Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Greiz

GREIZ, or Greitz (formerly Grewitz or Grewz), a town of Germany, capital of the principality of Reuss-Greiz, is situated in a pleasant valley on the right bank of the White Elster, near the borders of Saxony, and .14 miles W. by S. of Zwickau. It is surrounded by walls, and is tolerably well built. The principal buildings are the prince s palace surrounded by a fine park, the old "residence" castle on a rock overlooking the town, the summer palace with a fine garden, the old town church dating from 1225 and possess ing a beautiful tower, the town-house, the city school build ings, the normal seminary for the principality, and the lower city school. The industries include dyeing, tanning, and the manufacture of woollen, cotton, and silk cloth, shawls, coverlets, and paper. The population in 1875 was 12,057. Creiz is apparently of Slavic origin. From the 12th century it was governed by bailiff s, but in 1236 it came into the possession of Gera, and in 1550 of the younger line of the house of Plauen. It was wholly destroyed by fire in 1494, and almost wholly in 1802. See Wilke, Grciz und seine Umgcbung, 1875.