Jan Hainiš is a witness to the development of the spa
Jan Hainiš, a witness to the modern history of Janské Lázně, has connected his entire life with the spa, skiing and collecting. For over 50 years, he has been expanding his collection of period documents, photographs, postcards, stamps, badges and historical objects related to Janské Lázně, the life of the local people and winter sports. At almost 80 years old, he goes skiing on the local slopes every day during the season.
He moved to the mountains at the age of seven from Vysoké Mýto, where he was born: "My father was a civil servant at the post office and was assigned to Janské Lázně after World War II. The region here was displaced, like every historically German border town. I went to primary school there and spent my childhood there, and whenever possible, I was always skiing. I trained as an electrician and from 1965 I worked my whole life in the spa, first in Janský Dvůr and from 1980 in Vesna. I married a nurse who came here on assignment," Mr. Hainiš introduces himself and reveals more about himself: "I am a former national skiing representative, the champion of the Czechoslovak Republic in downhill disciplines, so I have a lifelong relationship with this winter sport. This also led me to collect everything related to winter sports. I am glad that my wife and son tolerate my craziness."
What did you most often look for in your collections? What did you most long for?
At auctions and stock exchanges, and later on the Internet, I was most eager for old photographs and postcards of Janské Lázně, today I have the largest collection of them in the Czech Republic. I also collect period clothing, equipment, and shoes. I have a large number of badges from ski clubs and competitions - even from the first World Ski Championships, which took place in Janské Lázně in 1925. I own a horse-drawn sleigh. I am also proud of my huge collection of skis, sledges, and snowshoes...
How many do you have and from what period?
I have about a hundred pairs of skis and 150 sleds from the century before last and the last century, about 1950. I didn't collect the more modern ones, I don't deal with them.
What date do the oldest documents in your collection date?
I have a ticket to the swimming pool from 1896 and a copy of the Spa Journals from 1872, which were published every year. You can read in them who was treated here and where they were from, in which spa house they lived. According to the photos, which immortalize the spa guests with nurses and doctors, the nobility came here, ladies with hats, in precisely cut costumes. It is a sight to behold.
Do you restore your exhibits yourself? Or do you buy them, or do people give them to you?
I restored some myself, I bought some in good condition. I used to get a lot of them, but now they cost quite a lot of money, it's not exactly a cheap hobby.
Are there any skis that you particularly like?
Yes, they are turn-of-the-century skis with reed bindings, probably from 1896.
Do you ever wonder how they could ride those wooden ones?
They weren't used for skiing, they were used for walking, so they were designed primarily for walking. Back then, in the distant past, there were no competitions.
You already remember the races, you even actively participated in them. You have six victories in the Spa Cup, which was held here, and you therefore own six cups. You enlisted in the army in Dukla, where you also skied. Who influenced you the most in this sport?
We in Janské Lázně had the advantage that there had been a cable car since 1928, at that time with a departure point in the city center, on which we literally grew up. We had a couple, Vojtěch, at school who promoted skiing to the point that all the children in the city had to ski. As soon as a lesson was canceled or there was gym class, we all went skiing. The cable car operators "turned a blind eye" to us. In the 50s, Pec pod Sněžkou and Janské Lázně were already competing with each other. There was no child who could not ski and many of them were national champions.
You also collect ski clothing – you also had a tracksuit "flattering" on you back then and a beanie on your head, like Raška. Can you imagine today's skiers abandoning "softshell, windproof and waterproof"?
I really can't do that. Today it's all about money in equipment, even in racing. We didn't get anything for the races, on the contrary, we paid for it. Our team was the smallest in the country, competing in the first league. When we traveled to races, for example, to Slovakia, the ski team covered our expenses, but we also had to pay for travel, food, and accommodation. Later, it became impossible to pull it off. The Faculty of Education in Hradec Králové took us over and we competed for them, we even won the first league. After I finished competing, I trained young...
Let's get back to the spa. How do you currently rate it?
Currently, the spa is flourishing, they are generally getting in order. The spa houses are being renovated, I really like the beautifully decorated Janský Dvůr and of course the pearl among the houses, Terra, which has undergone a total interior renovation.
According to experts, they were lucky that there were always successive generations who wanted to further develop the care. Who do you think left the biggest mark here?
Definitely the Schwarzenbergs. I'm glad that I was able to meet Karel Schwarzenberg here a few years ago, who was here in person for the Opening of the spa season and planted a tree here.
You can find photographs and historical postcards from the archive of Jan Hainiš in Janské literally at every turn. They adorn most of the information boards around the city and decorate the corridors of some spa houses. The creators of this year's Janské Láze calendar also used photos and objects from the collections. Most recently, they are part of a permanent exhibition on the history of spas in the building of the former Sokolová.
Zdenka Hanyšová Whole
October 2018
