Schleiz, Germany

Schleiz, Germany

Geography

Schleiz is located in the district/county of Saale-Orla Kreis, Thüringen, Germany. 

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Schleiz_in_SOK.png

Schleiz is in the Thuringian Vogtland area, an area of wooded hills on the borders of Thuringia, Saxony, Bavaria and the Czech Republic. The city is located in a valley with the river Wisenta near the motorway A 9 (Berlin – München). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schleiz

Thuringia lies in eastern/central Germany, bordered by Saxony, Hesse and Bavaria. Thuringia (Thüringen) is located in central Germany. Thuringia borders on the German states of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, Bavaria and Hesse. It has an area of 16,172 km² (6,244 sq mi) and 2.31 million inhabitants, making in the eleventh largest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany’s sixteen federal states. There are 144 inhabitants living in Thuringia per sq km. It is divided up into 17 administrative districts and 6 urban districts. The capital is Erfurt.

www.mapzones.org/Thuringia.html

History

Anciently, the area of Schleiz consisted of dense forest, lakes and ponds, and inhospitable climate. Only as more arable land was needed, was the land cleared and small settlements were established which also provided shelter and supplies along the trade routes which passed through the area.

Schleiz was inhabited by Slavic Tribes as early as the 7th Century as the town name in 1232, Slowicz, suggests. Also known as “Ort des Slavomir” or “place of Slavomir,” this community became known as the “Altstadt,” (“Old City”) when a new town sprang up next to it in the 13th century. This town, which included a castle and was enclosed by a city wall, was called “Neustadt” (“New City.”) These towns continued to be part of ancient trade routes, including the important trade route between Venice and Leipzig, home of the Leipzig fair.

The Slavs were under the rule of Otto I (912-973) whose territory was divided into seven counties (Markgrafschaften). Schleiz belonged to the County of Zeitz, which was dissolved in the year 1113.

Schleiz then came under the rule of a branch of the Lobdeburgers, a Frankish noble family headquartered in Jena. This family dynasty became extinct in 1289 and Schleiz was involved in many inheritance disputes, finally coming under the rule of the Vögte (Lord protectors) of Gera in 1318.

1297 -- Schleiz first documented as “small city”

1482 -- Altstadt and Neustadt were merged into one city of Schleiz.

1517 – Protestant Reformation begins in heart of Thüringen 

1547 - Battle of Műhlberg, Schmalkalden War. Henry IV of Meissen dynasty acquired Schleiz.

1572 -- House of Reuβ takes over territory between Plauen and Griez.

1575- over 600 people in Schleiz died of the plague, one quarter of the population of 2400. On July 25, the body of Hans von Kospoth was brought from Egypt to Schleiz, his hometown, for burial. The coffin was opened for viewing, as was the custom, and through this, the plague was spread. The choir members died first, followed by others who attended the funeral and then many others died who were infected by those who had attended the funeral.   www.steinengel.de/

1618 -1648 – thirty- year war reduced population of Schleiz by half.

1666-1848 – Schleiz capital of Reuß-Schleiz 

1806 (9 Oct.) -- French - Prussian battle fought in Schleiz

1806 – Principality Reuß- jungere Linie formed 

1862-1871 – Unification of Germany by Bismarck

1837 – Fire destroyed town hall, church, many homes and burned castle

1848 – The House of Reuß-Gera became extinct; The prince of the house of Reuß-Ebersdorf (includes Lobenstein) resigned; These were combined into Reuss j.L. and the capital was moved to the more economically developed city of Gera. www.reussischefuerstenstrasse.de/schleiz.htm

1848- 1918 – Schleiz Palace summer residence of Reuß j.L. and administrative seat of the Oberland.

1867- 1913 – Reuß j.L. ruled by Prince Heinrich XIV

1871- 1918 – Second German Empire (Schleiz part of Reuβ j.L. principality)

1918 – Reuß j.L. and Reuß A.L. merged into Republic of Reuß. The Monarchy abolished. de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reu%C3%9F-Schleiz

1920 -- 1 May – Republic of Reuß becomes part of the new state of Thüringen (Wiki/Reuß-Schleiz)

1922 - Schleiz County/District

1991- 1993 – District seat of Saale-Orla-Kreis

1994 – Schleiz town

Jurisdictions

1994 - Present -- Schleiz town, Saale-Orla Kreis, Thüringen

1922-1994 -- Schleiz Kreis (County/District), Thüringen, Germany.  For a list of associated towns, orts, ortsteils and municipalities, see: gov.genealogy.net/ShowObjectSimple.do

Church Records 

•  Lutheran
•  Catholic

Affiliated Towns 

• Möschlitz
• Grochwitz
• Oberböhmsdorf
• Lössau
• Langenbuch
• Wüstendittersdorf
• Gräfenwarth
• Oschitz
• Heinrichsruh
• Dröswein

Links

www.schleiz.de/