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Lübeck II
Before we move East again let us come back to Lübeck.
First an overview of the Grawert’s I found in the Lübeck Archive:
- N. Grawert father of
- Hinrich and Heideco (lived in Lübeck 1282)
- Christina (1286 mentioned), Albert, Heinrich (m. 1300)
- Hinrich, Eveke, Johann, Richard,Marquard,Godeco, Willenicus
In the 14th century little mention. 1363 the council of Aldenzal asks the council of Lübeck to have Arnold Grawert settle the estate of Herman Heket as his authorized representative.
- Vritze Grawert (born Stendal 1370, died Lübeck1449)
He lived in Lübeck near the St. Marien Church, made his testimony in 1413 in which he gives his estate to his wife Taleke and his brother Peter.
1429 became member of the “Zirkelgesellschaft”
Married to Adelheid +1429 and Taleke van Calve + 1451.
Peter Grawert no detailed information.Lived in Lübeck in 1413.
- Children of Vritze Grawert
Vritze Grawert (the Older) became councilor in 1461. Died Riepenburg 1476.
See : wikipedia: Riepenburg
The commander of the Riepenburg was usually a member of the Lübeck or Hamburg town council and Vritze Grawert had this function from 1470 until the day he died there.
The Riepenburg originally belonged to The Duke of Sachsen-Lauenburg, but after some feud became joint possession of Lübeck and Hamburg in 1420 (Agreement of Perleberg!)
Vritze’s picture hangs/hung(?) at St. Peter at the entrance to the St.Marien chapel with the inscription: “Vritze Grawert, wife Taleke”.
Taleke married Gildebrand Wickinghusen.
Geseke married Johann Kerkring. Her daughter married Johann Segeberg in 1466.
Cort, born 1415lived in his house in the Mengstr. Made his testimony in 1466, died 1498.
His wifes were Elizabeth Goyermanns (daughter of the town coucillor from Lueneburg)
and later Metteke Hedwid, widowed Niestadt, born Segeberg.
Mechthild, born 1429 married Everhard Brekeveld.
Adelheid also born 1429 married Hildebrand Vickinghusen.
Johann mentioned in 1459 and 1466.
Herrman (or Hermen) moved to Riga in 1472 and became a citizen there 1473.
Hans was based at the trading post at Bruegge (Bruges, Belgium) 1474 and alive in 1483.
Vritze (“the Younger”) lived in the Ritterstreet, made his testimony in 1473 in which he left 50 Lueb.M. and his flat in the Ritterstr. to his wife Taleke (obviously a popular name at that time). He died 1487.
Jacob lived in the Ritterstr. Lived in Riga as well. Died without children in 1500.
Juergen married Taleke Lueneburg.
Hans mentioned 1501, no children.
Cord/Conradus survived all his brothers. Died 1508.
Next generation:
Vritze was elected councilor in 1509 and and commanded the admirals ship together with Hermann Falke during the war with Denmark and the Netherlands in 1511.
+13.12.1538
In 1498 he bought caste Kiel together with Joachim Billrinck and Andreas Geverdes.
Made his testimony in 1523 and 1529.
In 1538 he wrote the “Cirkelbuch”, a book about the “Zirkelgesellschaft”.
His wife was Geseke Geverdes (at another source Gertrud).
Going through the details of the Archive of Lübeck Vritze must have owned at least fifty houses in Lübeck. Some of these due to his marriage with Gertrud Geverdes. Together with Andreas Geverdes he bought several breweries and grain storages.
Taleke , husband Hartwig von Stiten.
There is an interesting paper by Sonja Duennebeil “Zur Bedeutung der Zirkelgesellschaft im 15ten Jahrhundert”
I quote: “Every year at carnival during the second half of the 15th century a group of approx. 70 well dressed gentlemen with burning torches in their hands would walk through the darkened Lübeck. (page 17).”
“The Zirkler stage managed their close relation to the town council, in order to underline their leading position in town. A privilege by the Kaiser allowed them to use symbols usually limited to aristocracy to visualize their position”. (page 35)
Thus Fritz and Cord Grawert had a coat of arms.
The family coat of arms was carved into a mold to make cakes (probably like ginger bread).
A mold from the year 1453 clearly shows the name under the word ANNO and the coat of arms of Grawert as:
“Two roses and two leaves attached to a tree trunk.”
This is identical with Werner Gragert’s report:
Wappenrolle des Herold, year 1909:
Grawert, Lübecker Ratsherren:
“in red, a golden trunk with two roses and two leafs”
Gotha handbook of aristocratic houses part B, 1936:
“in red, a oaken trunk cut off on both sides, with a green leaf on each side and two golden roses next to each other”
In issue no. 2, East Frisian Genealogy and Heraldic 1961:
Coat of arms of Grawerth family, specifically Rotger and his son Henricus, Consul of Emden and Johann Grawert, Senator, Emden
“That of Grawert was a red shield, on the upper right hand side a hexagon golden star,
a silver rose and a golden lilly”.
Grauwert de Hindersteyn (=Utrecht): three silver roses with a golden top and golden barbs.
“this is a burgeois family but often aligned with aristocracy”, in Utrecht still existing, but died out in Emden.
Traditional coat of arms Grawert: A rose on a branch on a shield derer von Bessingen.de
The similarity of the coat of arms as well as the descriptions are indications, that the Grawert’s in Emden and Lübeck can be traced back to Utrecht.
Back to the Zirkelgesellschaft:
There is a paper by Ernst Deecke: “Historische Nachrichten…. (see German text)
In this the following is reported about the Zirkelgesellschaft :
Founded 1379 as a religious society to the honor of the holy trinity.
A chapel was bought from the monks of St. Katharinen.
In 1416 officially a “formal society of squires”. Almost all members of the council became “Zirklers”. As from 1535 the society was closed step by step (mainly for religious reasons). 1580 it was tried to revive it but until 1730 only eight families joined.
The names engraved on the cake mould were as follows: (see German text).
Interesting is, how many of the leading families from Lübeck on this have names, that clearly have a Dutch background.
The following Grawert’s are mentioned in the listing by Ernst Deecke:
Vritze 1447, etc. = see German text
Interesting is that in this list they are called Grauwert from 1447 – 1458
and Grawert from 1458-1501.
The last Vritze became a member in 1529. He wrote the book about the Zirklers and died in 1538 as member of the council of Lübeck.
To get all those Vritze / Fritze / Fritz sorted:
Vrytse born Stendal 1370, died 1449 = 79 years old
Vrytze “the older” born ca. 1400, died 1476 = 76
Vritze “the younger” born ca. 1415, died 1487 = 72
Fritz born 1461, died 1538 = 77
Cord Grawert born 1415 died 1498.
He lived from 1460 until 1498 in the house in the Mengstr., that later on belonged to the Mann family and is world famous as the “Buddenbrookhaus” = Thomas Mann’s book
“The Buddenbrooks” Buddenbrookhaus – “V. Uebersicht ueber die Eigentuemer”
The council of Riga informs the council of Lübeck, that Hermann Grawert, citizen of Riga gives power of attorney to his brother Fritz to transfer funds to his brother Cord
in a legally correct way.
26.April 1474 Livonica and Estonica 142
In 1478 Cord and Fritz transfer for themselves and in the name of their brothers Joachim and Hermann an obligation of 720 Marks to the council of Lueneburg.
1483 Hans Grawert transfers an obligation of the Lueneburg council of 40 marks annuity to Heinrich Ebbelink.
Karl Julius Milde: “Siegel des Mittelalters aus den Archiven der Stadt Lübeck”:
The Grawert family belonged to the richest and most respected families of the Zirkelgesellschaft for more than a century. Fritz G. became a member in 1429. He gave two of his sons the name Fritz (“the older”, “the younger”. The older became a member of the council in 1461 and died 1478. A son of “the younger” was member of the council 1509-1538.
Under Buergersiegel 11./Lübecker Buerger 5, Nr. 77+78 the seals of Cord (12.08.1476) and Fritz (23.08.1498) are printed.
Cords seal is according to the family coat of arms. The one of Fritz is an angel kneeling in front of a shield.
Gertrud Grawert was married to the well known Johann Segeberg.
They had eight children (four sons and four daughters).
Johann died in 1464 and Gertrud joined the St.-Michaelis convent, where she died 1481.
A daughter, also Gertrud married Johann Bruskamp.
Rafael Ehrhardt:”Eine Fallstudie zu Lübeck im Spaetmittelalter, 2001”
is a paper about several well known families of Lübeck..
Gertrud is mentioned on page 304 and 305.
In connection with the Geverdes family Fritz is mentioned and Cord in connection with the Segeberg family.
In a list of councillors Ehrhardt mentions, that Richard was not a member of the family, as he did not realize, that Grawert’s moved to the Prignitz and Fritz who was born there, returned to the family centre in Lübeck.
Further confirmation can be found under:
New York Public library 1862+1879 and Astor library, New York
Fritz Grawert is mentioned as the owner of House No. 17 Rosengang.
Geschichte des Rosengangs. Band 5 der Reihe “Das alte Stadtbild Lübeck
“was acquired by Fritz Grawert in 1502 and he left it to his daughter Taleke (Adelheid) when he died 13 December 1538.
Archives of Lübeck
Friedrich Bruns: “Der Lübecker Rat”
Lutterbeck, Michael “Der Rat der Stadt Lübeck”
In 1509 Fritz Grawert was member of the council and, together with Hermann Falke,Commander of the Hanse fleet that won the battles against the Danes and the Dutch in 1511 and thus ensured the supremacy of the Hanse in the Baltic.
(Andreas Kammler S. 88, as well as Rosenhaus Lübeck S.2)
His daughter Taleke Grawert married Hartwig van Stiten a member of the powerful van Stiten family. They had eight children.
Similarly Adelheid Grawert married Hartwich von Stiten (Ahnen Dr. Brandt)
1531: Letter of the council of Magdeburg to the members of the council of Lübeck Packebusch und Gercken regarding a financial dispute between Fritz Grawert
and Markus Konyngstede (ASA Externa, Deutsche Territorien).
Details about the sea battles between the Hanse and Denmark and Holland can be seen from “The battle of Hella and it’s consequences by Hanno Brand
www.european-heritage.org “The chronicles of the Hanse (years 1509-1511)
Universas Mercatores: Seekriege und Seegefechte der Hanse”.
We shall now leave Lübeck and follow the Grawert family into the Prignitz.
But before we do this we shall have a little detour into Lower Saxony.