The history of our village is closely tied to the history of Silesia. Over the centuries Silesia changed owners. In the historical records we can find much information about it; unfortunately this information is not always reliable.
Someone once said: ... “every generation must make its own reckoning with history, it must create its own way of viewing the past. History in the social sense will never become a set of truths established once and for all.”
While the facts (as a rule) arouse no discussion, their interpretation often arouses disputes and controversy. The history of Silesia is a good example.
More: Archaeology
The first historically documented record concerning the town (stronghold) of Opole. After the death of Charlemagne (in 814) the unity of the vast Frankish monarchy ended. Europe fell into great confusion, and his heirs fought bitterly over the imperial title and over individual provinces. The fierce fighting was ended after almost 30 years by a treaty. In 843 the three grandsons of Charlemagne concluded the agreement at Verdun, under which the Frankish empire was divided into three parts. The eldest of the brothers, Lothair I, received Italy and the eastern part of Gaul together with the imperial title. Louis the German received the eastern lands of the empire (today's Germany), and Charles the Bald the western part (the area of today's France).
And precisely at this time at Verdun a valuable mysterious document of Frankish intelligence was produced, which was surely of great importance to the negotiating brothers in the division of Charlemagne's empire. An important, accurate and surely reliable document. The Frankish scribe carefully lists the number of strongholds that each state in Silesia had at its disposal. Of our state of the Opolini we read: Opolini habent civitates XX, that is: the Opolanie have twenty strongholds. Civitas: civilisation, that is a town, settlements differing from a village, gathering people engaged in trade contacts, and craftsmen.
Since the document was written in 843, it is clear that all the Silesian tribes named in it must have organised themselves at least 100 years earlier. So 123 years before Mieszko I the “state of the Opolini” already existed, with twenty strongholds. Yet at school I was taught that the founder of the stronghold of Opole was the first historical Piast, Mieszko I. This document, important for us inhabitants of the Opolszczyzna, called by historians the “document of the Bavarian Geographer”, is kept in Aachen. As to the Silesia of that time, many facts suggest that it was part of the state of the Czech Přemyslids. The Silesians, like the Vistulans (Cracovians), had been under Celtic influence several centuries earlier and so stood at a higher level of development. Christianity too reached the Opolini earlier than the land on the Warta.
A historical puzzle for our parish remains the date 1099. It is the date carved on a stone set into the façade of the church until 1814. After the catastrophic fire (see the year 1814) the number was read exactly, but the stone could not be saved, as it crumbled to powder.
(Parish archive: “Der erwehnte in dem Mittelgiebel eingemauert gewesene Tafesteinist nach dem Brande im Jahre 1814 betrachtet und darauf die Zahl 1099 wirklich entzifert worden. Dieser Stein fiel auseinander und es sind keine uebereste davon vorhanden”.) (The tablet stone mentioned, once set into the central gable, was examined after the fire of 1814 and the number 1099 was really deciphered on it. This stone fell apart and no remains of it exist.)
What significance is to be given to this date: the year the settlement was founded, the building of the first chapel? Or the 100th anniversary of the canonisation of our bishop, St Adalbert (999)? Such questions were asked by the author Fr Dr Edward Szdzuj-Frankiewicz in his book “Kościół Parafialny w Chrząszczycach”.
In a book published in 1830 I found this entry:
Alphabetisch - Statistisch Topographische Übersicht aller Dörfer, Flecken, Städte und andern Orte der Königl. Preuß. Provinz Schlesien, by Knie, published Breslau 1830, page 154 (original entry as below, in Gothic print):
Follwark, D. Reg. U. Kr Oppeln S 3/4. M. Königl./ Domain. U. Oppeln / O.L.G. Ratibor Königl. Domain. Just.A. Oppeln,/O.S.=/ 27 H. 142 E. Ganz k. K.K. zu Chrzumczütz. Muter Kirche. erbaut 1093. (Archiw Oppeln). bis zu 1810 Archd. Oppeln. Wilde Fischerei.
The date 1093 deserves attention: Muter Kirche erbaut 1093 (mother church built 1093). Can we assume that the date was misread after the fire? The last digit read, 9, is very similar to the digit 3 and could have been read that way. If so, the date of building of the first church in Chrząszczyce should be taken as 1093. A similar entry by the same author is found 15 years later (1845).
The first information about the settlement “VORWERK des Gesco”, mentioned on the occasion of a grant of estates to the church in Chrząszczyce by Duke Bolko I, called of Opole. His grave is in the Franciscan church in Opole.
In 1830 Knie states: Folwark was called Forwerckh and Chrzowice Krzowitze.
Our chapel with bell tower on ul. Wiejska was built. See: Sacrum
The wayside chapel at the junction of ul. Szkolna and ul. Lipowa was built, on the present property of Antoni Chudala, formerly Józef Kansy. See: Sacrum
A chapel was built on Anton Smolin's field. It was probably also a wayside chapel. Many traces suggest that ul. Szkolna was the main road linking the Duchy of Racibórz with the Duchy of Opole. See: Sacrum
The first seal of our settlement. See the seal
The seal of the settlement, the community of Folwark, from 1742. A roof on four supports (a barn, Feldscheune); on the right a horizontal handle with a rake attached, from the middle of the supports to the left. The inscription around the edge of the seal: “FOLWARK GEM. SIGL” (Folwark, community seal). In the lower part the inscription: “IN OPPELN CREYS” (in Opole county).
Information based on: “Die Wappen der Oberschlesischen Landgemeinden”, Oppeln 1909, Oskar Wilpert & Paul Kutzer.
In documents Folwark is written with one “L”.
A bell was hung in the chapel of 1664, which still rings today.
In official documents Folwark is written as Follwark.
Alphabetisch - Statistisch Topographische Übersicht aller Dörfer, Flecken, Städte und andern Orte der Königl. Preuß. Provinz Schlesien, by Knie, published Breslau 1845, page 133 (original entry as below, in Gothic print):
Follwark, 1532 - Forwerckh O.S. Dorf. Reg. Und Kreis Oppeln Süd 5/8 Meile 25 Häuser 160 Katholische Einwohner. Wilde Fischerei.
Meaning: Follwark, since 1532 Forwerckh. Upper Silesia. Village. Office and county of Oppeln. To the south, 5/8 of a mile away. 25 houses, 160 Catholic inhabitants. Occupation: free fishing (“Wilde Fischerei”).
For comparison, page 78:
Chrzowitz (Chrzowice): from 1531 Krztzotwitze, from 1532 Krzowitze, 26 houses, 170 inhabitants, on the so-called Old Oder.
Chrząszczyce: 1260 Cremchici, 1295 Chrempchicz and Crempchicz, 1532 Krzimptzytz, 58 houses, 391 inhabitants, 1 Catholic parish founded in 1093. Until 1810 it belonged to the Deanery of Oppeln.
The chapel is being researched.
On 12 December Franciszek Buhl was born, later a lay brother (so far the only one known from Folwark). He lived in the monastery in Cieszyn, where he died on 21 September 1924 of acute appendicitis. See: Portraits
Johan and Johanna Chudala build a wayside cross at the fork of ul. Wiejska towards the River Oder.
Stanisław Lakotta builds a small chapel in his yard as a votive offering for his recovery after returning from Częstochowa. Inside is a figure of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The chapel by the mill, built by Johan Lakotta, son of Stanisław Lakotta. Inside is a figure of the Virgin Mary.
A small picture shrine by the road from Folwark to Chrząszczyce at Mała Pyska, set up in 1914 (1915); the date has not so far been established exactly. It is described as the memorial of Josef Buhl, who fell in the first days of the First World War in France. For the legend see Sacrum.
A wayside cross by road no. 45, at the junction of ul. Lipowa towards Górki. The donor is Gerard Kurpierz; the reason for building it was given by his father.
Further information is being researched.
