Exactly 100 years ago, the incorporation of Biebrich, Schierstein, and Sonnenberg marked the beginning of a development that continues to shape Wiesbaden to this day: For the first time, these three towns—larger, independent municipalities—were incorporated into the city. In 1928, Bierstadt, Dotzheim, Erbenheim, Frauenstein, Georgenborn, Heßloch, Igstadt, Kloppenheim, and Rambach followed. About 50 years later, another wave of annexations took place as part of the Hessian territorial reform. Volume 19 of the series examines these different phases of the city’s history using documents from the city archives. 

“Under the title ‘Wiesbaden Welcomes Its New Citizens: 100 Years of Incorporations into Wiesbaden,’ the city archives have compiled sources that provide a direct insight into the events surrounding the incorporations. They reveal the perspectives of both the host city of Wiesbaden and the incorporated municipalities,” says Dr. Patricia Becher, Head of the Department of Culture. “The collection of sources traces Wiesbaden’s transformation from the sophisticated world-class spa town of the late 19th century into the multifaceted capital of the state of Hesse,” says Dr. Becher. 

Of course, the collection also includes documents on the annexation in 1945 of the AKK suburbs, which had previously belonged to Mainz, as well as the only de-annexation from the city district (in 1939, Georgenborn—which had first been incorporated in 1928—became part of the Untertaunus district). 

“This publication is explicitly not intended to be a traditional historical treatise. Given the wide variety of available sources on the individual city districts, such an approach would have been neither sensible nor appropriate for the diversity of the subject,” says Dr. Peter Quadflieg, director of the Wiesbaden City Archives and editor of the volume. “Instead, the volume brings together significant documents that illustrate the legal situation at the time, public debates, and standard administrative practices,” explains Dr. Quadflieg. The sources reveal just how intensely the annexations were contested. The issue was by no means limited to the question of municipal autonomy. Time and again, specific interests were at the center of the negotiations. For example, the municipalities to be annexed demanded financial compensation; the transfer of staff and senior municipal officials; and special provisions for the newly incorporated city districts were, in some cases, the subject of passionate debate. Issues of urban planning and infrastructure development also played an important role. The volume thus makes it clear that annexations were not merely administrative acts; they were political negotiation processes in which differing interests clashed. 

Particularly revealing are the various ways in which annexations came about. In addition to the annexations of the 1920s and 1970s, the book also documents the specific developments surrounding Mainz-Amöneburg, Mainz-Kastel, Mainz-Kostheim, and Georgenborn. There was a long-standing dispute over the districts that had previously belonged to Mainz. Changes in city leadership repeatedly reignited discussions about reversing the military government’s order to incorporate AKK into the Wiesbaden administrative district. A legal opinion from 1954, which was also included in the source edition, was intended to bring about a definitive resolution. However, the discussions continued well into the 1980s. 

Across the decades, striking parallels can be observed. Time and again, the question arose as to what benefits the already incorporated municipalities could derive from the merger and what conditions were negotiated in exchange for relinquishing their municipal autonomy. Drawing on numerous examples, this volume highlights a historical tension in which the representatives of the incorporated towns frequently sought to secure as concrete benefits as possible for their own city district. From today’s perspective, this appears to be parochial thinking. However, this behavior can be explained by the respective historical context and the unequal balance of power between the city of Wiesbaden and the incorporated municipalities. 

The collection of sources is a diverse panorama of surviving documents on the history of Wiesbaden’s municipal annexations. “The sources show that annexations were far more than just a change in administrative boundaries,” explains Dr. Patricia Becher. “They tell of differing interests, of negotiations and conflicts, but also of how formerly independent communities became integral parts of an urban society whose unique cultural identities make Wiesbaden an exciting and livable city,” summarizes Dr. Becher. 

With Volume 19, the City Archives not only presents a publication marking this historic anniversary but also offers a kaleidoscope of the city’s history that reveals historically evolved structures which continue to shape Wiesbaden’s identities to this day. The selected documents invite readers to examine the history of the annexations up close and to rediscover familiar developments from the perspective of the people involved at the time. 

Bibliographic information:

Peter Quadflieg (ed.): “Wiesbaden Welcomes Its New Citizens.” 100 Years of Incorporations into Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden 2026, 480 pp., ISBN 978-3-9825083-4-4, 34.99 euros.