Livonia was a historic region to the east of the Bay of Riga. In early medieval ages the country was populated by Baltic and Urgofinnic tribes. A. D. 1201 the town of Riga was founded, The bishopric of Livonia created and the Order of the Brothers of the Sword - the Order of Livonian Knights came into being, in order to broaden the Christianity by the Bible in one and the Sword in the other hand. The tide of German nobles, clergy and burghers to the region started shortly thereafter. The family of Harnach (also written Harnoch or Harnock) appeared in Livonia that time probably as well. In 1561 the order was dissolved and the Duchies of Kuronia and Livonia within the Polish Kingdom were created. In 1625 Livonia was captured by the Swedes.
The oldest known Harnach, Georg Fridrich von Harnach had in possession a small dominion of Prolawitz and became after 1635 the commander-in-chief of the fortress of Wolmar (today Valmiera), 60 miles NE of Riga.
Jakub of Harnach, son of Georg Harnach, was born in Wolmar. He went to Poland and Sweden, where he started his military career as a cornett. Later he entered the Rome Emperor's service. In the Count Kolowratafs regiment he became the Rittmeister and he gained a reputation during the 1642 battles against the Swedish troops near Mlada Boleslav in Bohemia. He married Katerina of Ricany (von Rziczan) on Radlovice (Radejice near Stribro). Jakub decided to settled down in Bohemia. By marriage he acquired the estates of Darova and Krise in Plzen region and gained Strazov near Klatovy.
His son Karel Ferdinand became a founder of the baronet line of the kin. The other line was presented by Bedrich Vaclav. The issue receded to the burghers' stand. Bedrich's heirs Frantisek Caludius and Karel Claudius, as well as the grandson Bedrich Josef and great grandson Vaclav Harnach became hunters and foresters and their families lived in many parts and they served on many dominions in Bohemia, Moravia and Austria.
Vaclav Harnach, son of Fridrich Joseph Harnach, a forester in service of the Count Sinzendorf, was born in 1754 in a small town Ernstbrunn in the Leiserberge hills in Lower Austria (district Korneuburg). His mother, Theresia Pleininger hailed from here. The family then lived in nearby Streitsdorf (parish Niederhollabrunn). Father died when Vaclav was 3 years old. Vaclav became a forester as his father. In 1771 he passed all examinations and became an approved huntsman. The examinator was probably his mother's uncle Johann Karl Pleininger Vaclav's mother Terezia married Karl Mittelholzer affer first husband’s death and Vaclav left the house.
Vaclav then served on several estates (Horni Lesonice and Zeletice in the Znojmo - Znaim region) in Moravia. He was highly appreciated by his superiors. In 1777 or 1778 he entered the service on Count SinzendorfYs estates, either in Austria or in Moravia. In 1783 the count Wenzel von Sinzendorf released Vaclav of his service and Vaclav Harnach went to Bohemian Royal Town of Vysoke Myto in East Bohemia, where he became the municipal forester.
Vaclav Hamach left one son, Vaclav also, who became wax producer and distiller in Vysoke Myto and a daughter, named Marie Magdalena (1787 -1839) who later married Frantisek Vilimek, a dealer in Vysoke Myto. They bought a mill, called Dolansky mlyn, or Vapenka in Lestina No. 44. and are my direct ancestors. More about their fates in the Vilimek paper.
From the Web Page of Karl Kysilka (1998)
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