Kirschau ( Sorbian ''Korzym'') is a village and a former municipality in

Upper Lusatia Upper Lusatia (german: Oberlausitz ; hsb, Hornja Łužica ; dsb, Górna Łužyca; szl, Gōrnŏ Łużyca; pl, Łużyce Górne or ''Milsko''; cz, Horní Lužice) is a historical region in Germany and Poland. Along with Lower Lusatia to the ...

in the district of

Bautzen Bautzen () or Budyšin () is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and the administrative centre of the district of Bautzen. It is located on the Spree river. In 2018 the town's population was 39,087. Until 1868, its German name was ''Bu ...

Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...

in Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Schirgiswalde-Kirschau. It is situated in a region called Lausitzer Bergland in the valley of the Spree and the Pilke, between the " Mönchswalderberg" (449 m) and the " Lärchenberg" (354 m) and belongs in respects of administration to the district of Bautzen. The community is separated into four different parts called (with the sorbian name additional): Bederwitz (''Bjedrusk''), Kleinpostwitz (''Bójswecy''), Rodewitz (''Rozwodecy'') and Sonnenberg (''Słónčna Hora'').

History

In the document that tells about the destruction of the castle "Körse" the community of Kirschau first has been mentioned in 1352 in a written source. When

became a part of the

Electorate of Saxony The Electorate of Saxony, also known as Electoral Saxony (German: or ), was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356–1806. It was centered around the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz. In the Golden Bull of 1356, Emperor Charles ...

in 1634, at the time of the Thirty-years-war, Kirschau became a village near the border. A tax station was opened because of the near border to

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohe ...

. From 1806 to 1918 Kirschau was part of the

Kingdom of Saxony The Kingdom of Saxony (german: Königreich Sachsen), lasting from 1806 to 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. The kingdom was formed from the Electorate of Saxon ...

. Until 1845 Kirschau was a poor and unimportant village, but helped by Gotthelf August Friese industry started to develop in this small village - especially the textile industry. Other industries followed and because of its richness the community acquired the name "Village of the Golden Roofs" - some of the old wealth is still visible in the core of the village and in the fine houses of the rich men. After the second world-war in the time of the

GDR East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...

most enterprises became VEB, meaning they now belonged to the newly born communist state of

East Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...

. At this time the production of textile products remained important - as did the production of agricultural machines in the "

Kombinat Combine (russian: Комбинат) is a term for industrial business groups, conglomerates or trusts in the former socialist countries. Examples include VEB Kombinat Robotron, an electronics manufacturer, and IFA, a manufacturer of vehicle ...

Fortschritt Landmaschinen Neustadt. Since reunification just a small proportion of the former textile industry remains in the region. Today a big bath called "Körse-Therme" which can be used every season is the main attraction in the village.

Culture and sights

In the village there can be found two museum, one shows the history of the castle "Körse" and the village, the other one shows the rural tradition and old handicraft of the region. The most important monuments are the ruins of the castle "Körse", the church of St. John (built in 1924 in

Jugendstil ''Jugendstil'' ("Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German counterpart of ...

) and the houses of the inner city in the same style.

References

{{Authority control Former municipalities in Saxony Populated places in Bautzen (district)