Prepared by Gerd Becker, revised and supplemented by Burkhard SchĂ€fer (not completely edited yet đ )
In the fertile valley of the Jossa (old: Jazaha=rushing water) between Grebenau and Breitenbach am Herzberg is the long drawn-out village Hatterode. When the town was founded is not exactly determined. Because of the ending “rode” the foundation is in the period between 900 – to be set in 1200 AD.
The name “Hatterode” probably means , “clearing of Hatto”, this would therefore be regarded as a local founder. Around 1450 also known as “Hartenroda”.
Hatterode was in Frankish Hessengau and formed through the border point to “Buchonien” – it is the first time in 1315 documented. Led by the village at this time on a mountain range was the “old military road” between Thuringia and Hesse.
It is believed that Emperor Henry IV in the years 1071 and 1073 coming from Hersfeld on Grebenau on this road is moved to Mainz.
In the early Middle Ages in the vicinity of Hatterode were four more settlements that already long ceased to exist: the village “Hohleiche” (hollow oak) was first mentioned in 1379 in the period 1806 – 1813, held there. Many of the French followed in Hessen. 1831 was finally made to the forest, as the last residents of the settlement, at that time anyway, only a yard was, died. Why “Hohleiche” (hollow oak) was depopulated to this day still do not resolved – the historical research suggested that this is a case of “Bauerlegen” by landlords in the 16th and 17th century has been submitted.
About twenty minutes from Hatterode towards Herzberg was earlier still a village that has been received.This settlement, “Christ(el)hausen” was written in 1263 “Christelshasen” – it was mentioned in 1478 the last time.
Southeast of Hatterode was the place “Dieffenbach. “- It has been deserted in 1427 are still there so the usual field names, “in the Tiefenbach”.
From Hatterode to Schlitz was half way a village “Berngerode”, long time only a few foundation walls to discover. Meanwhile there was again a hut built and it is a favorite destination for walks.
Hatterode was to the 16th Century more aligned to Grebenau than to Breitenbach. Grebenau had a castle owened by the counts of Ziegenhain and was the center of Christian life before the Reformation. The church Grebenau is the mother church of the citizens of Hatterode. Until 1502 Breitenbach didn’t have its own parish priest, who moved 1523 to Evangelical, Grebenau was at the parish of Hatterode. Sermons were heard in Grebenau, the dead from Hatterode were buried at Grebenau graveyard and the sacraments handed out in Grebenau.
Hatterode church have been built in early 16th Century – it is the oldest of the communities in the valley of Jossa and initially served only as a dead church. With the Junkers of Dörnberg that from 1477 the full court Breitenbach possessed Hatterode came around 1530 to the parish Breitenbach. 1580 wrote a pastor of Grebenau that Hatterode a generation before had belonged to Grebenau. 1556 a pastor from Grebenau was trying recover Hatterode . It was in vain, he was not yet in Kassel and Marburg with the necessary assistance. With the subsequent establishment of the service Hatterode was preferred to the other parish churches – the place as the second largest of the parish, it was only possible for the pay costs of its own worship.
Politically Hatterode belonged since 1434 to court Breitenbach. The court venue for Hatterode was located between the upper Jossa and Breitenbach – this plot of land is still of the “ditch boom” in 1685 there was a male Hatterode inhabitant. His step-daughter with whom he fathered two children in incest and adultery, which he killed one and caused damage to the dogs accused had directed in such a way that only the woman was beheaded, and afterwards he was two times stigmatised with glowing Pliers and beheaded and his head was stuck on a pole. Both are then buried under the gallows was how the Breitenbach church book reports.
Hatterode had towards the end of the 16th century, 38 families. In the 17th Century in Hatterode many refugees from the Pfalz (Huguenots) recorded by King Louis XIV of France had expelled. The population in the parish Breitenbach, the resulting increased again, must be at this time (as a result of the devastating suffering of the 30-year war) was very small – But in 1672 only eleven children were baptized.
The Burg Herzberg was closely linked with the fate Hatterode was in this 30-year war repeated by famous generals with their troops (including by Fugger, of TiIly and Altieri) besieged but never completely conquered. Also during this long siege to the castle by one, until now, however, undetected have been supplied by underground passage from Hatterode. As a second village in the parish in 1704 Hatterode had its own school site risen with the teacher. The schoolmaster had to support the Breitenbach pastor at the prayer meetings. However, could this is not the income of the Breitenbach teacher, who had provided the service in advance, will be diminished. The following year, next to the church was a schoolhouse built. 20 years worked Johann Georg Schumann, the first schoolmaster in Hatterode – he was as well as his successors Schmidt and Weydemeier with money from the church box, fruit and wood with salaried.
The 33 school children from 1750 in Hatterode had to pay money for their instruction to the schoolmaster. From 1752 the schoolmaster of Hatterode received the money he deserved by church services and no longer as before the Breitenbach teacher was paid.
In 1833 the association education between Hatterode and Breitenbach has been disconnected. In the 19th Century changed teachers frequently. In 1860 Hatterode got the schoolhouse, which was used for a long time as a teacher house and it is still inhabited.
In 1895 the new school hall was built next to the schoolhouse. In 1906, the number of school children in Hatterode reached with 95 boys and Girl its highest level. (With the change in the 70 years the school site was closed in Hatterode entirely.)
In the following years Hatterode was awakened from his reverie: first, in 1912 the land consolidation, it was in 1915 the break point of the railway line Alsfeld – Niederaula commissioned. Then the two world wars erupting left deep traces in Hatterode. From the 1914-18 war 13 young men did not return to their homes and 1939/45 21 soldiers let their lives – in this second World War II, from six families even two sons.
During and after the last war, many refugees came to the shelter-giving Jossatal. The population of Hatterode increased in 1946 to over 500, the state’s current population less than 300 inhabitants. After the end of the war the village life continues to be characterized mainly by the intense pursuit of agriculture. This required has always been the presence of much sense of community and self-evident mutual assistance. Expression of which was the creation of one of the first thrashing communities far and wide. In 1874 the town bought for 3,600 dollars a threshing machine, which was set up into the high mountains and to the gates of Bad Hersfeld. This cooperative, which more than one hundred had annual stock was, until the late sixties, a victim of the unstoppable modernization. A significant role always played the most active “Raiffeisenkasse Hatterode”, the community bank. Even with admission to the seventies there were at least in the village 15 independent farmers and about 30 workers-farmers who operated alongside their professional work in a small farming sideline. In such a lack of cultivation and livestock farming community has naturally given to industrial enterprises, and the proceeds of tax revenue turned out very poor and the financial strength of the community was limited. Nevertheless, the local citizens in time after World War II considerable local tasks mastered. In 1964/65, the entire drinking water supply system Hatterode / Wallersdorf laid across the county border. In 1965/66, the first Section of the sewer system was built and in the fall of 1966 the long-awaited expansion of the hitherto badly made holey-town. The completion of the sewerage system was carried out in 1969/70.
In the autumn of 1971 contracts for the voluntary merger of the surrounding communities have been developed – on 1 Januar 1972 founded the previously independent municipalities Breitenbach, Hatterode and Oberjossa the new major of Breitenbach am Herzberg (Gehau and Machtlos were joined a little later). Also in this comprehensive local government reform was a change of this Communities in the jurisdiction of the district administrator of the newly formed district Hersfeld-Rotenburg. Until then, the “political situation” by Hatterode (Among Ziegenhain associated) is really remarkable, because there were not too many places that the intersection of four distinct groups constitute, in this case, namely Ziegenhain, Alsfeld, Lauterbach and Hersfeld-so in a “Four-dsitrict-corner” layers. Such an extreme position has the place but still held, he is to the southwest of the outermost tip of the greater community Breitenbach / H, the district HEF-ROF and the administrative district of Kassel and is part of the dividing line between North and East Hesse.
With increasing leisure time of individuals in order to Hatterode a jointly to creative and meaningful filling this time gained the much-loved, cared for community life. Witnesses of this latest development, the remaining table tennis, Hiking, Women’s gymnastics and women’s country clubs. The once traditional for each location shooting club and do not for a long time, The volunteer fire department, however renewed regularly and always an integral part of village life has been. Football used to be in Grebenau, today primarily in Breitenbach / H. played. 1974 some of the inhabitants were more active in the “male voice choir 1888” of Breitenbach / H.
After a new fire station (1952), a community freezer (1962) and a cemetery Hall / War Memorial (1981) the place for some time has been enriching, 1986 the “old school ” transformed in a pretty town house.
Early 70s was the development area “Im Hitzbach” opened. It was necessary in road construction by local residents Personal contribution made – certainly an absolutely unique event, is second to none and can be regarded as an example of that in Hatterode self-help and self-service is still not unknown.
In the spring of 1981 (3rd to 4th June) also Hatterode was struck of a surprise flood that both stone bridges destroyed. While the upper bridge was replaced immediately, remained part of the village, “New Jerusalem”with the main village by the wooden temporary bridge connected. Only after endless 13 years lead time was given to the new and successful bridge for its determination.
The youth recovered in the summer of 1981 the old village well in the center again and left him in a newly created, adapted for the present. Since then, the annual, well party with people walking take place. More recently, in a “hot autumn / winter 1986 ‘, it was the people of Hatterode by large commitment together with a specially launched, civil society, imminent threats to human, animal, fend off nature and agriculture by preventing the planned operation of a “toxic waste incinerator” on the district border. An oak tree planted on the church forecourt reminds of some spectacular protest actions of the civil society.
Until today, in the language Hatterode has retained its independence, which differs very often spoken Low German dialect are visible from the surrounding villages. Although the above-mentioned railway line has long since closed down again, but this is enterprising village, Hatterode despite its turbulent history still in the picturesque idyllic Jossatal, at the foot of Herzberg Castle Hill and Rimberg, other senior in the nearby hilltops kind to invite a great view into the landscape of Northern Hesse.
However, even with the greatest effort is also high up from there, look back at the past denied, what remains is the calming sight of a more natural, green valley with all its naturalness, fertility and beauty. The place has been subject for some time a major structural change from the once rural embossed border village with about 300 residents – to a greater place to live now less than 300 inhabitants, including a number of new citizens by immigration. Once 60 agricultural farms with livestock (many in part-time) are now only 7 opposite.