During the years that followed Kyritz received the authority to
press coins and carry out free shipping. The development of the
Knatter mill channel, Kyritz received its identification as "Kyritz
at the (river) Knatter". The beginning of the 14. century saw the
construction of a finishing of the town wall. To this day some
pieces are still to be found.
Another important building of this period is the Franciscan
cloister that was built around the 14 Th. and 15 Th. century. A
famous German monk, called Matthias DÜring, spent his last years
there. He was a doctor of theology, professor at Erfurt University
and general minister of the Franciscan order. His complete
theological works were written in Kyritz.
1359 is the first evidence for the membership of Kyritz to the
Hanseatic League.
In memory of the battles of 1381 and 1411 with the Mecklenburg west
Pomeranian knight, baron Bassewitz, celebrations are carried out to
this day. The town resisted successful, captured and put him
finally into prison. This victory is still celebrated every year by
the citizens of Kyritz.
Online-Card
Kyritz
In 1147 the lords of Plotho founded a German fortress in Kyritz to protect them selves in the captured area within formal Slavic region. Influenced by the colonization process a suburban settlement developed near the fortress, which became the foundation of the town of Kyritz. The first written reference of a place called Kyritz (Slavic: kyrisz) dates to the year of 1232. In 1237 the lords of Plotho brought law and order to the town under Stendal`s authority.
photo by Konstantin Normann
photo by Konstantin Normann
The town's treasures including the sword of Bassewitz and civic
bible of 1478 can be seen in the civic hall.
During the last centuries many fires have destroyed large parts of
the town. A huge Black Death epidemic also claimed many lives.
Textile manufacture, bakeries, brewers, shoemakers and tailors
determined the image of the town. In Kyritz every citizen had the
right to brew his own beer. The characteristic brown beeMord und
Totschlag" ("murder and man slaughter") became very famous and was
sold in many other Hanseatic towns since the middle ages.
The 30-year war (1618-1648) brought great hardship to Kyritz. It
suffered under forced billeting, payments and vandalism caused by
the troops on march. Kyritz was nearly completely destroyed and its
population decreased by two thirds.
Only in 1714 after a hundred years of devastation was it able to
rebuild and ordained the town church.
photo by Konstantin Normann
From 1718 on Kyritz became a garrison town. After Napoleons victory
over Prussia in 1801 Kyritz was occupied by French troops. In
memory of this time a memorial was built to remember the citizens
Schulze and Kersten, who were shot by the occupying French forces.
In 1817 Kyritz received district authority in the newly formed
district of Ostprignitz and became the seating residence of the
provincial government.
The resulting council house, then situated in the center of the
market place, was burned down in 1825. In 1833 the new council
house was opened at the current location, it was also rebuilt in
1880.
In the end of the 19. century, during the period of industrial
expansion, a lot of important changes took place in the town. For
instance the erection of the provincial government building, the
construction of a starch factory. This being the largest company in
town. Further the inauguration of a small railway company, the
inauguration of the dairy co-operative and the founding of the
teacher's seminar for further education of elementary school
teachers.
After world war II Kyritz`s name became known nation wide via
political reasons. Wilhelm Pieck, chairman of the KPD (Communist
Party Deutschland) explained the concept of the land reform here in
1945. This concept was then used by the occupying Russian forces
and applied in the East German system.
Kyritz and the Hanseatic League
photo by Konstantin Normann
There is proof that Kyritz has its membership in the Hanseatic
League since 1358. The first written reference of its Hanseatic
status is dated 1359.
Its economical embodiment today is of a trading and commercial
town. Long distance and intermediate trades are combining with the
function of a regional market center in an agricultural region. An
important aspect of being a member of the Hanseatic League is the
extended trade network that exists between traders.
Trading connections dating back to the 13th and 14th century
between the margraviate traders via the Kyritz hanseatic traders
allowed an extension of their economical relations into the Baltic
region and included Hamburg and Flanders.
Kyritz is situated on the old post road between Berlin and Hamburg. Most influential for the long distance trade were the waterways over the river Elbe and its side tributaries. The importance of waterways can be seen by the law of free shipping given to the citizens of Kyritz in 1259 by the Lords of Plotho. This applied to the regional river Jäglitz that connects with the Elbe. The law states in a paragraph that no mill or dam should obstruct the free movement of the river.
photo by Konstantin Normann
For the inhabitants of Kyritz the trade with cereals and textiles is of most importance. Additionally is also the trade with wool, wood, flax and hops. In Hamburg Kyritz`traders were able to buy flandrian textiles, fish, metal, wine, spices and other tradable materials.
Trading connections with the hanseatic town of Lübeck are referred to in the 14. century, Kyritz traders received toll exemption from Lübeck. The last reference of Kyritz as a hanseatic town refers to 1417.
In 1980 the Dutch town Zwolle reanimated the hanseatic tradition in modern times, and called it called the modern hanseatic days. The 13 Th Hanseatic day took place in Münster between the 12 and 15th of August in 1993; here Kyritz also first took part. Since then Kyritz has actively participated in the hanseatic days and is an official member of the modern Hanseatic League.