2 0 ▁C ze chs , ▁in ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 4 5 ▁ 0 0 0 ▁in ▁the ▁district ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁the ▁Sud eten ▁German ▁Party ▁took ▁over ▁in ▁A š , ▁led ▁by ▁Kon rad ▁Hen lein , ▁who ▁for ▁several ▁years ▁had ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁as ▁a ▁g ym ▁teacher . ▁Hen lein ▁open ly ▁advoc ated ▁the ▁an nex ation ▁of ▁the ▁Sud eten land ▁territ ories ▁to ▁Naz i ▁Germany , ▁while ▁Czech ▁residents , ▁mainly ▁officials , ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁town . ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁Mun ich ▁Ag re ement , ▁a ▁Sud eten ▁German ▁Fre ikor ps ▁proc laimed ▁a ▁" Free ▁State ▁of ▁A sch ". ▁Upon ▁the ▁German ▁occupation ▁of ▁Czech oslov ak ia ▁in ▁October , ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁Ag re ement , ▁We hr macht ▁troops ▁officially ▁arrived , ▁uno pp osed . ▁By ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁a ▁German ▁census ▁counted ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 2 3 , 1 3 0 ▁in ▁the ▁town , ▁almost ▁ 1 0 0 % ▁German ▁Luther ans . ▁From ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁A sch ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Municipal ities ▁in ▁Sud eten land . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁town ▁was ▁occupied ▁by ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁forces ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁April ▁ 1 9