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The Sovereign Region of Kerschen or
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The history of the sovereign region of Kerschen was documented by Johann-Baptist Weyrich in a manuscript:
"Die Hoheit Kerschen: Oder Die Vier-Freidorfer Oberkerschen, Niederkerschen, Linger, Petingen"
In English - The Sovereignty Kerschen: or the four free villages, Oberkerschen (Hautcharage), Niederkerschen (Bascharage), Linger and Petingen
Niederkerschen and Uberkerschen are considered the German names for the cities in Hoheit Kerschen, while Bascharage and Hautcharage are considered French names. Prior to the 1900s, every map of Luxembourg I have found used the names Niederkerschen and Uberkerschen. One map in 1594 said "Niederkershen". Bascharage and Hautcharage came into use relatively recently.
The manuscript "Die Hoheit Kerschen" was in the historical section of the Grossherzoglichen Instituts (Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg Institute) in 1938. It was edited and reworked by Paul Sprang for a second printing in 1985.
The region was granted sovereignty on 4 April 1281 by Count Heinrich V. "the blond", Count of Luxembourg from 1217-1281, in a "Freiheitsbrief" or liberty letter. [reference] Raoul of Sterpenich was a vassal of Count Heinrich V and the Lord of Kerschen. Sterpenich is a town a few miles to the north of Kerschen in what is now Belgium. His coat of arms, and the coat of arms of the sovereign region of Kerschen is the coat of arms for the city of Bascharage (NiederKerschen) of today.
A primary mission of kerschen.org is to compile the history of "Hoheit Kerschen" or the sovereign region of Kerschen. We would like to obtain J.B. WEYRICH's historical work, scan it, translate it into English and post it here on kerschen.org. We will also post other historical and archeological work if possible, or at least references to the scientific literature.
Kerschen World History: A rough overview with Kerschen specific events highlighted.
The earliest evidence of settlements in the sovereign region of Kerschen are on the Titelberg, a plateau near Petange, about 2 miles from Niederkerschen. This settlement on the Titelberg was thought to be a center for the Treveri tribe in the neolithic era (i.e. caveman times).
Also you might be interested in History of Luxembourg and The Treveri our pre-Kerschen ancestors.
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