Mirošov (Rokycany District)
Mirošov () is a town in Rokycany District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,300 inhabitants. Administrative parts. Village of Myť is an administrative part od Mirošov. Geography. Mirošov lies 7 km southeast of Rokycany, 457 m above sea level. Mirošov is located on the Skořický Stream that is joined by Příkosický Stream in the town's territory. In the east large forested complex of Brdy hills begins. History. The first written mention of Mirošov is from 1366, when Dobrohost of Ronšperk donated his estates in Mirošov to the Dominican Order monastery in  Plzeň. The village was for centuries dominated by various feudal families. In 19th century the face of Mirošov and its environs profoundly changed with discovery of rich coal deposits. In 1834 mining started in the modest dimensions but the real impetus to industrial coal mining was given by 1857 when two individuals found mighty coal bed. Rapid development of coal mining industry followed. Several coal pits sprang up in and around Mirošov making this region one of the foremost coal producing localities in Bohemia. In 1871 growing Mirošov was proclaimed a market town. As early as 1869 Mirošov had railway  link to Rokycany which gave local coal access to markets in Central Europe. The railway served for cargo transport only creating an intricate network of sidings into local coal pits. Since 1879 public transport started on the Mirošov-Rokycany railway too. In 1882 another stretch of this railway opened, connecting Mirošov with Nezvěstice on the main Plzeň–České Budějovice railway artery. At the height of industrial prosperity Mirošov hosted 1,600 miners however with increased exploitation coal reserves were relatively soon depleted and by 1904 mining stopped in Mirošov. The town's population dropped and local economy reverted to its semi -rural shape. Some small-scale mining continued until 1947. Internment Camp. After World War II Mirošov was the site of an internment camp for ethnic Germans. The commander of the camp, František Foukal, has been accused of killing 220 of the inmates through maltreatment and direct killings, of which there is photographic evidence for the latter. Demography. As to ethnicity, Mirošov, has traditionally been a Czech settlement. After cessation of coal mining at the end of 19th century the population dropped and has stagnated thereafter.