Windischgarsten
Encyclopedia
Windischgarsten is a municipality in the district of Kirchdorf an der Krems
in Upper Austria
, Austria
with a population of 2442. Since 1964, the town has been classified as a Luftkurort
, a mountain spa town.
and is surrounded by mountains: the Haller Mauern
in the South, the Sengsengebirges in the North, and the Toten Gebirges in the West.
Contemporary Windischgarsten was originally founded as part of the Dukedom of Bavaria. During the Carolingian dynasty, around the year 800, a command post was likely set up with the name "Waldbergland" where a group of Alpine-Slavs were concentrated. In the 11th Century, this settlement became central to the Archdiocese of Bamberg
. As the pilgrim population swelled during the First Crusade
, the settlement became a hub of religious activity. A church was likely founded in 1119. In the following centuries, the population swelled due to the continual influx of pilgrims.
After the Anschluss
, the area became part of "Gau Oberdonau." By the end of the Second World war, 122 Windischgarsteners were either dead or missing. After the war, the town became known for its Alpine Tourism and is particularly popular with skiers.
The village made headlines at the turn of the millennium as the former mayor Franz Hufnagl was sentenced to three years in prison, charged with rape, sexual assault, and abuse of authority.
On 31 January, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI
appointed local clergyman Gerhard Maria Wagner
as auxiliary bishop of Linz. He resigned fifteen days later amidst controversy over his belief that sin
had caused Hurricane Katrina
.
is Norbert Vögerl of the Austrian People's Party
. The Local Council consists of 13 ÖVP members, and 9 seats for the SPÖ
.
Mayors since 1850:
Kirchdorf an der Krems (district)
Bezirk Kirchdorf an der Krems is a district of the state ofUpper Austria in Austria.- Municipalities :Towns are indicated in boldface; market towns in italics; suburbs, hamlets and other subdivisions of a municipality are indicated in small characters.*Edlbach*Grünburg*Hinterstoder*Inzersdorf im...
in Upper Austria
Upper Austria
Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
, 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...
with a population of 2442. Since 1964, the town has been classified as a Luftkurort
Luftkurort
Luftkurort, literally meaning 'air spa', is a title given to towns or cities in Germany which are health resorts who have a climate and air quality which is considered beneficial to health and rest. Tests are repeated on a regular basis to ensure that standards of air quality are maintained...
, a mountain spa town.
Geography
Windischgarsten is 602m above sea level in the TraunviertelTraunviertel
The Traunviertel is an Austrian region belonging to the state of Upper Austria: it is one of four "quarters" of Upper Austria the others being Hausruckviertel, Mühlviertel, and Innviertel...
and is surrounded by mountains: the Haller Mauern
Haller Mauern
The Haller Mauern is a small mountain chain, part of the larger Northern Limestone Alps.The western buttress of the main ridge is formed by the 2,244 m high Großer Pyhrgas. This mountain is also the highest peak in the Haller Mauern...
in the South, the Sengsengebirges in the North, and the Toten Gebirges in the West.
History
Roman Windischgarsten "Gabromagus" lay to the Southwest and was a mansio (a stopping place) on the Via Norica that existed between the 2nd and 5th Centuries.Contemporary Windischgarsten was originally founded as part of the Dukedom of Bavaria. During the Carolingian dynasty, around the year 800, a command post was likely set up with the name "Waldbergland" where a group of Alpine-Slavs were concentrated. In the 11th Century, this settlement became central to the Archdiocese of Bamberg
Archdiocese of Bamberg
The Archdiocese of Bamberg is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Bavaria and is one of 27 Roman Catholic dioceses in Germany. About a third of the population is Catholic. With 15.6% this diocese has one of higher numbers of worshippers on Sunday in Germany...
. As the pilgrim population swelled during the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, the settlement became a hub of religious activity. A church was likely founded in 1119. In the following centuries, the population swelled due to the continual influx of pilgrims.
After the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
, the area became part of "Gau Oberdonau." By the end of the Second World war, 122 Windischgarsteners were either dead or missing. After the war, the town became known for its Alpine Tourism and is particularly popular with skiers.
The village made headlines at the turn of the millennium as the former mayor Franz Hufnagl was sentenced to three years in prison, charged with rape, sexual assault, and abuse of authority.
On 31 January, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
appointed local clergyman Gerhard Maria Wagner
Gerhard Maria Wagner
Gerhard Maria Wagner — born 1954 July 17, Wartberg ob der Aist, Austria—was appointed auxiliary bishop of Linz, Austria, by Pope Benedict XVI on 2009 January 31...
as auxiliary bishop of Linz. He resigned fifteen days later amidst controversy over his belief that sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
had caused Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.
Politics
The current mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is Norbert Vögerl of the Austrian People's Party
Austrian People's Party
The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
. The Local Council consists of 13 ÖVP members, and 9 seats for the SPÖ
SPO
- Technology :SPO: Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Cloud Computing, Office 365. See Microsoft Online Services-Economics:* Secondary Public Offering, an equity capital market instrument...
.
Mayors since 1850:
- 1850–1867 Leopold Westermayr
- 1867–1873 Ferdinand Hofbauer
- 1873–1879 Michael Zöls
- 1879–1894 Gerhard Purgleitner
- 1894–1903 Emil Zeller
- 1903–1917 Franz X. Schröckenfux
- 1917–1919 Emil Zeller
- 1919–1922 Franz Lechner
- 1922–1924 Dicketmüller
- 1924–1929 Franz Lechner
- 1929–1934 Hans Fischer
- 1934–1942 Franz Lechner
- 1942–1945 Franz Scheer, NSDAP
- 1945–1945 Franz Lechner
- 1945–1951 Rudolf Sulzbacher, SPÖ
- 1951–1967 Hans Gmeiner, SPÖ
- 1967–1979 Josef Seidlmann, SPÖ
- 1979–1991 Hans Pernkopf, ÖVP
- 1991–2000 Franz Hufnagl, SPÖ
- 2000- Norbert Vögerl, ÖVP