Gostal (Jihomoravský kraj, Czech Republic)
Gostal (Grosstal, Kostel, Kostl, Podiwin; Czech Podivín) was very early in the history of the Anabaptists an important town, ranking with Nikolsburg, Austerlitz, and Auspitz. Gostal, located near Ludenburg, became a possession of the Ludenitz family in the 16th century, and later passed into the hands of the Zierotin family.
The Hutterite chronicles relate that when the Brethren were expelled from Moravia they began to assemble in Gostal and in Rohrbach near Seelowitz, the God-fearing coming with great joy, courage, and zeal, by day and night, wind and rain, cold and snow, to hear the Word of God. In small quarters they thankfully brought their children together and entrusted them to God-fearing sisters. These words indicate the importance given to Gostal in the Hutterite letters. In 1537 Hans Amon was preaching here. In 1557 the "great Haushaben" was begun here. Klaus Felbinger sent sincere greetings to the brotherhood here from prison in Landshut before his execution. In 1558 Kaspar Hueber and Hans Zwinger were ordained as elders. In 1559 Melchior Wall and Ambrosi Pfeiffer were chosen to the ministry. In 1593 they opened a ceramic shop, the best of its kind in Moravia, which produced some outstanding wares (A.R.G., 1931, p. 286). Paul Glock, a member of this Bruderhof, sent some coat material to Gostal for distribution.
The Gostal Brethren frequently suffered violence. Since they could not do anything to aid in warfare, Johann Zierotin in 1576 took eight of their best horses. Cardinal Dietrichstein charged the Brethren, who refused to comply with his wishes, with a deterioration of their former dependability. In the disturbances of war in the first decade of the 17th century they fared badly because of excessive taxation. Soon after came the Bohemian Revolt with its terrible consequences. In 1621 the Bruderhof was plundered three times. Finally the cardinal expelled them "with empty hands" from Gostal as well as the other Moravian Bruderhofs. The fleeing Brethren settled in Kesselsdorf in Hungary.
Bibliography
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. II, 146 f.
| Author(s) | Johann Loserth |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1956 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Loserth, Johann. "Gostal (Jihomoravský kraj, Czech Republic)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1956. Web. 18 Dec 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Gostal_(Jihomoravsk%C3%BD_kraj,_Czech_Republic)&oldid=105634.
APA style
Loserth, Johann. (1956). Gostal (Jihomoravský kraj, Czech Republic). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 December 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Gostal_(Jihomoravsk%C3%BD_kraj,_Czech_Republic)&oldid=105634.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 552. All rights reserved.
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