Unterwart
Encyclopedia
Unterwart or Alsóőr is a village in Burgenland
, Austria
, in the district of Oberwart
(Hun: Felsőőr). The village lies on the banks of the Pinka
river, and it had a population of 964 in 2001 (without Eisenzicken
only 724). Unterwart is the only settlement in Austria with an ethnic Hungarian majority. It is part of the Upper Őrség
microregion, a small Hungarian language island together with Oberwart and Siget in der Wart
(Őrisziget).
(gyepű). The population was made up of Hungarian frontier guards (őr), probably related to the Székelys of Transylvania. The guards constituted a free, privileged community. Alsóőr belonged to the old county
of Vas
until 1921.
In 1327 King Charles I of Hungary
confirmed the rights of the villagers and ranked them among the nobles. Although later they lost their military significance, the noble őrs kept their privileges and defended them resolutely against the intentions of big landowners. The Hungarian Parliament confirmed their rights several times (1478, 1498, 1547).
The society of Alsóőr in the 18-19th centuries was made up of two class, the nobles (nobilis) and the non-nobles (agilis). The lands of village were the property of Community of the Nobles. The agilis only used some parts of it or made their living from handicrafts like boot-making, book-binding, turnering etc. In the middle of the 19th century 47 different crafts were practiced in the village, and the taylors even established their own guilde.
In the Age of Reformation the people of Alsóőr converted to Lutheranism but - contrary to the neighbouring Felsőőr - later they returned to the Roman Catholic faith. The village became an independent parish in 1808.
In 1921 the village became part of the Republic of Austria after the Treaty of Trianon
although the Hungarians of the Felső-Őrség opposed the change. Unterwart remained a poor agricultural community well until the 1970's. In the first part of the 20th century a lot of people emigrated to the United States
.
After World War II Unterwart/Alsóőr underwent a thorough modernization and industrialization with the building of roads, civic buildings, sewage canals and the regulation of the Pinka. In the recent past a new club house, fitness centre, doctor's office and two-storey houses were built giving a modern appearance to the village.
In 1971 the neighbouring small German village of Eisenzicken
was merged into Unterwart.
According to the visitation report of dean István Kazó in 1697 the village of Alsóőr had a little church built of wood with a painted ceiling. In 1769 the Community of Nobles erected the present-day stone church with a tower. It was enlarged in 1833. The main altar is decorated with the wooden statues of St. Stephen, King of Hungary and his son, St. Emericus. The baroque Column of the Virgin Mary was erected in the first half of the 18th century in front of the church.
The village museum was established in 1973 by Mayor Ernő Szabó. Two old peasant houses (No. 208 and 209) were bought to accommodate the largest Hungarian ethnographic collection in Burgenland. The two houses with a complete furniture give an interesting insight into the life of the peasants of Alsóőr in the 19-20th centuries. In 1995 the museum was visited by Hungarian President Árpád Göncz
and his Austrian colleague, Thomas Klestil
.
There are approximately 30 old peasant houses in Unterwart/Alsóőr. They are typical examples of the architecture of the Felső-Őrség with varied porches and stuccoed gables.
Burgenland
Burgenland is the easternmost and least populous state or Land of Austria. It consists of two Statutarstädte and seven districts with in total 171 municipalities. It is 166 km long from north to south but much narrower from west to east...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, in the district of Oberwart
Oberwart
Oberwart or Felsőőr is a town in Burgenland in southeast Austria on the banks of the Pinka River, and the capital of the district of the same name...
(Hun: Felsőőr). The village lies on the banks of the Pinka
Pinka
The Pinka is a river in Central Europe with a length of approximately 55 km. Its source is located in Styria, eastern Austria, next to the provincial border of Burgenland. It passes into Hungary between the villages of Burg and Felsőcsatár, and crosses the Austrian-Hungarian border five times....
river, and it had a population of 964 in 2001 (without Eisenzicken
Eisenzicken
Eisenzicken is a small community in Burgenland, Austria that belongs to the neighbouring village of Unterwart . It had a population of 240 in 2001....
only 724). Unterwart is the only settlement in Austria with an ethnic Hungarian majority. It is part of the Upper Őrség
Upper Orség
Upper Őrség is a traditional ethnographic region and a small Hungarian language island in southern Burgenland, Austria. It consists the town of Oberwart and the two villages of Unterwart and Siget in der Wart . The population of the three settlement was 7694 according to the 2001 census...
microregion, a small Hungarian language island together with Oberwart and Siget in der Wart
Siget in der Wart
Siget in der Wart or Őrisziget is a small village in Burgenland, Austria, in the district of Oberwart . The village lies on the banks of the Zicken Bach and administratively belongs to the neighbouring town of Rotenturm an der Pinka . According to the 2001 census it had a population of 274...
(Őrisziget).
History
The village was established together with Felsőőr (today Oberwart) in the early Middle Ages. As the name of the villages indicates they were part of the border-zone of the Kingdom of HungaryKingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
(gyepű). The population was made up of Hungarian frontier guards (őr), probably related to the Székelys of Transylvania. The guards constituted a free, privileged community. Alsóőr belonged to the old county
Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary)
A county is the name of a type of administrative units in the Kingdom of Hungary and in Hungary from the 10th century until the present day....
of Vas
Vas
Vas is the name of an administrative county in present Hungary, and also in the former Kingdom of Hungary. The county is a part of the Centrope Project.-Geography:...
until 1921.
In 1327 King Charles I of Hungary
Charles I of Hungary
Charles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
confirmed the rights of the villagers and ranked them among the nobles. Although later they lost their military significance, the noble őrs kept their privileges and defended them resolutely against the intentions of big landowners. The Hungarian Parliament confirmed their rights several times (1478, 1498, 1547).
The society of Alsóőr in the 18-19th centuries was made up of two class, the nobles (nobilis) and the non-nobles (agilis). The lands of village were the property of Community of the Nobles. The agilis only used some parts of it or made their living from handicrafts like boot-making, book-binding, turnering etc. In the middle of the 19th century 47 different crafts were practiced in the village, and the taylors even established their own guilde.
In the Age of Reformation the people of Alsóőr converted to Lutheranism but - contrary to the neighbouring Felsőőr - later they returned to the Roman Catholic faith. The village became an independent parish in 1808.
In 1921 the village became part of the Republic of Austria after the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
although the Hungarians of the Felső-Őrség opposed the change. Unterwart remained a poor agricultural community well until the 1970's. In the first part of the 20th century a lot of people emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
After World War II Unterwart/Alsóőr underwent a thorough modernization and industrialization with the building of roads, civic buildings, sewage canals and the regulation of the Pinka. In the recent past a new club house, fitness centre, doctor's office and two-storey houses were built giving a modern appearance to the village.
In 1971 the neighbouring small German village of Eisenzicken
Eisenzicken
Eisenzicken is a small community in Burgenland, Austria that belongs to the neighbouring village of Unterwart . It had a population of 240 in 2001....
was merged into Unterwart.
Sights
- Roman Catholic Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
According to the visitation report of dean István Kazó in 1697 the village of Alsóőr had a little church built of wood with a painted ceiling. In 1769 the Community of Nobles erected the present-day stone church with a tower. It was enlarged in 1833. The main altar is decorated with the wooden statues of St. Stephen, King of Hungary and his son, St. Emericus. The baroque Column of the Virgin Mary was erected in the first half of the 18th century in front of the church.
- Village Museum (Falumúzeum, Heimathaus)
The village museum was established in 1973 by Mayor Ernő Szabó. Two old peasant houses (No. 208 and 209) were bought to accommodate the largest Hungarian ethnographic collection in Burgenland. The two houses with a complete furniture give an interesting insight into the life of the peasants of Alsóőr in the 19-20th centuries. In 1995 the museum was visited by Hungarian President Árpád Göncz
Árpád Göncz
Árpád Göncz is a Hungarian liberal politician and former President of Hungary . Göncz played a role in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956...
and his Austrian colleague, Thomas Klestil
Thomas Klestil
Thomas Klestil was an Austrian diplomat and politician. He was elected the tenth President of Austria in 1992 and was re-elected to the position in 1998...
.
- Peasant Houses
There are approximately 30 old peasant houses in Unterwart/Alsóőr. They are typical examples of the architecture of the Felső-Őrség with varied porches and stuccoed gables.