Amplatz / Oplotec (Wiesner Ancestral Village)

Amplatz/Oplotec is located approximately 4.5 km northeast of the town of Hostau in the district of Bischofteinitz. The road leading through the town connects the state road Bischofteinitz - Eisendorf at the intersection Gänsberg via Hassatitz, Amplatz, Liebeswar with Route 92 (Emperor’s Route, Bischofteinitz - Plan – Eger).

Connecting roads and short-cuts led to the neighboring villages of Melmitz in the northwest, Mirschikau and Kscheberscham in the east, Haschowa in the southeast as well as Taschlowitz and Schüttar in the south. The neighboring villages of Melmitz, Liebeswar, Kscheberscham, Taschlowitz, Schüttar and Hassatitz are only 2 km away, while you can reach Haschowa, Zwingau and Mirkowitz in 3 km and Mirschikau in just 4 km. In order to reach the former district town of Bischofteinitz, you had to travel 14 km in southeast direction.

Geographically, the village is located 12 degrees 15 min east of Greenwich and 49 degrees 35 min. north of the equator.

Special points of interest in the surroundings are the Lichon (614 m) in the north, the Greschin (526 m) in the northwest, the Gänsberg (480 m) and the Althuettenberg (527 m) in the southwest, the Galgenberg (481 m) and Laurenziberg (464 m) in the south as well as the Gabelberg (600 m) in the northeast as the nearest crest of the well-wooded Seven Mountains with their 14 crests.

The village itself is located in a small flat basin, which gently drops toward the Radbusa valley in the southwest. You had to overcome slight inclines in order to reach the neighboring villages. Thus, you went (drove) “affe” (up) from Amplatz to Melmitz, Pschess, Wiedlitz, Liebewar, Haid; to Mirschikau, Kscheberscham, Haschowa, Wittana it was “üwe” (over there); to Schüttar, Taschlowitz, Zwingau “oine” (down); to Schlattin, Hassatitz “hinte” (to the rear) and to Hostau (in d'Schtood) “one” (into). You could reach the Laurenziberg “üwe” and “affe”. The village is located 440 m above sea level.

The nearest forest was about 1.5 km away. Since there was no forest at all to the east of the village, the cold east winds could easily blow into the village. This resulted in severe winters and snowdrifts on roads and ways. Narrow passes often had to be closed. The southwest wind found its way through the Radbusa valley by Hassatitz between the Gänsberg and the Greschin, and the west wind came down the ‘Bueahl.” The majority of the summer thunderstorms moved in west/east direction. Hail storms--which severely damaged crops during the summer--occurred only rarely.

As regards traffic, it should be said that from 1939 to 1945 you could reach the post office bus line Bischofteinitz - pastures/Opf. via Schüttarschen. The nearest and most widely used station and freight depot was Hostau, about 4.5 km away. In addition, travelers also used the station Metzling (9 km) and the stop Wurken, (also 9 km), depending on the direction of their journey. You could reach Tachau, Plan, Marienbad, Eger via Wurken, or you came from there. If Pilsen or Prague were your destination, you would travel via Metzling.

According to the chronicles, Amplatz originally was said to consist of 3 farms. One called these 3 farmers the “farmers at the place”, which is said to be origin for the name “Amplatz.” 

It is historically proven that around 1379, Diepolt von Zwirschau owned part of Amplatz. In 1544, a part of the village belonged to Mirschikau. In 1603, Amplatz was sold to Count Popel von Lobkowitz of Bischofteinitz. In 1659, Liebscher notes that Eva Johanna Countess of Trauttmansdorff bought half of the village from Magdalena, born Dobrz.

In 1789, Amplatz already had 35 houses; in 1839, 40 houses with 216 German inhabitants, in 1913, there were 40 houses as well and 235 inhabitants, in 1939, there were 44 houses and 216 inhabitants. Amplatz encompassed 392.49 hectars in 1937, including 246.32 hectars field, 40.93 hectars of meadows, 40.08 hectars of pastures, 47.68 hectars of forest, and 2.20 hectars of gardens.

A part of the village paid the Melmitz church until the end of the 16^th century. Therefore, they partially participated in Melmitz’s celebrations, even though the village was part of the Saint Laurenz church and the parish of Schüttarschen.

Melmitz Village Church – Pre WWII, Franz & Barbara’s Church

The volunteer fire brigade was founded in the year 1925, the veteran association (“association of served soldiers”) in 1932.

During the WW I, Amplatz counted 6 dead and 1 missing, during WW I, 10 soldiers died and one was missing.

Josef Reiter