benzínová stanice z roku 1934 v Hodkovicích nad Mohelkou Defunct structure

The gas station from 1934 in Hodkovice nad Mohelkou is a historical monument which was located on the north side of the Rychnovská street near the roundabout. The station was part of the infrastructure for car transport before World War II and served as an important element of modernization of Czech roads. It no longer exists today because it was demolished between 2019 and 2022.

The station was founded in 1934 under Walter Neumann's initiative from Jablonec nad Nisou. The investor was the same Walter Neumann, which already in 1927 built the neighboring family house no. 483 and connected the trade of coal and gas stations to one building. The project was developed by an apple builder and architect, Ferdinand Appelt. Following the connection of the border to the German Empire, the gas station was taken over by the German company Naphthaindustrie und Tankanlagen AG (NITAG), which managed it until the 1960s when it was owned by the Benzina Group.

It was an architectural wooden construction with kiosk type, which was unusual for petrol stations due to safety requirements. It had a profiled roof and two pump stands of the ROCCO system, which supplemented oil and water pumps, compressor and hydraulic jack for small repairs of vehicles. The weight for cars was part of the total complex that connected the gas station with the sale of coal.

After World War II, ownership went to NITAG and later to the Benzina Group. The station worked normally until the 1960s when it was no longer needed due to changes in infrastructure and technology. In 2019, demolition started, which was completed in 2022.

The interesting thing about this monument is its green and yellow corporate color of NITAG, which has been preserved on some parts of the roof and columns. The station was also technologically advanced for its time, which is evidenced by the presence of hydraulic jack and two pumping stands.

Today, there is no petrol station in Hodkovice nad Mohelka, but its history remains an important reminder of the time when automobilization became a key part of the modernization of transport. Visiting a place where the station once stood may be interesting for those who want to understand the development of infrastructure and technology in Czechoslovakia between two world wars.