Loving others
Station 11: Oberneukirchen
Let a person grant himself as much as he wishes, as long as he remembers that it is only fair that his neighbor should also be granted the same amount - Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
Meditation text to listen to
Meditation text for the journey
to Neußerling
What do I share with other people?
How could I give away what I do not need?
Who could benefit from my help?
A well-known Hasidic story that has been passed down to us by the philosopher Martin Buber tells the following: An old rabbi once asked his students how they should determine the hour when night ends and day begins. Is it when at a distance, you can distinguish a dog from a sheep? asked one of his students. No, said the rabbi. Is it when you can distinguish an apple tree from a birch tree? asked another. No, said the rabbi. So, when is it? asked the students. The old rabbi replied: It is when you can look into any person's face and see before you your sister or brother. Until then, the night is still with us."
Located high above the fog line, Oberneukirchen can look back on almost 500 years of history as a market town. As early as 1242, Frederick the Quarrelsome donated the large parish of Gramastetten to Wilhering Abbey. The first chapels in the village date back to this early period. In 1595, the parish became independent. The current church, dedicated to St. James, is designed in the Neo-Gothic style. However, there are still frescoes from the 15th century, when the nave, decorated with ribbed vaults, was built. Next door, the Schnopfenhagen Museum commemorates Hans Schnopfhagen. A native son, teacher and composer, he set Franz Stelzhamer's text to music, creating the "Hoamatland", which remains the state anthem to this day. As a centre for linen and weaving production, Oberneukirchen was long the economic hub of the region. A few town houses remain from the town's former prosperity. However, several fires and marauding French troops destroyed much of the town in the 19th century. In Kronet near Waxenberg, which belongs to the municipality of Oberneukirchen, there is the Teufelskanzel (Devil's Pulpit). According to legend, this rock formation, which is said to resemble Satan's backside, was created because Satan wanted to prevent the construction of the church in Oberneukirchen. What the craftsmen had built during the day, he carried off to the surrounding forests at night. But even devils get tired, and so he rested on this stone. Incidentally, in 1920, "Schlossmichl" was murdered in the ruins of Lobenstein Castle, located between Oberneukirchen and Zwettl. Apart from that, Oberneukirchen is a peaceful place.
