An interesting document that is part of the Lorsch Codex (Codex Laureshamensis – a 12th century manuscript) is the donation by Count Luther of certain lands to the Lorsch Abbey (he seemed to have promptly gotten the lands back as part of a leaseback of sorts for the duration of his life). Already Wojciech Kętrzynski noticed that the donation, which dates from October 1, 877 mentions (among other personnel) Suavs. The document speaks generally of the lands around Leutershausen and Sachsenheim, each of which is itself very far West of any location typically associated with Suavs (the former lies between Nuremberg and Heilbronn – just East of the Suavic sounding Wörnitz though perhaps from the river, earlier called Werinza or Warinza); the latter, slightly north of Stuttgart).
However, the specific mention of the Suavs comes from a slightly different part of the above region (which reaches to Mannheim), specifically from the lands north of Heidelberg. The following towns are mentioned (current names or likely names in parenthesis):
- Weinheim (Winenheim)
- Birkenau (Birchenowa)
- Ruzondun/Ruzondum (Reissen)
- Lieberesbach (Nieder- and Obers-Liebersbach)
- Zozunbach (Zotzenbach)
- Rintbach (Rimbach)
Here are the relevant locations along with the location of the Lorsch Abbey.
Donatio Liutheri in Husen, Sahssenheim et in aliis locis.
In Dei omnipotentis nomine. Ego Liutharius, cogitans de salute animae meae et de abolendis peccatis meis beataeque ac perpetuae vitae premiis consequendis seu etiam parentum meorum, a quibus ad me pervenit, ut veniam de peccatis nostris apud Dominum adipisci mereamur, dono per hoc testamentum ad sanctum Dei martyrem Nazarium, qui requiescit in corpore in pago Renense, in monasterio cognominato Lauresham, sito super fluvium Wisgoz, ubi moderno tempore vir venerabilis Babo abbas regulariter preesse videtur, et veneranda congregatio monachorum die noctuque Domino deservire dinoscitur, donatumque in perpetuum esse volo et promptissima voluntate confirmo; hoc est, quod trado res proprietatis meae in pago Lobodenense, in Wilarehusa, cum ecclesia in eo constructa et omnibus quae ad illam curtem legitime aspicere videntur; et in villa nuncupata Sahssenheim Minore hubas serviles 9 et quicquid in ea possideo; et in altera Sahssenheim hobam indominicatam unam, serviles 13, molendina 2; et in Dossenheim vineam unam, hubam dimidiam, serviles 2; et in Scriezesheim hubas serviles 4, et dimidiam, molendina 3; ad Hanscuesheim iurnales 8; ad Wilare hobas serviles 3; et inter Vitenheim et Ulvenesheim et Herimuntesheim hubas 3; inter Dornheim et Mannenhem hubas 4 et vineam unam; ad Bergeheim hobam servilem unam; et in Rorbach similiter; ad Leimheim vincam unam; et ad Etingon hobas 4 et dimidiam; et in Granesheim iurnales 8. Haec omnia, ut diximus, sub integritate cum omnibus appenditiis et terminis suis et cum omnibus ad se pertinentibus, id est basilica, domibus caeterisque aedificiis, terris, pratis, silvis, campis, pascuis, aquis aquarumve decursibus, cultis locis et incultis, mobilibus rebus et inmobilibus ac se ipsas moventibus, vel quicquid denominari potest aut non potest, cum mancipiis diversi sexus et aetatis numero 102 cum liberis suis; et ubi Sclavi habitant, hubas serviles tres. Hec enim omnia superius denominata a die presente de iure meo in ius et dominium sancti Nazarii rectorumque ipsius monasterii dono, trado atque transfundo, in Dei nomine perpetualiter ad possidendum. Ea scilicet ratione memoratam donationem atque traditionem faciens, ut quamdiu in hac mortalitate divina iussione vixero, habeam predictas res in mea potestate et sub mea ordinatione, absque ullius personae aut potestatis contra dictione vel impedimento, et tam ipsius a me traditae quam illius quam inde ab eodem monasterio in precariam accepi, hereditatis, id est villam nuncupatam Winenheim et Birchenowa atque Ruzondun et Lieberesbach et Zozunbach atque Rintbach, et illum locum, ubi Sclavi habitant cum ipsis. Post obitum vero meum utraeque memoratae res cum omni integritate ad prenominatum venerabile monasterium absque ullius contradictione recipia[n]tur, et in eius potestate atque dominio permanea[n]t fratribus specialiter ad sustentaculum, et nulli umquam in beneficium de[n]tur. Quod si factum fuerit, haeredes mei illud inde abstrahere licentiam habeant atque inter se dispertiri. Et si aliquis contra hoc nostrae devotionis testamentum resultare voluerit, atque illud convellere et evacuare temptaverit, primitus Christum et sanctum martyrem eius Nazarium nefandis ausibus suis contrarium sentiat, et insuper fisco distringente multam de rebus propriis parti predicti monasterii coactus exsolvat, auri videlicet libram unam, argenti pondo 12, et nec sic, quod conatur repetere, possit evindicare, sed haec donatio omni tempore firma et stabilis permaneat, stipulatione subnixa.
Actum publice in monasterio Lauresham, anno dominicae incarnationis 877; regni Ludowici regis 2, sub die Kal. Octobris.
Signum Liutharii, qui hanc donationem vel testamentum fieri et firmari rogaverat. Signum Adalhardi comitis. Signum Erinfridi comitis. Signum Cristani comitis et aliorum.
Ego itaque Reginbald indignus presbiter et monachus hoc testamentum conscripsi, diemque et tempus ut supra notavi.
The two mentions are:
- et ubi Sclavi habitant… (and where the Suavs reside…), and
- et illum locum, ubi Sclavi habitant cum ipsis. (and such places, where the Suavs reside with theirs [meaning with their “folks”]).
The river Wisgoz is today’s Weschnitz. It is a tributary of the Rhine and it is at that river that the Suavs mentioned above are supposed to have been living. The name, we are told, comes from the Celtic God Visucius. If so, it would not be a Suavic name obviously. Of course, no one knows for sure (for example, maybe its waters were very viscous…). The name also got copied, in addition to fluuium Wisgoz, as Wisscoz, Wischoz and Wisoz. All these appear in the Lorsch Codex.
The pago Lobodenense, elsewhere Lobodongau or Lobodingau refers to the Lobdengau a medieval county. It comes from the name of Ladenburg which was then called, among other names, Lobdenburg. That name supposedly comes from the Celtic Lopodunum. Yet, Loboda is a relatively common Suavic last name these days (Łoboda refers to the atriplex plant or, in German, Melde) and, as for Lada, well, that is a Suavic God or Goddess. That Lada may be etymologically connected to Odin is a possibility and, of course, all of this is in the are of the Odenwald (but this etymology is uncertain given that Odin was Wotan in this region; perhaps the name relates to the Roman Civitas Auderiensium but who really knows).
It was in this area that the Suebi Nicrenses, the Neckar Suevi, were active.
Here is another map of the area for your enjoyment.
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