| Following the familytrack towards medieval.... |
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If we follow our familys traces chronologically backwards, we will also find where our forefathers lived. On May 7 in 1722 Otto Wilhelm von Knorring arrived in todays Sweden. In his passport he is described as "of tall character, dark eyebrows, 39 years of age". There is a lot of fascinating stories to be read about him in our family book. He was an officer, and he had participated in several battles in Russia. A huge amount of battles are described, together with details about places and other datas. The geography of todays Sweden really differs from what it was at that time. Otto Wilhelm did propably not consider himself as an immigrant into Sweden. Sweden at that time was much greater, as it also included todays Finland. Todays Baltic countries was also a part of Sweden. From his point of view he did his journey within Sweden. Before our forefathers came to the Baltic countries they can be found in Eichsfeld, almost in the middle of todays Germany. The first of our family who left Eichsfeld for the Baltics where a Heinrich Knorr, born ca 1400. From January 22 1441 we know he owned the Baltic estate Pelzen. The time for him heading west, his old and new settlements and his origin in one of the most important nobel families under the arch bishop of Mainz strongly indicates that he was a knight crusader, participating in one of the crusades towards the Baltics at this time. So, at the time for his arrival into the Baltics, we found our ancestors in what´s todays mid Germany. And this is also where we found the original documents, the base on which our family research lies. These documents are kept in the city archives of Mühlhausen, Göttingen, Duderstadt and Magdeburg. And the city archive of Duderstadt also provides these documents for free on the internet. A search there for "Knorr", and You will see some documents from the 15th century, and with seals. In Eichsfeld, of mid Germanys Thuringia, we find the oldest known traces of our forefathers, of the oldest German nobility and knights on the castle of Rusteberg. This castle was the most important posession under the archbishop of Mainz, and was situated close to its eastern border. At this time not only the kings was the rulers, the church was of at least the same power. That is why parts of the present Eichsfeld was lying under the arch bishop of Mainz, and in order to protect his interests and territories the castel of Rusteberg was needed. Apparently our forefathers did have the needed qualifications as they where engaged his governors on the Rusteberg castle.
Close to Rusteberg there is a minor village named Uder. The research published in our family chronicle shows that Uder was the origin from where the governors of Rusteberg came. In the old documents they bear names as Gunterus, Odelricus, Hartwicus and Decelinus etc. As these documents are written in latin, it is supposed that the mentioned persons where called something else, but rather similar. In Uder there is an especially interesting place with some kind of connection. In 1938 B. Siebert writes in his book "Uder und seine Geschichte", the history of Uder, both of the Knorr´s wells, and the v. Knorr estates. In his book there are also some photographies of these places.
And the name of the Knorr´s wells (die Knorr´sche Quelle) is still alive among the elderly persons in Uder, atleast by the two ladies interested of the local history that I met. As water (and waterpower) was a very important supply it is not that strange the name of the place is still remembered, especially as Uder never was developed in to a city, but remained as a small village. The Knorr´s wells, or mererly the Knorr well is therefore still to be seen, despite its central location in the Uder village. Although some drainage for the needs of today has been made, the clear water can still be seen pouring within the private area. Outside it fluids in a narrow concrete canals parallel to the street. Even the buildings shown in the Siebert book of Uder are possible to identify. The can hardly have anything at all in common to the buildings from the 1100th century, except for their names and position. When also adding the fact that the adress is the Smithy Alley (Schmiedegasse), it strengthens the hypothesis that the seal used here by our forefathers in the 1100th century shows an anvil. Summary The oldest known origin of our family is dated at the 1100th century, and in todays mid Germany. The source (in its dubbel sense) is still to be seen in Uder, some kilometers west of Thuringias capitol Mühlhausen. Thereafter, from the first half of the 1500th century, the origin leads towards the Baltics, and from May 7 in 1722 the family is present in Sweden, plus the remining branches with relatives within the earlier settlements. The without comparison greatest branch of von Knorring relatives of today is the one within Sweden, counting with about 200 members.
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