Chronicle

1138, 11 December:
Neukirchen-Balbini is mentioned for the first time in a charter of Prüfening Abbey, in which Bishop Otto of Bamberg endows the monastery with estates in the region.

Paldwinus, plebanus in Nivnkirchen, testifies to a donation in a charter of 1297. From this pastor’s name – Paldwinus (= Palwinus, Poldwin) – the village’s name affix ‘Balbini’ is derived. (Spitalarchiv Regensburg)

1280:
Bishop Heinrich of Regensburg confirms to Prüfening Abbey that it is holding both the great and the small tithe from the church in Neukirchen.

1297:
Paldwinus, plebanus (rector) in Nivnkirchen, bears witness in a charter to a donation by Konrad and Rimboto of Schwarzenburg to the Katharinenspital in Regensburg.

1303:
Plebanus Palwinus and the Neukirchen citizens Otto de Durne, Heinricus filius Tyroldi, and Uscalcus are mentioned in a charter as witnesses.

1317:
Pastor Poldwin is mentioned as a witness in two charters arranging the sale of a farm in Grassersdorf by Chunrat and Seifrid of Schwarzenburg to the monastery of Schönthal and the transfer of certain privileges by Ulreich of Schwarzenburg to Prüfening Abbey, Ensdorf Abbey, and the monastery of Schönthal.

1337:
Pastor Gotfried of Nevnchirchen is a witness in a charter of Ensdorf Abbey.

1345:
Since the end of the 13th century at least, Neukirchen-Balbini belonged to the estate of the house Schwarzenburger. On 19 June 1345, Ulrich der Satzenhofer sells Neukirchen with the castle and market of Bruck, which he had inherited from his brother-in-law Reimar of Schwarzenburg, to the Counts Palatine Ruprecht I and Ruprecht II.

1380:
For the first time, Newnkirchen is mentioned in a charter with its name affix ‘Palwini’.

1399:
Henceforth, the church in Neukirchen-Balbini belongs to the Propstei Prüfening.

1433:
In the battle of Hiltersried, an Upper Palatinate army fights against the Hussites. Afterwards, the foot soldiers Ulrich Jebhart, Friderich Heschel, Andre Schleinhauff, and Hans Zuckel from Neukirchen succumb to their wounds.

1449, 19 November:
A coat of arms is awarded to the market community Neukirchen-Balbini by Count Palatinate Otto I of Mosbach. 1467:
Count Palatinate Otto II of Mosbach confirms the privileges of Neukirchen-Balbini.

1552:
After the change of confession, the first protestant pastor is Leonhard Heinel (until 1577).

1582:
Erhart Bernhöfer and Georg Graff are the first recorded mayors of the community, Constantinus Vitus Scherl the first schoolmaster.

1618–1648:
Thirty Years’ War. The community loses 40% of its cattle during the war, 43% of its houses are vacant and in ruins.

1626/27:
In the course of the Counter-Reformation, Christoph Thomas Kienner becomes the first catholic schoolmaster. He is also the community’s scribe.

1627–1629:
After the expulsion of the protestant pastor, Jesuits assume pastoral care. They are living with Mayor Christoph Rotfischer.

1634:
A fire, set by imperial soldiers, incinerates two thirds of the village.

1641, 17 March:
The Swedish colonel Erich Slange encounters the vanguard of the imperial Generalwachtmeister Kaspar von Mercy and has to retreat with his troops to Neunburg. More than 600 carriages, all sumpter horses, and the wives of the officers are captured by the imperial forces. 19 March:
Archduke Leopold Wilhelm makes Neukirchen his headquarters. With the exception of only seven houses, the soldiers burn down the entire village.

1648:
Plundering of the market by imperial soldiers.

Middle of the 17th century:
A post station under Erbgeneralpostmeister Count Lamoral Claudius von Taxis is opened.

1670:
Elector Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria grants a third fair.

1671:
Elector Ferdinand Maria confirms the ‘beer obligation’ for the town of Neunburg:
Landlords are obligated, on pain of severe penalties, to serve only locally produced beers. The market towns Schwarzhofen and Neukirchen-Balbini vigorously file a protest against this rule.

1703:
A fire in Neukirchen-Balbini:
Among other houses, the town hall is burnt down.

1718:
A new parish church is built.

1779, 17 April:
66 houses perish in a fire.

1797, 26 February:
A fire destroys five houses and seven barns. It was caused by negligence in the estate of the shoemaker Johann Preunl.

Neukirchen-Balbini and its surroundings in a map drawn in 1832. (Bayerische Vermessungsverwaltung)

1808, 12 October:
On the king’s name day, the citizens’ militias of Neunburg, Schönsee, Oberviechtach, Winklarn, Schwarzhofen, and Neukirchen-Balbini assemble on the Neunburg common in front of Landrichter Wieland to swear the oath on the king.

1816, 16 May:
Sale of the municipally owned ponds (such as the Bürgerweiher) for 500 guilders to the butcher Stephan Fischer.

1829, 19 September:
Sale of the town hall to the hatter Georg Strasser for 373 guilders.

1841, 18 June:
Nine houses and 17 adjoining houses perish in a fire. It began in the barn of the farmer Franz Winkler.

1843, 17 November:
In a fire that started in the barn of baker Johann Schart seven houses are destroyed.

1845:
The vicarage is built.

1860:
Construction of a fountain on the market square as well as of a water conduit.

1861, 7 January:
The railway line between Schwandorf and Cham is opened.

1876, 13 August:
Founding of the voluntary fire brigade.

1896, 1 May:
Commissioning of the railway station at Neukirchen-Balbini.

View of Neukirchen-Balbini, about 1930. (Verlag Johann Elsner)

In 1950, a fire ravaged several buildings at the market square. Behind the ruin of the restaurant ‘Zur Post’, the Schießl-Hof can be seen. (Photos: privately owned)

1905:
Construction of a new water conduit.

1912, 27 March:
The Raiffeisenbank Neukirchen-Balbini is founded as a Spar- und Darlehenskassenverein (‘Loan and Savings Society’).

1922, 20 August:
Inauguration of the war memorial on the market square.

1937:
Demolition of the communal brewery house, which had been in ruins since World War I

1945, 23 April:
Occupation by US military.

1945, 3 May:
Burial of the victims of the ‘KZ-Todesmarsch’ (‘Concentration Camp Death March’) in a mass grave on Drexler’s meadow near the post barn.

1950, 7 September:
Fire at the market square.

1955:
Inauguration of the new Raiffeisenbank building at the market square.

1957, 19 July:
Inauguration of the new kindergarten, run by Mission Dominican sisters from the monastery in Strahlfeld.

1960, October:
The Sparkasse (‘Savings Bank’) opens a local branch office.

1961:
The offices of the county police are closed.

1963/64:
The community purchases two ponds – Burgerweiher and Zengerweiher – and backfills them.

1966, 20 January:
Inauguration of the new elementary school.

1972, 1 January:
Territorial reform.

1973:
The elementary school is downgraded to a primary school.

1978, 1 May:
Completion of the territorial reform.

1980, August:
The Mission Dominican sisters terminate their management of the kindergarten.

1982, 8 August:
Dedication of the new football pitch and the new clubhouse of the football club Spielvereinigung Neukirchen-Balbini e. V.

1984, 3 June:
Decommission of the Neukirchen-Balbini railway station.

1990–1999:
Village renewal project.

1991:
Inauguration of the fire brigade’s new equipment house.

2000:
Gold medal in the district competition ‘Unser Dorf soll schöner werden’ (‘Make our Village more beautiful’).

2009:
Win in the county district competition ‘Familienfreundliche Kommune’ (‘Family-friendly Community’) in Category A (less than 2000 inhabitants).

2017:
The branch office of the Raiffeisenbank is closed.

2019:
Inauguration of the Erdstall-Forschungszentrums mit archäologischer Dokumentation (‘Erdstall Research Centre with Archaeological Documentation’) in the Schießl-Hof.