Schriesheim/Mannheim, Baden, Germany

History:

Schriesheim is the third village north of Heidelberg on the Bergstrasse (the Mountain Road). The village is located on the eastern edge of the Rhine River flood plain where it transitions into a hilly/ forested area known as the Odenwald. The slope from the flood plain up to the Odenwald is covered with vineyards and perched upon an outcropping overlooking the village is the local landmark, the ruins of the Strahlenberger Castle.

The castle was built in 1235 by a lesser nobleman Conrad von Strahlenberg who took the area over by strength of arms from the Abbey at Ellwangen. The Strahlenbergs gradually declined until they finally sold out to the Pfalzgraf (Count Palatine) in 1347. From that time until 1803 (when it became part of Baden) Schriesheim was part of the Kurpfalz that is it was subject to the Pfalzgraf who was a Prince and Elector in the Holy Roman Empire and as such was one of the most influential individuals in the Empire. The Pfalzgraf first resided at the Heidelberg Schloss until after it was destroyed by the French and then in Mannheim.

The reformation was introduced to Kurpfalz and in 1560 the Schriesheim became Reformed (Calvinist) when the Pfalzgraf converted to the Reformed confession. At that time in the Holy Roman Empire, the local ruler’s faith was also the faith of the populace.

 

In 1705 Schriesheimer Alexander Mack founded the Pietism movement, which introduced adult baptism and led to the name Dunker. Soon he and his followers had to flee Schriesheim and eventually they immigrated to America and settled in Pennsylvania forming the Church of the Brethren. The Pennsylvania Dutch dialect used today is the same as the Schriesheimer dialect.

 

The 30 Year War (1618-1648) had a devastating impact on Schriesheim. Only 15% of the population survived the war (about 1100 to 1250 before the war to about 150 after). Only 24 surnames from before the war survived. Only two surnames (Mueller and Mack) had two adult males survive with all the rest having only one.

 

In 1621 the troops of the Catholic League approached from the north towards Heidelberg and in November about 10,000 men quartered in the area of Schriesheim, Dossenheim and Ladenburg. Heidelberg fell at the end of 1622. Schriesheim had lost some young men in the fight, but the biggest impact was from taxes from all sides to finance the wars along with plundering and the destruction of some buildings. But since most of the population had reserves, the damage was soon repaired.

 

During the winter of 1625/1626, typhus fever claimed many residents. Then in 1631 the Protestant Swedish army entrenched itself in the area and gradually pressed the population out. On a Friday in mid-September 1631, the Swedish army was attacked by Bavarian troops and Schriesheim was left a heap of smoking rubble. Most of the houses and the church were burned down. In 1635 the plague broke out further weakening the population. This time, the rebuilding of Schriesheim was very slow. The reserves had been consumed, and survival was only possible because of the vineyards and the cattle which had been driven into the forest.

 

War again came into the area in 1643 with the arrival of the French army. There were no large battles in the area but marauding soldiers were now the largest danger. After the populace had borne 25 years of war, in 1644 Schriesheim was abandoned. The people hid themselves in the near by forest or hid in less destroyed places. On calm days the survivors came from the surrounding places to the vineyards and fields to harvest. When in 1648 peace was concluded, the scattered survivors returned. In the decades after the 30 Year War a considerable number of Reformed Swiss immigrated into the area which helped the population recover.

 

Population: Year                  Population
                  1618                  1100-1250

                  1650                  150

                  1848                  2796

                  2007                  14,631

 

Church Books:

Evangelical 1650 – 1962 Parish registers of baptisms, marriages, and deaths for Schriesheim. Includes both Lutheran and Reformed parishes. Family History Library Film Numbers: 1192204-8, 1272791-2   Catholic 1700 - 1900 Parish register of Schriesheim, baptisms, marriages, deaths, confirmations, family registers, includes some transcripts. Family History Library Film Numbers: 1052398, 1052418

 

Maps
http://www.findcity.de/cgi-bin/start.pl?M=69198pa

http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=49.474148&lon=8.640747&z=13&l=0&m=h&v=2

 

 

Coordinates (Latitude/Longitude)

49°29’ / 8°40’

 

Surnames: Familie aus Schriesheim nach Russland

#	Name	Year	Colony	RL#	Notes	OFB #
1	Boeckel, Balthasar	1809	Kronental/Kr	53		988
2	Kraemer, Georg	1809			nach Suedrussland
3	Fath, Adam	1809	Reichenfeld/Taur	18	Jb:94  Eheleute	2233-5
4	Helm, Jakob	1834			s.d. Bernhard	3927
5	Metz, Valentine	1809	Heidelberg/Taur	14		6569
6	Morast, Johannes	1809	Kronental/Kr	51	Reichenfeld/Taur RL#15	6745
7	Morast, Joh. Philipp	1809	Simferopol/Kr	6	Reichenfeld/Taur RL#15
8	Ris (Risch), Georg	1809	Heidelberg/Taur	47	Eheleute	7943
9	Stahl, Ludwig	1809	Reichenfeld/Taur	16	Schwiegervater	9683
10	Ullrich, Elisabeth		Rosental/Taur	4
11	Ullrich, Margaretha	1809	Rosental/Taur Grossliebental/Od	4 240
12	Ullrich, Philipp	1809	Lietershausen/Taur	18		10195
13	Will, Phillip	1809	Reichenfeld/Taur	21

 

 

Websites relating to Schriesheim:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schriesheim

http://www.schriesheim.de/

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=103&article=43258&archive=true

 

 

 

Books:

 

 Familienbuch Schriesheim : 1650-1900

Karl Schuhmann

Schriesheim : Odenwaldklub Schriesheim / 2004

Family lineage book for Schriesheim, Baden.

 

1200 Jahre Schriesheim

Hermann Brunn

Mannheim : Südwestdeutsche Verlagsanstalt / 1964

Twelve centuries of Schriesheim, Baden history.

 

Die Weistmümer Zent Schriesheim : Badische Weistülmer und Dorfordnungen 2. Band

Karl Kollnig

Stuttgart : W. Kohlhammer / 1968

Judgments and decisions applying to Schriesheim district.