The Teutonic Order in Friesach
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The Teutonic Order has had a presence in Friesach since 1203.
Founded as a knightly hospital community in 1190 during the Third Crusade in Acre, it was placed under papal protection the following year by Pope Clement III, who recognised the “Beloved Brothers of the Community of St Mary in Jerusalem”.
From Hospital Brotherhood to Knightly Order
In 1199, the community was transformed into a religious knightly order, modelled on the Templars and Knights Hospitaller. The Teutonic Knights maintained close ties with the Habsburg dynasty and fought in their own regiments – the renowned “Teutschmeister” – against the enemies of the Empire and the faith.
The Friesach Commandery
The first establishment in Friesach was founded thirteen years after the Order’s creation, initially in the former Admont hospital of St Mary Magdalene and St Maurice in the Neumarkt suburb.
After 1275, it was relocated to the southern part of the town, where a church dedicated to St Blaise already stood.
Despite many challenges, the commandery endured through the centuries, though hospital operations were not always continuous.
Renewal in the 19th Century
From 1880 onwards, thanks to the commitment of Count Eduard Gaston von Pettenegg, who restored the church and established a modern hospital, the Friesach house returned to its original purpose as a place of care and healing.
Charity and Spiritual Care Today
Since its transformation into a purely religious order in 1929, the “Brothers and Sisters of the German House of St Mary in Jerusalem” have once again dedicated themselves to charitable work, true to their guiding motto: “Help and Heal”.
Today, the Friesach hospital enjoys an excellent reputation for both its medical expertise and its spiritual support.
