Heuers in Karnitz (1765 - 1872) and villages of : 
Gützelfitz, Neides, Nitznow, Schruptow
Includes related families Films 1273263-264
Spellings as they appear in the records-FP means a film page number

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Karnitz Kirche Pictures Taken in Sep 1996

This is the mother church in Karnitz, with Neides, Schruptow, Gutzelfitz, Nitznow and Dresow- Shaferei (a sheep farm). 1400 souls-10 Old Lutheran  Patron: (Land owner was Von Elbe) Probably knighted by the Kaiser.  Records were kept from 1743.  This Church has been managed many hundreds of years by the family of von Karnitz, who were appointed as important personages by the Church.  There are records on this church from 1368, but the formal church has been built in 1594, when it became a parish.  In census record of 1717, this church was given a 1/2 of LH.(unknown).  The pastor received, in those days, 16 1/2 measures of rye and equal amount of oats.  From Neides; he received 4 measures of barley; from Nitznow came 6 measures of rye and 4 measures of rye and 4 measures of oats; from Schruptow came 13 measures of rye and oats from every farmer and 1 1/2 "Luebisch schillings".  The sexton could request eggs and one measure of oats.

The church wealth was reduced in those days to $100 Taler (American $100.00) because the tower in the part of the church which was made out of wood was altered to a massive cross form building.  Together with replacing one half of the roof, the expenses amounted to 1,460 talers ($1,460)  Most of the expenses were carried by the family of Karnitz.

Further, Pastor Ulrich mentioned that the production from the acreage belonging to the church, was to be given back to the church.  His predecessor neglected the harvest work, and the proceeds, then fell back to the community.

The church itself, is the late medieval building style, built of field stone and brick with a cross building which was built around 1700.  In 1941, some of the shortcoming of the outer building were redone.  Also the valuable inside of the church from the 17th and 18th century was refurbished because of insect destruction.

Inscriptions and coats of arms inside the church date from 1641 and 1742 and in the chancel to 1700 and 1705.  The altar furniture dates to the 17th century, the organ from the 18th century and there is frequent mention of the von Karnitz family as donors.

Next to the church, the donor family Von Elbe, had a burial crypt.  The von Karnitz's and the von Fleming family from Treptow had their burial crypts underneath the church.

In 1945, the church area measured 32 hektars(about 80 acres).  Records show that the parish in Karnitz in 1907  owned about 3,205 Marks.  The parish also received from the church 42 Marks every year, 46 Marks from the Karnitz farm property 7.50 Marks from Neides, from Schruptow property 3.75 in lieu of 10 cheese and bread.  From the farmers in Schruptow 3.45 in egg money, a measure of rye from the 3 farms of the Karnitz's or 3 Mark.  There may have been other forms of income.

(This information translated from the Chronicle of Gryfice Region written by Dr. Albert Ulrich