DOI 10.60531/INSIGHTOUT.2024.2.10| DENK: LIGHTS AND SHADOWS_ INSIGHTOUT 2(2024) 70including the allocations from taxes collected by thestate.2Let us now focus on the economy of Nové Město naMoravěin the mentioned period. Residents had tocontend with very high surcharges, which peaked in1924 at 481%. Despite continuous reductions, in 1938they rose again to 400%. In Nové Město na Moravě,besides the direct taxes a surcharge on the housetax was also collected. In most cases this was around200%. In 1924 it was levied at 228%, which was themaximum. From 1929 to 1938, it reached 200%.Thus, Nové Město was struggling with problems inthe area of management for a long time. Moreover,high budget deficits increased after the First WorldWar and were compounded by further indebtednessdue to the implementation of necessary municipalprojects, a topic that will be discussed in more detailbelow.SanitationAlthough the absence of sewers and modern water supply often led to groundwater contaminationand subsequent epidemics, even large cities oftendid not start building modern sewerage systems until the late nineteenth century. In Munich, Germany,for example, sanitation measures did not begin until1872. The drop in the mortality rate from 40.4% to26.6% twenty years later clearly shows how significantly these factors could influence the sanitationand health situation in cities.3Throughout the second half of the nineteenth century there were discussions in Nové Město about poorsanitary conditions and especially the lack of modern sewerage systems, while the council often facedcriticism and complaints about faecal matter leakinginto drinking water sources. Despite this, Nové Městodid not experience serious epidemiological situations. However, there is evidence of a cholera epidemicin the late 1860s, which was brought to the town byPrussian soldiers. At the turn of the 1860s and 1870sthere was also a widespread outbreak of smallpoxand scarlet fever. For example, Josef Šír, the mayorof Nové Město, succumbed to smallpox.4In 1923, it started to become clear that the construction of a more modern sewerage system was a necessity and the possibilities of its implementation began to be discussed. The creation of cement sewerson Niva, Mala Street and Brněnská Street was considered. A competition for companies was announcedand the best offer was made by a Mr. Sobotka fromRadešínská Svratka.5The project was to be paid forout of the surplus from that year’s management.6Thesurviving sources do not provide a complete pictureof the planned form of the sewerage systems. However, it is evident that the construction of a systematicsewerage system in Nové Město did not take placeduring this period and only became relevant againat the end of 1931, when a technical report was prepared.Until then, the town’s practice was mainly to build covered sewers in squares and streets to drain rainwater, i.e. only in places where it seemed most urgent,often only near the most important buildings. Privatehouses had their own cesspools. These sewers thenled to open drains but were probably not of very2K. Maier,Hospodaření a rozvojčeských měst 1850–1938(Prague 2005), 80.3P. Kladiwa, A. Pokludová and R. Kafková,Lesk a bída obecních samospráv Moravy a Slezska 1850-1914. II. díl, 2. svazek, Finance ainfrastruktura(Ostrava, 2009), 89.4S. Doláková,Obecní samospráva a občanské elity v Novém Městěna Moravěve druhé polovině19. století,master’s thesis(Masarykova univerzita, 2013), 103.5SOkA Žďár, AM Nové Město, 216/209,Book of minutes of the meetings of the municipal council 1921–1924. Session of 5 June 1923.6SOkA Žďár, AM Nové Město, 216/209,Book of minutes of the meetings of the municipal council 1921–1924. Session of 20 November1923.
