Rod Barton of Dobenin: From Simple Roots to Noble Title
Fifty-five-year-old Josef Michael Bartoň Dobenín is a Czech nobleman today, who earned his title through the hard work of his predecessors and patronage services to society. Some noble families gradually emerged without much family history, instead with a strong history in their current times.
Today, the youngest of the current families are diligently continuing in the footsteps of their ancestors. Again, they have their castle in hand and continue in traditional industry.
From simple roots to a knightly title
In the 19th century, they were ordinary, but had an entrepreneurial spirit. The Bartoň family. Josef Bartoň (1803 – 1849) laid the foundations for the soon famous family. In Žďárky u Hronova, he started the first textile industry, employed manual weavers and built the first capital. With it, he then established a dyeing works and bleach in Vysoká Srbská u Hronova.
In 1904, they bought a farmhouse in the Old Town and established here within several years a modern cotton factory, in which eventually worked about 1 000 workers. Josef Bartoň became very well known in the textile industry over the next years and for example, established the Association of Czech Textile Industrialists.
Year 1912 and the knighthood
In this year, Josef Bartoň was elevated to the knight status by Emperor Francis Joseph I. and thus he accepted the noble title "z Dobenína".
The family was among the most influential industrialists and did not shy away from patronage activities. In Náchod and Nové Město nad Metují, they established a foundation for impoverished craftsmen and students. They had a sanatorium in Dlouhé Rže, built for their employees' children. Thanks to them, Nové Město had an old people's home in 1930. They also contributed to the funding of a sokol hall, vocational school, and so on.
Josef Bartoň was thanks to his generosity to his beloved region, very popular. Indeed this trend continues to this day.
Nationalization did not spare them either
In 1945, however, his factory, due to its high number of employees, was nationalized. In February three years later, the family had no property, it was nationalized.
The family emigrated to Canada, with the exception of the oldest family members, they were able to live out their lives in the castle in Nové Město nad Metují even under the communist regime.
Return of the son and property
After the revolution, the son Josef finally returned from Canada. Their castle, forests, and properties were returned to them as part of the restitution. He handed them over to his son. They are also reviving the textile industry.
Josef Michael Bartoň Dobenín? The current head of the family
He was born in Canada, he came to the Czech Republic for the first time to help his father solve restitution after the revolution. He didn't like it here at all, he didn't want to stay at all. The Czech Republic seemed to him like a country decades behind in development. He had no idea he would soon change his mind.
Today it has been thirty-one years since he permanently settled in the Czech Republic. One of the factors was ultimately his own family life, which he considers to be friendlier and more welcoming for raising children in Europe.
They continue to invest in family industry and the development of the city and its surroundings.
He lives in a log house, not in Canada, but in Czech Republic
He always dreamed of living in a log house. Although Canada sounds like an ideal place, in the end he fulfilled his dream in the Czech Republic, after his divorce. Slightly between Nové Město and Náchod. So, he could run his family business. The castle has already become a cultural and tourist attraction, he manages its operation together with his wife. The castle offers accommodation, they have renovated the local terraces. The castle continues to live its own life.
Just like the surroundings of Nachod and Nové Město, which has the honor to be associated with this noble family.
Is it great to be a successor of such an interesting lineage?
This is indeed a body question. On that Idnes J. M. Bartoň Dobenín said:
Yes, I am. It's an honor. I hope we will continue, we will succeed and one day I will have the opportunity to pass it on to my child as my dad gave it to me.
It will show the time, history and the future will be friendly to the Bartoňs from Dobenin.
Source: author's text,Youtube, idnes.cz
