Xaver Hohenleiter

Franz Xaver Hohenleiter ( called The Black Veri, Black - Veere, Black Vere, Black or Swabian Vere De Vere Schwaaz, Black Vere or Vere ); (* 1788 Rommelsried in today's Swabian district of Augsburg, † July 20, 1819 in Biberach an der Riss) was a German robber. He was the leader of a gang of robbers in what is now the border triangle of Austria, Switzerland and Germany ( Bavaria, Baden, Hohenzollern -Sigmaringen and Württemberg). Imperial Count Franz Ludwig Schenk von Castell, called Malefizschenk, the task of the brigandage in general and the band of the Xaver Hohenleiter specifically asked to put a stop to.

Tradition holds that Hohenleiter called on July 20, 1819 Ehinger Tor, also Siechentor or sinner Tower, died in Biberach, when a lightning struck the tower and was forwarded by the chains. A two-year career as a robber chief had a bizarre end.

Band of robbers

The popularly called the band of robbers to Xaver Hohenleiter " a dissolute and work shy people." Supposedly they spared farmers and protected virgins. But apart from the fact that the Veri was capable of brute force, his actual actions rather betray the petty criminals. Thus, the Chronicle noted about a burglary at Lawrence Keeser in Illwangen. The loot: 15 pounds of cheese, bread, brandy, a table cloth and a pair of boots. A slump in Waldbeuren brought the gang clothes worth ten guilders.

To his gang his brother Ulrich, was called The Urle. A further eight men and seven women found themselves at the Veri, such as Michael Friedrich Ludwig Klumpp ( The Beautiful Fritz ), Josef Anton Jung ( The Condeer ), Fidelis Sohm ( The one-eyed Fidele ), Maria Josepha Tochtermann ( The Günzburger Sephe ) and her sister Creszenzia ( The Günzburger Creszenz ), the sisters Agnes, Agatha and Crescenz Gebhard ( The dreckete game ) and their mother Catherine Gebhard ( The dreckete mother).

The preferred target of the gang were secluded farms. They held on, among others, in the forests of Spöck at Ostrach, the Pfrunger Ried to Altshausen Altdorfer and in forestry.

Their method was quite subtle: while the female members distract the peasants, the thieves broke into the back of the building and stole cash, valuables of all kinds, daily commodities and food.

Effect

The stories about the Black Veri act after in Upper Swabia until today. So immortalized Gustav Schwab known Swabian poet, Veris death in the poem " knocks the weather under storm to Biberach on sinners Tower ".

In addition, the fool guild founded in 1970, Ravensburger Black Veri guild called after the robber. Today it is one of the biggest fools guilds in Upper Swabia.

Furthermore, there is a song known in Upper Swabia music group " Gsälzbär " in which the lives of the Black Veris is sung. In addition Grachmusikoff devoted to the 1994 released CD "quasi lives " a song the Schwaaz Vere.

On the outdoor stage the natural theater Hayingen was in 2008, the play " The Black Vere " section.

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