Since 2015 Gratwein-Straßengel () is a market town in the
Graz-Umgebung District
Bezirk Graz-Umgebung (, lit. ''Graz Surroundings'') is a Districts of Austria, district of the States of Austria, state of Styria in Austria. It forms a continuous ring around Graz, the capital city of Styria and also the seat of the Districts of A ...
of
Styria
Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the country. With an area of approximately , Styria is Austria's second largest state, after Lower Austria. It is bordered to the south by Slovenia, and cloc ...
, Austria. The town took effect as part of the
Styria municipal structural reform
The Styria municipal structural reform (German: ''Steiermärkische Gemeindestrukturreform'') was a local government reform in the Austrian state of Styria, which was made effective January 1, 2015. The reform nearly halved the number of Styrian ...
,
from the end of 2014 with the merging of the former municipalities
Gratwein
Gratwein () was a municipality of Austria, merged in 2015 to form Gratwein-Straßengel in the district of Graz-Umgebung in the Austrian state of Styria
Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the ...
,
Judendorf-Straßengel
Judendorf-Straßengel () is a former municipality in the district of Graz-Umgebung in the Austrian state of Styria. Since the 2015 Styria municipal structural reform, it is part of the municipality Gratwein-Straßengel.
Geography
The town is loca ...
,
Eisbach and
Gschnaidt. The merger made the market town population to be the 6th-largest in Styria.
A petition by the mayor of Eisbach, to the constitutional court, against the merger was not successful.
Likewise a petition from the town Gschnaidt was not successful.
Geography
Municipality layout
The town lies to the west (right) bank of the
Mur River
The Mur () or Mura (; ; ; Prekmurje Slovene: ''Müra''Novak, Vilko. 2006. ''Slovar stare knjižne prekmurščine''. Ljubljana: ZRC SAZU, pp. 262, 269. or ''Möra'') is a river in Central Europe rising in the Hohe Tauern national park of ...
, about northwest of the Styrian capital Graz.
The section Rein, with its famous
Stift
The term (; ) is derived from the verb (to donate) and originally meant 'a donation'. Such donations usually comprised earning assets, originally landed estates with serfs defraying dues (originally often in kind) or with vassal tenants of noble ...
, is the seat of a
Bundesgymnasium.
Municipality arrangement
The town contains 11 sections with a total of 12,803 residents (as of 1 January 2016):
*
Eisbach (1,010)
*
Gratwein
Gratwein () was a municipality of Austria, merged in 2015 to form Gratwein-Straßengel in the district of Graz-Umgebung in the Austrian state of Styria
Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the ...
(3,635)
*
Gschnaidt (327)
* Hörgas (990)
* Hundsdorf (485)
* Judendorf (1,550)
* Kehr und Plesch (101)
* Kugelberg (292)
* Rein (890)
* Rötz (785)
* Straßengel (2,741)
The municipal area is divided into six
Katastralgemeinde
A cadastral community (or cadastre community, cadastral r cadastremunicipality, cadastral r cadastrecommune,Problémy s překladem termínu „katastrální území“ do angličtiny. in: Geodetický a kartografický Obzor. Český úřad zeměm� ...
n (areas 2015):
*
Eisbach (1,621.05 ha)
*
Gratwein
Gratwein () was a municipality of Austria, merged in 2015 to form Gratwein-Straßengel in the district of Graz-Umgebung in the Austrian state of Styria
Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the ...
(457.05 ha)
*
Gschnaidt (2,995.61 ha)
* Hörgas (1,297.71 ha)
*
Judendorf-Straßengel
Judendorf-Straßengel () is a former municipality in the district of Graz-Umgebung in the Austrian state of Styria. Since the 2015 Styria municipal structural reform, it is part of the municipality Gratwein-Straßengel.
Geography
The town is loca ...
(1,064.05 ha)
* Kehr und Plesch (1,232.45 ha)
Geology
The area lies in the Gratkorn Basin, which opens to the West Styria region and forms an expanded part of the Mur valley.
Surveys
In the communal area, there are some related peaks within the ''Grazer Bergland'', including the "four Thousander", along which form a popular trail in the area of Stift Rein.
* Heiggerkogel (1,098 m)
* Pleschkogel (1,061 m)
* Mühlbacher Kogel (1,050 m)
* Walzkogel (1026 m)
*
Generalkogel (713 m)
* Gsollerkogel (667 m)
* Kugelberg (564 m)
History
The local communities as autonomous entities came into existence after the abolition of the landlords in 1850.
; Judendorf Straßengel
Around 860, in one of the oldest documents of Austria, the church hill of Straßengel is called ''ad Strazinolun''. Probably the name derives from Slavic ''straza'', which could refer to a watchtower located here.
On June 11, 1147, Margrave Otakar III dedicated the monastery Rein to several towns Rotz, Straßengel and Judendorf. These areas were managed by monks from Rein Abbey.
Settlements named ''Judendorf'' are usually located along old trade routes crossing the Alps. In their neighborhood, the city and market foundations were established later. It is assumed that these Jewish villages are the settlements of Jewish merchants who were intensively involved in the merchandise trade in the early Middle Ages.
After the abolition of the landlords, Judendorf, Straßengel, Rötz, Hundsdorf, and Kugelberg were included in the market town of Gratwein, established in 1849.
With the opening of the Mürzzuschlag–Graz section of the k.k. privileged Southern Railway on October 21, 1844, the Gratwein/Gratkorn Basin also joined the Industrial Revolution. As a result, Jewish businesses settled in Judendorf, including a cement factory.
The people of Judendorf and Straßengel, however, owed their economic boom to the fact that the upper class of Graz had seized this area already in the year 1850. Especially based on economic activity was the development of a hotel (1889), a cold-water sanatorium (1894), and the "Styrian Park Sanatorium Dr. Feiler" (1901). At the time, as one of the most famous spa resorts of the monarchy, Judendorf-Straßengel finally obtained the separation from Gratwein, and in 1909 constituted itself as an independent local community.
The upswing came to an abrupt end with the collapse of the monarchy and the associated loss of the economic backlands. The congregation would soon have sunk into insignificance, if the health insurance of the Austrian federal railway would not have taken over the former Feiler Park Sanatorium.
After the Second World War, Judendorf-Straßengel developed more and more into a residential community, and in 1981, 86% of the workforce worked in the home-community. After the insurance company of Austria railways in 1989 abolished parts of its special hospital. Through intensive efforts, the tradition of Judendorf-Straßengel as a health resort and as a place of rest and recreation also continued. Consequently, in the first special department of the Psychiatric Hospital "Park Residence", a retirement home, and on the site of the last disused part, a modern rehabilitation center was built with a focus on neurology, orthopedics, oncology and children's rehabilitation.
In 2009 the main square was completely redesigned around the former community center and inaugurated on the occasion of the 100th anniversary.
; Eisbach
North of the village Rein was in the Neolithic Age (Neolithic) in Lasinja-Culture, a mining site for silex (siliceous rock as
chert
Chert () is a hard, fine-grained sedimentary rock composed of microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline quartz, the mineral form of silicon dioxide (SiO2). Chert is characteristically of biological origin, but may also occur inorganically as a prec ...
,
quartz
Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica (silicon dioxide). The Atom, atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen Tetrahedral molecular geometry, tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tet ...
, etc.). From there, tools (
hand ax
A hand axe (or handaxe or Acheulean hand axe) is a prehistoric stone tool with two faces that is the longest-used tool in human history. It is made from stone, usually flint or chert that has been "reduced" and shaped from a larger piece by kna ...
es, blades, scrapers, etc.) were won. Workpieces of this mining site were spread to a distance of away.
Since the 12th century, the Stift Rein has been a characteristic feature of the community. In Eisbach and in its surroundings, there were a number of mining operations, as for mercury and
lignite
Lignite (derived from Latin ''lignum'' meaning 'wood'), often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, combustible sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35% and is considered the lowest ...
.
Demographics
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Culture and sights
Buildings
* ''Pfarrkirche'' Parish church of St. Rupert church (Gratwein)
* The Sanctuary of Maria Straßengel was built in the 14th century and is one of the most important sacred buildings of the
high Gothic
High Gothic was a period of Gothic architecture in the 13th century, from about 1200 to 1280, which saw the construction of a series of refined and richly decorated cathedrals of exceptional height and size. It appeared most prominently in France ...
in Austria. Particularly noteworthy is the filigree tower construction, which recalls those of the Freiburg Minster.
* The former cement kiln of Judendorf-Straßengel is an industrial monument.
* Stift Rein, today the oldest existing Cistercian monastery in the world in Rein
* ''Kleines Farm'' Little farm museum Eisbach-Rein
* ''Nostalgie-Rüsthaus'' Old fire brigade building Eisbach
Sports
* EC Ruffnecks Gratwein (ice hockey), founded in 2003, plays in the Styrian league
* GSV RB Gratwein (football)
Economy and infrastructure
Transportation
The proximity to the town of Graz is very well connected. It is not located directly on one of the main roads, but on the regional road from Gratkorn to Eisbach. Through this connection, the Grazerstraße B 67 achieve. The nearest interchanges to the Pyhrn motorway A 9 are Deutschfeistritz (exit 165) at about northbound and Gratkorn (exit 173) six km southbound.
In the municipality area lies the Bahnhof Gratwein-Gratkorn and the stop Judendorf-Straßengel of the Austrian Southern Railway, with half-hourly to hourly train connections (S1) to Graz and Bruck an der Mur.
The Graz Airport is about away.
Politics
Municipal council
The municipal council consists of 31 members and is composed from the following parties since the 2020 municipal elections:
* 15
SPÖ
The Social Democratic Party of Austria ( , SPÖ) is a social democratic political party in Austria. Founded in 1889 as the Social Democratic Workers' Party of Austria (, SDAPÖ) and later known as the Socialist Party of Austria () from 1945 unt ...
* 6
ÖVP
The Austrian People's Party ( , ÖVP ) is a Christian-democratic and liberal-conservative political party in Austria.
Since January 2025, the party has been led by Christian Stocker (as an acting leader). It is currently the second-largest p ...
* 4
FPÖ
The Freedom Party of Austria (, FPÖ) is a political party in Austria, variously described as far-right, right-wing populist, national-conservative, and Eurosceptic. It has been led by Herbert Kickl since 2021. It is the largest of five par ...
* 4
GRÜNE
* 2 Unser Gratwein-Straßengel.
Mayor
The mayor is Doris Dirnberger (SPÖ).
Coat of arms
Wappen Gratwein.gif, Gratwein
Wappen Eisbach.gif, Eisbach
AUT Gschnaidt COA.gif, Gschnaidt
AUT Judendorf-Straßengel COA.png, Judendorf-Straßengel
All four predecessor towns had a town crest. Because of the merger, they lost their official validity on January 1, 2015. The new municipal coat of arms for the merged community took effect on 15 October 2016.
120. Verlautbarung der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung 29 September 2016 über die Verleihung des Rechtes zur Führung eines Gemeindewappens an die Marktgemeinde Gratwein-Straßengel (politischer Bezirk Graz-Umgebung)
retrieved 14 October 2016.
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct an accurate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The visual d ...
(crest description):
: "A silver cross of blue and green shield; at top, a golden cherub head; at right, a silver leafy wine branch; at left a silver 5-part leafed beech branch, and underneath is the golden curvature of an abbey."
The crosier point points to the old, important Rein Cistercian monastery.
Twin cities
* of the former town of Eisbach
** Ebrach (Bavaria), since 1979
* of the former town of Judendorf-Straßengel
** Komárom
Komárom (Hungarian: ; or ; , later ; ) is a city in Hungary on the south bank of the Danube in Komárom-Esztergom County. Komárom fortress played an important role in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and many contemporary English sources r ...
(Hungary)
Notable residents
* Anton Wolfradt (1582–1639), Hofkammer president, Cistercian, abbot of Kremsmunster and Catholic Bishop of Vienna, was from 1609 to 1612 pastor of Gratwein
* Gottfried Prabitz (1926–2015), Austrian sculptor
* Othmar Krenn (1952–1998), Austrian artist, creator of "art train", born in Gratwein
* Gundis Zámbó
Gundis Zámbó (born 5 June 1966 in Gratwein, Styria) is a German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speak ...
(born 1966), German actress and television presenter, born in Gratwein
* Clemens Maria Schreiner (born 1989), Austrian cabaret artist, lives in Gratwein
* Christian Scherübl
Christian Scherübl (born April 6, 1994 in Graz) is an Austrian swimmer, who specialized in long-distance and relay freestyle events. Within a 16-year and younger age group, Scherubl set an Austrian record time of 4:05.20 in the boys' 400 m frees ...
(born 1994), Austrian swimmer, junior European champion, born in Gratwein
* Amalija Knavs
Amalija Knavs (; July 9, 1945 – January 9, 2024) was a Slovene-American woman who was the mother of Melania Trump, the First Lady of the United States.
Early life
Amalija Ulčnik was born on July 9, 1945, in Judendorf-Straßengel, Austria ...
(1945-2024), mother of Melania Trump
Melania Knauss Trump (born Melanija Knavs, April26, 1970) is a Slovenian and American former model who is married to U.S. President Donald Trump. Since 2025, Melania Trump has served as the first lady of the United States, a role she previous ...
, former First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is a title typically held by the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never been Code of law, codified or offici ...
Sources
* Ingo Mirsch: ''Marktgemeinde Judendorf-Straßengel - Die Geschichte'', about the market town, erhältlich im Gemeindeamt.
* Ingo Mirsch: ''Judendorf in alten Ansichten'', Herausgeber: European Bibliothek, .
* Marianne Gerstenberger: ''Maria Straßengel'', Herausgeber: Pfarramt.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gratwein Strassengel
Cities and towns in Graz-Umgebung District