Travel, encounter and experience German heritage alongside the Danube
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Magyarpolány (German: Polan) lies on the foot of the Bakony Mountains in Hungary. Until the mid-18th century, the village was largely unpopulated after the inhabitants had fled from the Ottoman troops. In order to repopulate the area, monks from the abbey of Zirc brought migrants from Silesia and Upper Austria to Magyarpolány. The registration books give hints that not only Germans, but also people from Croatia and Slovakia came to the village. Due to intermarriage, the Slavic groups assimilated to the German majority and the new German village Németpolány (German: Deutschpolan) was created, which was only separated from Magyarpolány by one street.

The migrants were categorised as free settlers who, after three years of tax freedom, had to pay two Forint in taxes and do twelve days of compulsory work. Wheat and wine, such as Riesling, Ezerjó and Burgundy were the two main products of Magyarpolány and Németpolány

Despite their proximity, the twin villages differed in culture, mentality, ancestry and religion. Those Hungarians who had not fled were Protestants, the German settlers Catholics. The Catholic church was built in the border area between the two villages in order to encourage religious assimilation and linguistic and national integration of the German settlers.

Today’s Catholic church was built in a joint effort of the abbeys of Zirc and Henryków in the 18th century. It is consecrated to Saint Ladislaus and displays a Via Crucis with wooden statues from 1770 symbolising the five Mysteries of the Rosary.


The Whitsun harlequin is being dressed.

 



Wedding in Németpolány.