Translations:Die Posthalterei der Familie Eckart/1/en

The reception of the future empress Maria Theresia at the post house in Emskirchen was reenacted during the Eckart’s family reunion in 1967.

Johannes and Maria Christina Eckart as Founders of the Postmaster Line

The Eckart family’s post house was started in the 18^th century by Johannes Eckart, keeper of the inn "Goldener Hirsch" (Golden Deer) and the post house in Emskirchen, Germany. Following the death of the previous postmaster, Johannes Eckart took over the post house affiliated to the inn in 1757. He was appointed Imperial Postmaster and was sworn in on Prince Alexander Ferdinand von Thurn und Taxis on February 1, 1758. The postmaster oversaw the administration and accounting of the post house’s postal service. He also had to provide the postal riders and stagecoaches with fresh horses as well as catering for and housing the passengers during their stay. In 1782, Emskirchen’s post house employed an errand boy, two postal aides and two postal riders. Furthermore, there were 14 horses, a completely closed four-seater carriage as well as two covered and two open barouches. Following his death in 1790, his wife Maria Christina Eckart, née Traugott, continued to run the post house. As public servants, postmasters always had to swear allegiance to the current ruler. In 1807, the Principality of Bayreuth, which included Emskirchen, was attributed to France according to the Treaties of Tilsit. This meant that the postmaster Maria Christina had to swear allegiance to the French emperor Napoleon and became "Imperial-Royal French Postmaster". Three years later, the Kingdom of Bavaria paid 15 million francs to annex the Principality of Bayreuth. Maria Christina was released from allegiance to the French emperor and swore the third oath of allegiance of her postmaster career in 1810. Her new title was "Royal Bavarian Postal Expeditor".