The Witzels of Vacha

The Michael Witzel family of Vacha has received much attention among German researchers due to the historical importance of the Catholic priest and theologian Georg Witzel. There is still some debate over the origins of the family, but there is some proof that the Witzel name can be found in Vacha as early as 1380. (Honikel).

It is known that Georg Witzel was born in his father's guest house named Zum Engel in 1501. His father, Michael Witzel, a widower, married again to Agnes Landau of H�nfeld in 1497. Michael seems to have been born in Vacha. Georg is known to have an older brother by the name of Johannes. (Ditzel). Though a Catholic, Georg switched to the Lutheran cause for a few years. During this time he married Elizabeth Kraus in Eisenach. They are said to have had eight children, one of which was named Georg, after his father.

The full details of the first family name bearer is still unclear. In 1390, there is a record of Witzel von H�nfeld, a citizen of Fulda, suggesting that he was born in H�nfeld, but lived in Fulda. His date of birth is unknown, but his name seems to be of a date prior to the use of surnames. It can be assumed that at some point surnames became required and someone whose father was named Witzel took Witzel as a last name.

Despite the evidence that the name Witzel is Saxon in origin and refers to someone who is a city leader, and perhaps more likely a leading priest, Witzel is also said to be a short form of other German names. Witzel can mean 'little wise one' or 'son of Witz, often related to the name Wigand. But it is also clearly the evolved form of Witta, Wizo, and Wizelin (Wizeln) as in urbisuuicelinus, 'city Wizelin', Anglo-Saxon burhwita.

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Ditzel, Olaf. 'Georg Witzel - erst Weggef�hrte, dann Gegner von Balthasar Raid'. Mein Heimatland. Band 39, Nr. 8. August, 2000. [�]

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Honikel, Liesel. 'WITZEL'. http://list.genealogy.net/mailman/archiv/franken-l/2003-12/msg00009.html . December 3, 2003. [�].