Lanškroun - Leo Herrmann

             Leo Herrmann was born in Lanškroun on March 15, 1888, where he spent carefree years surrounded by his family. Later, in 1910, he began studying at Charles-Ferdinand University in Prague. It did not take long before Leo became the head of the student club Bar Kochba, where he debated with figures such as Max Brod, Franz Kafka, and others.

Together with his friend from Brno, Berthold Feiwel, Herrmann established the Keren Hayesod development fund in London. At that time, Palestine was under the flag of the British Empire, and the White City of Tel Aviv was still under construction.

After the Munich Agreement, thanks to his true friendship with Jan Masaryk, he saved 2,506 Jewish refugees from the Czechoslovak borderlands, helping them escape to Palestine. Among them was his former university friend Max Brod, who left on the last midnight train of March 14-15, 1939, carrying Franz Kafka's archive.

World War II severed Herrmann's ties to Lanškroun. He locked away in his heart the memories of his father Friedrich, his mother Anna, and the joyful crowd of children on Komenského Street, where they had lived.

The great statesman and humanitarian passed away suddenly on September 10, 1951, in Tel Aviv.

Scenic Route
with Leo Herrmann to His Cousin in Moravská 

Today's journey with Leo Herrmann must certainly begin in Lanškroun. This is where he was born, grew up surrounded by family, attended school, and came of age. He often visited his cousin Hugo in Moravská Třebová, where part of the Herrmann family lived. Take a moment to enjoy J.M. Marků Square, the heart of the town where all roads converge, and savor a coffee in one of the cafés. Once you put your cup down, look up. At the lower end of the square stands the grammar school building. Before Leo started attending, Emperor Franz Joseph visited Lanškroun and stayed right here, in this very building. No, he didn't sleep on gym mats! An apartment was specially built into one of the classrooms for his stay. You can see the original setup in the Municipal Museum.

Now, let's head to Moravská Třebová to visit cousin Hugo! We'll take the train, with a transfer in Třebovice in Bohemia. The railway winds around the 571-meter-high Velká Pláň hill. Once it straightens out, it runs along the right side under the Hřebeč Ridge. The slow rhythm of the local train might lull you to sleep… but don't doze off! It's time to get off!

Welcome to Mladějov na Moravě railway station. "Na Moravě" (in Moravia)? Yes, you just crossed the historical border between Bohemia and Moravia! Now, we offer you a choice. One route follows the Hřebeč Mining Educational Trail all the way to Hřebeč and then on to Moravská Třebová—a scenic 21 km hike with stunning views of the Lanškroun region. The second option is taking the historic Mladějov Narrow-Gauge Railway to its final stop, followed by a short walk to Moravská Třebová. Both routes are fantastic, but we highly recommend the first one.

Tired? Once you arrive in Moravská Třebová, take a break, refresh yourself—you've earned it! When you're ready, the train will take you back to Lanškroun.