HERMSDORF

hermsdorf, a village of germany, in the prussian province of silesia. pop. (1900) 10,975. there are coal and iron mines and lime quarries in the vicinity, and in the town there are large iron-works. hermsdorf is known as niederhermsdorf to distinguish it from other places of the same name. perhaps the most noteworthy of these is a village in silesia at the foot of the riesengebirge, chiefly famous for the ruins of the castle of kynast. this castle, formerly the seat of the schaffgotsch family, was destroyed by lightning in 1675. a third hermsdorf is a village in saxe-altenburg, where porcelain is made.