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Jizerka (deutsch Klein Iser) is part of municipality Kořenov in Jablonec nad Nisou District. The hamlet located in the Bohemian part of Jizera Mountains, on the border with Silesia, Poland.
In the 15th century first inthabitants settled in the area to look for gemstones. The oldest written reference is from 16th century. The settlement was called Bukowec. At the end of the 18th century there were 7 buildings and the inhabitants made a living from forestry and smuggling. In 1829 glassworks were opened. At the peak of the glass industry Jizerka had a population of approximately 450 people. There was a school, pub, sawmill, bakery, blacksmith and other craftsmen. In 1911 the wood-fired glassworks were closed. Coal-fired factories located in the valleys were more efficient. At the same time, tourism began to take off. Some houses became hostels, others pubs. After World War II most of the buildings were nationalised. In the 1980s massive deforestation took place. In the 1990s the buildings were privatised and Jizerka became a recreation centre again.
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Europe is generally agreed to be the birthplace of western culture, including such legendary innovations as the democratic nation-state, football and tomato sauce.The word Europe comes from the Greek goddess Europa, who was kidnapped by Zeus and plunked down on the island of Crete. Europa gradually changed from referring to mainland Greece until it extended finally to include Norway and Russia.Don't be confused that Europe is called a continent without looking like an island, the way the other continents do. It's okay. The Ural mountains have steadily been there to divide Europe from Asia for the last 250 million years. Russia technically inhabits "Eurasia".Europe is presently uniting into one political and economic zone with a common currency called the Euro. The European Union originated in 1993 and is now composed of 27 member states. Its headquarters is in Brussels, Belgium.Do not confuse the EU with the Council of Europe, which has 47 member states and dates to 1949. These two bodies share the same flag, national anthem, and mission of integrating Europe. The headquarters of the Council are located in Strasbourg, France, and it is most famous for its European Court of Human Rights. In spite of these two bodies, there is still no single Constitution or set of laws applying to all the countries of Europe. Debate rages over the role of the EU in regards to national sovereignty. As of January 2009, the Lisbon Treaty is the closest thing to a European Constitution, yet it has not been approved by all the EU states. Text by Steve Smith.
