Eulogium About the Kresses

Eulogium About the Very Old Noble Race of the Kress von Kressenstein

In old and famous writings, you may read

The noble Kress race was alive indeed

In Voigtland in the mountains, until fire

And sword dragged all around into the mire.

When Henry Sixth, who ruled, proclaimed alarms

For tournaments and great assays of arms

At Nuremberg, to tilt-yard went the Kress'

To demonstrate their strength and stalwartness.

And when the Emp'ror later went to fight,

To Donauwerth in Swabia, glorious sight

It was to see the Kress' in his escort,

With horsemen and their arms of strongest sort.

Since war and fire the Voigtland had consumed,

The Kress' have never since that time resumed

Their days, among the mountain peaks to roam,

But came to Nuremberg to make their home.

Three hundred years and more have passed along

Since this old family came here, says the song.

Good citizens they were and served their God

With all their heart and soul. Here where they trod,

They built Saint George a church and blessings got

For their new home, the castle and this spot.

It was the year twelve hundred seventy-one,

Four hundred years ago, since this was done.

They built what now is known as "Kressenstein"

At Krafftshoff, where are traces of this line.

In fourteen hundred eighteen, annals claim,

The first of Kresses councillor became.

His sons, and sons of theirs with mighty hand,

Acquired and retained large tracts of land.

Endowed with foresight and great cleverness,

In fifteen hundred thirty Christoph Kress

Was sent to Augsburg, there to lay before

The Emperor and princes by the score

Their self-willed separation from the Pope

To gain eternal blessedness, their hope.

Thus, Christoph served to bring us to the Light;

And later on, when closed a bitter fight,

Jobst Christoph Kress to Osnaburg went down,

To sign the peace and win us freedom's crown.

Here I must stop; I cannot well say more.

But always has a Kress been at the fore.

May God, who guards our town and ever blesses,

Keep for our benefit the line of Kresses.

We ne'er forget the blessings on our town,

Our present Kress, Hans Wilhelm, has brought down.

May God preserve his valuable life,

His home and family and highborn wife.

May he our town with wealth and greatness bless.

God save each member of the race of Kress!

Composed by Georg Philipp Harsdörffer in 1655

Continued

As in old annals may be found,

This race live formerly all around

The Voigtland, up the mountain slope.

To dwell in quiet was their hope;

But uproars there and bloody fights

Caused them to leave their upland sights.

When Henry Sixth, who ruled the land,

A tournament of tilting planned

For knights at Nuremberg, free town,

The men of Kress did journey down;

They went there too and greeted him

With nine good horsemen, fine and trim.

Soon after, with the Emperor,

They went to Thonauwerth to war.

Their valour there - for none was braver -

Soon won his gratitude and favour.

They then went home in peace to dwell,

But blighting wars their land befell.

Three hundred years ago or more,

They came with servants well as score

To Nuremberg, this good free town;

And be it to their great renown,

Good citizens they soon became;

To many gifts they owed their fame.

To know of their free-handedness

The signs are here; we need not guess.

For in year thirteen hundred five,

Fred Kress, who then was still alive,

Not only built and dedicated

The church Saint George, as somewhere stated,

But also built, this blessed man,

A manor house of noble plan

With castle. And upon its ground

Some traces of it still are found.

'T is Krafftshoff's now. Ere its decline,

We used to call it "Kressentstein."

A hundred years had scarcely passed

Until a Kress was made at last

A Burgomaster of our town

And added to its great renown.

Cheer Conrad Kress, for he has been

Since fourteen hundred seventeen

The fearless leader of the name;

His sons and theirs have been the same.

No need for words; their deeds still tell

How these men served their city well.

As councillors and magistrates,

They shaped the destinies and fates

Of all the people; though with pity,

They tempered justice in their city.

And it does not surprising sound

That they secured great wealth and ground.

Yet they forgot not God the Light,

For the did join in pious fight,

As Austin Friars, at their task,

Will testify, if you will ask.

Of righteousness their works did savour,

Thus they enjoy all people's favour.

We love them all, Kress and his wife,

And may God grant them all long life,

The well-known Kresses - mighty race -

To guide and guard this noble place.

Amen

Note: The term race as used here refers to a group of people or in this particular case a family rather than an "ethnic race" as the term is commonly used for today.