St. Martin / Moos

In the 12^th century, St. Martin was known as St. Martinsdorf. The family who lived there was part of the ministerials of the Sonnenburg monastery, and at times it is also cited in connection with the Brixen cathedral (Diepold of St. Martinsdorf) and, because of its proximity, with the Michelsburg. The church of St. Martin was mentioned already around the year 1200. The choir with the Gothic vault dates back to the 16^th century. At the bottom of a tree-covered hill lies the tiny residence ‘Schwarzhorn’ with its turrets and round-arched door. The original name was given to the ‘Bichl’ called house of Michael Schwarzhorn, who received it in 1472 as fief of Gorizia (Gorica in Slovenian, Goerz in German).

West of Stefansdorf, at the feet of the Michelsburg, lies the hamlet of Moos, composed of different heights. Here rises the ‘Maria-Hilf-Kapelle’, a chapel built in 1721 to fulfil a vow, now well restored as most other chapels. Jakob Huter was born at the ‘Proslhof’ in Moos. The Anabaptist movement of the Counter-Reformation of the German Reich found favour also in Tyrol, where it spread after the Paesants’ Wars. The Baptists – this was their name in Tyrol – were a socio-revolutionary movement, refusing any kind of violence, as well as the doctrine and authorities of the Church. They formed spontaneous communities, had baptism as adults and recognised only the Holy Bible as a religious basis. Because of their heavy persecution and punishment by the temporal authorities, in the 3^rd quarter of the 16^th century thousands emigrated to Moravia. One of the most distinguished leaders was Jakob Huter from Moos, who in 1529 founded the first Tyrolean community in Austerlitz. The people called themselves ‘Huterische Brüder’ (Huterian brothers) after their leader’s name.