Supplement to the Chronicle of the Plague in Vinschgau and the Merano Area

Appendix.

A Supplement

To the article in the Bothe f. T. u. V. 1824 Nos. 99 and 100: On the plague in Vinstgau and the Meran region.

A document dated 6 April 1638 deposited in the curacy parsonage at Hafling preserves the following account:

In perpetuam memoriam.

In the year 1636 around All Saints' Day, the grievous disease broke out at Chnal in Veran, and six persons died there; thereafter at the Meßmer's one person and his son, one at the Glatzen. From the Glatzen it spread to the Platter's small house; from which five persons died. Item at the Platter's nine persons. At the Grueber's four persons; furthermore in the Filgenhütt three persons. Item at the Pächler's eight persons; at the Pauren's four persons; at the Haltmayr's four persons; upon the lekh Platt two persons; at the Schneiderheißl ten persons. Item from the Untermayr cottage one person. Furthermore in the Weber cottage located on the Nußbamer's land three persons; at the Nußbamer's he himself along with four persons.

Sum of the deceased: 62 persons.

To avert such fearful punishment and visitation of God, an honourable neighbourhood in Häflingen had a fine red crimson banner made for the dear holy martyrs Sebastian and Fabian, at no cost to the houses of God; on one side of the cloth is Our Lady the holy Mother of Jesus Christ alongside and together with the holy virgins Catherine and John the Baptist; on the other side Saint Sebastian and Saint Roch. Item the honourable and distinguished Christian Prummer had a white banner made for himself for this same purpose as stated above.

Item during the prevailing plague, honourable and distinguished neighbours made offerings and gifts to the dear holy houses of God of St. John and Catherine. (Here follows in the manuscript an enumeration of the individual gifts).

It is further to be noted that an honourable neighbourhood, on the advice of the parish priest Father Joanes Heisler and benefitiatus of the Holy Cross at Fragsburg, promised to perform cross processions. (Here follows the enumeration of the individual processions).

Upon such promise and pious vow, the grievous plague came to a cessation or end.

At this time the parish priest is the Reverend spiritual gentleman Joanes Heisler, pastor here and benefitiatus at Fragsburg.

Churchwarden Gall Alber Tschitt

Advocate/bailiff Ulrich Reiterer Sulfner.

Recorded on the 6th day of April of the year 1638 by the parish priest himself in the presence of the above-mentioned churchwarden and bailiff, as well as the honourable and distinguished Christl Kienzl at the Prunner and Paul Alber, at present tenant at the Astmayr farm.

Actum Ut Supra.