Griesheim () is the largest town in the
Darmstadt-Dieburg district of
Darmstadt
Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it the ...
in the southern state of
Hesse
Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...
. It has just over 28,000 inhabitants as of December 2023.
Griesheim is known for being the location of the
first German airfield, which was founded in 1908. More recently, in 2013, news of the
Dagger Complex—which emerged as the most important of the
NSA's headquarters in Europe in the wake of the
global surveillance disclosures—brought Griesheim worldwide attention.
The town of Griesheim is also known in the region as "Onion City," a reference to the statue of the ''"Zwiebelfrau"'' ("Onion Woman") in the market square.
Geography
Griesheim is located in the
Hessian Ried between the
Urneckar in the west and the Darmstadt
Westwald forest area in the east. The urban area is mostly flat, and much of the territory is intensively used for agriculture.
Neighbouring communities
Griesheim is just west of the independent city of
Darmstadt
Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it the ...
. To the north of Griesheim lies the town of
Weiterstadt and to the south the town of
Pfungstadt, both of which also belong to the Darmstadt-Dieburg district. Griesheim is also bordered by the
Groß-Gerau district to the northwest, with the towns of
Riedstadt to the west,
Groß-Gerau to the northwest, and
Büttelborn to the north. .
History
Griesheim, although inhabited since around 4500 BCE, first appeared in historical records only in 1165 CE. The arrival of the
Protestant Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and ...
in 1529 marked an important religious turning point for the town.
Throughout its history, wine production played a significant role in the town's economy. However, the devastating impact of the
Thirty Year War heavily affected Griesheim, almost bringing the town to extinction. Many residents sought refuge within the walls of Darmstadt, where they faced the outbreak of
plague. Only 37 individuals managed to rebuild the community following the war's end in 1648.
In 1874, an artillery range was established in the southwest part of Griesheim. In 1908,
August Euler opened the first airfield in Germany, known as
Griesheim Airport.
From 1918 to 1930, Griesheim was under French occupation, and during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the city suffered significant damage, with 65% of its buildings destroyed. After the war, Griesheim provided shelter for approximately 4,000 refugees. Following successful reconstruction, the Hessian state government granted Griesheim township rights on September 12, 1965.
Farming remains an important aspect of Griesheim's economy. The city is home to a local history and culture museum, showcasing archaeological artifacts and documenting its historical connection to St. Stephen. The museum also houses archaeological exhibits.
Since 1977, the ''Griesheimer Zwiebelmarkt'' (Onion Market) has been held annually in late September.
It attracts visitors to the city center between Wagenhalle and Hans-Karl-Platz.
Throughout its history, the area of Griesheim has been part of various territories and administrative units, including:
*before 1479 to 1805:
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
, first within the County of Katzenelnbogen, followed by the
Landgraviate of Hesse (by inheritance) and the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt.
*from 1806 to 1871:
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine () was a grand duchy in western Germany that existed from 1806 to 1918. The grand duchy originally formed from the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806 as the Grand Duchy of Hesse (). It assumed the name ...
, primarily under the Principality of
Starkenburg
*from 1871 to 1918:
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
, Grand Duchy of Hesse, province of Starkenburg, District of Darmstadt
*from 1918 to 1938: German Empire (
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German Reich, German state from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history; hence it is also referred to, and unofficially proclai ...
), People's State of Hesse, province of Starkenburg, District of Darmstadt
*from 1938 to 1945:
German Reich
German ''Reich'' (, from ) was the constitutional name for the German nation state that existed from 1871 to 1945. The ''Reich'' became understood as deriving its authority and sovereignty entirely from a continuing unitary German ''Volk'' ("na ...
, People's State of Hesse, District of Darmstadt
*from 1945 to 1949:
American occupation zone, Greater Hesse (1946: State of Hesse), Darmstadt administrative district, Darmstadt district
*from 1949 to 1977: Federal Republic of Germany, State of Hesse, Administrative District of Darmstadt, District of Darmstadt
*from 1977: Federal Republic of Germany, State of Hesse, Administrative District of Darmstadt, District of Darmstadt-Dieburg
Transportation
Trams and buses
Lines 4, 9 and 10 of the
Darmstadt tram network connect Griesheim to central Darmstadt. Bus lines 45 and 46 go from Griesheim to
Riedstadt,
Groß-Gerau and
Trebur.
Roads
The main road passing west–east is the
Bundesstraße 26, or B26.
Griesheim is situated just west of the ''Darmstädter Kreuz'' interchange where the
Bundesautobahn 5 and
Bundesautobahn 67 cross.
Twin towns – sister cities
Griesheim is
twinned with:
*
Bar-le-Duc
Bar-le-Duc (), formerly known as Bar, is a commune in the Meuse département, of which it is the capital. The department is in Grand Est in northeastern France.
The lower, more modern and busier part of the town extends along a narrow valley, ...
, France (1975)
*
Gyönk, Hungary (1990)
*
Pontassieve, Italy (2008)
Since 1990, Griesheim also has a town friendship with
Wilkau-Haßlau in Germany.
[
]
Gallery
Griesheim-Lutherkirche.jpg, Evangelical Lutheran church
Griesheim-St.-Stephan.jpg, Catholic Church St. Stephan
Griesheim-Rathaus.jpg, Town hall
Griesheim(Hessen)-Museum.jpg, Museum
Ehemaliges Offizierskasino, Wilhelm-Leuschner-Str 217.jpg, Former officers mess
Griesheim-Wagenhalle.jpg, Former tram depot
References
External links
*
Weatherstats of Griesheim
{{Authority control
Darmstadt-Dieburg