Geschwenda

Geschwenda is a district of the rural community greatly in the Elm district in Thuringia. It is located northwest of Ilmenau directly on the Federal Highway 71 and the federal highway 88. In the local dialect the place shortening is called Schwang. On the Dorr berg southwest of Geschwenda was with the Alteburg also called Raubschloss a base to control and secure the trade route between Gera berg and the Thuringia Forest on the pass Shucked. The castle was from the 12th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, the buildings and walls were largely demolished. The place was first mentioned in 1302 in the spelling Gyswende. At that time Count Gunter von Kafernburg gave the abbot of Herzfeld and received him back as a fief.

At that time the name was still Gyswenda". An interpretation derives this place name from "schwenden. A Geschwende" is a piece of land obtained by burning down the wood - as opposed to clearing the forest. Thus, the local coat of arms shows a fir, whose roots strike flames. From 1729 to 1740 the owners of the manor were the lords of Lichtenberg, from 1729 to 1740 the lords of Plassenberg, from 1740 to 1760 the lord of Ruder, Privy Councilors of Württemberg, Burggraf and Erboberstallmeister. His son sold it in 1760 to the Baron of Belmont.