In his book “Die
Erlebnisse in Ungarn”, which the Prälet Diehl published in the
‘Evangelischen Gemeindeblatt für Friedberg und Friedberg-Fauerbach’ in
1724,
Pastor Reichard wrote on
3rd of June 1724 from Banat:
“We continued our trip
to Banat and reached Langenfeld
on 15th of May. As soon as I arrived his Excellency General
Field Marshal Count Mercy as administrator of Banat in Vipalanca,
whom my arrival was notified, requested my credentials, which I also had
to present to the President of the mine in Orawitza, and if I were not
able to fully confirm my credentials, I would not have been accepted but
would have been sent back, to which I must confess I had the greatest
desire. However a written instruction
did arrive (which was sneakily taken away from me at my departure) and
solely because of the Lutheran miners was a Lutheran Pastor accepted by
the Emperor’s ‘hochlöbliche’ Administration. That I was not for long
tolerated
at this place confirms the military court’s decision….”
Pastor Reichard was only
able to do his pastoral duties in the German speaking communities of
Langenfeld and Petrillowa for nine months, before he was banished on
insistence of the Jesuits. With the help of Count of Mercy himself, and
disguised in the uniform of a K and K officer, Pastor Reichard managed to
flee to Count of Mercy’s own domain in Tolna, where he became pastor in
the German speaking Lutheran villages of Varsad and Kalazno.
Back in Ober-Ramstadt in
Hesse, Pastor Reichard sen. wrote in Ober-Ramstadt’s Lutheran church book
for births, marriages and deaths for the years 1617-1712 on page 737 the
following:
“In spring of anno
1724 received my eldest son Johann Carl Reichard from the Langenfeld’s
evangelical community in Hungary a Vocation,
which he graciously accepted, after thinking it over with God’s help, and
after a travel of 6 weeks he arrived safely in that community, which also
paid for his traveling expenses. The Emperor’s administration accepted
only him and no additional pastorand
gave him the administration of the Langenfeld’s parish, the Petrillowa
filial as well as the mine,
the miners included. It is in the Temesvár area of Banat 12 miles from
Belgrade and from Temesvár and because he ventured in God’s name to look
after the poor souls there I trust in God that He will protect him as long
as he performs his duties correctly, that He will give him His grace and
blessing, this is wished from heart by his father Reichard.
P.S. 1725 transferred
west by 50 miles and became pastor there.”
Pastor Reichard’s arrival
in Banat started an avalanche of counter-reformation by the Jesuits.
Langenfeld’s teacher Mr. Boy, who witnessed the happenings, wrote to his
Vogt:
“…soon after his safe
arrival at Langenfeld escorted by the Bürgerswe
notified the commander (Saalhausen), who said that it was God’s will since
he was sent from so far, but as soon as the Catholic monks will hear about
it, there will be much noise, and when on the third day his Excellency
General Mercy arrived unannounced, the noise really started, there was
much running and going back and forth, their rage was incredible. Mr.
Reichard had to be brought from Langenfeld immediately. He arrived
fearlessly, was greeted friendly by the General and the Emperor’s
administrators, was however sharply examined, so his Excellency the
General said that he can see for himself that he is now here. He promised
to the mine director that he would send him the first Lutheran Pastor who
arrived in Banat, since the miners were all Sachsen, but when our Forman
as well as Kaspar Mehrberg mentioned that now they would have to come up
with the costs, so the plans were changed that he should go to Peter
Illowa, which is between the mine and our town Langenfeld until it was
finally decided that he should held a sermon every 8 to 14 days in Peter
Illowa where also the mine’s administration had to report to hear God’s
word and receive the holly sacraments. Mr. Reichard had to go immediately
to the mine, where he had the opportunity to be introduced, where the
miners received him with great delight, assuming that he would stay with
them. The General with his escorts as well as all of the local Emperor’s
administration were present while Mr. Reichard started with his
instructions.”
