Soldier City for Centuries
by Weissdorn
The historical beginnings of Butzbach and its neighboring areas go far back into the past. The Northwest Wetterau Area was settled repeatedly by humans since the beginning of the stone ages. Many cultures left their traces here. This municipal area became particularly important in the first century, when around 83/86 A. D. the Wetterau was integrated into the Roman Empire and also integrated the neighborhood realm border, all the way up until the departure of the Romans (around 260 A. D.), where a barrier ditch and a palisade, as well as a demarcation line (the Limes) were built, and secured at short distances through a set of small stations and watch towers. A border crossing once stood in Butzbach (like Checkpoint Charlie, but it was known as the Degerfeld Castell) which separated the Roman Empire from Wild Germany. Only 200 meters behind the boundary line (in the area where the modern market place and a park now stand) was once the large Hunneburg Castell, which accommodated between 600 and 1,000 auxiliary soldiers. A town-like settlement (Vicus) followed to the west, the south and the north. A small part of the Roman inheritances are on display in a section of the Butzbach Museum. What the Romans called their rather large settlement, is not really known.
Soldier City for Centuries III
by Weissdorn
Conditions became clearer, apparently due to the favorable traffic paths (close of the Wine Road and the “Wagon Road”) at the beginning of the 13th century. In the meantime, the Lords of Hagen and Arnsburg had taken the Northern Wetterau into their possession. The family called itself by these names as of 1166, after they re-built a large castle on top of the Munzberg (Coin Mountain). The influence of this dynasty which died out in 1255 must have also prevailed in Butzbach. A Munzenberg vassal, a knight, called himself “von Butzbach” as of 1243. He probably (as of 1255?) administrated a small castle, the forerunner of the castle that followed later. After the Munzenberg Dynasty died out, the village of Butzbach became the inheritance of the Lords of Hanau. They established the first castle here around 1256/57. Just before 1320, a different branch of the Munzenberg Dynasty inherited Butzbach briefly; the Lords of Falkenstein. Philipp IV of Falkenstein wanted to create here, at the traffic-favorable village Butzbach, a new economical and political center for the Northern Wetterau Region, a city, which would also become also residence of the territorial Lords of Falkenstein at the same time.
Soldier City for Centuries V
by Weissdorn
Around 1368 the settlement was surround by a 1320 m a long and over 9 m high elliptical wall system. The vulnerable places were fortified with towers. Along the more important traffic routes gates were erected, which were particularly fortified: here, at the Weisel, Griedel and Wetzlar Gates real "gate castles" were erected, with several gates, channels, and high towers, etc.. In front of this first wall fortification, three additional barriers and three ditches with hedges and a palisade were erected. It was calculated that alone for transporting the stones (between approx.. 1321 and 1368) around 36,000 ox cart loads were necessary! In the 15th century, further development took place, in which a second outer wall system was erected, and the lower channel wall. At that time the trade and farming community had about 2000 inhabitants, and was thus a small medium-sized town. The city prospered, and the self-confidence of it’s citizens grew. The citizens started to rebuild their old church into a Gothic church in the 14th century. St. Mark’s Church has held it’s beautiful medieval late Gothic character up to this day, which has been left pretty much unchanged since 1520.
Soldier City for Centuries VII
by Weissdorn
The rising city attracted humans of all kinds and occupations. In the 15th century 181 different occupations existed, along with six guilds. In the guilds strict practice code prevailed, and each member had to follow them to the letter. In addition to bakers, butchers, shoemakers, tailors, cloth manufacturers and weavers there were occupations such as smiths, boiler makers, wagon wrights, gun smiths, tin smiths, clock smiths, rope makers, hardware shopkeepers and many more. The wool weavers and the cloth manufacturers were the most important "producers" in old Butzbach. Butzbach’s wool was found on the Worms market as well as on the Frankfurt fair trade market, and they sold their goods at good prices.
Around 1390 Count Philipp VII von Falkenstein (recorded between 1349 – 1410) had a new castle built in the southeast corner of the area surrounded by the city walls, in which he resided up to his death. This refers to the oldest still-standing building, known as the "Landgrave Castle". In the 15th and 16th centuries, three further castles and other buildings for the individual lords of the city and their officials were built on that about 3 hectare size castle area, which constituted about a fifth of the city surface area.
Soldier City for Centuries IX
by Weissdorn
The city’s image was substantially shaped in the early 19th century by Dr. Friedrich Ludwig Weidig (1791 - 1837), who lived in Butzbach from 1803 to 1834, and who worked here as a teacher from 1812 up until his disciplinary banishment. Around 1813/14 he introduced gymnastics to the town ("the Hessian Father of Gymnastics") and was known as the liberal-democratic fighter for the liberty as a central figure among the Upper Hessian opponents of the Pre-March Period. He died as a victim of a secret cabinet court in the Darmstadt Dungeon in 1837. Weidig wrote the famous political flyer "The Hessian Land Messenger" together with the more well-known George Buechner and published it. Weidig’s effect still lives on far beyond his death. A large Butzbach student association, the gymnastic association, the singers association and the historical association (among others) keep his memory alive.
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Section map of the Half-Timbered Road
Beam being made to fit with an axe
Town Square in Butzbach
Georg Buchner