Wunsiedel
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(; Northern Bavarian: ''Wåuṉsieḏl'' or ''Wousigl'') is the seat of the
Upper Franconia Upper Franconia (german: Oberfranken) is a ''Regierungsbezirk'' (administrative 'Regierungs''region 'bezirk'' of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia, the others being Middle F ...
n district of in northeast
Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. The town is the birthplace of poet
Jean Paul Jean Paul (; born Johann Paul Friedrich Richter, 21 March 1763 – 14 November 1825) was a German Romantic writer, best known for his humorous novels and stories. Life and work Jean Paul was born at Wunsiedel, in the Fichtelgebirge mountain ...
. It also became known for its annual Festival and the Rudolf Hess Memorial March held there by
Neo-Nazis Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and racial supremacy (often white supremacy), attack ...
until 2005.


Geography

lies in the
Fichtelgebirge Mountains The Fichtel MountainsRandlesome, C. et al. (2011). ''Business Cultures in Europe'', 2nd ed., Routledge, Abingdon and New York, p. 52. . (german: Fichtelgebirge, cs, Smrčiny), form a small horseshoe-shaped mountain range in northeastern Bavaria ...
in the valley of the at the foot of the Plateau.


History

was first mentioned in 1163 as the seat of a , Adelbertus or Albert. The name probably originates from ('glades') and ('noble seat'). In 1285, Burgrave Friedrich III of
Nuremberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...
received the
fiefdom A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of f ...
of the town from King Rudolph I of Habsburg. In 1326, was given town rights by Burgrave Friedrich IV and this was confirmed in 1328 by Emperor Louis the Bavarian. In 1430 Hans of defeated the
Hussites The Hussites ( cs, Husité or ''Kališníci''; "Chalice People") were a Czech proto-Protestant Christian movement that followed the teachings of reformer Jan Hus, who became the best known representative of the Bohemian Reformation. The Huss ...
in the Battle of , a low mountain immediately south of , and in 1652 Jobst of beat the Bohemians also on the . In the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, was a centre of tin mining and achieved great economic importance through the manufacture of
tin plate Tinplate consists of sheets of steel coated with a thin layer of tin to impede rusting. Before the advent of cheap milled steel, the backing metal was wrought iron. While once more widely used, the primary use of tinplate now is the manufacture ...
. In 1613, it became capital of the  — an area comparable in size to the modern district . The bailiffs () in , , , and were all subordinated to the high bailiff () in . was a part of the Principality of Bayreuth until 1791/92 when the last margrave, Karl Alexander, abdicated and the region was placed under
Prussian Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...
administration. It was occupied for four years by
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
's troops and, in 1810, became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria. Fires in 1476, 1547, 1607, 1636, 1644, 1646, 1657 and 1731 destroyed various parts of the town. After the last major fire in 1834, which razed two-thirds of , the town was rebuilt in a
classicist Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
style. Birthplace of the nationalist student (October 5, 1795) who later went on to assassinate , a famous conservative German playwright. Kotzebue's death was a direct result of his published ridicule of the student associations in general, however focusing harshest comments on the newly formed , student organizations that supported free institutions, a national German state, uncensored press. In addition, the affluent writer was appointed as Russia's "ambassador" (by Russia) making his death a certainty. In his role as ambassador, Kotzebue was accused as being a "spy" while his role as editor of a literature review magazine brought him accusation of outright plagiarism. In 1817 at the
Wartburg Castle The Wartburg () is a castle originally built in the Middle Ages. It is situated on a precipice of to the southwest of and overlooking the town of Eisenach, in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It was the home of St. Elisabeth of Hungary, the ...
, during a gathering of students, the burning of his published works with those of other "enemies" bought him to the attention of the young Karl Sand. In retrospect, a case for post traumatic stress syndrome, as a complicating factor, could probably be made as Karl Sand witnessed, helplessly, the drowning of his good friend just months prior to the murder. After World War II, was part of the
American Zone Germany was already de facto occupied by the Allies from the real fall of Nazi Germany in World War II on 8 May 1945 to the establishment of the East Germany on 7 October 1949. The Allies (United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and Franc ...
and a was installed at the at the .


Wunsiedel and Rudolf Hess

In the late 1980s, the cemetery of became rather infamous after
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
's deputy Rudolf Hess, who had died in a Berlin prison on 17 August 1987, was buried there. In the years that followed, neo-nazi groups organized memorial marches on each 17 August. The number of participants rose from 120 in 1988 to more than 1,100 in 1990. The gatherings faced protests from anti-fascist groups. Neo-Nazi marches were banned in 1991. Under the impression that the situation had "cooled down", the Bavarian Administrative Court permitted the gatherings again in 2001. The result was unexpected: neo-nazi groups managed to amass more and more people, the peak being reached in 2004, when over 4,500 participants from all over Europe assembled in . The anti-fascist initiative "" (' is
colourful Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associa ...
, not
brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model us ...
') organised a counter-demonstration with about 800 participants, decorating the city with rainbow flags and spraying the marchers with confetti. The initiative later received the for commitment and bravery awarded by the German federal ministers and . In 2005, the memorial march was banned for the first time on the basis of article 130 of the German criminal code, which outlaws incitement of the people. A complaint against the ban was rejected by the
Federal Constitutional Court The Federal Constitutional Court (german: link=no, Bundesverfassungsgericht ; abbreviated: ) is the supreme constitutional court for the Federal Republic of Germany, established by the constitution or Basic Law () of Germany. Since its in ...
. Nevertheless, more than 2,500 people met on August 20, 2005, to celebrate a ''Day of Democracy'' in . The town decided to have the Hess grave removed in 2011. The family of Rudolf Hess arranged with the cemetery to have Hess’s remains exhumed, cremated and scattered at sea to deter any further pilgrimages to his grave. The gravestone with the words "" ('I have dared') was removed and destroyed. Smaller neo-Nazi marches continued afterward, leading the human-rights group to organise a charity drive whereby a certain sum of money would be donated to the organisation , which helps neo-Nazis leave the movement, for each meter marched.


Main sights

* Luisenburg Rock Labyrinth, municipal landscape garden and national geotope * Festival stage on the (oldest natural stage in Germany) * Municipal Park * The now empty grave of Rudolf Hess in the cemetery, major Nazi war criminal, sentenced in the
Nuremberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...
* In the same cemetery are the individual and multiple graves of 30
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
concentration camp Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...
victims, who lost their lives during a
death march A death march is a forced march of prisoners of war or other captives or deportees in which individuals are left to die along the way. It is distinguished in this way from simple prisoner transport via foot march. Article 19 of the Geneva Conven ...
in the last days of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
in 1945Gedenkstätten für die Opfer des Nationalsozialismus. Eine Dokumentation, Band 1. Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, Bonn 1995, , S. 200 * Wunsiedel Birds of Prey Park and falconry at the Katharinenberg Municipal Park * Deer Park * Historic town walk through the classicist old town () * Jean-Paul circular walk in North * The and St. Joseph's Chapel *
Fichtelgebirge Museum The Fichtelgebirge Museum (german: Fichtelgebirgsmuseum) is a regional museum in Wunsiedel, formerly the 'capital' of the Sechsämterland and the county town (''Kreisstadt'') in the Fichtel Mountains of central Germany. Formerly important trades, ...
, the largest Bavarian regional museum with an extensive stone and mineral collection * German Natural Stone Archive, the largest collection of its kind in the world with 5,500 templates () of natural stones from across the world * St. Veit's Parish Church * St. Maria * Parish Church of the Twelve Apostles * Peace Church of the Holy Trinity * Ruined church of St. Katharine's on the , the oldest building in the town * The Town Hall of 1835/1837 * The Gate (), the only surviving gate of the old town defences (erected in 1471) *
Jean Paul Jean Paul (; born Johann Paul Friedrich Richter, 21 March 1763 – 14 November 1825) was a German Romantic writer, best known for his humorous novels and stories. Life and work Jean Paul was born at Wunsiedel, in the Fichtelgebirge mountain ...
's birthplace (a former schoolhouse) with a bust of Jean Paul by * Bernstein Castle


Government


Town council

is governed by a mayor () and town council () with 24 seats. Both are elected every four years. In the council, the CSU currently holds 13 seats, the SPD holds 7 seats, and the Greens 1 seat. The remaining 3 seats went to a free voters' association. Recent results are:


Incorporated villages

The town's borough includes the following villages (year of incorporation in brackets): .


Economy

The economy of the town of is dominated by the chemical (paint works, Dronco), clothing, porcelain, glass, stonemasonry and construction industries. In addition several car dealerships have their headquarters in the town, of which has the most employees. Two breweries and various craft enterprises are based in . One popular export product is the herb-flavoured spirit . Unemployment at 7.6% is well above the Bavarian average. Wunsiedel Marble is quarried locally.


Public institutions


State institutions

The state institutions in Wunsiedel are the district administrative office (), the finance office (), the survey office (), the magistrate's court (), the office of agriculture and forests (), the health insurance office (), the education office () and a police station.


Educational establishments

* Town singing and music school * Jean Paul School (primary and secondary modern school) * Grammar School * Middle School * State School of Economics * State Technical College for Stonemasonry and German Natural Stone Archive * European Training Centre for Masonry and Stone Sculpture * State Vocational College * State Hunting School of the Bavarian Hunting Conservation and Hunters' Association (BJV) * Town Archive * Town Library * Hous of the Club * District Adult Education Centre


Leisure and sports facilities

In addition to the Hall and Stadium there is the town open-air swimming pool and sauna and the indoor pool. On the there is a youth hostel and a youth centre, recently renovated by the town. For recreation there is the area around the (mini-golf. ninepins, rowing boats, tennis). As well as the sports facilities belonging to clubs there are also various children's play parks. On 21 December 2009 the largest climbing wall in North Bavaria was opened in the premises of the old sugar factory ().


International relations

Wunsiedel is twinned with: * Torbalı,
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
, since 1980 * Mende,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, since 1980 * Schwarzenberg,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, since 1990 * Volterra,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, since 2006 * Ostrov,
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
, since 2009


Culture

Regular events held in Wunsiedel include: * Luisenburg Festival from June to August on the oldest open-air and natural stage in Germany * Well festival () on Saturday before the 24 June (St. John's) * Funfair on the municipal festival square from Friday to Tuesday in the first week of July * Wunsiedel Culture Evening on the second Saturday in May * Museum Festival in the Fichtelgebirge Museum on the second Sunday in September * Wunsiedel Pub Night () beginning of November * Wunsiedel Wood Days (; biannual) in September 2011 * Toyota Meet on the Luisenburg car park. Every first weekend in September


Transport

The B 303 federal road runs two kilometres to the south of Wunsiedel, which joins the A 9 motorway from Munich to Berlin near Bad Berneck (the B 303 is the east-west link between the Czech Republic and the A 9). The new A 93 from Hof to Regensburg runs in a north-south direction, with exits at the Wunsiedel junction or state road S 2177 Hof–Wunsiedel The nearest train station, , is located in the nearby village of Holenbrunn (about three kilometres away). The nearest regional station is in (on the main line from Munich via Regensburg, Hof and Nuremberg to Prague). There used to be branch lines from Holenbrunn via Wunsiedel and Tröstau to Leupoldsdorf and from Holenbrunn to Selb. These lines have now been closed and the trackbeds used as cycle paths in places. Bus connections go from Wunsiedel Bus Station in all directions (). There is a regional airport at Hof-Plauen (ca. from Wunsiedel).


Notable residents

* Eugen Johann Christoph Esper (1742-1810), entomologist, botanist and pathologist *
Jean Paul Jean Paul (; born Johann Paul Friedrich Richter, 21 March 1763 – 14 November 1825) was a German Romantic writer, best known for his humorous novels and stories. Life and work Jean Paul was born at Wunsiedel, in the Fichtelgebirge mountain ...
(1763–1825), author * Karl Ludwig Sand (1795-1820), Burschenschafter, murderer of
August von Kotzebue August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue (; – ) was a German dramatist and writer who also worked as a consul in Russia and Germany. In 1817, one of Kotzebue's books was burned during the Wartburg festival. He was murdered in 1819 by Karl L ...
* Heinrich Hohenner (1874-1966), professor of geodesy * Wilhelm Wirth (1876-1952), psychologist * Hannsheinz Bauer (1909–2005), politician (SPD), one of the "fathers" of the Basic Law, * (1923-2003), teacher and expert for natural stone, founder of the Naturstein Archive of the State Technical College for Stone Processing in Wunsiedel * Siegfried Roch (born 1959), handball national goalkeeper, silver medal winner *
Wolfgang Haffner Wolfgang Haffner (born 7 December 1965) is a German jazz drummer with an extensive discography.Discographyat Allmusic Discography * 2020 - Kind of Tango * 2019 – ''4WD'' (with Nils Landgren) * 2019 – ''The East End'' (with Bill Evans) * 20 ...
(born 1965), jazz drummer * Markus Dorsch (born 1982), comedian


References


Sources

* ''Die Kunstdenkmäler von Oberfranken'', Bd. 1: ''Landkreis Wunsiedel und Stadtkreis Marktredwitz''. 1954.


External links


Town of Wunsiedel

District of Wunsiedel


* {{Authority control Wunsiedel (district) Fichtel Mountains