Coat of Arms
Gottfried von Schrattenbach
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Gottfried von Schrattenbach served as Commander of the Teutonic Order in Vienna, Wiener Neustadt, and Friesach.
He is regarded as the founder of the Order’s commandery of St George at Sandhof near Klagenfurt.
He passed away in 1641.
Biography | Gottfried von Schrattenbach
(Commander of the Teutonic Order in Friesach, 17th century)
Origin and Rank
Gottfried von Schrattenbach belonged to the old Austrian noble family of Schrattenbach, established since the late Middle Ages in Carinthia, Styria and Lower Austria.
In inscriptions he is named “Godefridus de Schrattenbach, baro in Heggenberg et Osterwitz”, confirming his rank as Baron of Heggenberg and Osterwitz.
Service in the Teutonic Order
He was a member of the Teutonic Order and served as Commander (Komtur) of Friesach.
A Latin inscription dating from 1614, preserved on the former Teutonic Order Hospital in Friesach, attests to his building activities and his position within the Order. The text reads: “Gottfried von Schrattenbach, Baron of Heggenberg and Osterwitz, Knight of the Teutonic Order and Commander of Friesach, built this house at his own expense.”
Building and Patronage in Friesach
During his tenure as Commander, Schrattenbach initiated major construction works on the Teutonic Order Hospital in Friesach. The inscription stone bearing his coat of arms and the year 1614 remains a key monument of this phase. Archival records also note his involvement in property transactions of the Order – for instance, in 1617 he is mentioned as “Gottfried Freiherr von Sehrattenbach, Komtur zu Friesach”.
His building activities gave the former commandery its characteristic Early Baroque appearance that can still be observed today.
Importance and Legacy
Gottfried von Schrattenbach exemplifies the noble leadership within the Teutonic Order in early 17th-century Carinthia, combining religious service, charity, and architectural patronage. His construction of the Friesach commandery secured one of the most distinguished Teutonic Order houses in the southern Alpine region.
