National and historical symbols of Hungary

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Répceszemere

(Győr-Moson-Sopron County)

Shield erect and azure, its base curved to a point. Three Alpine lilies are in it issuing from a wavy bend argent. Shield is topped by a five-pointed nobiliary crown. The colour blue as well as the nobiliary crown are both references to the past of the settlement as well as to the history of the Szemere family. The wavy bend argent symbolises the Répce river, while the Alpine lilies recall Chief Huba and his clan.

Répceszemere is located by the Répce river, in the southwestern part of Győr-Moson-Sopron County, near the boundary of Vas County The settlement borders on Csáfordjánosfa, Iván and Dénesfa, as well as on Répcelak of Vas County. From 1979 it is only accessible by road. The nearest railway station, Répcelak (on the Szombathely-Csorna-Hegyeshalom line), can be found at a distance of four kilometres from Répceszemere. From the direction of Győr the village can be approached via Répcelak on trunk road No. 86, from Sopron on trunk road No. 84 as far as Újkér or Simaság, then via Iván. Regular and direct bus services are available to reach the settlement from the direction of the towns of Sopron, Kapuvár and Celldömölk.

The settlement was named after the Szemere family and the Répce river, which runs near it. It was considered a settlement of great importance as early as the age of the Romans. The area of today's Répceszemere -similar to the entire riverside territories of the Répce river- was inhabited by the Romans. It is very likely that the military forces stationed at Répceszemere belonged to the Savaria garrison. This fact is attested by a noteworthy archeological finding. As early as 1826 a Roman gravestone was found in the 'old' cemetery of the village. On the basis of this archeological evidence it can be concluded that the area was inhabited as early as two thousand years ago, or even a century earlier than that. By the text preseved int he Drinóczy Chronicle the ancient Hungarians settled down in this area soon after the conquest of the Carpathian Basin. This event explains the fact that it was the members of the Szemer family who settled down in the area. The Szemers used to belong to the clan of one of the seven tribal chiefs of the conquering Hungarians, Chief Huba.

In the period following the Hungarian Comquest the function of the area by the Répce river - called gyepü/border zone - was to protect the borders. The area was often exposed to foreign invaders and that is why the first kings of Hungary settled down the militant Pechenegs in the village. They were here to protect the borders and in return they were given some privileges. Répceszemere got first mentioned in writing as early as 1265, on the occasion that from the estate of royal guards King Béla IV bestowed five buiding sites on Dénes, son of Bertalan Veszkényi. In addition, the name of the settlement got mentioned in seven different medieval documents.

Owing to marriage and other contracts between relations local estates got fragmented throughout the Middle Ages. Thus a class of lesser nobles came into being which was responsible for cultivating its own land property. This is why the village did not need a lot of working hands, that is serfs. The labour force, which had become redundant - in order to survive and support their families - gradually were becoming craftsmen. In spite of this new development Répceszemere did not lose its former characteristics as market town. Several guilds came into existence. The Hungarian-language charter of incorporation of the weavers of Répceszemere, authorised by King Leopold in 1693, is kept in the library of Budapest University. It was probably the local weavers who deserved the credit for obtaining the right of holding fairs at Répceszemere from Emperor Joseph in 1706. Not much later Répceszemere was raised to the rank of market town. It was in 1714 that the bootmakers, then in 1717 the taylors organised their respective guilds. Both guilds received royal approval in 1789. The joint charter of the incorporation of cartwrights, blacksmiths and carpenters was dated 1827 and it was also the same year that the charter of the weavers of Szemere was rewritten and got approval.

It was in 1880 that a mill was constructed by the riverside at Szemere. It was one of the greatest establishments of its kind Since it was a cylinder mill, it was the most modern industrial establishment of its own period. Milling technology was continuously updated, so the system of cylinder sieves was replaced by that of flat sieves. Due to this change the local mill produced flour of outstanding quality. The mill was also suitable for generating electricity, but unfortunately, the managers of the mill and those of the village were not able to agree on the genral conditions. The history of the mill came to a very sad end. During the post-war nationalisation a truck arrived one day and the mill's machinery got dismantled and transported to a foundry. The owners, the members of the Ruisz family got impoverished in a single day, and, in addition, they were later to pull down the abandoned and decaying building as well. This is how the one-time famous mill disappeared from the village.

In 1864 parish priest György Halasy wrote as follows: 'Répceszemere is a nice village and it is inhabited by pretty and educated people. Its inhabitants are from the lesser nobiliary and they are also craftsmen. The famous all-country fairs, which are held twice a year, in spring and in autumn, contribute largely to the fame of Répceszemere.'

As far as the 20th century history of the settlement is concerned, it survived two world wars and sacrificed several of its inhabitants during them. During the second world war, on August 9, 1944 one church bell out of the three was taken away from the church tower. The worst period of the second world war at Répceszemere was when the front lines reached the settlement.

The first written mention of the settlement's church goes back to a royal charter of 1339. This old church was likely to have been built by some members of the ancient Szemerey family. Since this church was located quite far from the village centre, the inhabitants of Répceszemere decided to have it pulled down and then rebuilt right in the village centre. In the spring of the following year these works were began on the spot where the village stands today. Builders worked so hard and were so enthusiastic that the wooden-towered church was to have been completed by the fall of 1733. The new church -similar to the old one- was west-east oriented. It was consecrated on the day of the Holy Cross. Its altar was decorated with the very same painted crucifix, which can be seen above the baptistry today. In 1808 the church was rebuilt and it was also then that it received its present-day form, style and size. Today the church of Répceszemere is a nice Baroque church, one of Hungary's listed buildings. The Lutheran house of worship was built in 1851 by the members of the local congregation.

Dr. Dezső Dénes Mesteri, the emperor's chamberlain and a religious priest was born on August 14, 1840 at Répceszemere. After his ordination he went to Vienna, where he began to teach at the Royal Academy. His teaching activity was so well received by Emperor Franz Joseph, who invited him to his own residence and appointed him the educator of the royal children. He educated many young princes and princesses from all over Europe, from Spain to Greece. His life and work linked him to the imperial capital and it was also here that he died on August 28, 1913. His will was dated at Répceszemere in 1902 and he left the large part of his possessions to his native village in it. His aim was to establish an institution at Répceszemere for the education of the local youth and for the care and the protection of the elderly. When the excellent scientist, teacher and priest died, the parish priest of the time, Flórián Tartsay invited and settled down the members of the Swiss order of the Holy Cross at Répceszemere and they began their work in the village in the spirit of Mesteri's will.