The Palatinate

Flag of the Electoral Palatinate

In the late winter of 1710 Johann Weiss arrived with his family in Wexford. Their journey had been long and full of hardship. Ireland had not been their intended destination. They ended up there by chance as much as anything.  They spoke no English, or Irish for that matter. They were penniless, depending on the mercy of others. From literally nothing they began the task of rebuilding their lives, establishing themselves in their adopted homeland.
To understand the forces that brought Johann's family to this point we need to step back a bit to understand the geography and history of his homeland. Johann came from and area of south western Germany commonly referred to as the Palatinate (Rheinpfalz). The Palatinate is situated along the Franco German border. The southern part of the Palatinate is hilly and heavily forested.  The northern part is an important wine region.  The river Rhine runs through the Palatinate and provides an important route for both the region.  It also served as the gateway by which the German palatines emigrated.

The region known as the Palatinate has changed over the years due to wars and border disputes.  However, the origins of the region can trace its history back to the middle ages when as part of the Holy Roman Empire it was ruled over by a Count Palatine.  The area came into existence around the 10th and 11th centuries. In 1356, a decree was issued by the Reichstag assembly.  This decree became known as the Golden Bull of 1356.  The Golden Bull officially recognised the Palatinate as one of the secular regions.  The Count Palatine, now known as the Elector Palatine was a hereditary ruler meaning that rule passed down the family. However, when the senior branch of the family died out in 1559 the Electorate passed to Frederick III of Simmern. Frederick III converted from Catholicism to Calvinism and thus it now became the official religion of the region. This was a decision that would have major consequences for the palatines.  The area grew as a major centre for Calvinism.  It attracted Calvinists from many other parts of Germany and Switzerland where they were facing religious persecution.  The decision to adopt Calvinism was also something that would eventually see the Palatinate become entangled in the Thirty Years War.