Hradec Králové Region wants to acquire and repair Škroup's house in Osice

Hradec Králové - The significantly dilapidated Škroup's house in Osice in the Hradec Králové region is sought to be acquired and subsequently repaired by the Hradec Králové Region from the municipality. The regional council has approved a request to the municipality of Osice for a gratuitous transfer of the building. The house will then be managed by the Regional Museum of East Bohemia. Škroup's house was built in 1928 from a citizens' collection as a tribute to Osice native, composer, and co-author of the Czech anthem František Škroup on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia.

"We will ask the municipality of Osice for the transfer of ownership rights to Škroup's house and its adjacent land. Our goal is to reconstruct the building and subsequently use it for cultural and educational activities, including cooperation with the municipality of Osice and surrounding municipalities," said the regional councilor for property and investments Václav Řehoř (ODS).

The region anticipates that the municipality would use the house for folk festivities and entertainments. Amateur theatrical performances, meetings of music and visual arts enthusiasts, and other social gatherings could also take place there. The region does not rule out that the Drak puppet theater from Hradec Králové, which is established by the Hradec Králové Region, could also participate in the activities involving the use of Škroup's house.

The leadership of the Osice municipality has previously welcomed the region's intention. "We will certainly not oppose it. We welcome the region's intention," said the mayor Stanislav Bydžovský to ČTK. He expects that the municipal council will respond positively to the gratuitous transfer of the property to the region and approve it. "For various social and cultural events, we should have the house available to us free of charge," said the mayor.

The municipality, with a budget of six million, has been striving for many years for the reconstruction of the cultural house. In 2001, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Škroup's birth, the municipality established a foundation fund for the repair of the house and managed to raise about 250,000 crowns. The municipality used part of the money, for example, for roof repairs. Approximately 140,000 crowns remain in the fund. The mayor estimated the costs for the repair of the house at 15 to 20 million crowns. Škroup's house, designed by architect Jindřich Smetana, does not have heritage protection.

Composer and conductor Škroup was born in Osice in 1801. He worked at the Stavovské divadlo in Prague until about the mid-19th century. He spent the last two years of his life at the Rotterdam opera. Besides the song Kde domov můj, Škroup is also known as the author of the first original Czech opera Dráteník.