20. Traunkirchen - A cultural center

Monastery property scattered

The property and the estates of the Jesuits were confiscated by the state with the decision of Maria Theresa and Josef II. The forest property, detached, was subordinated the k.k. Forestry and domain management in Gmunden. The 699 subjects were incorporated into the sovereignty Ort in 1779. A rentmaster and a judge remained in Traunkirchen. The brewery, the current hotel “Das Traunsee”, and the wine cellar have been preserved. The monastery archive initially came to Ort and was sold below cost against the will of Archduke Johann in 1869: more valuable manuscripts went to Vienna, have disappeared, to Linz and to the Martinsberg Benedictine Abbey in Hungary and to Passau.

New life in old walls

After 550 years of the nunnery and 150 years of the Jesuit residence
School building: around 1830 the “Salettl” on the northeast side of the monastery area was called the "old school" (former girls' school of the nuns?). The Sunday school took place in rooms of the monastery. The Jesuit grammar school existed until 1773. In the present “Spaunstöckl”, belonging to the monastery, schoolmasters were listed around 1800. In the basement of the monastery, a school for poor children was pursued to learn wool weaving from 1800 to 1840. In the 18th and 19th century, classrooms and living quarters were made available to the schoolmaster in the monastery. Until the opening of an elementary school in 1952, the monastery premises were used for school purposes.
Administrative offices for: the saline, forests, municipality, parish (rectory)
Apartments: after the Second World War, the monastery walls became a refuge for people in misery, and living space was created for refugees and community members.

And now

Culture house and church office
Parish office: Traunkirchen became a parish in 1778, and was then subordinated to the parish of Gmunden. In 1783 Traunkirchen became a parish in the diocese of Linz. At first, priests were former Jesuits. Today's parish rooms include a chancellery, common rooms, the monastery hall, the religious buildings.
Cultural center: Since August 1st in 1850 there has been a municipal council in Traunkirchen. The community, responsible for the preservation of the rooms possessed by the former monastery, uses these to promote knowledge and culture. The following culturral assiciations are situated in the old monastery building:
The Internationale Akademie Traunkirchen, the handicraft museum of the “Goldhaubenfrauen” (golden hooded women) and archekult, initiative for archeology and culture.

Conclusion

700 years of spiritual, religious and economic center, a canoness foundation, a Benedictine monastery, over 550 years of powerful female rulership and a mother parish of the inner Salzkammergut, dissolved because it has become Protestant; 150 years of stronghold of recatholization among the Jesuits; in the 19th and 20th century state salt and forest property, school, parish, community and after the Second World War refugee hostel and residence. Today a prosperous coexistence of religious and worldly life, a cultural site in old monastery walls - fruit of 1000 years of cultural, spiritual life and work.

© E. Rumpf, R. Hofbauer; Translation: XiBIT Infoguide GmbH

Thanks to:

I would particularly like to thank Reinhard Hofbauer, management consultant; Sr. M. Maura Promberger, archivist Stift Nonnberg; Sandra Daxinger, XiBIT infoguide GmbH; Mag. Eckhard Höllwerth; Karl Heinz Ruber, graphic brainpark; Maga Bettina Ellmauer tourism association Traunsee-Almtal; Ing. Alois Siegesleitner, Parish of Traunkirchen; Mag. Norbert Kriechbaum, OÖ LAndesarchiv; MMag.P. Prior Maximilian Schiefermüller, Admont Abbey; OSB Petrus Schuster, Librarian at Kremsmünster Abbey; DDr.LLM, MAS, MA Peter Wiesflecker, State Archives Stmk/Graz; Dr. MAS ​​Hubert Schopf, State Archives Salzburg; District Councilor Wolfgang Fronhöfer, Archives Diocese of Passau; GDR. Helmut Wagner, University of Applied Sciences Linz; Mag. Heinz Schießer; Herbert Kefer, Heimat u. Landler Museum Goisern; Robert Zahler, Holzknechtmuseum Salzkammergut; D.I.Dr. Thomas Rumpf; and thanks to my grandfather Hofrat Dr. Eduard Strassmayr and my father Dr. Alfred Marks for the scientific preparatory work on the history of Upper Austria.

Ph.D.,BA., Elisabeth Charlotte Rumpf, born Marks, studied psychology, pedagogy, history and archeology in Salzburg, Michigan and Graz and worked for many years as an economy, industrial and organizational psychologist.