To the east of Sondershausen in Thuringia lies the village of Jecha. We discussed it here (as well elsewhere occasionally) very briefly. On the other, western, side of Sondershausen we find the Jechaburg. The recorded names of the place are:

• Gigenberg 1128
• Jechaburg 1148, 1196
• Gechenburg 1197

Other names may have included Gigeburg, Jechaborg  (12th century), and Jecheburg as well as Jichaborg, Jechaborg, Gicheburg and Jechaburc in the 13th century. In 1360 the name appears as Jhecheburgk.

Legend has it that the name is of a pagan goddess that the ancient locals, presumably Thuringians, worshipped here. Why goddess? Well, maybe because the Jechaburg is at the foot of the Frauenberg mountain.

Based on a reading of Widukind as well as Annalista Saxo, it has been conjectured that it was here that the Hungarians were beaten by Henry I in the year 933 and 934.

Curiously, Jecha could have a Hungarian connection. Gyeücsa or Gyeusa was a Hungarian prince who, however, was born around 940, that is after these events.

Are there any Suavic names nearby?

Well, there is Trebra to the South, Nohra to the NW and, if you keep going West, there is Kraja. You would think Kraja at least should be Suavic. But if Trebra and Nohra are too then what about Bebra or Nebra (of the Sky Disk)? This seems tenuous. And yet Kraja?

On older maps, like this  one you can see Poelede which, however, is, probably not Suavic, to the West. If you move east you come, some ways off, across Kolleda (today’s Kölleda) and then Burchwenden. Still, this is very little. Only when you cross the Unstrut you get Mart Roelicz, Ochnicz (today’s Oechlitz?), Schletta and, of course, Cracou.

Other Suavic towns appear here as well: Zscheiplitz, Gleina, Nissmitz, etc. If you go further South, Suavic names project further West (as far as the area of Erfurt) but at this latitude, this is likely it. So, is it possible that this Jechelburg and Jecha are Suavic? Sure but given the distances to Suavic settlements we can say possible but not very certain.

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