He is Fürstenfeldbruck's first chronicler: the main customs administrator Jakob Groß from Emmering has painstakingly compiled and written down the history of his homeland. For this he became an honorary citizen - and also patron saint for a street.
Fürstenfeldbruck - Jakob Groß knew Fürstenfeldbruck from an early age. He saw the light of day in neighboring Emmering, the son of Mathias and Kreszentia Groß, on January 17, 1827. It was said that his teachers were already alert to his mental activity in elementary school. Jakob Groß went to high school in Munich and studied law. In the civil service he worked as a main customs administrator.
Jakob Groß wrote a chronicle about Fürstenfeldbruck
Jakob Groß was interested in history at a young age. Early history, genealogy and heraldry were his hobbies - a passion that he pursued until the end of his life. It was his youth wish to write down the history of his homeland. During his absence, he exchanged letters with his friend, the famous ore caster Ferdinand von Miller. In a newspaper article about Jakob-Groß-Straße, he was enthusiastic about the idea of local chronology. For more than 20 years, he laboriously put together everything that was newsworthy.
Eager chronicler: Jakob Groß.
During his service in Lübeck, Groß wrote the chronicle of Fürstenfeldbruck. It covers the period from the 12th century to 1878, in which he completed his life's work. The chronicle is dedicated to the citizens of the Bruck market in grateful memory of the hospitality enjoyed in the early years, wrote Groß at the beginning. It was 646 pages long and was divided into six sections. The only illustration showed Bruck's view in the 17th century. It was printed by Albert Sighart and cost 50 pfennigs, reports Fritz Scherer on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the chronicle. The splendid design in two volumes, however, contained around 6200 coats of arms alone.
Jakob Groß was granted honorary citizenship
In the chapters, Groß reports on everything worth knowing - from the Bruck market before it was acquired by the Fürstenfeld monastery to various wars and memorable events. The reader learns more about long-established families and noteworthy events, listed chronologically.
The district book describes the chronicle as an important historical source. It was continued by hand until 1899 by Jakob Dirnagel, August Aumiller and Gotthard Krauß. The Markt Bruck granted him honorary citizenship on January 14, 1897 for his services. A street was also named after him.
Jakob Groß also wrote a home chronicle about Simbach
Jakob Groß was married twice. His first wife, the daughter of chief customs inspector Monika Rehm, died after a few years. With her he had two daughters and a son. For the sake of the children, he married a second time - the teacher daughter Anna Wesselad.
No matter where Jakob Groß worked, he explored his homeland everywhere. Already in 1864 he wrote the home chronicle of Simbach, where he was also stationed for a few years. This commune also gave him honorary citizenship. The local researcher also excelled in Mecklenburg and Lübeck - here among other things through excavations in the museum association. After his transfer to Memmingen in 1881, he founded a branch of the Anthropological Society - which later changed its name to Antiquity Society - and took over the chair. He is also known as the father of the city museum that the association created. He gave many lectures and conducted excursions. He also wrote a two-volume coat of arms book in Memmingen.
At the age of 70, the main customs administrator and chronicler retired. He suffered from kidney disease and died a year later, on May 4, 1898.
The series: Many streets in Fürstenfeldbruck are named after deserving citizens, artists and abbots. The personalities are introduced in the Tagblatt series. The most recent series section was about the Pruggmayr family.