Descent and origin

On a mountain in the Wasgau (Vosges) region of Alsace, near the border of the Palatinate (Pfalz), between Schoenau and Lembach lie the Fleckenstein castle ruins.

The Fleckenstein nobility belonged to the most powerful and well-known aristocratic families of the Palatinate and Alsace in the Middle Ages. In 1467 they were raised to baron status. In 1720 the last noble Fleckenstein died.

The Fleckenstein realm consisted of 6 districts in northern Alsace. Within its area, in the area of Lembach in the Vogesen, in the early Middle Ages, there were glassworks and from there our Henne Fleckenstein comes before 1406.

For the federal order of 1406 of the glassmakers "of and around the Spessart", this Henne Fleckenstein duly signed under 40 other glassmakers.

In the Middle Ages people did not possess surnames. They were introduced in the 14^th century with the subjects taking the name of their masters. Our Henne will have added the name FLECKENSTEIN after its origin from the Fleckenstein rulers.

Thus our FLECKENSTEIN ancestors came as glassmakers into the Spessart!

Glassworks existed in the Middle Ages in the Alsace in proximity of the Fleckenstein castle in the Vogesen near Lembach. The area belonged to the rule of the Fleckensteins. The glassmakers are believed to have become impoverished due to poor markets. What happened with a glassmaker who did not have work? He sought another area where he could build himself a new existence.

The prince bishops of Mainz sought glassmakers for the Spessart and therefore drew our Henne Fleckenstein into the Spessart. In the year 1406 the glassmakers gave themselves a federal order: "of and around the Spessart". In this order the FLECKENSTEIN name appears for the first time in the Spessart. The glassmakers were not serfs; they were free king’s people; they were free from geschoss, compulsory labor and feeding, were released from tithing, mortgage and war service. They had to pay license fees for the operation of the glassworks. The glassmakers from the Spessart were, as free king’s people of the Nordspessart, subjects of the count von Rieneck. They acknowledged this in the document created in 1406, in which Haman Echter von Mespelbrunn, the Vizedom (vice-chancellor) and head forester, put his seal on behalf of the Aschaffenburg church.

In the year 1477 in Wiesthal a parish was established for the people living in the forest, for the places and settlements that developed around the glassworks. These places are Rothenbuch, Breitenstein, Heigenbrücken, Neuhütten and Habichsthal. The oldest parish in the Nordspessart is Lohrhaupten, established in 1058. It also belonged to the Church of Saints Peter and Alexander in Aschaffenburg. The glassmakers were not allowed to operate their glassworks from Martinmas in November to Easter, therefore they lived in the places stated above, or in the proximity of settlements, such as Frammersbach, Schöllkrippen, Oberbessenbach, Laufach, Hain, Sailauf and others.

For a long time we hear nothing of the descendants of our Henne Fleckenstein. In 1551 the Fleckenstein name is mentioned in a list for the Turkish taxes in the middle Lohr valley, once in Wiesthal and 7 times in Habichsthal. In 1560 the Fleckenstein name appears on the occasion of a military inspection in the Spessart: once in Heigenbruecken, 5 times in Habichsthal. In 1572 in the Sexerbuch of Frammersbach the Fleckenstein name is mentioned. In 1580 the city clerk Simon Fleckenstein of Grossheidbach (Großheubach) was selected by the basilica of Saints Peter and Alexander in Aschaffenburg to act as collector of the basilica’s timber assessments, rents and mortgages in the city of Miltenberg and its surroundings.

1604/05 Adam Fleckenstein is Mitbestaender and partner at the newly established glassworks in Breitmannsgrund at Habichsthal.

In 1617 the following Fleckensteins are mentioned in the bondsmen list of the Tithe for the Spessart (the glassmakers are not included because they were free people):

Hans Fleckenstein, born in Habichsthal, wife from Wiesen, 16 year resident in Habichsthal

Cuntz Fleckenstein, born in Habichsthal, wife from Frammersbach, 8 years resident in Habichsthal

Hans Fleckenstein, wife from Habichsthal, 2 years resident in Habichsthal

Cuntz Fleckenstein, wife from Heigenbruecken, 27 years resident in Habichsthal

Ciliax Fleckenstein, wife from Heigenbruecken, 10 years resident in Habichsthal

Hans Fleckenstein, wife from Habichsthal, 10 year resident in Habichsthal

Cirax Fleckenstein, citizen in Neuhütten, born in Habichsthal, 12 years resident in Neuhütten with his wife

Paul Fleckenstein, born in Habichsthal, 50 years resident in Heigenbruecken with wife from Heigenbruecken.

In 1626 this same Paul Fleckenstein appears in the tax records of Heigenbruecken.

1626 Heinrich Fleckenstein founded a glassworks at what later became the village Heinrichsthal.

1627 Jakob Fleckenstein is named as a joint owner at the glassworks in Schollbuch (Ziroffglashuette with Schollbrunn). This glassworks was completely destroyed in 1631 due to the effect of war (Swedish incident).

1628 Johannes, legitimate son of Jakob Fleckenstein, was baptized at the glassworks in Schollbuch. Entry parish register Hasloch, 17 November 1628.

On 27 December, 1630 baptism of the Johann Jakobus Fleckenstein as above (from book Ziroffglashuette of Tochtermann).

1631 Jakob Fleckenstein founded a new glassworks at what later became the village Jakobsthal.

1633 In the Swedish taxregister (St. A. Wueb. MRA VI/1/102) the following Fleckensteins appear: Hans, of Heigenbruecken; Hans the young, as well as Hans and Endres, of Habichsthal; Ciliax of Neuhütten, who was previously specified in the 1617 bondsmen directory.

1650 Jakob Fleckenstein buys a Hofreith from Faulhaber in Schoellkrippen (St. A. Wueb. Gueterbeschr. folio 37, page 22).

1650 Hans Fleckenstein buys a house, ½ barn from Adam Dotzler for 220 guldens in Oberbessenbach (St. A. Wueb. description of goods folio 37, page 8).

1656 A Harth and a Henric Fleckenstein appear in the forest bureau description of Rothenbuch at Habichsthal.

1656 Jakob Fleckenstein founded a new glassworks, the KNIPPHUETTE.

1660 listed at the glassworks of the forest bureau Rothenbuch are Jakob Fleckenstein, the master, Postel Fleckenstein and Hans Jakob Fleckenstein (he is certainly the son of Jakob born in Schollbrunn), these are listed under Jakobsthal

With Habichsthal are specified:

Heinrich Fleckenstein, Harth Fleckenstein and Balder Fleckenstein.

1664 entry in the parish register in Sailauf: Philipp Fleckenstein son of Heinrich Fleckenstein of the glassworks marries Barbara Völker of Laufach. In 1671 this Philipp established glassworks in Laufach, however by 1673 they closed.

1667 glassworks master Heinrich Fleckenstein dies, his heirs are named as Bestaender.

1675 specified in the homage payments for the archbishop of Mainz are:

in Heigenbruecken: Stoffel Fleckenstein, Witeb

in Habichsthal: Enter, Peter, Hartmann and Hans Fleckenstein

in Hessenthal: Hans Fleckenstein

in Oberafferbach: Bastian Fleckenstein

in Wiesen: Hartmann Fleckenstein

in Frammersbach: Hans Fleckenstein, Witeb

in Wiesthal on the Rueh: Andreas Fleckenstein

1675 the Church of St. Peter and Alexander in Aschaffenburg acknowledged Barthol Fleckenstein and Hans Fuchs, both from Oberbessenbach, as masters of building of churches to receive an anticipated payment of 200 guldens. (St. A. A. Tielsche Reg.)

1676 The glassworks master Jakob Fleckenstein, in a letter to the archbishop of Mainz, petitioned to be allowed to establish a village for his 16 children and 53 grandchildren, today's Jakobsthal.

1677 Heinrich Fleckenstein is named as master of the Breitenborn/Luetzel glassworks.

1678 The Fleckenstein name is mentioned in Krombach.

1679 Jakob Fleckenstein the glassworks master dies.

1689 The glassworks of Jakob Fleckenstein, the Knoepphuette are closed.

After the 30 Year War, the FLECKENSTEIN name appears in places, which have nothing to do with glass making:

On 20.1.1670, Heinrich Fleckenstein son of Jakob married Barbara Weber, daughter of Melchior of Schöllkrippen.

On 23.3.1672 Jakob Fleckenstein, son of Jois of Schöllkrippen married Magdalena Trenker, daughter of Jois of Sonderkahl.

In November 1678 Henricus Fleckenstein, son of Heinrich, was born in Krombach. On 28.7.1681 an Adamus with the same parents was born.

1664 In Sailauf the first marriage of the Philipp mentioned above is entered.

1682 Johann Ulrich Fleckenstein married Anna Maria Staab.

1691 Balthasar Fleckenstein married Magdalena Zeichenberger (Weiberhof).

1695 Heinrich of Laufach married Katharina Mueller.

1695 a Johann Adam, son of the Heinrich of the glassworks, married Margaretha Heeg of Feldkahl.

In Hoesbach the name Fleckenstein is mentioned on 6 January 1696 with the baptism of Johann Balthasar Roth. Balthasar Fleckenstein of Weiberhof is godfather (the Fleckensteins are mentioned in Weiberhof as farmers and millers).

The first birth in Hoesbach is on 9.8.1696: Johann Adam, son of Johann Adam and Anna Margaretha, is baptized. The godfather was Johann Adam Reinhard of Hoesbach.

1700 The death of Philipp Fleckenstein is registered in the parish register of St. Agatha parish in Aschaffenburg.

1710 The death of Conrad Fleckenstein 40 years old appears in the book of the Mother of God parish. Likewise the marriage of the Margaretha Fleckenstein of Schweinheim with Johann König.

1714-1737 Johann Adam Fleckenstein was Landschoeff in Hoesbach

1700-1719 Friedrich Fleckenstein was glassworks master in Sommergrund (Schöllkrippen).

1700-1726 Balthasar Fleckenstein was mentioned as glassworks master in Ruppertshuetten.

1720 Balthasar Fleckenstein was named leader of the Frammersbach and Ruppertshuetten consortium of glassmakers.

1721 The glassworks at Sommergrund bei Schöllkrippen are mentioned. Friedrich Fleckenstein is glassworks master (Sommergrund-Sommerkahl).

1754 Johann Adam (Hanadam) Fleckenstein was named Landschoeff in Hoesbach

1754 in the Hofreithbuch of Hoesbach, Hanadam Fleckenstein is specified as the second highest taxpayer after Herr (lord) von Ostein, before Herr (lord) von Steinmetz. He must have had already a great deal of property under his own possession. Also Margaretha, the wife of Hanadam, is specially specified with properties.

1758 Margaretha Fleckenstein was named in Ruppertshuetten. (St. A. W.)

1773-1794 Jakob Fleckenstein was Landschoeff in Hoesbach

1782 Hannes Fleckenstein bought the stonecutter yard in Hoesbach.

1779 Hans George Fleckenstein was Landschoeff in Laufach.

1782 Johann Fleckenstein, son of the miller Johann Fleckenstein of Weiberhof, married Dorothea Schmidt, daughter of the count Schönborn of the Hofbauers Peter Phil. Schmidt von Weiler.

1784/88 A Schultheis Fleckenstein is mentioned in Laufach.

1790 Joerg Fleckenstein is mentioned as a tenant of the community’s property in Laufach.

1795-1822 Paul Fleckenstein, son of Jakob Fleckenstein, was selected as bachelor to the Maire (municipality chief) of Hoesbach. He had to marry before he could assume the office.

1802 Paul Fleckenstein of Hoesbach sold a house with 11 Ruden and 1/2 cellar beside Joh. Rausch to Philipp Albert on 26.3.1802 (G.A.H.)

1804 Adam Freund and Johann Joerg buy the treasurable yard property or also small Guetchen mentioned, at the forest yard, from the St. Peter and Alexander basilica.

1807 Joh. George Fleckenstein was a miller at Weiberhof. (St. A. W.)

1808 Jakob Fleckenstein of Hoesbach married the Hofbauertochter daughter Anna Eva Joerg. The assessable church property goes through this marriage into the possession of Jakob Fleckenstein.

1823/42 Adam Fleckenstein was municipality chief for 19 years in Hoesbach.

1830 The former stonecutter yard was divided into 7 units by its owner Adam Fleckenstein.

1848 Franz Heeg took over what is called Berteshof in our time, after its last possessor Engelbert Heeg through his wife Theresa, born Fleckenstein, from her parents Adam Fleckenstein (former municipality chief) and Appolonia, born Seibert.

1848 After the death of Adam Fleckenstein a retirement house is built for his widow Appolonia at Schöllkrippener Str. 11, corner of Seusstraße.

The Fleckensteins or Flaeckensteins are an old Rhinelander aristocracy family, which later held the titles of gentlemen and barons. In the Rothenbürg tournament rolls from 942, a Henricus Fleckenstein is mentioned. A Wolfgang attended the 969 Merseburg tournament, while a Wilhelmus Fleckenstein is mentioned in the 1019 one (from the Universal Lexikon). The formal noble origins of the family begin however only with Heinrich of Fleckenstein who was Reichsschultheis to Hagenau in 1250. A document from 1129 mentions: Mrs. Gutta gives, with the agreement of her son Gottfried von Fleckenstein, considerable goods and income from the villages of Mattstall, Hirschtal, Schoenau, Niedersteinbach and other villages lying near Weissenburg to the abbey Walburg in the holy forest. Since all these localities were Allodium or possessions of an owner, there are two possibilities: either the Fleckensteins were entrusted with the castle crown by the emperor, because they were already an aristocratic family long resident in the Alsace, or they had acquired the localities by purchase or marriage. Which presupposes again that they already lived for several generations in the area and on the Fleckenstein castle.

Anyhow they are so directly connected with the Fleckenstein castle that the castle and the area around it was regarded in later years no longer as an imperial fiefdom, but the possession of the knights and lords von Fleckenstein.

In the 10^th and 11^th centuries the aristocracy generally began to strengthen and expand its rule. Characteristic of this power was the establishment of elevated castles on particularly favorable places, as at this spot where Alsace, Lorraine, and the Palatinate meet. The castle is situated halfway between the imperial palaces Kaiserslautern and Hagenau in the holy forest. Also primary transit routes crossed here, north-south from the Pfalz to Woerth over Lembach, and east-west from Bitsch to the Rhine.

The Fleckenstein mountaincastle is not far from Lembach and Weißenburg. It is on an uncommonly high rock. The rock block is 52 meters long, 6 to 8 meters wide and 40 meters high. Many rooms and Gemaecher and also the stairs are direct carved from the rock. To create such a castle must have been a unique technical performance at that time!

It is understood that the Fleckenstein nobles, moving outward from their master castle, acquired numerous fiefdoms, advancing forward to the Rhine. Thus from the well-off Church of Cologne, they acquired as a fiefdom the city Sulz (also in Alsace) with the surrounding places. Their activity as ministers to the imperial palace at Hagenau brought them, beside the (chamberlain’s fiefdom), important advantages of land accumulation, such as the fastened place Beinheim with the eleven localities of the Uffriets. The barony covered over 40 localities and villages. The wide-ranging holdings or the fiefdom of the Fleckensteins extended from Basel to Lahnstein. There were also possessions on the right side of the Rhine in Baden. As was previously noted, the knights of Fleckenstein were mentioned in 10^th century rider tournaments. In 1129 we hear again of the Fleckensteins by the deed of donation of the Mrs. Gutta. 1174/75 and 1189 Gottfried von Fleckenstein with his brothers Friedrich I and Konrad was called as a witness before the Stauferkaiser Friedrich I (called Barbarossa) in the imperial palace Hagenau.

Wolfgang I is mentioned 1206/07 and 1208 in Hagenau. From 1238 to 1242 he is named as designer of the Franciscan cloisters in Hagenau, with his brother Heinrich. Heinrich is Reichsschultheis in Hagenau; he is mentioned in many documents as faithful to the emperor. He built the chapel of the Augustin cloisters in Marienbronn in 1237. The family of the Fleckensteins grew in size and significance; in the federal political realm, it also played an important role. In the following paragraphs, some details of the lives of the Fleckenstein nobles are included, in order to give an impression of the importance of this family.

The family split into 3 lines in 1250. The Reichsschultheis Heinrich I had 6 sons and 2 daughters. 3 became clergyman, Peter, Anselm and Heinrich became Domherren (canons) in Speyer. The daughter Catharina married the knight Eberhard von Landsberg. Adelheit married the count Eberhard II von Andlau; they were the progenitors of the flourishing counts von Andlau. The 3 older sons initiated the ruling families that followed. Wolfram founded what was later known as the Dagstuhl line, which became extinct in 1644. Knight Friedrich was the first in the Sulz line, which died out in 1351. Knight Rudolf was the founder of the Bickenbach Roedern line. Heinrich Jakob was the last baron von Fleckenstein. He died on 26 April 1720; his headstone is in the church at Buehl.

In the imperial palace Hagenau the Fleckensteins played a large role, they held the Kaemmererlehen (the chamberlain’s fiefdom). They were castle or Landvogte (castle or land regional administrators). In 1248 Heinrich was appointed the Reichsschultheis, i.e. he became representative of the realm for all districts dependent on the administrative center Hagenau. Jakob II was Schultheis in Hagenau from 1483 to 1487 and Landvogt in the UnterAlsace from1493 to 1504. He married Veronika von Andlau. In the St. George church in Hagenau, he endowed the Jakob chapel addition as a place for the graves for himself and his wife.

The Fleckensteins were also close with the prince electors of the Palatinate. After the prince electors acquired the emperor’s crown, we always find Fleckensteins in their service. So the office of Hofmarschall (lord stewart) in Heidelberg was directly hereditary in the family.

Up to the Reformation, sons that had not inherited ruling power stepped into religious positions, where they often reached high stature. Thus Heinrich became bishop of Speyer in 1290, Johann I was named abbott of Selz and Worms in 1409 and from 1423 to 1436 prince bishop of Basel. Another Heinrich was provost to Selz in 1519, Jakob was Dechant (dean) and Domherr (canon) to Trier and Speyer in 1519, Diether 1548 provost to Selz etc. For 26 years, Ludwig, son of Jakob II, was Großhofmeister of the Palatinate. He married Ursula von Ingelheim. In 1536 their daughter Anna married Friedrich Kämmerer von Worms, who took the name von Dalberg. Their son Wolfgang was prince bishop of Mainz from 1582 to 1601. Jakob III was Vogt in Germersheim. He married Barbara von Ingelheim.

Ursula, born in 1553 of the Dagstuhl line, married the count Emich von Leiningen in 1577. They were the progenitors of the line of counts of Leiningen and, through their heirs, of the queen of Prussia and the ancestors of the German emperors Wilhelm I, Friedrich II and William II; the Grand Duke of Hessen Nassau; the Russian emperor, etc. Friedrich, of the Bickenbach line, took a quite special position in history. He was a Kurpfaelzi captain and land farmhand leader under Frundsberg, in the battle with Pavia. Upon the illness of Frundsberg, he led the land farmhands in 1527 to the taking of Rome. The plundering of this metropolitan city seems to have brought him advantages. After he returned to his homeland, he built himself a new manorhouse at Hochweiler bei Sulz.

For 30 years Ludwig I was Oberhofmarschall (lord stewart) to Heidelberg and played a role during the initiation of the Reformation that cannot be underestimated. Ludwig II was also lord stewart in Heidelberg. His son Friedrich was Stadthalter (cityholder) of the margrave of Baden in Durlach. He married the hereditary daughter of the Windeck barony, to which he likewise added the name Fleckenstein.

All of his sons entered military service. Gottfried fell during the siege of Vesoul in 1639. George Heinrich became a general of the Bavarian troops. In contrast Friedrich Wolfgang was in the French army, where he was appointed marshal de camp by Louis XIV. His nephew Heinrich Jakob resided in the Trimbach palace, where he died as the last member of the barons of Fleckenstein line at the age of 82 years. Philip Jakob was a Colonel. He fell in 1622 in the imperial palace Wimpfen, where there is still today another beautiful tomb.

The fact that the Fleckenstein nobles could play a so successful role in the history of the realm, was based not alone on the gift for military and administrative natures, but also that their marriages were blessed with children. Fleckenstein young maidens were desired marriage candidates as well. They married into very well known aristocratic houses. So for example von Cronberg, von Helmstadt, von Hanau-Lichtenberg, die Kämmerer von Worms who adopted the name von Dalberg, von Leiningen, von Ingelheim and others.

In the castle at Aschaffenburg is a coat of arms of the prince elector and archbishop of Mainz, Wolfgang von Dalberg from the year 1586. This is surrounded by 16 smaller coats of arms. The Fleckenstein coat of arms is one of them. His mother Anna von Fleckenstein married Friedrich Kämmerer von Worms, who adopted the name von Dalberg. Anna's mother was a von Ingelheim; thus in Mespelbrunn castle coats of arms of Fleckenstein also exist.

The Spessart

This large forest area in the Mainviereck, a square region defined by the path of the Main river, was in earliest times the hunting ground of the Teutons. Most likely the Romans had not penetrated into the Spessart, as their boundary ran along the Main from Wertheim over Miltenberg-Obernburg-Stockstadt in the Taunus. The remains of the Limes, the border wall of the old Roman empire, prove that. The earliest recorded history of the area begins with Clovis the Frank in 481.

The period 481 to 751 was the Merovingian era. Merovingian Franks declared all conquered country as the king’s property. The king delivered a portion as freely hereditary property to his attendants. He gave to subjects another portion that required the payment of interest. From his own holdings, he granted sections as fiefdoms. In addition state and church offices were assigned as fiefdoms.

Christianity arrives.

The Carolingian era lasted from 752 to 911. (Aschaffenburg was already in existence.) In 885 the wife of the east Frankish king Ludwig III was laid to rest in Aschaffenburg. Her husband was buried in Lorch on the Rhine. Pipin the Small would have already possessed a hunting lodge in Rorenbach (today's Neustadt am Main). The last lay ruler that hunted in the Spessart was emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa, who was often drawn from his castle Gelnhausen into the Spessart. Also in the Kahlgrund region near Schoellkrippen he possessed a hunting seat. To Charles the Great belonged the hunting lodge Ravensburg; it is thought to have stood on the soil of today's Aschaffenburg palace. Until the 10^th century the Spessart was the property of the German kings. In 974 was the large game spell donation. In addition to other property, the Spessart was given to the Stiftskirche, the Church of Saints Peter and Alexander in Aschaffenburg, by Duke Otto I of Swabia and Bavaria, with grant of the emperor Otto II. Owing to this donation the Stiftskirche became the most important landholder in the lower Main region.

About 982/83 the independence of the (Aschaffenburg) Church came to an end. The archbishop of Mainz was now the landholder and head of the area in and around Aschaffenburg under the authority of the king. At the time the bishops were officials of the realm as it were. Aschaffenburg became for centuries the administrative focal point and office seat of the archbishop's deputy, the Vizedominus. In the year 1111 the cure prince Adalbert I began to establish a palace in Aschaffenburg, which disintegrated generations ago. In the Spessart hunting seats were then built, Weiberhof, Schloss Mole at Heimbuchenthal, Wiesen in the northern Spessart and later Rothenbuch and others.

The grants went in the way of fiefdoms to aristocratic families and ministers, which we find also in Aschaff- and Bessenbachtal. The Stift (Church) provost was the liegelord and assigned the parishes boundaries. Independent churches developed in Bessenbach in 1184, Hoesbach in 1189, Obernau in 1191 and other places.

The Rieneck family derived their influence in the Spessart from their position as Voegte (administrators or officers) of the Mainz church and the basilica of St. Peter and Alexander in Aschaffenburg. By the 11^th century they were recognized as counts von Rieneck and the lords von Loon in the Vorspessart. In the 12^th century Ludwig I von Rieneck und Loon was city prefect in Mainz, Vogt of the Aschaffenburg basilica and vice-chancellor. He held the title of count in the Spessart forest and the Erbtruchsassenamt, and with it the lordship over the free people and the king's people connected with the Spessart. These free people lived excellently in Laufach and Aschafftal and in today's so-called free court. The lords von Weiler were vassals of the lords von Rieneck. The counts von Rieneck had possessions in the entire Nordspessart area and also in the Elsavatal.

In the 12^th century the counts von Rieneck were named as hereditary forest masters over the Spessart. The male line of the counts von Rieneck became extinct in 1559.