this part of the Moravian-Silesian Region, who were expelled after World War II. The front section of the cemetery is kept in reasonably good condition, while the rear part was at some point leveled: devastated headstones, cemetery lanterns and other fittings were simply buried under rubble there. This fate befell many small rural cemeteries across the former northern Moravian Sudetenland, where, once the German population had left, the upkeep of burial sites was often neglected for decades.

Despite these losses, the cemetery remains an active burial site and an integral part of the village landscape, tightly linked in both layout and architecture to the 1686 Baroque Church of St. Nicholas standing right beside it.

Who is this place worth visiting for?

Hřbitov Hladké Životice will appeal chiefly to those interested in regional history, genealogy, and the sacred architecture of the Moravian-Silesian Region. The surviving German headstones are a valuable resource for anyone tracing ancestors from the area, while the layout of the cemetery around the Baroque church offers insight into the long, multicultural history of this small village.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the cemetery in Hladké Životice located? Directly behind the Church of St. Nicholas, in the center of the village of Hladké Životice, in the Nový Jičín district.

How old is the church next to the cemetery? The current stone Baroque building of St. Nicholas Church dates from 1686 and replaced an earlier wooden church already mentioned in the 14th century.

Are there historic headstones preserved at the cemetery? Yes, the front part of the cemetery retains German headstones, though the rear section was devastated and partly leveled over time.

Is the cemetery still in use? Yes, the maintained front section continues to serve as an active burial ground.