Plaque commemorating Franz X. M. Zippe in Kytlice

Franz Xaver Maximilian Zippe (1791–1863), one of the founders of geology and mineralogy in Bohemia, was born in Dolní Falknov (now part of Kytlice in the Děčín region). This important figure is commemorated at two places in Kytlice. Besides the memorial at the site of his birthplace, there is also a commemorative plaque by the steps up to the municipal building, unveiled in 2018.

The municipal building in Kytlice was formerly a school; it now houses the local authority. There is a symbolic meaning to the placement of the commemorative plaque on this building, as Zippe was not only born in what is now Kytlice, he also completed his compulsory education there. He later studied at the grammar school in Dresden, the University of Prague and the Polytechnic Institute, and became the first curator of the mineralogical collections of the Patriotic Museum in Bohemia (now the National Museum). Before leaving for the university in Vienna, where he was appointed professor of mineralogy, at the turn of 1849/1850 he served briefly as the first director of the Mining Engineering College in Příbram.

The commemorative plaque was designed by the former mayor of Kytlice, Emil Sedláček; the relief is the work of Petr Stach from the Secondary School of Glassmaking in Kamenický Šenov. The relief was modelled on a bust of F. X. M. Zippe by the sculptor Bohumil Vlček (1862–1928), which is in the collections of the National Museum. The plaque was unveiled in 2018 to mark the 155th anniversary of the death of this native son of Kytlice.

On-line heslo F. X. Zippe na Wien Universität. URL: https://geschichte.univie.ac.at/de/personen/franz-xaver-zippe-prof-dr-phil-dr-med [20. 5. 2021].
Sedláček, E.: F. X. M. Zippe – Pamětní deska. URL: https://www.kytlice.eu/f-x-m-zippe-pametni-deska/ [20. 5. 2021].
Haubelt, J.: F. X. M. Zippe – první řádný ředitel Montánního učiliště v Příbrami. URL: https://slon.diamo.cz/hpvt/2001/sekce/tradice/02/T02.htm [20. 5. 2021].

František X. M. Zippe (Author: public domain)

Detail of the commemorative plaque in the municipal building in Kytlice. (Author: AH)

Kytlice in the first third of the 20th century. The municipal building is situated on the right below the church. (Author: public domain)