History Of Lutzmannsburg
The Erdstall von Lutzmannsburg
One of Lutzmannsburg’s most notable and recent discoveries was the sophisticated system of underground passages and chambers known as the Erdstall von Lutzmannsburg. In 2018, they were discovered in the possible Zagersbach retention basin. In the High and Late Middle Ages, rural communities sought a mysterious escape and hid in the Erdstalle, sometimes known as Schratzllöcher. Although many European countries have documented this phenomenon, it is mainly concentrated in the Bavarian Forest, Upper and Lower Austria and Burgenland, culminating in Slovakia. Usually located under old farms, the erdstalle also exists under cemeteries and churches. It is unclear exactly what these buildings were used for, where they came from, and why they were suddenly abandoned in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Lutzmannsburg earth stable, the only completely excavated earth stable in Austria, offers valuable information on the design and implementation of these remarkable constructions. Built in the 11th and 12th centuries, the earthen stable has tunnels that are often three meters deep and quite narrow, as well as rooms that can accommodate up to twenty people. Slides, vertical shafts allowing access and ventilation, connect the tunnels. In four months, archaeologists discovered 150 crates containing tools, pottery fragments and entire wine jugs from the 11th century. Since some of these objects bear Russian clan markings, it is unclear how exactly they arrived in Burgenland. The ground stable has been backfill
The Neolithic, Celtic, and Roman Periods
However, the Erdstall von Lutzmannsburg is not the first discovery in the area. The first evidence of human presence in Lutzmannsburg comes from the skeleton of a young man who perished between 4366 and 4316 BC. In addition to being one of the oldest in Burgenland, the burial is one of the oldest in Central Europe. The man was buried in a squatting position, carrying a flint knife and a stone ax as grave goods. Two cremation graves connected to the settlement also show a change in burial practices over time.
At the time of Christ’s birth, the region was part of the Celtic kingdom of Noricum and surrounded the hilltop village of Burg on the Schwarzenbacher Burgberg. Skilled metalworkers and traders, the Celts left behind coins, pottery, jewelry and shrines, preserving traces of their religion and culture. The so-called “Heiligenstein”, a large rock with a carved niche, probably used for offerings and ceremonies, is the best-known Celtic shrine in Lutzmannsburg.
During the Roman Empire, a larger town developed near the Lutzmannsburg vineyards; Pannonia was the province to which the region belonged. Along with new crops and crafts for the local population, the Romans built roads, villas, baths and temples. The city was located along the Amber Route, a trade route connecting the Baltic Sea with the Mediterranean Sea. Suggesting strategic importance, the town was also guarded by a moat and a fortification wall. The Roman era continued until the fifth century AD, when the empire fell and different tribes invaded the region.
The Early and High Middle Ages
Before Lutzmannsburg was included in Charlemagne’s empire as Awarenmark at the end of the 8th century, the area around it was settled by Goths, Huns, Lombards, Slavs, Avars and others. other tribes during the migration period in the early Middle Ages. A Franconian-Bavarian colony then developed. Christianization reached Lutzmannsburg in 796 when the Archdiocese of Salzburg gave the mission the lands between the Danube and Lake Balaton. Built in the 9th century, the first church of Lutzmannsburg was dedicated to Saint Martin, patron saint of the Franks.
Many Bavarian nobles moved to the kingdom after the year 2000, following the arrival of the Magyars and the marriage of Hungarian King Stephen I to the Duke of Bavaria’s daughter, Gisela, who would later become Queen of Hungary. The settlement of “Lusman” was granted to the knights Gottfried and Albrecht in 1156 by the Hungarian king Géza II as a reward for their dedicated military service, marking the first recorded mention of Lutzmannsburg in history. As it already had market rights, Lutzmannsburg is one of the oldest towns in Burgenland. On what is now Kirchberg, a count’s castle was built around 1171, hence its current name.
The Strebersdorf area was initially recorded in 1195 when the provincial administrator (Banus), Dominicus, made a grant to the Heiligenkreuz Abbey. Before the Turks destroyed it in the 16th century, the small village of Strebersdorf was part of the abbey. All that remains are a few scattered ruins of the village, which has never been rebuilt.
Late Middle Ages
Lutzmannsburg Castle collapsed during the military war between Austria and Hungary in 1263, leaving it uninhabitable. Unlike most other castles in the county, this one was not overbuilt due to its brief history. In areas of the landscape where the “modern” damage caused by the two cemeteries and road construction has not spread too far, the rampart and the ditch are still clearly visible. The Lutzmannsburg family, powerful nobles of the region, occupied the castle as their residence. In addition to founding many churches and monasteries, they were involved in many quarrels and conflicts. Ulrich von Lutzmannsburg, the last surviving member of the family, died in 1399.
Towards the end of the 13th century, the counts of Güssing became owners of all the lands that had belonged to the royal family. Subsequently, the Lutzmannsburg region belonged to Güns Castle, founded in 1445 by Frederick III, King of Germany and later Emperor. The powerful and wealthy Counts of Güssing ruled over a considerable area including parts of Croatia, Austria and Hungary. They supported the Reformation and the humanist movement in addition to being patrons of the humanities and sciences. The best-known member of the family was the military commander and diplomat Nikolaus Graf von Salm. He negotiated the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 and defended Vienna against the Turks in 1529. After their demise in 1664, other noble families inherited the estates of the Counts of Güssing.
Modern Era
From 1898 the Hungarian place name Locsmánd had to be used due to the Hungarian government’s policy of Magyarization. The aim of this policy was to integrate the kingdom’s non-Hungarian minorities, notably Serbs, Germans, Slovaks and Romanians. The townspeople refused to follow the rule and continued to speak and identify themselves as German.
During World War I, Lutzmannsburg was largely spared and suffered no combat damage as it was not on the front line. Like the rest of Burgenland, the city was part of German West Hungary until 1920-1921. After lengthy negotiations, German West Hungary was ceded to Austria in the Treaties of Saint-Germain and Trianon of 1919, marking the end of the First World War. The region has been part of the newly created federal state of Burgenland since 1921 (see also History of Burgenland).
In Lutzmannsburg, the southeast wall was built during World War II. The wall was part of the Nazi defense against Soviet invasion. It consisted of barbed wire, trenches and concrete bunkers. The wall was never completed, and in April 1945 it did not prevent the Red Army from crossing the Austrian border at Lutzmannsburg. Until 1955, when Austria regained its neutrality and sovereignty, the city was under Soviet occupation.
As a result of the Cold War, the Iron Curtain was built in 1948 along the municipal border with Hungary, isolating Lutzmannsburg to the east and south. Due to strong defenses and guards along the border, trade and communication with the neighboring country was impossible. The city experienced a social and economic downturn as many residents migrated elsewhere in search of better opportunities.
Lutzmannsburg was used as a reception point for Hungarian refugees during the second half of November 1956 following the Hungarian uprising. Thousands of people fleeing Soviet repression in Hungary found shelter, food and medical care in the city. After that, a large number of refugees moved to Austria or other countries.
On May 2, 1989, the Iron Curtain was reopened following political upheavals in Eastern Europe. This is why a “small border post” for bicycles and pedestrians to Hungary was built directly behind the hot springs. The border crossing served as a metaphor for the new friendship and collaboration between the two nations. On December 21, 2007, the border crossing was closed in accordance with the Schengen agreements, allowing people to freely cross the border.
Lutzmannsburg is today a popular travel destination, especially for families with young children. The opening in 1988 and the expansion in 2004 of the city’s spa make it the main attraction. In addition to a hotel complex, the spa has a variety of swimming pools, slides, saunas and wellness equipment. Thermal water from the Lutzmannsburg-Sonnentherme spring, with a high mineral content and a temperature of 58°C, is used in the spa. It is claimed that the water can treat a wide range of illnesses, including rheumatism, skin problems and infertility.
Lutzmannsburg is known for its festivals and wine culture. Many vineyards and wineries can be found in the city, mainly producing red wines like Merlot, Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch. The town hosts a number of annual events, including the Harvest Festival, Wine Festival, Advent Market and Carnival. In addition, the town is home to a school, a kindergarten, a library, a museum and a number of sporting and cultural organizations.
