by
Robert J. Paulson

Mikowitz

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Mikowitz lies 3 Km northeast of Hostau where they established a parish and a post office was established.

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Two groups of graves, one from the Bronze Age, who’s hills are smaller; and another from the early Iron Age mark an ancient settlement.  In the remains of a funeral pyre near Mikowitz lie artifacts from these ages.  These artifacts indicate that the site was home to an ancient weapons manufacturer, and a warrior’s cemetery.  Also found nearby was a bronze Greek bucket, apparently by the 5th Century BCE the residents of Mikowitz could afford fine items of foreign origin.

 

Between Mikowitz and the valley of the Hollupschen Creek is the village of Pschituln, which was destroyed during the 30 Years War.

Mikowitz was established in 1379, and in 1789 had 21 houses, in 1839 there were 27 houses and 189 German citizens.  In 1903 there were 30 houses and 163 Germans, in 1945 the numbers were 33 houses and 154 Germans.  The area of the village prior to 1937 was 228.46 hectares spread across 139.78 acres of arable land, 26.27 hectares of meadows, 15.93 ha of pastures, 36.35 ha of forest and 36.35 of gardens.

 

The village contained 13 large farms, 1 Inn, 1 master carpenter, 1 master mason, 1 master blacksmith, and 1 cobbler, next to little farms and houses.  Until 1924, the farmers had the right to use the forest and the city ponds as long as they provided defense for the village.  Electric light first arrived in Mikowitz in 1-14-1925.

The Holy Festivals were celebrated with the town of Melmitz, even though the village was in Hostau’s parish.  The Volksschule, which laid in an idyllic spot about 100 meters from the forest’s edge, was built in 1898 and included accommodations for the teacher.  The school was dissolved in 1940. 

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The Volunteer Fire Department was founded in 1908, and in 1933 received a motorized pump.  The Fire department was called upon 5 times in the village, and succeeded in carrying out their duties every time.

In the First World War 6 Mikowitzers died, 33 died in the Second World War and 4 remain M.I.A.