Great figure of the Tolstejn Dominion
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Since olden times of Berkas of Duba, in the
15th century and even earlier, as written documents witness,
the wild and untamable land around Tolstejn was a refuge for
bandits and burglarious knights ranging from the aristocratic
family of the Vartenberks to all sorts of bandits throughout
the centuries up to this day. Many were staying here in secret.
Let us remember Jakub Raschauer of Vlčí hory, beheaded in
1740 in Lipova, Fridolín Rauch of Malý Stožec, condemned to
gallows in 1747, an unknown bandit of Roubený Hill, Karl Stülpner
who lived on the break of 18th and 19th century, or the bearded
Pumphut of Krásná Lípa. Famed and feared was the group of
bandits under Kardinek and later after his violent death under
Zelenovous (Green Beard) whose shelter was the ruins of Tolstejn.
Eventually, the best known robber Jan Karasek died imprisoned
in Dresden in the year 1809.
Thou, wanderer, do not have fear on your way because one
of them, though little known, was the good robber Vilda. We
know little about his life, only stories are told about him
among people. He was a solitary, of good nature and had a
sense of roguery that he played on many a traveller of his
time! The story goes that his roots are with Albrecht Berka
of Duba, a famous burglarious knight, to the neighbouring
Lusatia. Most of his life he spent in secret somewhere around
Tolstejn. Allegedly, he was the only one who knew the location
of the Tolstejn treasure. Nobody knows where and how he died
and this remains a mystery for us. It was on 2 June 1901 that
he was sighted for the last time. His mysterious disappearance
gave rise to many stories that wait for historians, ethnologists
and literary scientist to be explored.
We live in the year 2002 but the spirit of Vilda remains
with us and haunts many a place of the Tolstejn dominion.
But he does good service where he can. If thou willst follow
good Vilda the Robber, traveller,
read on
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Our e-mail:
panstvi@tolstejn.cz
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