Hirschaid is a German
market town
A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...
in the
Upper Franconia
Upper Franconia (german: Oberfranken) is a ''Regierungsbezirk'' (administrative 'Regierungs''region 'bezirk'' of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia, the others being Middle F ...
n district of
Bamberg
Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...
and lies roughly twelve kilometres south of
Bamberg
Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...
on the
Regnitz
The Regnitz is a river in Franconia, Germany. It is a left tributary of the Main and is in length.
The river is formed by the confluence of the rivers Rednitz and Pegnitz, which meet in the city of Fürth. From there the Regnitz runs northward ...
and the
Main-Danube Canal.
Geography
Location
The community's main centre lies south-southeast of Bamberg where the Reiche Ebrach empties into the Regnitz.
For various reasons, among them the community's favourable location on the
A 73 and its close proximity to
Bamberg
Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...
(12 km),
Forchheim
Forchheim () is a town in Upper Franconia (german: Oberfranken) in northern Bavaria, and also the seat of the administrative district of Forchheim. Forchheim is a former royal city, and is sometimes called the Gateway to the Franconian Switzer ...
(13 km),
Erlangen
Erlangen (; East Franconian German, East Franconian: ''Erlang'', Bavarian language, Bavarian: ''Erlanga'') is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the administrative district Erlangen-Höchstadt (former administrative d ...
(about 30 km),
Fürth
Fürth (; East Franconian: ; yi, פיורדא, Fiurda) is a city in northern Bavaria, Germany, in the administrative division (''Regierungsbezirk'') of Middle Franconia. It is now contiguous with the larger city of Nuremberg, the centres of the t ...
(about 40 km) and
Nuremberg
Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...
(about 50 km), Hirschaid has grown markedly since the 1960s.
Constituent communities
Hirschaid's main and namesake centre is by far the biggest of its ''Gemeindeteile'' with a population of 6,080. The community furthermore has these outlying centres, each given here with its own population figure (as of 2019):
*
Erlach 445
*
Friesen bei Hirschaid 377
*
Großbuchfeld 126
*
Juliushof 552
*
Kleinbuchfeld 135
*
Köttmannsdorf bei Hirschaid 641
*
Röbersdorf 826
*
Rothensand 357
*
Sassanfahrt 2,211
*
Seigendorf 836
Ironically, Großbuchfeld (“Great Beech Field”) is actually smaller than Kleinbuchfeld (“Little Beech Field”).
History
The community's name goes back to the von Hirzheide noble family whose
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
were
charged with a
hart
Hart often refers to:
* Hart (deer)
Hart may also refer to:
Organizations
* Hart Racing Engines, a former Formula One engine manufacturer
* Hart Skis, US ski manufacturer
* Hart Stores, a Canadian chain of department stores
* Hart's Reptile W ...
, still seen in the community's arms today.
Hirschaid lies not far from the former
''via regia'', an ancient road that since antiquity joined the north in the area around
Lüneburg
Lüneburg (officially the ''Hanseatic City of Lüneburg'', German: ''Hansestadt Lüneburg'', , Low German ''Lümborg'', Latin ''Luneburgum'' or ''Lunaburgum'', Old High German ''Luneburc'', Old Saxon ''Hliuni'', Polabian ''Glain''), also calle ...
with the south all the way to
Lower Austria
Lower Austria (german: Niederösterreich; Austro-Bavarian: ''Niedaöstareich'', ''Niedaestareich'') is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Since 1986, the capital of Lower Austria has been Sankt P ...
. The name Hirschaid refers to the former landscape and
wildlife
Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animal species (biology), species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous ...
(''Hirsch'' is “hart” in
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
).
Finds dug up on the Regnitz Valley terraces bear witness to an early settlement beginning no later than the
New Stone Age
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
. Bearing witness to the later
La Tène culture
The La Tène culture (; ) was a European Iron Age culture. It developed and flourished during the late Iron Age (from about 450 BC to the Roman conquest in the 1st century BC), succeeding the early Iron Age Hallstatt culture without any defini ...
(
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
* Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Fo ...
) are above all the finds and wall remains on the nearby ''Friesener Warte''
In 1079, Hirschaid became historical for the first time through a document issued by King
Heinrich IV Henry IV may refer to:
People
* Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1050–1106), King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor
* Henry IV, Duke of Limburg (1195–1247)
* Henry IV, Duke of Brabant (1251/1252–1272)
* Henryk IV Probus (c. 1258–1290), Du ...
. In 1979, this date was duly celebrated in the community's 900th anniversary celebration. From 1300, it was the seat of the Lords,
ministeriales
The ''ministeriales'' (singular: ''ministerialis'') were a class of people raised up from serfdom and placed in positions of power and responsibility in the High Middle Ages in the Holy Roman Empire.
The word and its German translations, ''Minis ...
and ''Vögte'' (sing. ''Vogt'' – reeve) of ''Hirzheide''. Their Frankish line died out in 1590, although a
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
-
Livonia
Livonia ( liv, Līvõmō, et, Liivimaa, fi, Liivinmaa, German and Scandinavian languages: ', archaic German: ''Liefland'', nl, Lijfland, Latvian and lt, Livonija, pl, Inflanty, archaic English: ''Livland'', ''Liwlandia''; russian: Ли ...
n line still lives today. The coat of arms that they bore then, showing a golden hart in silver climbing out of a blue three-knolled hill (a charge called a ''Dreiberg'' in German heraldry), foreshadowed the one now borne by the community.
Although Hirschaid was mostly spared in the
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (german: Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas in Central Europe from 1524 to 1525. It failed because of intense oppositio ...
, the community, lying on the main through road, was hard hit in the
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (80 ...
. A chronicler reports from this time: “After
Candlemas
Candlemas (also spelled Candlemass), also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Feast of the Holy Encounter, is a Christian holiday commemorating the presentati ...
1633 the
Swedes
Swedes ( sv, svenskar) are a North Germanic ethnic group native to the Nordic region, primarily their nation state of Sweden, who share a common ancestry, culture, history and language. They mostly inhabit Sweden and the other Nordic countr ...
also came here and dwelt in the Swedish way. They plundered and robbed whatever they could get; nothing was holy to them. The House of God had its windows and doors beaten in, the inside was demolished, the bells taken away and broken up...”
Further plunderings had to be suffered in the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
and especially in the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
, when on 6 August 1793 a heavy
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
and
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
battle
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
broke out right near the community between the Imperial Army and
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
troops.
With
Secularization
In sociology, secularization (or secularisation) is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions. The ''secularization thesis'' expresses the ...
, Hirschaid, which had been assigned to the tithing area of
Eggolsheim
Eggolsheim is a municipality in the district of Forchheim in Bavaria in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and ...
, passed along with its 105 “autonomous houses” to
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
.
The building of the Ludwig Danube-Main Canal in 1834 and the opening of the Nuremberg-Bamberg
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
line in 1844 yielded the first industrial incentives for Hirschaid.
Basket weaving
Basket weaving (also basketry or basket making) is the process of weaving or sewing pliable materials into three-dimensional artifacts, such as baskets, mats, mesh bags or even furniture. Craftspeople and artists specialized in making baskets ...
, which was introduced about this time, offered others work and a livelihood. About 1900, the population had grown to roughly 1,120, and the number of houses to 173.
Because of its favourable location, determined by the
railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
on the Nuremberg-Bamberg railway line and the community's lying right near the highways, but also by administrative reform in 1972, the market community of Hirschaid with its constituent communities has grown to have more than 11,000 inhabitants and is developing itself appreciably into a small transport and economic centre.
Religion
*
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
: 80%
* Evangelical
Lutheran
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...
: 10%
* Other, no religion: 10%
All figures are rough.
Politics
Community council
The community council is made up of 24 members, listed here by party or voter community affiliation, and also with the number of seats that each holds:
*
CSU
CSU may refer to:
* Channel service unit, a Wide area network equivalent of a network interface card
* Chari Aviation Services, Chad, by ICAO airline code
* Christian Social Union (UK), an Anglican social gospel organisation
* Christian Social Un ...
12
* Wählergemeinschaft Sassanfarth-Köttmannsdorf-Rothensand 3
* Fortschrittlicher Bürgerblock 2
* Wählergemeinschaft Hirschaid 2
* Wählergemeinschaft Regnitzau 2
*
SPD
The Social Democratic Party of Germany (german: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, ; SPD, ) is a centre-left social democratic political party in Germany. It is one of the major parties of contemporary Germany.
Saskia Esken has been the ...
1
* Ökologische Liste Hirschaid 1
* Liste der Frauen 1
Coat of arms
Hirschaid's arms might heraldically be described thus: In argent a mullet of eight azure halved per fess emerging therefrom above a hart attired springing sable.
Economy and infrastructure
Education
The community is served by
Realschule Hirschaid.
Established businesses
*
Schaeffler KG
Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, also known as Schaeffler Group (''Schaeffler-Gruppe'' in German), is a German manufacturer of rolling element bearings for automotive, aerospace and industrial uses. It was founded in 1946 by brothers Dr. ...
ball
A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used f ...
and
roller bearing
In mechanical engineering, a rolling-element bearing, also known as a rolling bearing, is a bearing which carries a load by placing rolling elements (such as balls or rollers) between two concentric, grooved rings called races. The relative m ...
s, engine components, linear transfer technology
Sport and leisure
The ''Frankenlagune''
swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...
, opened in May 2000 has an 82 m
2 indoor basin with whirlpool, a 66 m
2 heated outdoor basin and a 38 m
2 mother-child basin.
Town partnerships
On 11 September 1999, the partnership with the community of
Ivančna Gorica
Ivančna Gorica (; in older sources also ''Vanjčina Gorica'') is a settlement in central Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Ivančna Gorica. It is part of the traditional region of Lower Carniola and is now included in the Central Sl ...
,
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
, about 30 km southeast of the capital
Ljubljana
Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center.
During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the ar ...
, was founded.
Famous people
Honorary citizens
* Hubert Patzelt, former ''
Realschule
''Realschule'' () is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia (''realna gimnazija''), the Austrian Empire, the German Empire, Denmark and Norway (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), ...
'' principal and initiator of the partnership with Ivančna Gorica
*
Alfred E. Hierold
Alfred may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series
* ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne
* ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák
*"Alfred (Interlu ...
, Catholic theologian and canonist
References
Further reading
*Die erste Regnitzbrücke von Hirschaid
*Arbeitskreis 50 Jahre Regnitzau (publisher): ''50 Jahre Regnitzau, ein Stück Hirschaider Ortsgeschichte''
*Chronik einer Gemeinde
External links
Official websiteRealschule Hirschaid
{{Authority control
Bamberg (district)