This year we commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of Anna Neumann, who was mistress of the dominion of Murau for half a century (1574 - 1623) and one of the richest women in the entire German Empire. Legendary are her long life (88 years), in which she married six times, and the two witch trials, which however ended fatally for the "plaintiffs".
The History of Anna Neumann
Anna Neumann and Murau are closely linked; the town really prospered during her era as Lady of Murau. But perhaps we should take a look first at the early years of her life: Anna Neumann was born 25 November 1535 in Villach (Carinthia); she was raised in a highly respected merchant family. At the age of 22 she married Hans Jakob Freiherr von Thannhausen by whom she bore two children; Thannhausen, however, died when the marriage was only 3 years old. In 1565, Anna married Freiherr Christof II von Liechtenstein, whose ancient family seat was in Murau. Having inherited enormous wealth from her family, she used this to acquire the properties in Murau from the Liechtenstein brothers; from then on she was known as the „Lady of Murau.“ However, she was unable to bear her husband, who died in 1580, an heir. Only two years later, in 1582, Anna married Freiherr Ludwig Ungnad von Weissenwolf, one of the Protestant leaders, she herself being a convinced Protestant, too. Ludwig Ungnad died just one year later. By 1586, Anna Neumann had married yet again and she remained the wife of Freiherr Karl von Teufenbach until his death, in 1610; the family seat was in Teufenbach, not far from Murau.
Anna Neumann’s constantly increasing fortune gave rise to accusations by illwishers that she was a witch; this, despite the fact that her subjects could invest their precious pennies with her and receive interest. In other words, she was a truly modern business woman of her age. Hardly surprising, then that, although she was by then seventy, another suitor came knocking at her door: 30-year-old Count Ferdinand von Orttenburg, of the House of Salamanca. This marriage lasted from 1611 till 1616. In 1617, finally, Anna married Catholic Reichs-Count Georg Ludwig von Schwarzenberg; on 20 October of the same year, she handed, by Act of Donation, dominion over Murau to Schwarzenberg. She died on 18 December 1623, aged 88, Protestant to the last; for this reason, she was not granted burial in the Parish Church. The Archbishop of Salzburg did, however, permit a church funeral service, but she ended up being buried in the Church of St. Elisabeth in such a way that her head remained outside the building. It wasn’t until 1873 that she came to rest at last, in her final tomb, in the Church of the Capuchins.
The town of Murau owes the „Lady of Murau“ the foundation of the Citizens Hospital. In addition, she organised the firewood and timber rights for 101 citizens; she also sorted out the property deeds of the Town Parish Church. Even today, you keep stumbling over Anna Neumann when in Murau; you can admire, even touch and feel the lifesize bronze statue that adorns the space in front of the regional administrative offices, the main street in Murau’s Old Town proudly bears her name and you can, of course, also visit her tomb in the Capuchin Church. Anna Neumann, a woman who made herself a name way back then that put many a man in the shade.
Guided tours can be booked individually with the Murau Ambassadors
-> Info at www.murau-botschafter.at