Judenburg
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Judenburg (; ) is a historic town in
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. It is the administrative centre of the
Murtal district Bezirk Murtal () is a Districts of Austria, district of the States of Austria, state of Styria in Austria. It was formed on January 1, 2012, through a merger of the former Judenburg District and Knittelfeld District.(30 December 2011)Steirische Fu ...
, which was created on 1 January 2012 from the former
Judenburg District Bezirk Judenburg was a Districts of Austria, district of the States of Austria, state of Styria in Austria. On January 1, 2012, Judenburg District and Knittelfeld District were merged to Murtal District. Municipalities Suburbs, hamlets and other ...
and former Knittelfeld District. Until 31 December 2011, it was the capital of the Judenburg District. On 1 January 2015, the adjoining municipalities of Oberweg and Reifling were merged into Judenburg.


Geography

It is located in the
Upper Styria Upper Styria (), in the Austrian usage of the term, refers exclusively to the northwestern, generally mountainous and well-wooded half of the federal state of Styria. The southeastern half of the state around the capital of Graz is known as Cent ...
n region, on the western end of the Aichfeld basin, stretching along the Mur River from Judenburg down to
Knittelfeld Knittelfeld () is a city in Styria, Austria, located on the banks of the Mur River, Mur river. The name of the town has become notorious for the Knittelfeld Putsch of September 7, 2002, a party meeting of the Freedom Party of Austria, which resul ...
in the east. The broad valley is bound by the Niedere Tauern range in the north and the
Noric Alps The Noric Alps () is a collective term denoting various mountain ranges of the Eastern Alps. The name derives from the ancient ''Noricum'' province of the Roman Empire on the territory of present-day Austria and the adjacent Bavarian and Slovenian ...
(
Lavanttal The Lavanttal ('Lavant Valley', , Gams, Ivan. 1992. "Labotska dolina." ''Enciklopedija Slovenije'', vol. 6. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, pp. 87–87. or ; Southern Bavarian: ''Lovnthol'') lies in the Lavanttal Alps in southern Austria in the eas ...
Alps) in the south. The municipal area also comprises the cadastral communities of Tiefenbach and Waltersdorf, a former municipality incorporated in 1963. The municipal area includes the following ten villages (populations as of January 1, 2020): * Auerling (129) * Feeberg (176) * Gasselsdorf (28) * Judenburg (8,386) * Oberweg (517) * Ossach (45) * Reifling (57) * Ritzersdorf (15) * Strettweg (367) * Waltersdorf (133)


History

Archaeological findings indicate that the area was settled at least since the days of the
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 Foot ...
kingdom of
Noricum Noricum () is the Latin name for the kingdom or federation of tribes that included most of modern Austria and part of Slovenia. In the first century AD, it became a province of the Roman Empire. Its borders were the Danube to the north, R ...
. Judenburg itself was first mentioned in a 1074
staple right The staple right, also translated stacking right or storage right, both from the Dutch , was a medieval right accorded to certain ports, the staple ports. It required merchant barges or ships to unload their goods at the port and to display them f ...
deed as , a
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 rura ...
within the estates of Eppenstein Castle, the ancestral seat of the Bavarian Eppensteiner noble family, who ruled as Styrian margraves in the 11th century. The name literally means "Jews' Borough", referring to the town's origin as a trading outpost on the route from the Mur Valley across the Obdach Saddle mountain pass to
Carinthia Carinthia ( ; ; ) is the southernmost and least densely populated States of Austria, Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The Lake Wolayer is a mountain lake on the Carinthian side of the Carnic Main ...
, in which
Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
played an important role, being represented in the city's coat of arms. Upon the extinction of the Eppensteiner dynasty in 1122, the estates passed to the Styrian
Otakars The Otakars (or von Traungaus, or Traungauer) were a medieval dynasty ruling the Imperial March of Styria (later the Duchy of Styria) from 1056 to 1192. History The dynasty began with Otakar I, probably a son or son-in-law of Aribo of Austria, A ...
and in 1192 to the
House of Babenberg The House of Babenberg was a noble dynasty of Austrian Dukes and Margraves. Descending from the Popponids and originally from Bamberg in the Duchy of Franconia (present-day Bavaria), the Babenbergs ruled the imperial Margraviate of Austria from ...
, Dukes of
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
since 1156. Judenburg received
town privileges Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the traditio ...
in 1224 and the right to collect tolls in 1277. The town grew to an important commercial centre for
iron ore Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the f ...
mined at nearby
Eisenerz Eisenerz (; "Iron ore") is a market place and old mining town in the Austrian state of Styria, . N.W. of Graz by rail. Pop. (2001) 6,400. It is situated in the deep Erzbach (Enns), Erzbach Valley, dominated on the east by the :de:Pfaffenstein (H ...
, but also for valeriana celtica used in perfumes during the 13th and 14th centuries. Judenburg was even granted a
valeriana ''Valeriana'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caprifoliaceae, members of which may be commonly known as valerians. It contains many species, including the garden valerian, ''Valeriana officinalis''. ''Valeriana'' has centers of div ...
trade
monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek and ) is a market in which one person or company is the only supplier of a particular good or service. A monopoly is characterized by a lack of economic Competition (economics), competition to produce ...
by the
Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
emperor Frederick III in 1460. After several
pogrom A pogrom is a violent riot incited with the aim of Massacre, massacring or expelling an ethnic or religious group, particularly Jews. The term entered the English language from Russian to describe late 19th- and early 20th-century Anti-Jewis ...
s, all Jews were expelled from the
Duchy of Styria The Duchy of Styria (; ; ) was a duchy located in modern-day southern Austria and northern Slovenia. It was a part of the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806 and a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary until its dissolution i ...
by order of Emperor Maximilian I in 1496. Following his breakthrough in Italy, General
Napoléon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
made his headquarters at Judenburg and it was there, on the night of 7–8 April 1796, that he signed the Truce of Judenburg with the Austrians. In the beginning of the 20th century, the town was one of the centres of
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
's steel industry and also a
garrison A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters. A garrison is usually in a city ...
city of the
Austro-Hungarian Army The Austro-Hungarian Army, also known as the Imperial and Royal Army,; was the principal ground force of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918. It consisted of three organisations: the Common Army (, recruited from all parts of Austria-Hungary), ...
. From 1910 to 1914 one of the first
trolleybus A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or troll ...
ses in Austria connected Judenburg station with the town's centre. Little remains of the former industry today, but Judenburg remains an industrial and trade centre. In May 1918, the city was the site of a failed military mutiny. In 1938, with the
annexation of Austria The (, or , ), also known as the (, ), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany on 12 March 1938. The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a " Greater Germany") arose after the 1871 unifica ...
by
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
, Judenburg became part of the
Third Reich Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...
. Due to the presence of the word ("Jew") in the town's name, many possible new names were suggested, including (after ''Zirbe'', the German name for the Swiss pine tree) and (in honor of
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
). However, the planned renaming was indefinitely postponed after the outbreak of war and ultimately never happened. During the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, a subcamp of
Mauthausen concentration camp Mauthausen was a German Nazi concentration camp on a hill above the market town of Mauthausen, Upper Austria, Mauthausen (roughly east of Linz), Upper Austria. It was the main camp of a group with List of subcamps of Mauthausen, nearly 100 f ...
was located nearby,Christine O’Keefe.''Concentration Camps.''
/ref> where a
displaced person Forced displacement (also forced migration or forced relocation) is an involuntary or coerced movement of a person or people away from their home or home region. The UNHCR defines 'forced displacement' as follows: displaced "as a result of perse ...
s' reception centre was established after the war. Judenburg was also one of several towns that saw the handover of Cossacks to the Red Army.


Politics

Seats in the municipal assembly () as of the 2020 elections: *
Social Democratic Party of Austria 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 ...
(SPÖ): 13 *
Austrian People's Party 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 ...
(ÖVP): 7 *
Communist Party of Austria The Communist Party of Austria (, KPÖ) is a communist party in Austria. Established in 1918 as the Communist Party of Republic of German-Austria, German-Austria (KPDÖ), it is one of the world's oldest Communist party, communist parties. The KPà ...
(KPÖ): 2 * The Greens - The Green Alternative (die Grüne): 2 *
Freedom Party of Austria 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 part ...
(FPÖ): 1


International relations


Twin towns - Sister cities

Judenburg is a member of the
Douzelage Douzelage is a town twinning association with one town from each of the member states of the European Union and the United Kingdom. Name The name is a portmanteau of the French words "douze" for twelve and "jumelage" for twinning and stands for t ...
, a unique
town twinning A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inte ...
association of 24 towns across the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
. This active town twinning began in 1991 and there are regular events, such as a produce market from each of the other countries and festivals. Discussions regarding membership are also in hand with three further towns ( Agros in
Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
,
Å kofja Loka Å kofja Loka (; ) is a town in Slovenia. It is the economic, cultural, educational, and administrative center of the Municipality of Å kofja Loka in Upper Carniola. It has about 12,000 inhabitants. Geography Å kofja Loka lies at an elevation of ...
in
Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
, and
Tryavna Tryavna ( ) is a town in central Bulgaria, situated in the northern slopes of the Balkan range, on the Tryavna river valley, near Gabrovo. It is famous for its textile industry and typical National Revival architecture, featuring 140 cultural m ...
in Bulgaria).


Notable people

*
Richard Paltauf Richard Paltauf (9 February 1858 – 21 April 1924) was an Austrian pathologist and bacteriologist. Biography Paltauf was born on 9 February 1858, in Judenburg, Styria. In 1880 he received his medical doctorate at the University of Graz, a ...
(1858–1924), an Austrian pathologist and bacteriologist. * Michael Powolny (1871–1954), sculptor, medallist, ceramist, designer and teacher. * Walter Pfrimer (1881–1968), politician and Nazi, known for the 1931 Pfrimer Putsch, died locally * Maria Cäsar (1920-2017), an Austrian political activist (KPÖ) and resistance activist, lived locally. *
Jack Unterweger Johann "Jack" Unterweger (16 August 1950  â€“ 29 June 1994) was an Austrian serial killer who committed at least twelve murders in Austria, West Germany, Czechoslovakia and the United States. Initially convicted in 1976 of a single murde ...
(1950–1994), author and serial killer * Christian Muthspiel (born 1962), jazz musician, composer and trombonist * Wolfgang Muthspiel (born 1965), jazz guitarist and record label owner. *
Alf Poier Alf Poier (born 22 February 1967 in Judenburg, Styria) is an Austrian artist and stand-up comedian. Biography Born in Judenburg in Styria, he started doing cabaret in 1995 in Graz, and has won several prizes for his work, including the in 19 ...
(born 1967), singer-songwriter and stand-up comedian


Sport

* Harald Bosio (1906–1980), skier * Gernot Jurtin (1955–2006), football player, played 373 games and 12 for
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
* Herfried Sabitzer (born 1969), football player, played 333 games and 6 for
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
* Renate Götschl (born 1975), skier, won silver and bronze medals at the
2002 Winter Olympics The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 (; Gosiute dialect, Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; ; Shoshoni language, Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), were an international wi ...
*
Christoph Sumann Christoph "Sumi" Sumann (19 January 1976) is a former Austrian biathlete. Life and career As was the case with many of his fellow biathletes, Sumann switched over from cross-country skiing, which he had been doing since childhood. By the mid-199 ...
(born 1976), biathlete, two silver medals at the
2010 Winter Olympics The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...
* Christian Pfannberger (born 1979), racing cyclist *
Andreas Zuber Andreas "Andi" Zuber (born 9 October 1983 in Judenburg, Austria) is a former Auto racing, motor racing driver. An Austrian by birth, he is based in Dubai and once raced under a licence issued by the United Arab Emirates. Career Formula König De ...
(born 1983), racing driver * Thomas Krammer (born 1983), football player, played over 380 games * Tony Breznik (born 1984), an Austrian bodybuilder. * Michael Madl (born 1988), football player, played 322 games * Manfred Gollner (born 1990), an Austrian footballer who has played over 290 gamess * Stefan Nutz (born 1992), an Austrian professional footballer who has played over 340 games *
Stefan Posch Stefan Posch (; born 14 May 1997) is an Austrian Association football, footballer who plays as a Defender (association football), right-back or centre-back for club Atalanta BC, Atalanta, on loan from Bologna FC 1909, Bologna, and the Austria na ...
(born 1997), football player, played 220 games and 30 for
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...


References


External links


Official homepage
{{Authority control Jewish communities in Austria