Zwönitz Manor

The Kretscham, the village inn with a brewery, was since time immemorial the estate with the largest land area and at the same time the center of all gatherings. Here, the so-called Hegen- or Rügen courts were held annually. In 1624, the Elector granted the request from Dorfchemnitz for the conferment of hereditary jurisdiction. In the last decade of the Thirty Years' War, this was tragically lost after 10 people died of the plague in the hereditary court. The isolated hereditary judge died 6 years later. Out of fear of the plague, the court was avoided by the inhabitants. George Hahn, who took over the hereditary court 20 years later, was able to revive the desolate estate and regain the lost hereditary jurisdiction in 1682. During a period of recovery for the village, the court residence was rebuilt in 1733. With the introduction of the Saxon State Community Ordinance, hereditary jurisdiction was replaced in 1838 by an elected community board. The court estate could be renovated by F.G. Leßmüller, but had to be sold by his son to the Chemnitz industrialist Vogel after fires and accidents. In 1921, the latter had the old brewery building demolished and rebuilt as a residential house in the outwardly same style. In 1945, the owners were dispossessed and expelled by the communists. After 1945, the farm buildings and areas of the court were divided into unviable sizes by the land reform. The listed ensemble of the hereditary court could be preserved as a jewel of the grown village core after the reunification through private investments.