History of the city

The village Vilémov, name taken after its founders - brothers Vilémů (William) of the house Pětipěs from Egerberk, dates back to 1342. It is Regesta Bohemiae et Moravie, where it is reminded that on 28 Sept 1342 king Karel (Charles) assignes brothers Vilém Sr. and Vilém Jr. from Egerberk the right to conduct amarket in Tuesdays as well as set up a block and gallows for criminals to punish according to the right.. The name of the village itself has gone through many changes since its birth: such as in 1352 Wylhelmycz,  1398 de Wilemowa,  1404 de Wylemowicz,  1630 Willmitz or a German official name Willomicz. In 1347 Vilémov was promoted to the status of a market city.

 

        By end of 14th century holders of Vilémov began to change. First was Raczko of  Vilémov, under whose rule (1384-1396) the church of Vilémov had a great significance. He was followed by Ondřej Paldra and Zikmund (1404-1411), further brothers of Vařiny and Vilémov, Janko z Podlesic, Petr and Erhart Alendorf Kadanští and Jan Mladý z Křížova, who set forth in writing Vilémov´s citizens rights and duties. Duties related above all to handing over taxes and charges to manorial nobility, the rights assigned freedom in points of heritage, use of communal landing estates and pastures or determined conditions of the sale of property.

 

        From 2^nd half of the 15^th century Vilémov belonged to the knightly house of Doupovec z Doupova. First of them was Humprecht z Doupova, followed by Jan Waltscher z Doupova (holder of Libědice), Jindřich z Doupova and Vilém Doupovec z Doupova, whom it was "taken away" for a certain timep due to accusation of false coining and being given a brand as  "the enemy of the king and Bohemia". After he was proved unguilty, he got Vilémov back, together with compensation, due to which he was given Vinaře and Blov in pledge. The following one was Vilém´s son Bedřich, followed by Šebestián and Jindřich Jr. In 1586  Vilémov was promoted (under Jindřich) by the emperor Rudolf II. to town, due to which it gained new rights, it was awarded a municipal coat of arms. …

 

        In 1592 Vilémov had its town hall and it could also boast of a brewery and spa. In 1584 local craft masters were allowed to join together to guilds, in 1587 first Jewish citizen was allowed to settle in the town.

 

        After death of a careful, tolerant and wise lord Jindřich Jr. it was Bedřich who inherited Vilémov and who held also Žerotín and Vrané. After his death the dominion was run by his wife Barbara z Pětipsů, Chýše and Egerberg. She managed to restore former municipal magistrate, which warranted for Vilémov a certain freedom in making decisions. Though the inhabitants had not a decisive word, they could vote members of the local council. By this time most population of Vilémov were Protestants until after the battle of the White Mount cruel recatholicization along with Catholicism was restored.

 

        The last man of the family Doupovec, holding Vilémov for a long time, was Barbara´s son Adalbert. His heir was Ludmila z Doupova, after whom Vilémov was for a certain time taken over by Vilém Vojtěch, who, however, took part in Stavovské rebellion and died in 1621, moreover he was condemned to loss of 1/3 property. He lost in addition also estate Vilémov with a fort and and town, brewery, mill, sawmill, wods and ponds. Dominion Vilémov was bought in 1623 by Jan Zdeněk Vratislav a rich earl of Mitrovice. After him the dominion was inherited by his daughter Alžběta Anna Františka.

 

        The Thirty Years War scarred Vilémov considerably. Not only by hostile troops or bands of robbers, but also by three fires, which successively destroyed the whole town. Alžběta sold Vilémov in 1662 to Polyxena Marie St. Lady of Račín, and it was passed after her death to her son Janu Jáchym Michal. In 1665 the emperor Leopold I.confirmed the town all previous privileges. In 1687 was built a new town hall building, in 1702 Vilémov gained a new, not very popular lord - barona Račín. Another fire, the town was tormented with, engulfed the church and parish and all kinds of papers, not excluding registers, burned off. Despite great bad luck for fires Vilémov had good luck by terrible epidemies, such as a plague epidemy in 1713.

 

        Early in the 18^th century the town belonged to Mašťov dominion of the lords of Goltz. This is in those days when an old fort of Vilémov was pulled down. In 1789 the local priest established here an institute for the poor. Three years later the last owner of Goltz - Arnošt Jan Golč died and Vilémov went over to Vojtěch Mladota ze Solopysk as a heritage. He had later built a chateau on the territory of the former fort. Since 1796 local matters were arranged by a real magistrate presided by an unpaid mayor. Magistrate was effective until 1850, when it was replaced with a municipality.

 

        Another holder of Vilémova became countess Gabriela z Ditrichštejna, who bought the whole dominion in 1835. Under her rule industrial enterprise began to develop and coal minesbegan to rise near to Vilémov. This was however connected with disputes and complaints related to destruction of agricultural land through mining. In 1873 the Economic crisis hit Vilémov and damaged considerably mining works. During that time a great deal of mines declined. The last holder of the dominion was since 1845 the earl Evžen Karel Černín z Chudenic, until the villages became in 1850 independent administrative units.

 

        In 1873 there was built a new school in Vilémově, in 1884 was constructed a new railway being a great benefit for the village. Also a post and telegraph office was established in this year. In 1903 Vilémov could boast of a second railway station. In 1923 a two-class Czech school was opened here, 13 years later a Czech town school was opened. During World War II there was a prisoner´s camp for French war prisoners here, which was cancelled shortly before end of the war and the prisoners were released. Vilémov was liberated from Nazi occupation by the Red Army and German population evacuated (majority of population) and resettled by people from inland. Resettlement of Vilémov took relatively a short time which was caused by great interest in family and agricultural houses because of  good labour conditions. Here was enough job opportunities due to a local factory for asbestos products, mines and railway, some newly come inhabitan were however not able to manage, which resulted in departure of some of them after an excessive dry year 1947.

 

        After departure of these "new residents" remained uncultivated fields. In 1951 rose JZD (a unified cooperative farm) of the first type in order to resolve this situation. This form didn´t prove successful, even though a common stable was constructed and this JZD was therefore dismissed in1953. There was immediately established a new cooperative – the 3^rd type one, which was working until the 90-ies. Abandoned farms were managed by the state farm and a centre of a production station and a pig farm was built here. After 1990 both state farm and JZD were cancelled.

 

        In 1960 Vilémov was transferred from the district Kadaň to the district Chomutov and on 30^th April 1976  the villages Vinaře, Blov and Zahořany were annexed to it. IN 1972 two panel haouses were built here and in 1994 electrification with cable lines and at the same time new public radio lines, telephone cables and lighting began. Also adaptation of pavements,building new roads and rebuilding of the square took place here. In 1996 a STP was put into operation.

Nowadays Vilémov is a well governed and a well developing village.