This year marks the 1,200th anniversary of the earliest recorded mention of Moravia, preserved in the Latin chronicle “The Annals of the Kingdom of the Franks”. The anniversary is marked by a banner with the Moravian eagle, which has been displayed on the building of the South Moravian Regional Office since 8 July. Photo credit: SS / BD
Brno, July 11 (BD) – South Moravia is celebrating the 1,200th anniversary of the earliest written mention of Moravia. “The Annals of the Kingdom of the Franks” chronicles an event in the autumn of 822, when the Frankish King Louis I the Pious, son of Emperor Charlemagne, ended his hunting expedition and came to Frankfurt am Main to spend the winter. There he called a congress, which was attended by the great men of the Frankish Empire, and also heard from the envoys of all the Eastern Slavs. Among them were the Moravians, in the earliest written record of the territory and its people. The parchment sheet bears the word “Marvanorú”, i.e. “of the Moravians”. A copy of this rare source is now stored in Austria.
“Moravia is about a way of life, about people and how you look at the world,” said Jan Grolich, the governor of the South Moravian Region. “In South Moravia we are more aware of this than in other regions, and that is why we want to remind people of it. It is not only about us, but also about respect for our ancestors.”
The main part of the anniversary celebrations will take place this autumn, including a concert by Filharmonie Brno on 23 September 2022 with a symbolic 1,200 guests, which will feature compositions by the Moravian-born Leoš Janáček. Tickets will also be available for purchase by members of the public.
A special light projection will be displayed on the building of the regional office and a unique logo has been created for the anniversary, based on the logo of the South Moravian Region. Information about the detailed program and other events connected to the anniversary will appear on its website and Facebook profile.
