 Until the Protestant Reformation Großschirma belonged to Altzella Abbey.In 1555, prince-elector Augustus sold Großschirma and 14 other villages that were part of the estate of the dissolved abbey to his councillor Ulrich von Mordeisen.Rudolph Mordeisen, one of the sons of the latter, sold Großschirma and at least nine more villages in the property of his family to prince-elector Christian.