Blažej Mixa (1834-1915)

He was born on 2 February 1834 in Příbram as the son of Jan Mixa, a townsman and wax maker from Příbram. After graduating from the lower secondary school, he entered his father's factory and took it over in 1869. From his youth he participated in public life and was a co-founder of cultural associations in Příbram. In 1867 he was elected a member of the municipal council. A family tragedy intervened in his life when, in October 1876, all four of his children, aged from 2 to 6, died of diphtheria and scarlet fever within a fortnight. It took several years for daughter Irene to fill the vacancy. In 1888 he transferred the business to his nephew and devoted himself fully to political activities. He devoted all his efforts to the prosperity of his town. He was a great supporter of the Sokol, of which he was mayor from 1871 to 1874. He also wished the gymnastic union in the following years and was involved in the fact that in 1903 the local Sokol Hall was opened. Another progressive act was the gasification of the town in 1901, thanks to which the town gained good quality public lighting.

He was elected several times to the town council and served on the board of the Municipal Savings Bank. In the elections held in 1899 he was elected mayor of the town and remained so until 1909. He left this office because of his old age. In 1889 he was elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Kingdom of Bohemia and two years later to the Imperial Council on behalf of Mladá Bohemia. In 1897 he became an honorary citizen of Příbram. He died on 24 December 1915 in Slany, but was buried in Příbram.

Source. Josef Velfl: Příbram through the centuries. Příbram 1998.

Processed by: PhDr. Věra Smolová, Director of SOA Příbram