Bzenec
Encyclopedia
Bzenec (ˈbzɛnɛts; ) is a town in the southeast of Moravia
, in the Czech Republic
. It lies in the South Moravian Region
. The population is 4,305 (2005). Bzenec was first mentioned in 1015 (unofficial). In 1330 it became a town.
In the time of the margraves (up to the 15th century) the Bisenz Jews must have enjoyed great privileges; for, according to the oldest "mountain-laws", they were permitted to own vineyards, it being a matter of great importance to the margraves to market their wine through the agency of Jewish traders. In the wars between George Podiebrad of Bohemia and Matthias of Hungary (c. 1458), Bisenz, and with it the Jewish quarter
, was entirely devastated and came under constantly changing feudal proprietors.
According to the feudal "Urbarium
" of 1604, the Jews even then possessed 32 houses, a hospital, and 17 smaller buildings, called "Hoferi Židovští." But only a year later (May 2, 1605) the Jewish community was totally destroyed by Stephen Bocskai; so that in 1655, when the new edition of the land-register was made out, 25 Jewish holdings still lay in ruins.
In the first Silesian war (Feb., 1742) the Jewish community suffered severely from the Prussian invasion, especially as its inhabitants had to bear their share of the general levies. At the close of this war the empress Maria Theresa in 1753 issued the so-called "Familien-Verordnung" (Family Ordinance), according to which only 5,442 Jewish families were allowed to live in Moravia
; and of these 137 were allotted to Bisenz. On May 17, 1777, almost theentire Jewish ghetto, in which there were 93 houses, was burned. Up to 1782 the Jewish community was subject to the feudal lord; but in criminal matters they were under the jurisdiction of the city authorities.
Of recent events may be mentioned the organization of the Jewish congregation into a political community in 1852, and the building of a new synagogue in 1863.
Residents:
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
, in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. It lies in the South Moravian Region
South Moravian Region
South Moravian Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the south-western part of its historical region of Moravia, with exception of Jobova Lhota, that belongs to Bohemia. Its capital is Brno the 2nd largest city of the Czech Republic. The region is famous for its wine...
. The population is 4,305 (2005). Bzenec was first mentioned in 1015 (unofficial). In 1330 it became a town.
Districts
- See also Mikroregion Bzenecko
- Bzenec
- DomanínDomanín (Hodonín District)Domanín is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,007 ....
- Moravský PísekMoravský PísekMoravský Písek is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 2,169 ....
- SyrovínSyrovínSyrovín is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 372 ....
- Těmice
- VracovVracovVracov is a town in the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic.It has a population of around 4500 people.- External links :*...
- ŽeraviceŽeraviceŽeravice is a village and municipality in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,052 ....
Jewish history
About the earliest history of its Jews nothing is known. Pesina, whose "Mars Moravicus" was published in 1677, calls it "nidus Judæorum".In the time of the margraves (up to the 15th century) the Bisenz Jews must have enjoyed great privileges; for, according to the oldest "mountain-laws", they were permitted to own vineyards, it being a matter of great importance to the margraves to market their wine through the agency of Jewish traders. In the wars between George Podiebrad of Bohemia and Matthias of Hungary (c. 1458), Bisenz, and with it the Jewish quarter
Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter is one of the four traditional quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem. The 116,000 square meter area lies in the southeastern sector of the walled city, and stretches from the Zion Gate in the south, along the Armenian Quarter on the west, up to the Street of the Chain in the...
, was entirely devastated and came under constantly changing feudal proprietors.
According to the feudal "Urbarium
Urbarium
Urbarium is a term that means a register of fief ownership and includes the rights and benefits that the fief holder has over his serfs and peasants. It is an important economic and legal source of medieval and early modern feudalism.Urbarium were also used to record land rent and stock...
" of 1604, the Jews even then possessed 32 houses, a hospital, and 17 smaller buildings, called "Hoferi Židovští." But only a year later (May 2, 1605) the Jewish community was totally destroyed by Stephen Bocskai; so that in 1655, when the new edition of the land-register was made out, 25 Jewish holdings still lay in ruins.
In the first Silesian war (Feb., 1742) the Jewish community suffered severely from the Prussian invasion, especially as its inhabitants had to bear their share of the general levies. At the close of this war the empress Maria Theresa in 1753 issued the so-called "Familien-Verordnung" (Family Ordinance), according to which only 5,442 Jewish families were allowed to live in Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
; and of these 137 were allotted to Bisenz. On May 17, 1777, almost theentire Jewish ghetto, in which there were 93 houses, was burned. Up to 1782 the Jewish community was subject to the feudal lord; but in criminal matters they were under the jurisdiction of the city authorities.
Of recent events may be mentioned the organization of the Jewish congregation into a political community in 1852, and the building of a new synagogue in 1863.
People
- Leopold Königstein (1850, born here - 1924), Jewish Austrian oculist; father of Austrian physician Hans Königstein (1878, Vienna - 1954)
- Max KurzweilMax KurzweilMaximilian Franz Viktor Zdenko Marie Kurzweil was an Austrian painter and printmaker. He moved near Vienna in 1879....
(1867, born here - 1916), Jewish Austrian painter, graphuic artist - Gustav Robert Paalen (1873, born here - 1945), Jewish Austrian merchant and inventor, father of Wolfgang PaalenWolfgang PaalenWolfgang Paalen was an Austrian-Mexican painter and theorist.-Early life:Wolfgang Paalen was born in Vienna in 1905, as the first of four sons of the Austrian-Jewish merchant and inventor Gustav Robert Paalen, and his German wife, the actress Clothilde Emilie Gunkel...
- Norbert JoklNorbert JoklNorbert Jokl was an Austrian Albanologist of Jewish descent who has been called the father of Albanology.- Early life :...
(1877, born here - 1942), Jewish linguist, father of AlbanologyAlbanologyAlbanology is the science that studies Albanian language and culture.The father of Albanology is often considered to be the Austrian Norbert Jokl, while the Croat Milan Šufflay and the Hungarian Franz Nopcsa von Felső-Szilvás are also among its famous founders.Among modern important Albanologists... - Gerda Rodel, née Neuwirth (1914, born here - 1998), Jewish female journalist, acted in Austria and Switzerland
Residents:
- Moses ben Isaac , Jewish Austrian author, lived here
- Moses ben Aaron Morawczyk (beginning of the 17th century), Jewish educator
- Samuel Mühsam (1837, Landsberg , Prussian Silesia - ), Austrian rabbi, called as a rabbi since 1872
- Rudolf Auspitz (1837, Vienna - 1906)
- Nehemiah BrüllNehemiah BrüllNehemiah Brüll was a rabbi and versatile scholar.- Life :Brüll received his rabbinic-Talmudic education from his father, Jakob Brüll , who combined wide Talmudic knowledge with acute historical perception...
(1843, Neu Raußnitz