Business at Žižkov

In the early 1920’s, most people in Prague (over 50,000) worked in the fashion industry. It was still mostly cottage industry although factory production was becoming increasingly noticeable in the making of footwear, underwear and gloves. These branches employed people particularly in the Old Town, as well as Vyšehrad, Žižkov, Nusle and Vršovice. More than half of the workers were tailors, and a quarter were shoemakers. In the machine building industry, the Žižkov paperworks, Akciová společnost Papirografia, with establishments in Žižkov and Olšany, joint stock company (ex-Prague Paperworks, Pražské papírny), held a significant position. The most important factory in Žižkov was definitely the Sellier & Bellot percussion cap plant which was, however, moved from Parukářka, Žižkov to Vlašim in 1936.

Alongside big factories and corporations, there were small traders and businessmen. These minor entrepreneurs with a connection to Žižkov included e.g. Červinka – rolety, a blinds maker established in 1898 and existing to this day. Naturally, traders advertised to offer their services – in newspapers, magazines etc. For small traders to be able to compete with big companies, they united in associations and communities wherein they supported each other’s activities. There were hundreds (!) of such associations in Žižkov (in 1895-1990, about 675 associations were registered), where traders and businessmen came together. There were associations of Žižkov butchers or bakers, too: First Union of mutually supporting butchers, meat-curers and meat traders in Žižkov (1904–1949) and Professional Association of bakery workers in the Bohemian Kingdom – local unit for Žižkov (1907–1926).