Bauernfeind origins

Below is a compilation of some research I gathered from Michael Bauernfeind research in 1980 and from Bauernfeinds in Wisconsin.

The history is filled with Crusader knights, Catholic Church officials, including a bishop, crumbled castles, and numerous coats-of-arms. Wolfgang Mozart’s mother was a Salzberg Bauernfeind.

The family castles are no more than small, grass-covered heaps of stone. The families lost most of their titles. In the 1600s a Bauernfeind was beheaded for stealing a sheep. A painting of this event still hangs in a small village church in upper Bavaria. The painter gave our theif a saint’s halo.

Kemnater von Kemnat lived in his family castle Hohenkemnate located in the Upper Palatinate near Amberg, Bayern. This family served the Bohemian kings.

The Pauernfeind/Bauernfeind name surfaced by the 1400s. Their descendants served royal families in Prague. There were numerous great Bauernfeind Houses and castles. There is the impression that one Bauernfeind branch was too closely associated politically with the death of Jan Hus. During the Hussite Rebellion, the Bauernfeinds fled throughout Europe as religious refugees, specifically to Austria, Bayern, and the Tirol. At the time, they split into five branches, hoping that by traveling separately, they could more easily regain their titles, or earn new titles. Some did, however, the Arzberg branch became commoners, although an Arzberg Bauernfeind was knighted in the 1870s.

Overall, the Bauernfeinds were very determined people who welcomed challenges. Some were tall, but others were quite short.
When our ancestors traveled into the Byzantine, they were impressed by the more elegant culture there. So after returning home they adopted some of its practices and mannerisms. Hence, Bauernfeind, which translates roughly as ,,enemy of the peasant’s life style.

The Arzberg Bauernfeinds began to emigrate in 1842. Although, Arzberg, Bayern switched back and forth between Catholic and Lutheran several times, the Arzberg Bauernfeinds remained faithful Roman Catholics. Röthenberg, which is near Arzberg, however, is decidedly Lutheran. I suspect the Baltimore Bauernfeinds hail from Roethenbach.

Coming soon: a blog on Gustav Bauernfeind.

Siebermacher's description of the Bauernfeind crest

Das Illustrierte Bauernfeind Wappen ist offiziell. Im Siebermachers Wappenbuch Dokumentiert. Die original Beschreibung diese Wappens ist wie folgt: 

Geviert: 1. 4. G. Einhorn in B. 2. 3. Gespalten, vorn W. Adler am Spalt in K. Hinten 6. aus dem Spalt Hervorgehende G. Flammen in R. (altdeutsche Beschreibung)

Schildbescreibung: “Quadriert: 1) und 4) blau; ein goldenes Einhorn. 2) und 3) senkrecht Geteilt: A) rot; ein weisser Adler Ensteigt der Teilung. B) rot; sechs goldene, übereinander Illustrierte Fische, der Teilung zugekehrt.”

Helmzier: “Ein goldenes, sich aufbaeumendes Einhorn.” 

The Illustrated Bauernfeind Coat of Arms is officially documented in Siebermacher’s coat of arms book. The original description of this crest is as follows:

Quarter: 1. and 4. a gold unicorn on blue; 2. and 3. divided, in front of the partition in K. a white eagle and behind the partition 6 gold flames on red. (Old German description)

Shield description: “Quarter: 1) and 4) on blue, a gold unicorn. 2) and 3) vertically shared: A) on red, a white eagle emerges from the division. B) on red, six gold fish, one above the other, facing the partition. ”

Helm ornament: “A gold unicorn rearing up.”

Bauernfeind family crest

Below is a summary of correspondence I had ten years ago with Michael Bauernfeind who has done extensive research on the family in Germany:

"There is no one crest for the family. There are maybe ten different crests preceded by a Hausmark (House mark), which is an ancient symbol used by families in in very early Middle Ages, at the millennium. The three part crest most associated with the family today is an Allianzwappen (Alliance coat-of-arms). It is a combination of the crests from the three major branches of the family in Suedtirol, Salzburg and Franken/Oberpfalz. It is beautiful." This Allianzwappen is what is pictured on this website.

There is some confusion about the six gold items stacked one on top of the other on the red background. I have the original description from the official German book on family crests. These six items are either fish or flames.

A little insight on the family name:

Bauernfeind: enemy of the farmer (gross translation);
enemy of the peasant or rebel (specific translation).

In Latin, the name would be: Inimicus Pauperorum: enemy of the poor.