Ten years after the demolition of the giant gallery house U sedmi Švábů, the pub across the street of the same name is heading toward the same fate. It will be gone together with another piece of Old Brno.
Brno is a city with no secrets. The authors of Labyrint tajemna aneb Průvodce po magických místech Československa (Paseka, 1991) had a lot of work to ensure that they could dedicate at least two of the total of 460 pages to the largest Moravian city. Brno is almost unhaunted, there are very few legends of hidden treasures despite the extensive underground. One of the few notorious places was the building U sedmi Švábů, which stood at today's address Kopečná 37 until 2006. It used to house a coaching inn, in whose cellar seven soldiers from Swabia➚allegedly lost their lives. The whole building was named after this event, not after the insects – although the ruined building clearly encouraged this interpretation. A White Lady thoughtfully walking across a large courtyard was allegedly appearing there.
It is not known where the ghost moved after the old gallery building was demolished. None of the recent inhabitants of the apparently ruined building mentioned it. If it happened, hardly anyone would take it seriously. According to the romantic interpretation, students, artists and bohemians lived in the house. They are less than credible classes according to the general perception. In a less romantic interpretation, various near-outlaws lived there with them and no one would believe them, perhaps not even the artists. The decision to demolish the house caused people to revolt➚, but the demonstrations were not successful. There is modern development on the site of the legendary gallery house, where many a person’s virginity disappeared. The good atmosphere in it are only created by its hygiene and safety. Only memories, photos and a theatre play➚ remain from the old building.
While the house was still standing, it housed a junk shop. Although it does not sound as noble as a start-up based on recycling retro artefacts, the U sedmi Švábů junk shop better suited the Old Brno. Its owner Efendi had to leave the house before the demolition as well as the White Lady, but he moved right across the street where he opened a pub. It still bears the proud name reminiscent of insects which should gather on a beer, but have no place in a pub corresponding to today's requirements of the laws and customers. The pub breathed underground life, it was the venue of concerts, exhibitions and sometimes there was a pleasant atmosphere in it, at other times no one spoiled the guests too much. But those, who nostalgically remembered the beer that the innkeeper threw in front of you without asking, were always satisfied.
The music in the pub used to be played spontaneously and music will also be at its end, Švábí bouračka (Cockroach crash) subtitled Demoliční koncert (Demolition Concert)! Zbořte se! is gone and seven cockroaches are awaiting the Last Party Before the Demolition of U sedmi Švábů. On Saturday, 20 February, the jazz quintet will play in the following line-up: Gabriela Kolčavová, Radim Hanousek, Radek Bagar, Vincent Kummer and Martin Kleibl.
