Kirschau
Encyclopedia
Kirschau is a village and a former municipality in Upper Lusatia
in the district of Bautzen
in Saxony
in Germany
. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Schirgiswalde-Kirschau
. It is situated in a region called Lausitzer Bergland
in the valley of the Spree
and the Pilke, between the "Mönchswalderberg" (449 m) and the "Lärchenberg" (354 m) and belongs in respects of administration to the district of Bautzen
.
The community is separated into four different parts called (with the sorbian
name additional): Bederwitz (Bjedrusk), Kleinpostwitz (Bójswecy), Rodewitz (Rozwodecy) and Sonnenberg (Słónčna Hora).
came to Saxony in 1634, at the time of the Thirty-years-war
, Kirschau became a village near the border. A tax station was opened because of the near border to Bohemia
.
Until 1845 Kirschau was a poor and unimportant village, but helped by Gotthelf August Friese industry started to develop in this small village - especially the textile industry. Other industries followed and because of its richness the community acquired the name "Village of the Golden Roofs" - some of the old wealth is still visible in the core of the village and in the fine houses of the rich men. After the second world-war
in the time of the GDR most enterprises became VEB
, meaning they now belonged to the newly born communist state of East Germany. At this time the production of textile products remained important - as did the production of agricultural machines in the "Kombinat
Fortschritt
Landmaschinen Neustadt
.
Since reunification just a small proportion of the former textile industry remains in the region. Today a big bath called "Körse-Therme" which can be used every season is the main attraction in the village.
The most important monuments are the ruins of the castle "Körse", the church of St. John (built in 1924 in Jugendstil) and the houses of the inner city in the same style.
Upper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia is a region a biggest part of which belongs to Saxony, a small eastern part belongs to Poland, the northern part to Brandenburg. In Saxony, Upper Lusatia comprises roughly the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz , in Brandenburg the southern part of district Oberspreewald-Lausitz...
in the district of Bautzen
Bautzen (district)
Bautzen is a district in the Free State of Saxony in Germany including the former districts of Bischofswerda and Kamenz. It is bounded by the Czech Republic, the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, the district-free city Dresden and the districts of Meißen and Görlitz...
in Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Schirgiswalde-Kirschau
Schirgiswalde-Kirschau
Schirgiswalde-Kirschau is a town in the district of Bautzen, in Saxony, Germany. It was formed on 1 January 2011 by the merger of the former municipalities Schirgiswalde, Kirschau and Crostau....
. It is situated in a region called Lausitzer Bergland
Lausitzer Bergland
The Lusatian Highlands is a hilly and low mountainous region in Germany and the Czech Republic. A western extension of the Sudetes range, it is located on the border of the German state of Saxony with the Czech Bohemian region...
in the valley of the Spree
Spree
The Spree is a river that flows through the Saxony, Brandenburg and Berlin states of Germany, and in the Ústí nad Labem region of the Czech Republic...
and the Pilke, between the "Mönchswalderberg" (449 m) and the "Lärchenberg" (354 m) and belongs in respects of administration to the district of Bautzen
Bautzen (district)
Bautzen is a district in the Free State of Saxony in Germany including the former districts of Bischofswerda and Kamenz. It is bounded by the Czech Republic, the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, the district-free city Dresden and the districts of Meißen and Görlitz...
.
The community is separated into four different parts called (with the sorbian
Sorbs
Sorbs are a Western Slavic people of Central Europe living predominantly in Lusatia, a region on the territory of Germany and Poland. In Germany they live in the states of Brandenburg and Saxony. They speak the Sorbian languages - closely related to Polish and Czech - officially recognized and...
name additional): Bederwitz (Bjedrusk), Kleinpostwitz (Bójswecy), Rodewitz (Rozwodecy) and Sonnenberg (Słónčna Hora).
History
In the document that tells about the destruction of the castle "Körse" the community of Kirschau first has been mentioned in 1352 in a written source. When Upper LusatiaUpper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia is a region a biggest part of which belongs to Saxony, a small eastern part belongs to Poland, the northern part to Brandenburg. In Saxony, Upper Lusatia comprises roughly the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz , in Brandenburg the southern part of district Oberspreewald-Lausitz...
came to Saxony in 1634, at the time of the Thirty-years-war
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, Kirschau became a village near the border. A tax station was opened because of the near border to Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
.
Until 1845 Kirschau was a poor and unimportant village, but helped by Gotthelf August Friese industry started to develop in this small village - especially the textile industry. Other industries followed and because of its richness the community acquired the name "Village of the Golden Roofs" - some of the old wealth is still visible in the core of the village and in the fine houses of the rich men. After the second world-war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the time of the GDR most enterprises became VEB
VEB
VEB may stand for:*Virtual/Electronic Business*Venezuelan Bolívar, the currency of Venezuela between 1879 and 2007. *Volkseigener Betrieb , a state owned workplace or establishment in the German Democratic Republic.*VEB Maschinenpistole, an East German machine pistol.*Vnesh Econom Bank, the...
, meaning they now belonged to the newly born communist state of East Germany. At this time the production of textile products remained important - as did the production of agricultural machines in the "Kombinat
Economy of the German Democratic Republic
Like other states which were members of the Comecon, the German Democratic Republic had a centrally planned economy similar to the one in the former Soviet Union, in contrast to the market economies or mixed economies of capitalist states...
Fortschritt
Fortschritt
Fortschritt was an East German brand of tractors, combine harvesters and other agricultural machines made by VEB Fortschritt in Neustadt, Saxony.Fortschritt was taken over by Case IH in 1997....
Landmaschinen Neustadt
Neustadt in Sachsen
Neustadt in Sachsen is a town in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the border with the Czech Republic, 35 km east of Dresden , and 23 km southwest of Bautzen...
.
Since reunification just a small proportion of the former textile industry remains in the region. Today a big bath called "Körse-Therme" which can be used every season is the main attraction in the village.
Culture and sights
In the village there can be found two museum, one shows the history of the castle "Körse" and the village, the other one shows the rural tradition and old handicraft of the region.The most important monuments are the ruins of the castle "Körse", the church of St. John (built in 1924 in Jugendstil) and the houses of the inner city in the same style.