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Herrnhut

Coordinates:51°01′00″N14°44′30″E/ 51.01667°N 14.74167°E/51.01667; 14.74167
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Herrnhut
Town
Coat of arms of Herrnhut
Coat of arms
Location of Herrnhut within Görlitz district
Bärwalder SeeBerzdorfer SeeQuitzdorf ReservoirQuitzdorf ReservoirPolandCzech RepublicBrandenburgBautzen (district)Sächsische Schweiz-OsterzgebirgeBad MuskauBeiersdorfBernstadt auf dem EigenHerrnhutBertsdorf-HörnitzBoxbergBoxbergDürrhennersdorfEbersbach-NeugersdorfGablenzGörlitzGörlitzGroß DübenGroß DübenGroßschönauGroßschweidnitzHähnichenHainewaldeHerrnhutHohendubrauHorkaJonsdorfKodersdorfKönigshainKottmarKrauschwitzKreba-NeudorfLawaldeLeutersdorfLöbauMarkersdorfMarkersdorfMittelherwigsdorfMückaMückaNeißeaueNeusalza-SprembergNieskyOderwitzOlbersdorfOppachOstritzOybinQuitzdorf am SeeReichenbachRietschenRosenbachRothenburgSchleifeSchönau-BerzdorfSchönbachSchöpstalSeifhennersdorfReichenbachTrebendorfTrebendorfVierkirchenWaldhufenWeißkeißelWeißwasserZittauZittauLusatian Neisse
Herrnhut is located in Germany
Herrnhut
Herrnhut
Herrnhut is located in Saxony
Herrnhut
Herrnhut
Coordinates:51°01′00″N14°44′30″E/ 51.01667°N 14.74167°E/51.01667; 14.74167
CountryGermany
StateSaxony
DistrictGörlitz
Subdivisions11
Government
•Mayor(2022–29)Willem Riecke[1]
Area
• Total73.94 km2(28.55 sq mi)
Elevation
344 m (1,129 ft)
Population
(2022-12-31)[2]
• Total5,849
• Density79/km2(200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+02:00(CEST)
Postal codes
02747
Dialling codes035873
Vehicle registrationGR, LÖB, NOL, NY, WSW, ZI
Websiteherrnhut.de
Herrnhut
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Part ofMoravian Church Settlements
Criteriaiii, iv
Reference1468
Inscription2015 (39thSession)
Extensions2024

Herrnhutⓘ(Sorbian languages:Ochranow;Czech:Ochranov) is anUpper Lusatiantown in theGörlitz districtinSaxony,Germany,known for the community of theMoravian Churchestablished byNicolas Ludwig, Count von Zinzendorf,in 1722. In 2024, the town was inscribed on World Heritage List as a part of the serial site of Moravian Church Settlements.[3]

Geography

[edit]

It is located in the historicUpper Lusatiaregion, on the roadBundesstraße 178,and on theZittau–Löbau railwayline. Herrnhut is about 10 km (6.2 mi) south-east ofLöbau,15 km (9.3 mi) north-west ofZittau,and 25 km (16 mi) south-west of the district capitalGörlitz.

The municipality borders on, among other municipalities,Oderwitz.

Subdivisions

[edit]

Herrnhut is also the name of the largest town in the municipality. Since 1 January 2013, whenBerthelsdorfwas incorporated, the municipal area contains 11 subdivisions:

History

[edit]

Herrnhut proper was founded in the early 18th century by German-speaking members of theUnity of the Brethren,religious refugees fromMargraviate of Moravia.TheUnity of the Brethrenarose after the reformerJan Hushad beenburnt at the stakeduring theCouncil of Constancein 1415. In the 18th century, they had to face the sternCounter-Reformationmeasures enacted in theLands of the Bohemian Crownby theHabsburgrulers. From 1722 refugees came to Upper Lusatia, held by theElectors of Saxonysince thePeace of Prague (1635).After meeting with their leaderChristian David,a Moravian missionary, the German noblemanCount Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf(1700–1760) invited them to settle on his extended Berthelsdorf estates.

Shortly afterward, David built the first home in what was to become Herrnhut.Herrn Hutmeans the Lord's watchful care or the Lord's protection. Zinzendorf himself had a new residence erected here in 1725–1727). From Herrnhut the community spread toRixdorfnearBerlin,the formerMarienbornmonastery nearBüdingen,toHerrnhaag,toNorden,toPawlowitzke(1771–1772). Numerous daughter churches arose all over the world. The first organized Protestant missionary movement began from Herrnhut in 1732, when 2 Bohemian Brethren went to the Danish West Indies, and then others went also to Greenland. The first North American mission work began in Savannah, Georgia in 1735. In 1738, the missionary station ofGenadendalwas founded in South Africa.Christiansfeldin Denmark followed in 1771.

Herrnhut holds a prominent place in thehistory of Protestantism,as well as the broaderhistory of Christianity.Zinzendorf's community influencedJohn Wesleyin creatingMethodismand it contributed to the rise ofEvangelicalism,a broad interdenominational movement of more than 300 million people all over the globe.

Population

[edit]
Year 1834 1871 1890 1910 1925 1939 1946 1950 1964 1990 2000 2010
Population 899 1092 1139 1364 1664 1627 2024 2025 1808 1754 2842 4963

According to the Saxon state congress in 1777, Herrnhut contained 76 homes.

In the mid-19th century the population rose above 1,000, and afterWorld War IIit reached more than 2,000. Since the 1950s there has been a decline in population, which was compensated for by the incorporation of neighboring municipalities.[4]

Location maps

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  • Map of Oberreit with Herrnhut, around 1845
    Map of Oberreit with Herrnhut, around 1845
  • Map of Oberreit with Herrnhut and Strahwalde, around 1845
    Map of Oberreit with Herrnhut and Strahwalde, around 1845
  • Map of Oberreit with Herrnhut and Ruppersdorf, around 1845
    Map of Oberreit with Herrnhut and Ruppersdorf, around 1845

Coat of arms

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The Herrnhut coat of arms is blue and white, showing the tower of theAltan(the lookout tower) atop the Hutberg hill above the city. The name of Hutberg hill ( "Hill of Watching" ) suggested the name of theMoraviansettlement founded by these exiles on theZinzendorfestate in 1722.Herrn Hutmeans "the Lord's Watchful care".

Culture

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Herrnhut has a church and two museums, including a museum of local history. It is the center of the worldwideMoravian Church,theUnitas Fratrum,in GermanBrüder-UnitätorBrüdergemeine.Many European languages have named the Moravian Church movement directly after Herrnhut, for examplehernhuutlusinEstonian,herrnhutilaisuusinFinnish,hernhūtiešiinLatvianandherrnhutismenin bothNorwegianandSwedish.

The former Herrnhut train station on thedecommissioned railway line Zittau–Löbauhas been turned into an art gallery.

Economy

[edit]

Its economy is based on church administration, education, tourism and manufacturing, including a 25-pointed star that is often hung in windows and on porches during the Christmas season, which has been produced for over 150 years. It is called theMoravian staror Moravian Advent star (Herrnhuter Adventssternor simplyHerrnhuter Stern). From Herrnhut, the Moravian star decoration has spread across Europe and America.

[edit]
  • Herrnhut, 1765
    Herrnhut, 1765
  • Church hall in Herrnhut
    Church hall in Herrnhut
  • Vogtshof Herrnhut, seat of the Moravian Church
    Vogtshof Herrnhut, seat of theMoravian Church
  • Herrnhut railway station [de] also functions as an art gallery
    Herrnhut railway station[de]also functions as an art gallery
  • Nicolaus Zinzendorf monument in Herrnhut
    Nicolaus Zinzendorf monument in Herrnhut
  • Herrnhut "God's Acre", the graveyard of the Moravian Church since the 18th century
    Herrnhut "God's Acre", the graveyard of the Moravian Church since the 18th century

Notable people

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Heinrich August Jäschke

References

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  1. ^Gewählte Bürgermeisterinnen und Bürgermeister im Freistaat Sachsen, Stand: 17. Juli 2022,Statistisches Landesamt des Freistaates Sachsen.
  2. ^"Einwohnerzahlen nach Gemeinden als Excel-Arbeitsmappe"(XLS)(in German).Statistisches Landesamt des Freistaates Sachsen.2024.
  3. ^"Moravian Church Settlements".UNESCO World Heritage Centre.Retrieved28 July2024.
  4. ^"Digitales Historisches Ortsverzeichnis von Sachsen"(in German).Retrieved14 April2012.
[edit]
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forHerrnhut.
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