Spiegelau – History
The systematic clearing and settlement of the forested area around Spiegelau began as early as the late middle ages. Even at that time, the rulers attempted to bring in as much tax and duties from their subjects as possible. This required exact knowledge of what people owned, which was then meticulously listed in registers. As a result, we know today that the towns of “Kreitzperg” (now Oberkreuzberg), “Chlingprun” (now Klingenbrunn), Palmberg, Langdorf and Hirschschlag all already existed in 1395, as did the Augrub and Winkelhof estates. In fact, fragments found dating back to the early gothic period prove that settlements must have been founded here at least 100 years earlier.
At the end of the 15th century, locals began to use the plentiful wood supply and quartz deposits in the area to make glass. In Hirschschlag, a glassworks was established during this period which produced “Patterl” (glass beads). Glass was also produced in Klingenbrunn. Spiegelau was founded as the location of a glassworks during this period. In 1521, the Grafenau-based merchant Erasmus Mospurger, who also held citizenship rights in Passau, bequeathed both glassworks in Spiglaw (Spiegelau) and Klingenprun (Klingenbrunn) to Grafenau parish church in his will. This is the earliest document to prove the existence of Spiegelau as the site of a glassworks. The corresponding glassworks estate with manor house, farm, brewery and houses for the staff was located in Klingenbrunn and remained there until the 19th century.
It is said that a “real” town should (at least) have an inn and a church. The largest town in the area up until into the 19th century was Oberkreuzberg. The town has had a church since 1607 (as an auxiliary church for Schönberg parish), which served the other towns and estates. The small village of Palmberg is mentioned in the 16th century as an “Obmannschaft” (which is comparable to the current definition of municipality), which also governed over Langdorf, Klingenbrunn, Hirschschlag, Holzmühle and Pronfelden.
When, in 1832, the last Klingenbrunn glassworks owner Felix von Hilz sold his entire estate to the Kingdom of Bavaria, a new era began. Entrepreneurs and companies from outside the region invested in the glassworks and operated these with increasing success, while the former staff was able to acquire ownership of their residences and properties. Klingenbrunn grew into a town.
The growing communities surrounding Klingenbrunn and Kreuzberg were grouped into a municipality in 1808 and 1818, before being separated again in 1833. The glassworks in Spiegelau blossomed under the new owner Anton Stangl. At the same time, a strong timber industry also emerged. The town which was initially called Schwarzach, as well as “Stanglhütte” on occasion, enjoyed rapid growth during this period. In 1890, Spiegelau was connected to the railway network and this made it more attractive for companies moving to the area.
The wood and glass industry made Spiegelau, which was part of Klingenbrunn on a political level at the time and was served by Oberkreuzberg parish ecclesiastically, into one of the most important industrial centres in the region. Hundreds of jobs were created. The first church was built in Spiegelau itself in 1901. It was the Evangelist Martin Luther church. The Catholic parish church followed in 1917.
In addition, the turn of the century also saw this rural area with its surrounding forests and impressive Steinklamm gorge become recognised as a great place for visitors to enjoy “freshness” in summer. Spiegelau was viewed as a tourist destination for the first time. The area quickly became known for its peace, nature and welcoming locals, as it still is today.
The Klingenbrunn district of Spiegelau continued to grow and in 1959 the collective name of the municipality was changed to Spiegelau. However, “Klingenbrunn” remained intact as the name of a district of the municipality.
Today, the municipality of Spiegelau includes the districts Spiegelau, Althütte, Flanitzhütte, Hauswald, Jägerfleck, Klingenbrunn, Kronreuth, Neuhütte, Ochsenkopf, Reinhardschlag and Sommerau, with List also set to join soon.
The previously autonomous Oberkreuzberg municipality with its former districts of Augrub, Beiwald, Hirschöd, Hirschtalmühle, Hirschschlag, Hochreuth, Holzhammer, Holzmühle, Kirchenberg, Langdorf, Luisenfels, Marienhöhe, Mühlberg, Palmberg, Rehbruck, Reuteck, Ringen, Steinbüchel, Winkelhof, Winkelmühle and Winkelreuth was integrated into Spiegelau as part of the local government organisational reforms in 1978. At the same time, Pronfelden left St. Oswald-Riedlhütte to join Spiegelau.
Spiegelau has evolved into a modern town which has shown itself to be a favourable location for glassworks and other medium-sized businesses as well as a popular tourist destination. And although tourism has long since become the main source of income in town, Spiegelau is still refreshingly free of all the hype, rip-offs and the noisy hustle and bustle which often go along with that.
In 1997, the former Federal Chancellor Kohl opened the “Glass Road” in Spiegelau. This new German holiday road leads from Neustadt an der Waldnaab through Spiegelau and then on to Passau, showcasing the past and present of glassmaking along its route. In the Kristallglasfabrik Spiegelau, visitors can marvel at the production of genuine Spiegelau-made crystal glass in the environmentally-friendly, gas-fired glass furnace during a tour of the glassworks.
However, Spiegelau’s history has not only been shaped by glass. Spiegelau has an overabundance of something which many people often seek in vain: At the foot of the second highest mountain in the Bavarian Forest, “Großer Rachel”, in the heart of the largest interconnected forest area in Central Europe, you can find peace, fresh air, largely untouched natural landscapes and forests as far as the eye can see. In 1970, the first German national park was founded here. The Park was set up to offer nature, which has been forced back in most places, a sanctuary of retreat where it can develop according to its own laws without human interference. The location of Spiegelau on the edge of the National Park as well as the wide range of recreational options available in the nearby landscape attract many holidaymakers from across the globe every year. The local environment which meant a daily struggle to survive for the first settlers in the wilderness at the foot of Rachel Mountain now serves as a source of peace and recreation for many.