Hohenburg
The time of Hohenburg’s construction is unknown but it is supposed to be latest towards the end of the 13 th century. The castle is situated close to the German-French border on the Alsatian side.
The first known representative of a Hohenburg family was Gottfried Puller, who had the secondary name Puller, meaning “from Apulien”. In 1236 he served in the military under the Emperor Friedrich II. in Italy which was probably how he got his name.
In 1262 the name Hohenburg is documented for the first time, when Konrad and Heinrich of Hohenburg transferred their property to the bishop Heinrich II. of Speyer. Konrad is generally considered as the minnesinger Püller of the mediaval song manuscript Manesse. Heinrich of Hohenburg, probably the son of the above mentioned Heinrich, devoted himself to religious and charitable activities in Strasbourg in the period after 1308.The Pullers are understood to have held the rights of citizenship in Strasbourg since 1266 where Burkhard Puller acted as Stettmeister, mayor, in 1299.
In the 14 th century the Hohenburgs were entwined with different regional authorities. At the same time they strenghtened their properties which were mainly situated in the lower Alsace and the region between Bitche, Saargemünd and Pirmasens.
There existed a clear feudal connection with the kingdom, also with the counts of Zweibrücken, the counts of Veldenz and even with the archbishops of Köln. Their relationship to the counts palatine became more and more important, so much so that Wirich I. gave the right of entrance of his share of Hohenburg Castle. After Wirichs death the Count Palatine transferred the fief to Wirichs widow Vye of Wasigenstein. Growing financial problems were probably the reason why Vye took a loan against her personal share of a quarter of Hohenburg. She borrowed the money from the Kurfürst, Elector, and in 1389 she signed the whole property over to him.
In 1401 King Ruprecht granted Konrad Puller of Hohenburg the castle and its property with all its dependances. The condition of the castle had been seriously damaged by the fact that in 1386 Hohenburg Castle accomodated the troops of Strasbourg during the siege and conquest of the neighbouring Löwenstein Castle.
The most important member of the Hohenburg family was without a doubt Wirich II. who in 1434 gave Hohenburg with all its dependances to his wife Jutta von Schöneck as an inheritance. His particular success was that he regained Kleeberg Castle in 1412, which had been granted as fief to Count Palatine Ludwig IV. Kleeberg Castle formed beside Hohenburg Castle the second centre of a small territory.
The death of Wirich II. marks the end of the Hohenburg family’s surge. His younger son Richard caused a conflict with the Kurfürst, Elector, of the Pfalz which ended with the seizure of the castles Kleeburg, Löwenstein, Nieder-Wasigenstein and Hohenburg. Kleeburg Castle was confiscated as it was no longer a fief of the Pfalz, it was from then on an independent Administration.
The remaining legacy of the Hohenburg family went partially to the Hofwarte of Kirchheim, which had in 1473 already received a quarter of Hohenburg Castle and the villages Klimbach, Wingen and their dependances. A larger part of the legacy, including the remaining share of Hohenburg Castle, as well as Löwenstein and Ochsenstein castles, went to Schweikard VIII. of Sickingen, who was from 1475 the husband of Margarete, Richard’s sister.
In approximately 1504 Schweikards son, Franz of Sickingen, started extensive work at the castle, which was from 1522 exclusively his property. During the infamous conflict of 1523 the allied troops of Elector Ludwig V. of the Pfalz, Archbishop Richard of Trier and Count Philipp I. of Hessen succeeded after short negociations to take over the castle. The property was confiscated for nearly twenty years until 1542 when Schweikard IV., Hans VII. and Franz Konrad regained it. Franz Konrad started reconstruction or rather renovation of the castle, he died in approximately 1578 before his work was finished.
His son Friedrich founded his own lineage Sickingen-Hohenburg, they moved to Austria giving up their residence of Hohenburg in the beginning of the 17 th century.
Hohenburg Castle, which was no longer of importance, was damaged during the 30 Year War by Swedish troops and in 1680 destroyed by the French under the command of Montclar. The Sickingen-Hohenburg family property claims were for the last time rejected by the Reunionskamme, re-appropriation committee, in 1834/36.
