Stínadla

Stínadla is fictional quarter from adventures of fictional club Rychlé šípy, where happened the most of their adventures from trilogy "Adventures in the Dark Alleys" (written by Jaroslav Foglar).

Meaning of word Stínadla

Stínadla is an old Czech word, archaism, which is translated as "The Shades" but it is not exact. There is great similarity to the Czech word stín (=shadow) but it is only a semblance. The real meaning of this old Czech word Stínadla is "place of execution". This word came from word setnout, stínat (=behead).There exist several places in the Czech Republic named Stínadla, Na Stínadlech etc., however this old town quarter as described in the books is fictional.

History of quarter Stínadla

History before trilogy

Boys from other parts of town was laugh at boys from Stínadla that they are living on former execution place. For this reason were boys from Stínadla inimical to boys from other quarters of town, for this reason the whole quarter was "introvertive".

That was also the reason why there was established the Vont organization, which was established by Vojtěch Vont, who was the first High Vont (person in the head of this organization). From this person they take their own name and name of the whole organization, which existed here to protect the quarter from attack from other quarters and to arrange punitive expedition to the other quarters to punish them for their laughing.

With this organization Vonts achieved reputation and respect of boys from other quarters, who were no more laughing at them, but they were feared of themThis history of the quarter is described in the second book of original trilogy, when Rychlé šípy founded the The First Vont Chronicle

History of trilogy

Events which happened in this quarter in the trilogy are in those books and will be added soon.

History after trilogy

Events of the trilogy happened during the time of "first republic" and the High Vont, who was elected in the last part of the trilogy (Otakar Losna), was also the last High Vont. Soon after that came World War II and then communism, which meant end for this organization and Otakar Losna emigrated from Czechoslovakia. After the Velvet Revolution there appeared the possibility to revive this old organization of this old and proud quarter. These events are described in book "The Sword of Vonts" which was written by Jiří Hogan.

References