Department of History

In the 19^th and 20^th centuries, the Ostrava region experienced rapid economic and population growth caused by the industrial revolution. Black coal was found in the Ostrava region, metallurgy, engineering, and the chemical industry developed, and many people came to work in the mines and factories. The originally small town of Moravská Ostrava grew into a large city with many other towns in the surroundings. Educational institutions were built for this agglomeration, which were dedicated, among other things, to cultural development in a wide range of fields. At the beginning of the 1960s, the Pedagogical Institute in Ostrava was opened, with a history department serving as both an educational and research institution, focusing its professional interest on the economic and population development of the Ostrava region. To the present day, the tradition of this research is maintained at the department, although the department now focuses on a wider range of issues, such as ecology in the communist and post-communist world. Today, we are trying to transform the region in many ways, including the social dimension. It used to be called "Black Ostrava" – come and see that "Black is full of colours" now.

Updated: 19. 08. 2025