Wintermorning (Hohenelbe); also called "Wintermorgen"

Max Pollak

Pollak viewed the old town hall on the main square of Hohenelbe through the arches of the buildings that line the square, taking shelter from the snow blanketing the scene.

The Czech city of Vrchlabí ('Hohenelbe' in German) began with the settlement of the Krkonoe Mountains (the Giant Mountains) – the highest Czech mountain range. The name of the town is closely related with the location on the river Labe, the Latin Albipolis (Albi = Labe = The Elbe, Polis = City).

The first settlement called Wrchlab was probably founded in 1300. Many people from German speaking lands came to work and live to the town and brought in the Lutheran reformation faith, which spread quickly in the region, supported by Gendorf himself. Vrchlabí also became a trading center for fine goods, especially linen cloth which was highly desired and was exported into Italy or Spain.

Until 1918, the town was part of the Austrian monarchy (Austrian part after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867), head of the Hohenelbe district, one of the 94 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Bohemia.