Smržovka

Smržovka (Morchenstern) is a town in Jablonec nad Nisou District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,900 inhabitants.

Etymology
The name Smržovka was given to town by overgrown mountain forest, where there was a large amount of morels (smrž, Morcheln).

Geography
Smržovka is located about 5 km east of Jablonec nad Nisou. It lies in the Jizera Mountains. The highest point is the mountain Černá studnice at 869 m above sea level. The Kamenice River flows along the northeastern municipal border.

History
Smržovka was founded in the first half of the 16th century during the colonization of the Jizera Mountains. The first written mention of the village is from 1568. The most common craft at that time was weaving. The area was part of the Semily estate, owned by the Smiřický family. In 1622, the estate was purchased by Albrecht von Wallenstein. In 1635, the Desfours family acquired Smržovka, which became a separate estate in 1662, and owned it until 1848.

In the 19th century, glassmaking developed in the town, which helped the rapid growth of the town. Unfavorable natural conditions made agriculture difficult and the town focused on industry. Smržovka became a market village in 1849. In 1868, Smržovka was promoted to a market town, and in 1905, it became a town. In the 1920s, Smržovka flourished and there was high employment. The textile and glass industry developed and 90% of the products were exported abroad. About three quarters of the population were ethnic Germans.

From 1938 to 1945, the town was annexed to Nazi Germany and administered as part of Reichsgau Sudetenland. During the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in February and March 1945, the Germans operated a subcamp of the Gross-Rosen concentration camp, whose prisoners were 300 women. After World War II, the German-speaking population was expelled.

Economy
In 1991, the Kaipan company, a Czech car manufacturer with a focus on sports roadsters, was founded here.

Transport
Smržovka is located on the railway lines Liberec–Szklarska Poręba and Smržovka–Josefův Důl.

Sights
The main landmark of the town is the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel. It was built in the Baroque style in 1767–1781.

On Černá studnice mountain there is an eponymous observation tower. It is a 26 m high stone tower, built in 1885–1886. It belongs to the highest stone observation towers in the Jizera Mountains.

Twin towns – sister cities
Smržovka is twinned with:
 * 🇩🇪 Rammenau, Germany
 * 🇩🇪 Weidenberg, Germany

Partner towns
Smržovka also cooperates with:
 * 🇵🇱 Juchnowiec Kościelny, Poland
 * 🇫🇷 Plouhinec, France
 * 🇮🇹 Unsere Liebe Frau im Walde-St. Felix, Italy