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Deutsch Gerisdorf (Német-Gyirót)
Village of about 230 residents in the Zöbern valley in the Oberpullendorf district. Currently an Ortsteile of
Pilgersdorf along with Bubendorf, Kogl, Lebenbrunn, Salmannsdorf and Steinbach.
21 farmers lived in Gerisdorf in 1519. Some of their family names are mentioned: 2 PUFF, 1 STYFTER, 1 GROFF, 2 KALMAN, 1
WARGA, 1 AROS. Gerisdorf was then "governed" by the "Richter" of LOCKENHAUS.
In 1528, Gerisdorf had its own Richter, Johann KALMAN, who was also Richter of BUBENDORF and SALMANNSDORF.
In 1597, only 17 farmers are listed for Gerisdorf. Names mentioned are Gaspar KELEMEN, Andre KIS, 4 SCHERMANN, 2 KOGLER,
2 KOGER, 1 STIFTER.
In 1605 Gerisdorf was looted and torched during the Bocskay rebellion. In 1608, 13 farms are mentioned: only one of them
had not been burned in 1605 and only two of those burned had started rebuilding their houses. The 2 mills seem to have
been left unharmed in 1605.
In 1639 we have 27 farmers and 2 Söllner (have house and garden but no farm land); in 1661 around 40 farmers and 2
Söllner. Names mentioned (1661) are EPIT, JANOS, CLEMEN (KELEMEN), and 5 SCHERMANN.
Domain owners in this area (ruled from the LOCKENHAUS castle) were the noble families KANIZSAY (until 1535), then
NADASDY (until 1675) and, from 1676, ESTERHAZY. The NADASDY were Lutherans until 1643, when Count Franz III became a
Catholic again. This meant that the inhabitants of his domain had to return to the Catholic faith also. The Roman
Catholic Canonical Visitation of 1697 reports that there is no church in Deutsch Gerisdorf but that they have a bell
fixed in a kind of a wooden tower. In the following years the Kuruzzen uprising and a plague epidemic may have caused
some casualties, but in 1720, 40 families and 2 mills are still reported.
In 1733, the community erected a wooden chapel, which was replaced in 1836 by the (still existing) church (Holy
Trinity). School teacher Franz WENINGER wrote (1836) that 64 families have contributed to the building of the church.
Deutsch Gerisdorf continued to belong to the parish Pilgersdorf.
A book published in 1833 reports 444 inhabitants. The school is said to be in existence since around 1767, with the name
of the first teacher remembered as Johannes SCHERMANN. In 1860, Count STRACHWITZ built a small factory where copper ores
from Glashütten bei Schlaining and from Redlschlag were smelted. The coal came from Bubendorf. The inhabitants of
Deutsch Gerisdorf profited by providing transportation. By 1875, Count STRACHWITZ was bankrupt and shot himself. This of
course was the end of the smelting business.
In 1873, a new school house was built. Teachers were 1883-85 Ferdinand FLUR, 1886-1917 Josef SCHEDL, 1917-50 Nikolaus
SCHERMANN, from then on Gustav THURNER.
Statistical data: 1836 - 465 inhabitants; 1896 - 69 houses, 351 inhabitants; 1900 - 71 houses, 354 inhabitants; 1910 -
67 houses, 343 inhabitants; 1933 - 347 inhabitants; 1934 - 332 inhabitants; 1951 - 67 houses, 286 inhabitants (of these,
218 worked in the agricultural sector); 1960 - 70 houses.
Taken from Josef Loibersbeck: "Um Pilgersdorf und Kogl" (translated extracts from: "Volk und Heimat,"
1961, #'s 8 - 15/16); summarized and translated by Albert Schuch.
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