Veitsch

Veitsch ( former parish )
	Basic data
Pole. District , state	Bruck-Mürzzuschlag (BM), Styria
Judicial district	Mürzzuschlag
Pole. local community	Sankt Barbara in Mürz Valley
Coordinates	47 ° 34 '43 " N , 15 ° 29' 35" E Coordinates: 47 ° 34 '43 " N , 15 ° 29' 35" E
height	669 m above sea level A.
Residents of the stat. An H.	2220 (January 1, 2020)
Building status	134 (2001 )
surface	77.77 km²
Postcodes	8663, 8664
prefix	+ 43/3856
	Statistical identification
Counting district / district	Veitsch village and surroundings; Großveitsch magnesite plant; Veitsch area (62145 002; 003; 004)
	Former parish until 2014; KG: 60210 Großveitsch, 60218 Kleinveitsch, 60226 Niederaigen, 60205 Veitsch Dorf ; Localities: 15978 Großveitsch, 15979 Kleinveitsch, 15980 Niederaigen, 15981 Veitsch ; Source: STAT : Directory of places ; BEV : GEONAM ; GIS-Stmk

BW

Veitsch is a former market town in Styria in Austria ( judicial district Mürzzuschlag , political district Bruck-Mürzzuschlag ) with 2,417 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2014). As part of the municipal structural reform in Styria, Veitsch was merged with the municipalities of Mitterdorf in Mürz Valley and Wartberg in Mürz Valley on January 1, 2015 . The resulting new community is called Sankt Barbara im Mürz valley . The basis for this is the Styrian Municipal Structural Reform Act - StGsrG.

In 1881 large deposits of magnesite were found in Veitsch , which led to the establishment of Veitscher Magnesitwerke AG in the same year. The main plant of what is now RHI AG is still in Veitsch today .

geography

Geographical location

The place Veitsch is located in a side valley of the Mürz Valley at the foot of the Hohe Veitsch mountain range ( 1981 m above sea level ) at an altitude of 664 m above sea level. A. (Dorf-Veitsch).

The Ölberg / Sattlerkogel behind the Veitsch parish church divides the Veitsch valley into the Groß-Veitsch valley, which leads to the Brunnalm hiking area at the foot of the western end of the Hohe Veitsch, and the Klein-Veitsch valley, which leads to the eastern end of the Hohe Veitsch plateau leads.

In the south, the Veitschtal flows into the Mürz valley near Mitterdorf . To the north, the extensive limestone mountain range of the Hohen Veitsch with its extensive plateau borders the municipality. In the east, wooded ridges border the valley. To the west, a connection leads over the Pretalsattel ( 1069 m ) into the Stübmingtal and the Aflenz basin .

history

Like the entire Mürz Valley with its side valleys, the Veitschtal was probably already inhabited by the Celts at the latest in the La Tène period . After the migration period in the 6th century , Slavic tribes from the east settled in the region. Many of today's names of places and waters are of Slavic origin. In the 9th century followed German settlers of the Bavarians and Franks who settled in the valley and it cleared. The previous Slavs had mostly settled on the slopes.

structure

The former municipality is divided into four cadastral municipalities (area: as of December 31, 2018):

Großveitsch (3,764.40 ha)
Kleinveitsch (3,420.08 ha)
Niederaigen (535.57 ha)
Veitsch village (57.17 ha)

The area comprised the following four localities (population in brackets as of January 1, 2020):

Großveitsch (864)
Kleinveitsch (385)
Niederaigen (604)
Veitsch (367)

Former neighboring communities (as of 2014)

Mariazell ( Gusswerk )	Neuberg an der Mürz ( Mürzsteg )	Neuberg an der Mürz
Turnau		Krieglach
Wartberg in the Mürz Valley	Mitterdorf in the Mürz Valley	Krieglach

Transport links

Veitsch can be reached from Vienna and Graz via the Semmering expressway S 6 - Mitterdorf exit and the Veitscher Landesstraße L 102.

The road to the Brunnalm / Hohe Veitsch ski area was greatly improved from 2005 onwards with a new, flatter route.

There is a city bus line (Stadtbus) operated by the Mürz Valley Transport Company from Kapfenberg:

Line 85 Großveitsch - Kleinveitsch - Dorf Veitsch - Mitterdorf - Wartberg (Sankt Barbara municipal bus)

politics

In January 2013, the then 24-year-old Jochen Jance ( SPÖ ) was appointed mayor of Veitsch, making him Austria's youngest community leader. He retained this function until the municipality was dissolved on December 31, 2014. The municipal council consisted of ten members of the SPÖ and five members of the ÖVP .

tourism

Veitsch offers a wide range of summer and winter sports. The Hohe Veitsch massif in particular is a popular destination for skiers and ski tourers in winter and for runners and hikers in summer. Chamois , deer , eagles , capercaillie , alpine choughs as well as edelweiss , peterg tribe and gentians are native here. Particularly noteworthy is the extensive high plateau that stretches from the summit of the Hohen Veitsch ( 1981 m ), gently sloping for several kilometers to the east, to the Klein-Veitsch-Alm ( 1451 m ).

The indoor swimming pool, built in 1954, has been completely redesigned in recent years. It was expanded to include an indoor slide, a sauna and wellness area and a youth and family guest house.

In terms of culture, the Veitsch Fair of the Arts has established itself nationally alongside a large number of other events.

Sport and culture

Sports offer

All year round

Indoor pool including the 50 meter long indoor slide and sauna and wellness area
Hiking area / touring ski area Hohe Veitsch / Klein-Veitsch-Alm
Stock sports facilities (asphalt / ice)
climbing hall

summer

winter

Winter sports area Brunnalm / Hohe Veitsch (chair lift, three drag lifts, children's lift)
Cross-country trails
Toboggan runs
Ice rink

hikes

The best starting point for hikes on the Hohe Veitsch and its extensive plateau is the Brunnalm at the foot of the Hohe Veitsch.

The main square is the starting point for the Naturefriends Veitsch's magnesite hiking trail . On the three to four hour hike you can immerse yourself in the mining history of the former market town.

Attractions

Parish Church of St. Vitus

The church was first mentioned in the years 1140–1164 on the occasion of its consecration by Bishop Hartmann von Brixen and subsequently in 1206 when it was still incorporated into the Benedictine monastery of St. Lambrecht . The east-facing nave was completed in late Gothic form in 1456 and is roofed with a ribbed vault. The altar, which is dedicated to St. Vitus, dates from the 18th century and is attributed to Johann Michael Eisenschmidt . The neo-Gothic organ dates from 1894 and was recently restored with the support of the Veitsch population. To the west of the nave is the mighty bell tower through which you enter the church. In the entrance area there is a portrait of St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners.

The Veitscher Lenten cloth is exhibited in the Benedictine monastery of St. Lambrecht. It dates from 1470 and depicts the passion of Jesus.

The parish church of St. Vitus is now a popular wedding church.

inner space
Sanctuary
High altar
pulpit

Stiftshof (arcade courtyard)

Pilgrim cross on the Veitscher Mount of Olives

To the north of the church is the abbey courtyard building complex. This inner courtyard is bordered by the provost, rectory and arcade tavern. The buildings have served as a youth hostel, tavern, accommodation for pilgrims and as an event center since 1989 .

Pilgrim cross on the Veitscher Mount of Olives

Starting from the Veitsch parish church, you can take a forest trail to the pilgrim's cross on the Veitsch Mount of Olives. It was built in 2004 and, with a height of 40.6 m (can be walked on inside up to 27 m), is the largest of its kind worldwide.

Regular events

Holzknecht Ball

The Holzknechtball takes place annually on the second weekend in January and is organized by the traditional costume association D'Rauschkogler z'Veitsch . In addition to the Oberlandlerball in Graz, it is one of the few traditional costume balls with a dance in Styria .

Veitscher fair of the arts

The Veitscher fair of the arts took place between 2002 and 2012 every year at the beginning of October. Here visited Georg Danzer , the actresses Julia and Katharina Stemberger , comedian joesi prokopetz , actress Erika Pluhar , musical star Alexander Goebel or chamber singer Georg Tichy place. In addition to well-known, regional artists and traditional folk music were part of the program.

Ultra alpine marathon Veitscher Grenzstaffellauf

The ultra-alpine marathon Veitscher Grenzstaffellauf , one of the toughest alpine marathons in Austria, has been held annually on the last Saturday in June since 1986.

It leads over 54 km and 2200 vertical meters starting from the indoor pool along the municipal boundaries over the high plateau of the Hohen Veitsch back to the starting point. Top runners need just under 4:30 hours for this distance. The route can also be completed as a team of three (with sections of 16.5 / 16.0 / 21.5 km). Here the winning times are just under 4:00 hours. In 2013 the Austrian championships in the mountain marathon were held.

Industry

Veitsch has always been shaped by mining. Metals such as iron , copper and manganese, but also non-metals such as graphite, were mined in and around Veitsch as early as the Middle Ages .

The rise of the municipality of Veitsch to a mining center with world renown, however, was founded on the discovery of magnesite by the Koblenz merchant Friedrich Carl Albert Spaeter in 1881.

Veitscher Magnesitwerke AG (VMAG) / RHI AG

The establishment of Veitscher Magnesitwerke AG (VMAG) and the expansion of the production facilities resulted in an increase in the population and, as a result, social advancement. At peak times, the Veitsch magnesite plant had over 1700 employees. In 2012 the number of employees was 300.

The products of VMAG and with them the name Veitsch achieved world renown under the chairmanship of the Lauda family . The stones (fired and pitch-bound) and masses produced in Veitsch still enjoy a very good reputation worldwide with customers in the steel industry (lining converters and electric furnaces ) and the cement industry ( rotary kilns ).

After the mining industry closed in 1968, the Veitsch magnesite plant was continuously modernized and automated. In 1993, VMAG was taken over by Radex-Heraklith Industriebeteiligungs AG (RHI AG). The Veitsch magnesite plant is still the parent plant of RHI AG through Veitsch-Radex GmbH.

Zenker

The company Zenker-Hausbau founded the subsidiary Zenker Hausbau Ges.mbH in 1969, based in Veitsch. After the parent company Zenker-Hausbau was sold by Philipp Holzmann AG to Bien Haus AG on December 31, 1996, the now subsidiary of Bien-Zenker continues to operate and manufactured parts for prefabricated houses with 150 employees until the end of 2014 . The assembly and sales areas are currently still occupied. The current number of employees is 60.

Clubs and emergency organizations

In Veitsch there is a very dense network of clubs and emergency organizations. The largest of these is the volunteer fire department . It has five fire engines (one Rüstlöschfahrzeug RLFA 2000, a fire truck LFB-A, two mini pumpers KLF-A and a crew transport vehicle MTF-A).

The largest association, with almost 20 sections, is Naturfreunde Veitsch, which, with just under 1100 members, is by far the Austrian front-runner in terms of population. Especially the offer for children (ski courses, swimming courses) has caused a boom in membership in recent years.

There are also a large number of sports clubs (soccer, skiing, BMX, stick sports, etc.), a factory band, and traditional and traditional associations.

Personalities

Günter Singer (* 1967), film producer, private security and military entrepreneur
Karl Lohner , associated university professor for biophysics (Institute for Molecular Biosciences) at KF Uni Graz, and university lecturer (Institute for Biochemistry) at TU Graz, co-inventor of the "superantibiotic"
Andreas Meier (* 1962), former CEO of RHI, currently CEO of HC Starck
Albert Oberhofer (1925–2016), university professor and rector of the Montan University Leoben
Anton Tautscher (1906–1976), economist and university professor (University of Graz)

Personalities related to the place

Helmut Brenner (1957–2017), musician, music teacher, musicologist, historian and university lecturer
Carl Gustav Heraeus (* 1671 in Stockholm; † November 6, 1725 in Veitsch) German court antiquarian at the court in Vienna, montanist, scholar and writer
Tom Lohner (* 1982), Austrian graphic designer and artist
Matthias Loibner (* 1969), musician and composer
Georg Tichy (* 1944), opera singer, chamber singer, Vienna State Opera

Others

In the Styrian Folk Dance Folder , a collection of various alpine folk dances, you can find the Veitscher Masur , which is also known among the locals as the "Veitscher ox gallop". This is considered by many alpine costume associations and folk dance groups in the repertoire as a "standard dance", due to its unique position as a mazurka with a rarity.

literature

Othmar Pickl : History of the Veitsch Community , Graz 1979
Werner Kainz : Magnesitwerk Veitsch , Veitsch 2006
Helmut Brenner : Development and scope of the workers' choir, documented using the example of the AGV "Glück auf" Veitsch , Graz 1984
Helmut Brenner: So that they don't get lost - singing traditions in the Veitsch . Graz 2007, ISBN 978-3-938651-05-6 .
Hannes Haider: Chronicle of the Veitsch factory band , Graz 1995
Rudolf Gstättner: Veitscher Musikleben - Aspects of a local musical culture . Edition Strahalm, Graz 2018, ISBN 978-3-9504557-3-1 .

Web links

Commons : Veitsch - collection of images, videos and audio files

www.veitsch.at Website from Veitsch

Individual evidence

^ Styrian municipal structural reform .

↑ Section 3, Paragraph 1, Item 4 of the Act of December 17, 2013 on the reorganization of the municipalities of the State of Styria ( Styrian Municipal Structural Reform Act - StGsrG). Provincial Law Gazette for Styria of April 2, 2014. No. 31, year 2014. ZDB -ID 705127-x . P. 2.

^ Gerhard Dobesch : The Celts in Austria according to the oldest reports of antiquity . Vienna 1980, 1993, pp. 66-68, ISBN 3-205-07136-0

^ Raimund Karl : The lower ten thousand . Contributions to the prehistory and early history of Central Europe 47, Langenweißbach: Beier & Beran 2007

↑ Othmar Pickl : History of the Veitsch Community , Graz 1979

↑ CSV file from REGIONALINFORMATION.zip (1,221 KB) ; accessed on January 12, 2019

↑ Statistics Austria: Population on January 1st, 2020 by locality (area status on January 1st, 2020) , ( CSV )

↑ Jochen Jance: At the age of 24 at the head of his community. Kleine Zeitung , January 31, 2013, archived from the original on September 12, 2014 .

↑ Magnesit-Wander-Weg ( page no longer available , search in web archives )@1@ 2

↑ Martin Bitschnau , Hannes Obermair : Tiroler Urkundenbuch, II. Department: The documents on the history of the Inn, Eisack and Pustertal valleys. Volume 2: 1140-1200 . Universitätsverlag Wagner, Innsbruck 2012, ISBN 978-3-7030-0485-8 , p. 6, No. 385 .