Burkersdorf (Saalfeld)

Burkersdorf City of Saalfeld / Saale Coordinates: 50 ° 38 ′ 4 ″  N , 11 ° 13 ′ 41 ″  E
Height :	618 m above sea level NN
Area :	3.75 km²
Residents :	159
Population density :	42 inhabitants / km²
Incorporation :	January 1, 1997
Incorporated into:	Saalfelder Höhe
Postal code :	07318
Primaries :	036736, 036741
View of the place

Burkersdorf is a district of the city of Saalfeld / Saale in the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district in Thuringia .

geography

The place is on the northern edge of the Thuringian Slate Mountains . On the northern slope of the Keilberg, which is 678 m above sea level. NN is the highest elevation of the former Rudolstadt district , and the Ritzberg at 668 m above sea level. NN is the place on the right Schwarzahöhe . The place itself is at 620 m above sea level. NN and extends in an east-west direction over a length of approx. 250 meters in the direction of the Schwarzatal . It is a downright rural village and has 159 inhabitants with a total area of ​​375 hectares , of which the agricultural area is managed by the Dittrichshütte agricultural producers' cooperative.

history

In a document dated November 19, 1370, the place is mentioned for the first time with the names Burkirsdorf and Burghardtsdorf. A Burghart is believed to be the founder. In 1371 the place was called Borckersdorf and in 1465 Burskersdorf. It can be assumed that the place developed before 1370, but there are no records of this. Until 1918, the place belonged to the sovereignty of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and could also be reached later by post via Rudolstadt .

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Pentecostal fir tree and Born care - old folk custom in Burkersdorf

Like the conifer at Christmas time, the birch is popular as the tree of spring. On May 1st, especially at Whitsun, young birch trees are placed in front of the house and courtyard doors of the villages or birch branches in the rooms of the cities. The custom is old and still widespread, also at Rudolstadt. In the Holzland near Klosterlausnitz the conifer was preferred at Pentecost, but the fir was not unknown as a Pentecost tree in the Schwarzburg-Rudolstädter Waldland either.

High above the Schwarzatal in Burkersdorf, until the beginning of the war in 1939, the setting of the fir tree on the 2nd day of Pentecost was preserved, an old custom that had been practiced every 2nd year since the middle of the 19th century. It combined with the feast of the fountain sweep, the most useful cleaning of the village fountain, which took place the next day. Burkersdorf is a rural village in a delightful location on the Keilberg. It was mentioned in a document for the first time in 1370, and at the end of the 15th century consisted of ten small farms on the local road running horizontally on the steep mountain slope. In the 16th century the number of families had doubled. In 1621 there were 36. The 374 hectare area consists mostly of forest. It was divided into numerous narrow passages.

For loyal service to the forestry sector, and at the same time for inexpensive delivery of meat, milk, butter and eggs to the kitchen of Schloss Schwarzburg, the community was entitled to choose a mighty fir tree in the nearby forest in the presence of the forester. It should not be higher than 30 m and only 17 cm thick at chest height. The fir tree was felled a few days before Pentecost. The farmer who was "on the line" received their lower, strong branches as firewood in great demand. What was meant was the Burkersdorfer, who had to provide horse and scales to transport the tree that year. This happened alternately and each time two scales were necessary, which were connected one behind the other by ropes. The fir tree was loaded very early, not an easy undertaking with the technology possible at the time. The girls were waiting on the edge of the village. The train reached the village square with jokes and singing. A deep hole had been dug here, but before the fir tree was set in it and slowly raised with ropes and poles, it first had to be decorated. This was done with colorful ribbons, garlands and wreaths of flowers. In the top of the tree a blue and white Schwarzburg flag and the emblems of a comb and fork were attached, as well as a shield cut from hard cardboard of a man with a tobacco pipe in his mouth. It was supposed to represent the "wild man", one of the two shield holders in the Schwarzburg coat of arms. The pipe, a rare ingredient, is believed to have originated from tobacco smoking popular with woodcutters. After lunch, young and old gathered at the Pentecost tree and there was dancing. At that time there were musicians in almost every village, and if necessary neighboring towns helped each other out at the festivities. There were also sausages, beer and the fruit and berry wine that was once popular in the country. The evening did not belong too long to the village youth, who continued the afternoon dance in the hall, because capable workers were needed the next day.

The fountain sweep was part of the regular program on the 3rd holiday. That was the case in many villages. And in some villages a special custom had developed, including in Burkerdorf, because the place had a well of a rare construction. Two wells standing next to each other were connected by a cross tube. The water rose from one stick and poured into the well. To the other half it flowed over to the second floor and from there into the closed pipe. The water in the trough was used for washing, it was industrial water and was called "Borngrund". The perfect water in the pipe, the drinking water, was called "Born" and was taken from a second trough. The fountain was cleaned in the morning and celebrated again in the afternoon. Dance, card games and spinning were part of it. On this day only for the locals, mostly without guests from abroad.

From 1994 to 1996 the once independent municipality belonged to the administrative community of Saalfelder Höhe . This was converted on January 1st, 1997 into the unified municipality of Saalfelder Höhe . This was incorporated into Saalfeld on July 6, 2018.

Web links

Commons : Burkersdorf (Saalfelder Höhe)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Old photos on postcards from Burkersdorf

Individual evidence

1. ^ Burkersdorf on the website of Saalfelder Höhe
2. ↑ Burkersdorf near Saalfelder Höhe on thueringenuniversal.de
3. ^ Thuringian State Office for Statistics
4. ↑ Thuringian Law and Ordinance Gazette No. 7 2018 of July 5, 2018 , accessed on July 6, 2018