Settlement of Bohemian knights to Silesia around 1350

[Guenter Boehm]

Under the Roman-German emperor Charles IV. and later under his son the king of Bohemia Wenzel IV. bohemian knights
were settled into Silesia around 1350. The marriage of Duke Bolko II. of Schweidnitz-Jauer with the emperor's nice Agnes
was childless and therefore the duchy came through inheritance to Bohemia. In order to strengthens his influence the
bohemian king located knights for the lower administrative nobility (Grundherrschaft) which were not very welcomed by the
native knights for fear of loss of power. After long feuds and the weakness of Wenzel IV. some knights were treated by the
established lower nobility and "de facto" declared as robber-barons.

In this situation was WITIGO and his son also known as WITCHE, last name unknown, when they settled to the Veste
Schwarzwaldau in the middle of the 1300. SIGISMUND a descendant used then the name of the place "von Swarczwalde".
Around 1400 the gentry of the Boeheim von Schwarzwaldau was extinct as such. The German language was not yet cast
in stone and the spelling of the name could have some variation.

I am not trying to say I have roots from nobility, but I was born in that region and my surname Boehm ( Böhm ) originates
from those people from Bohemia. 1409 Heinzen Behem bought an agricultural holding in that same area from Ulrich Schoff
(Grundherrschaft Waldenburg-Neuhaus). Could Heinzen Behem be a descendant from the so-called the robber-barons?

Does anyone made any research on the topic of settling bohemian knights to Silesia in the 14th century ?
By the way: I hold no degree in history. I am a simple amateur doing my own research ;-)
Guenter

************************************************
"Die kleine Böhm-Chronik" http://www.boehm-chronik.com
Familiengeschichte der Böhm'schen Sippe
aus dem Waldenburger Bergland in Schlesien
-- seit 1409 --
************************************************

[Rafal T. Prinke]

"Guenter Boehm" <gbf...@realsites.com> wrote:

> I am not trying to say I have roots from nobility, but I was born
> in that region and my surname Boehm ( Böhm ) originates
> from those people from Bohemia. 1409 Heinzen Behem bought
> an agricultural holding in that same area from Ulrich Schoff
> (Grundherrschaft Waldenburg-Neuhaus). Could Heinzen Behem be
> a descendant from the so-called the robber-barons?
>
> Does anyone made any research on the topic of settling bohemian
> knights to Silesia in the 14th century ?

Yes, my good friend (and neighbour) Dr Tomasz Jurek wrote
a very well researched monograph _Obce rycerstwo na Slasku
do polowy XIV wieku_ [Foreign knights in Silesia until
the middle of the 14th century], Poznan 1996.

On p. 211 there is an entry for "Czech" (Bohemus, Behme)
where the persons mentioned by you are listed:

- Witek from Rodov (near Jaromierz), was a very frequent witness
on the documents of the dukes of Ziebice and Swidnica (1329-1366),
bought Krzelkow and Bernsdorf (Biernacice) near Ziebice. His
children were:
a. Jan, executor of his father's will in 1374
b. Zygmunt signing himself "of Swarzwaldau" (Czarny Bor)
c. Elzbieta, wife of Gunter of Adelungsbach (Struga)
d. Jutta, wife of Jan of Budow

He lists a number of other knights using the nickname/byname
"Czech/Boheme" but states at the beginning of that entry
that it is impossible to establish if there had been
any relationship among any of those persons. Most probably
their only "common denominator" was the fact that they came
from Bohemia.

Best regards,

Rafal

[Guenter Boehm]

Hello Rafal,
thank you very much for the delightful response. Do you
know if the book of Dr Tomasz Jurek

> Obce rycerstwo na Slasku
> do polowy XIV wieku_ [Foreign knights in Silesia until
> the middle of the 14th century], Poznan 1996.

was also published in English or German. I would like to buy it.

I have recently received from the National Archives at Wroclaw
a copy of a land transfer anno 1409 from Ulrich Schoff to
Heinzen Behem and his wife Jutten.

Have a look at my website. Sorry, up til now only in German.
http://www.boehm-chronik.com/sippe.htm

Thanks again,
Guenter

[Rafal T. Prinke]

Dear Guenter,

> Do you know if the book of Dr Tomasz Jurek
>

> > Obce rycerstwo na Slasku
> > do polowy XIV wieku_ [Foreign knights in Silesia until
> > the middle of the 14th century], Poznan 1996.
>

> was also published in English or German. I would like to buy it.

No, it wasn't - unfortunately. It is available only in Polish.
I have just found out that there was a second edition
two years later - quite rare for a scholarly work! You may
have a look at the publishers' Web page (move down to see
the cover and details):

http://www.ptpn.poznan.pl/WYD_knigi.html

> Have a look at my website. Sorry, up til now only in German.
> http://www.boehm-chronik.com/sippe.htm

Very interesting (I can manage German in genealogical contexts).

Best regards,

Rafal

[Guenter Boehm]

Dear Rafal,
I have found another book of Tomasz Jurek: "Landbuch ksiestw
Swidnickiego i Jaworskiego" [Landbuch of Swidnica-Jawor Duchy].
1385-1395. It is in the catalog of the NY Public Library.
I will try to get it next week.

According to the Library of Congress the book of Tomasz Jurek:
"Obce rycerstwo na Slasku do polowy XIV wieku" [Foreign knights
in Silesia until the middle of the 14th century] should have a
summary in English and German. The book is not available in the NYPL,
and the publishers website doesn't mention anything where I
can purchase it nor the publishers address. Do you have an address?

Best regards,

Guenter
************************************************
"Die kleine Böhm-Chronik" http://www.boehm-chronik.com
Familiengeschichte der Böhm'schen Sippe
aus dem Waldenburger Bergland in Schlesien
-- seit 1409 --
************************************************

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rafal T. Prinke" <raf...@amu.edu.pl>
To: "Guenter Boehm" <gbf...@realsites.com>
Cc: <GEN-MED...@rootsweb.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 2:02 PM
Subject: Re: Settlement of Bohemian knights to Silesia around 1350

>

> Dear Guenter,
>
> > Do you know if the book of Dr Tomasz Jurek
> >

> > > Obce rycerstwo na Slasku
> > > do polowy XIV wieku_ [Foreign knights in Silesia until
> > > the middle of the 14th century], Poznan 1996.
> >

[Rafal T. Prinke]

Dear Guenter,

> The book is not available in the NYPL,
> and the publishers website doesn't mention anything where I
> can purchase it nor the publishers address. Do you have an address?

It is their main page at:

http://www.ptpn.poznan.pl/WYD_main.html

It is in Polish but you may write to them in English or German
using either of the two email address given there.

Best regards,

Rafal

[Guenter Boehm]

> He lists a number of other knights using the
> nickname/byname "Czech/Boheme" but states at the
> beginning of that entry that it is impossible to establish if
> there had been any relationship among any of those
> persons. Most probably their only "common
> denominator" was the fact that they came from
> Bohemia."

Dear Rafal,
what do you think of the theory that some of the
bohemian settlers which came to Silesia before or in the
time of the Hussite movement were under observation or
probation of the local higher ups and the newcomers had
to use the nickname 'Behem' or similar. Just to have a
good identification.

Later at the time of the reformation many bohemian
protestant theologians used the byname 'Bohemus'
or variation of it as a name of honor or protest. Only later,
perhaps at the time of the 30-year war (1618-1648) were
the surname "given" by the new neighbours of the
newcomer from Bohemia, eg. Behme, Böhme "those from
Böhmen".
http://www.boehm-chronik.com/forschung/nachname.htm

Any thoughts ?

Best regards from upstate New York,

[Guenter Boehm]

Could there be any connection between the following
text and text of the document of 1365, in reference to
the influence of Bolko II to the veste Swarczewalde?

"Das hus oder die veste Swarczenwalde, im Weichbilde
Landeshut gelegen, gehörte zu denen, die unter Herzog
Bernhard (gestorben 1326) unbotmäßig (Anmerkung:
Raubritter?) wurden, deren Ritter aber unter dem Herzog
Bolko II von Schweidnitz (Anmerkung: Sohn von Herzog
Bernhard) 1355 sich zügeln liessen. Doch da konnte
selbst der Herzog den Herren von Böheim (auf der Veste
Swarczenwalde), Witigo Vater und Sohn, die ihnen über
ihre Güter und Dörfer verliehene Dominalgewalt nicht
mehr nehmen." [E. Tschersich, 1936: "Wie wurde
das Waldenburger Bergland deutsch?"]

Text of the document of 1365:
"Subdidit (Bolko) sibi omnia castra terrea Suidnicensis
sibi resistentia videlicet Cunradiswalde, Swarczewalde,
Ceisikperg, item extra terram Vrewdinberg."
[Stenzel, Codex]

Guenter Boehm