Nikolaus Ludwig Graf von Zinsdorf studied law in Wittenberg from 1716 to 1719, became a court and justice councilor in Dresden in 1721, and since 1722 offered refuge to religious refugees from the Moravian Church on his grandmother's estate in Berthelsdorf. He named the settlement Herrnhut. Over time, refugees from Moravia and Saxon Lutherans who had come into conflict with the Catholic authorities also joined. Today, it is primarily a star that reminds people of the Herrnhut community during the Christmas season.