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Hop Market in Nuremberg which was
2.b4 THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20 destroyed during the World War II, 1920
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CENTURY AND THE WAR PERIODS

In 1901, in the Žatec region, 9,218 growers were
recorded. Including the largest producers, this
represents an average acreage of 1.2 ha per grower. In
the administrative area of Žatec alone, there were 487
ha of hop fields at the time, and 491 hop growers were
registered there. The biggest surface area of hop fields
was recorded in the second half of the 19 century,
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owned by J. Schöffl.

From the 1860s, there was a marked increase in hop
field areas, especially in the rural areas (see above),
and therefore, the town of Žatec started to lose its
position as the leading hop producer. On the other
hand, it maintained and strengthened its exceptional
position as a major European hop trade centre. Small
growers were increasingly more dependent on trade
security of production uptake, and Žatec started to
fully specialise in individual segments within the
process of production and the trade of hops.

With respect to the volumes of hops traded, Žatec might
have been gradually caught up by the hop growing At this time, hop picking was still carried out directly
market in Bavarian Nuremberg. Still, it surpassed its in the hop fields. Concurrently with the increase in
competition with the first-class quality of its hops. surface areas of the hop fields, the demand for a greater
Under the name "Saaz hops," all the hops cultivated number of hop pickers grew. Large quantities of hops
in the Žatec region started to be marked and certified, had to be harvested in a relatively short period of time, 125
and the whole region profited from the prestige of between 10 to 14 days when the amount of lupulin is
Saaz hops, which were a highly requested trading at its highest in the plant. Providing that the required
commodity. Outside the European continent, Saaz number of pickers was more than the local labour
hops was exported to North America in the 19 century. market could supply, seasonal workers came down or
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In 1901, the export of hops to Japan also began. were brought down, from the wider surroundings.

The hop warehouse and hop packaging plant of the Sonnenschein & Landesmann company in Zeyerova St.,
No. 1907, photo by J.Wara, Žatec, early 20 century
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