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

Upper Lusatia Upper Lusatia (, ; , ; ; or ''Milsko''; ) is a historical region in Germany and Poland. Along with Lower Lusatia to the north, it makes up the region of Lusatia, named after the Polabian Slavs, Slavic ''Lusici'' tribe. Both parts of Lusatia a ...

in the district of

Bautzen Bautzen () or Budyšin (), until 1868 ''Budissin'' in German, is a town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and the administrative centre of the Bautzen (district), district of Bautzen. It is located on the Spree (river), Spree river, is the eighth most ...

Saxony Saxony, officially the Free State of Saxony, is a landlocked state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, and ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. 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 ( or ), was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356 to 1806 initially centred on Wittenberg that came to include areas around the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz. It was a ...

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 ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

. From 1806 to 1918 Kirschau was part of the

Kingdom of Saxony The Kingdom of Saxony () was a German monarchy in Central Europe between 1806 and 1918, the successor of the Electorate of Saxony. It joined the Confederation of the Rhine after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, later joining the German ...

. 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 known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from its formation on 7 October 1949 until its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on 3 October 1990. Until 1989, it was generally vie ...

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

East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...

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

Kombinat Combine () 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 vehicles, both in East Germany, a ...

Fortschritt Fortschritt (German language, German for "Progress") was an East Germany, East German brand of tractors, combine harvesters and other agricultural machines made by VEB Fortschritt (part of the Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau, IFA) in Neustadt in Sa ...

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

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

References

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