This town was left virtually untouched by the bombing that took place in nearby Dresden during World War II.  The narrow streets, quaint shops and the rathaus, or city hall, are all reminiscent of the days when Schwenkfelders prepared to leave Saxony for Pennsylvania.  It is easy to visualize the anxieties they faced as they set sail down the Elbe River from this town to Altona, near Hamburg.

In 1998, a group of Schwenkfelders and their families visited Saxony, Germany en route to Poland. Their journey took them to the towns of Herrnhut and Berthelsdorf. At Herrnhut they proceeded to the Moravian Archives Building where they were met by Professor Dr. Horst Weigelt and Dr. & Mrs. Paul Eberlein. Dr. Paul Peucker, Archivist, gave a brief history of the Archives before visiting the Moravian Church in town and the cemetery where Count Ludwig von Zinzendorf is buried. From a vantage point on the top of the hill one can view the countryside of three countries at once – Germany, Poland, and Czech Republic. Herrnhut is the Moravian center where Count Zinzendorf provided protection to the Schwenkfelder refugees and permitted their settlement on land in and around Herrnhut and Berthelsdorf. They lived in this area for 6 to 8 years after leaving Harpersdorf in Silesia and before migrating to Pennsylvania.

Mayor Günter John and associates met them in Berthelsdorf where they visited the church behind which was the monument, unveiled in 1934, honoring those Schwenkfelders buried there.

The Gemeinde Haus (gathering house and place of worship of the Schwenkfelders) is no longer occupied and is in dire need of repairs. It is amazing that these 250 year old buildings have stood the test of time - a tribute to the builders of that day.

Further along the road were some of the homes built by Schwenkfelders during their time in this area characterized by a short roof on one side (the protected side) and a long roof on the other side (weather side). Some folks presently living in these homes invited them in to see their homes. One gentleman living there was an artist and had a painting of the Gemeinde Haus. It was purchased for the art collection at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center.

*Note: Click on any picture above to enlarge

Before proceeding to Wroclaw for the next three nights, they stopped at the summer home of Count Zinzendorf, which was in shambles. They were told that the property including 400 acres is available for 1 DM – the catch is that you have to restore it, which would probably cost millions.

In Wroclaw, they had a city tour . The buildings in the Town Square or Rynek of Wroclaw are very similar to those of Amsterdam. Wroclaw is the capital of Lower Silesia and one of Poland’s oldest cities. In Schwenckfeld’s time, it was a university city and the center of the Silesian Reformation Movement.

Their travels took them to the town of Osiek (formerly Ossig). The birthplace of Caspar Schwenckfeld (1489), Ossig was the site of his family estate. The chapel was partially destroyed in the Second World War but is now being used by the village for their Catholic chapel. Extensive improvements have taken place. Ks. Daniel Wojcik, the resident priest, has done a wonderful job welcoming guests and overseeing the restoration of the Schwenckfeld family chapel.  A family history room is now being renovated in the church.

In Twardocice, the former Harpersdorf Refuge Lutheran Church was even more deteriorated than the last time Dr. Jack and Jean made this trip in 1972. It is now the home of a family of storks who have a nest atop one of the remaining walls.  Across the road was the lane that led to the Viehweg Monument.

The visit to the Viehweg Monument in Harpersdorf, erected in 1863, was a sobering experience remembering those Schwenkfelder ancestors who were buried in this "cow path" (a sign of disgrace) being denied burial in a church cemetery because of their religious beliefs. The view from this area was reminiscent of the rolling hills and farm country of Pennsylvania. They found the area of the Viehweg Monument in good condition. The Fedorowicz family has been taking care of it and they graciously invited the visitors into their home for pastries and coffee.

This fortress on a mountain top is in remarkably good condition.  The remains of a moat around the castle are evident as one enters through a narrow gate.  The inner courtyard, now available for picnics, gives graphic impressions of living conditions in the 18th century and before.  Portions of this edifice may be toured and should be to gain a sense of living conditions in the 1600's and 1700's.

          

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