On Friday, June 17, 2022, the Karel Ašler association, in cooperation with the local ZUŠka, organized a parade through the city as part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Aš's promotion to city status. However, preparations began several months in advance - by contacting all active Aš associations, organizations, schools, settlements, in short, everyone who could and wanted to participate. The parade also needed to be legalized, as Hlavní ulice was to be closed for about an hour. Professional acrobats were also invited, who brilliantly framed the parade on stilts at the beginning and end. Until the last moment, it was not clear whether the Doubravské tractors would receive an exception and be able to carry people on trailers (or allegorical floats). Unfortunately, they did not receive it in the end, but they were still a great decoration of the parade.
Around 3:30 p.m., individual participants began to gather at the People's House, trying to hide in the shade, because the weather was too kind - the sun was scorching and the temperature was around 30 degrees. The Doubravské people approached just in time - just before 4 p.m., they began to lead the procession, to the applause of onlookers, after the Aš Municipal Police and the Aš Police Department stopped traffic. Behind them, historical vehicles of Aš owners appeared, then other participants lined up - led by the Aš Robert Schumann Elementary School, which represented majorettes and a marching band, as well as characters from Aš legends, local history and the present in period costumes. The Hvězdičky from ZŠ Kamenná also joined the procession, along with many students from ZŠ Hlávkova, children from MŠ Neumannova, Jiskra Aš - footballers, Volejbal Klokani Aš, Ašští bajkeři, Aš Gymnázium, DDM Slunicko and others.
The procession moved and gradually gathered – many spectators eventually followed us to Goethe Square. On the way, everyone had the opportunity to meet SAškia Burešová, who stood on the roundabout at Masaryk Square and recited from the “window” of the Aš calendar. Hundreds of people arrived at Goethe Square, where the first Aš astronomical clock took place before their eyes – figures from local history and the present appeared on the balcony of the town hall after JW Goethe asked the people of Aš for forgiveness for his statements about an ugly city with poor-quality roads. The History Park was officially opened by releasing balloons in the colors of the city emblem.
Here, visitors could walk along new paths, look into renovated cellars, and enjoy musical performances by students of the choir from Kamenná Elementary School and the Aš Elementary School, art creations by children from all over Aš, photographs by local photographers, and pictures of winners from the Aš Photo Marathon.
A big thank you goes to the Aš Municipal Police, especially Z. Luňák, Marča Štadlmajerová, Anna Tyrolerová, Stána Stašková, the management of the City of Aš, the management of the Municipality of Krásná and the Krásná volunteer firefighters, the Doubravsk settlement committee and tractor drivers, the owners of historic cars, all employees of the R. Schumann Aš Elementary School, LaRitma and other participants in the parade - together with the Karel Ašler association, they performed their work at the parade completely free of charge, just out of pure joy from the social gathering within the framework of this event.
Karel Ašler congratulates his hometown on its 150th birthday, even appearing in the astronomical clock, but since his back was turned and he didn't show his face, his identity has not yet been fully discovered. That doesn't matter, as long as his influence on the talents in our city is still evident...
for the Karel Ašler association P. Hošková, A. Pokorná and M. Blažek Černá
