Loosdorf
Encyclopedia
Loosdorf is a little town in the district of Melk
in the Austria
n state of Lower Austria
. One of its historical buildings is the Hohe Schule
(translation: the high school), the first school in Central Europe with a written curriculum, founded in 1574 by the Austrian nobleman Hans Wilhelm von Losenstein (translated: "John William of Losenstein"), the lord of the nearby castle Schallaburg
. It served as a Lutheran school from about 1574 until 1627. Another historical building is the Ledóchowska house, where the roman catholic saint Ursula Ledóchowska lived some years during her youth.
In 1590 emperor Rudolf II, who was also the archduke of Austria, granted Loosdorf the right of having a municipal coat of arms. The left side is red and has a silver diagonal stripe in the middle. The right side is blue and has a standing gold colored panther that is carrying a torch (see above).
. In 1883 the family moved to the estate Lipnica
, about 48 km from Cracow.
Julia (later called Ursula Ledóchowska) in 1883 became an ursuline in Cracow and was a missonary in Russia and Scandinavia
. She founded the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus (Grey Ursulines)
. Her brother Wladimir Ledóchowski
was the 26th general of the Jesuits. Maria Teresia founded a soladity against slavery in Africa, called after Saint Peter Claver. Ignacy became a general in the Polish army. In 1975 Maria Teresia was beatified by Pope Paul VI
. In 1983 Ursula Ledóchowska was beatified too and in 2003 Ursula Ledóchowska was canonized as a Roman Catholic saint by Pope John Paul II
.
, the Danube salmon.
Melk (district)
Bezirk Melk is a district of the state of Lower Austria in Austria.-Municipalities:Suburbs, hamlets and other subdivisions of a municipality are indicated in small characters.*Artstetten-Pöbring...
in the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n state of Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
. One of its historical buildings is the Hohe Schule
Hohe Schule, Loosdorf, Austria
The Hohe Schule in Loosdorf near Melk was built in 1574 as a first protestant centre to educate the youth by the Earl of Losenstein. He also constructed the nearby castle 'Schallaburg' and church in Loosdorf...
(translation: the high school), the first school in Central Europe with a written curriculum, founded in 1574 by the Austrian nobleman Hans Wilhelm von Losenstein (translated: "John William of Losenstein"), the lord of the nearby castle Schallaburg
Schallaburg
Schallaburg is a village and a castle in the municipality of Schollach, in Lower Austria, Austria. It is one of the best known Renaissance style castles in Austria. Nowadays the castle Schallaburg is a museum.-History of the castle Schallaburg:...
. It served as a Lutheran school from about 1574 until 1627. Another historical building is the Ledóchowska house, where the roman catholic saint Ursula Ledóchowska lived some years during her youth.
Loosdorf at the end of the 16th century
In 1578 Hans Wilhelm von Losenstein bought the land of Loosdorf and the right to lend it out and to govern Loosdorf. In 1584 Hans Wilhelm von Losenstein acquired for Loosdorf the right to organize a market. In 1588 Loosdorf got the right to organize a weekly market, so it got the status of market town (Marktgemeinde).In 1590 emperor Rudolf II, who was also the archduke of Austria, granted Loosdorf the right of having a municipal coat of arms. The left side is red and has a silver diagonal stripe in the middle. The right side is blue and has a standing gold colored panther that is carrying a torch (see above).
The Ledóchowska house in Loosdorf
In 1843 the Austrian Polish count Antoni August Ledóchowski, a brother of the later archbishop and cardinal Mieczysław Ledóchowski, acquired the estate with castle Sitzenthal in Loosdorf. After the early death of his first wife count Anthoni Ledóchowski built a house in Loosdorf and moved there with his second wife, Josefine Salis-Zizers. In 1863 Maria Teresia Ledóchowska was born in this house and later her sister Julia (Ursula) and her brothers too. After the bank crisis of 1873 Antoni Ledóchowski lost most of his capital and in 1874 he needed to sell his house in Loosdorf and moved to St. Pölten. Julia and Maria Theresia attended a grammar school for girls (das Institut der Englische Fräulein), then run by nuns of the congregation founded by Mary WardMary Ward
Mary Ward may refer to:* Mary Ward , 1585 - 1645, foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an order of Roman Catholic nuns...
. In 1883 the family moved to the estate Lipnica
Lipnica Murowana
Lipnica Murowana is a village in southern Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Bochnia and south-east of the regional capital Kraków. It is the seat of the district called Gmina Lipnica Murowana, within Bochnia County....
, about 48 km from Cracow.
Julia (later called Ursula Ledóchowska) in 1883 became an ursuline in Cracow and was a missonary in Russia and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. She founded the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus (Grey Ursulines)
Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus (Grey Ursulines)
The Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, also known as the Grey Ursulines, is a Catholic order founded by Saint Ursula Julia Ledochowska in Poland. At present the Congregation consists of over 900 sisters in 12 countries...
. Her brother Wladimir Ledóchowski
Wlodimir Ledochowski
Wlodimir Ledóchowski, S.J. was the 26th Superior-General of the Society of Jesus.He was born on the family estate, Sitzenthal, in Loosdorf, near St. Pölten , the son of Count Antoni Halka Ledóchowski...
was the 26th general of the Jesuits. Maria Teresia founded a soladity against slavery in Africa, called after Saint Peter Claver. Ignacy became a general in the Polish army. In 1975 Maria Teresia was beatified by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. In 1983 Ursula Ledóchowska was beatified too and in 2003 Ursula Ledóchowska was canonized as a Roman Catholic saint by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
Fauna
One of the last remaining unrestrained rivers in Austria, River Pielach flows through Loosdorf. The meandering river is home to a multitude of wildlife and the rare HuchenHuchen
The huchen or Danube salmon is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, the Danube salmon.
Born in Loosdorf
- Ursula Ledóchowska (1865–1939), a Roman Catholic saint
- Maria Teresia Ledóchowska (1863–1922), a Roman Catholic missionary
- Wladimir LedóchowskiWlodimir LedochowskiWlodimir Ledóchowski, S.J. was the 26th Superior-General of the Society of Jesus.He was born on the family estate, Sitzenthal, in Loosdorf, near St. Pölten , the son of Count Antoni Halka Ledóchowski...
(1868–1942), the 26th general of the Jesuits (from 1915 until 1942) - Ignacy Kazimierz Ledóchowski (1871–1945), a Polish general
- Hans (von) Hammerstein-Equord (1881–1947), Austrian politician and writer