During the Turkish wars the wild hordes of riders advanced as
far as Purbach. On such occasions the townspeople of Purbach
fled into the nearby Leitha Mountains to seek refuge there from
the hordes. During one such attack Andreas Grein remained at
home. When the Turkish horde found Grein, they placed him in
handcuffs, tied him to a horse's tail, and thus forced him to
run along behind. The Turks took Grein back to their country,
where he was housed in a stall and forced to pull a plow by day.
For food he received nuts and millet. After seven years of
terrible suffering he succeeded -- with the help of a fellow
countrywoman -- in escaping from Turkey. In October 1647, after
traveling on foot for many months, he arrived at Purbach. He
stopped to rest on his own property, about 1000 steps from the
town. He then went to his home, where he encountered his wife,
who had recently remarried. She did not recognize Grein, because
of his wild appearance. After much discussion she recognized her
husband from his voice. S