Editing Franconia (section)

==History==
{{main|History of Franconia}}

===Name===
Franconia is named after the [[Franks]], a [[Germanic peoples|Germanic tribe]] who conquered most of Western Europe by the middle of the 8th century. Despite its name, Franconia is not the homeland of the Franks, but rather owes its name to being partially settled by Franks from the Rhineland during the 7th century following the defeat of the [[Alamanni]] and [[Thuringians]] who had dominated the region earlier.<ref>Geschiedenis van het Nederlands by M van der Wal, 1992</ref>

At the beginning of the 10th century a ''Duchy of Franconia'' ({{langx|de|Herzogtum Franken|links=no}}) was established within [[East Francia]], which comprised modern [[Hesse]], [[Palatinate (region)|Palatinate]], parts of [[Baden-Württemberg]] and most of today's Franconia. After the dissolution of the so-called [[Stem duchy]] of Franconia, the [[Holy Roman Empire|Holy Roman Emperors]] created the [[Franconian Circle]] (German ''Fränkischer Reichskreis'') in 1500 to embrace the principalities that grew out of the eastern half of the former duchy. The territory of the Franconian Circle roughly corresponds with modern Franconia. The title of ''Duke of [[Duchy of Franconia|Franconia]]'' was claimed by the [[Bishopric of Würzburg|Würzburg bishops]] until 1803 and by the kings of [[Kingdom of Bavaria|Bavaria]] until 1918.<ref>Gerhard Köbler, Historisches Lexikon der deutschen Länder, Darmstadt 1999, pp. 173–174</ref> Examples of Franconian cities founded by Frankish noblemen are [[Würzburg]], first mentioned in the 7th century, [[Ansbach]], first mentioned in 748, and [[Weißenburg in Bayern|Weissenburg]], founded in the 7th century.<ref>Gerhard Köbler, Historisches Lexikon der deutschen Länder, Darmstadt 1999</ref>

=== Early history and Antiquity ===
[[File:Staffelberg 2006-05-07.jpg|thumb|The [[Celts]] built the mighty fortress of [[Menosgada]] on the [[Staffelberg]]]]
Fossil finds show that the region was already settled by [[Caveman|primitive man]], ''[[Homo erectus]]'', in the middle [[Last Glacial Period|Ice Age]] about 600,000&nbsp;years ago. Probably the oldest human remains in the Bavarian part of Franconia were found in the cave ruins of Hunas at [[Pommelsbrunn]] in the county of [[Nuremberg Land]].<ref>[http://www.landschaftsmuseum.de/Seiten/Lexikon/Hunas.htm ''Die Höhlenruine von Hunas''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306073056/http://www.landschaftsmuseum.de/Seiten/Lexikon/Hunas.htm |date=2016-03-06 }}, Archäologisches Lexikon, retrieved 17 June 2014.</ref> In the late [[Bronze Age]], the region was probably only sparsely inhabited, as few [[noble metal]]s occur here and the soils are only moderately fertile.<ref>Hans-Peter Uenze, Claus-Michael Hüssen: ''Vor- und Frühgeschichte.'' In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, begr. von Max Spindler, 3rd vol., 1st sub-vol.: Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts, re-published by Andreas Kraus, 3rd, revised edition, Munich, 1997, pp. 3–46, here: pp. 17ff.</ref> In the subsequent [[Iron Age]] (from about 800&nbsp;B.C.) the [[Celts]] became the first nation to be discernible in the region. In northern Franconia they built a chain of [[hill fort]]s as a line of defence against the [[Germani]] advancing from the north. On the [[Staffelberg]] they built a powerful settlement, to which [[Ptolemy]] gave the name ''[[Menosgada|oppidum Menosgada]]'',<ref>Josef Motschmann: ''Altenkunstadt - Heimat zwischen Kordigast und Main''. Gemeinde Altenkunstadt, Altenkunstadt, 2006, p. 10</ref> and on the [[Gleichberge]] is the largest surviving ''[[oppidum]]'' in [[Central Germany (geography)|Central Germany]], the [[Oppidum Steinsburg|Steinsburg]]. With the increased expansion of [[Roman Empire|Rome]] in the first century B.C. and the simultaneous advance of the [[Elbe Germans|Elbe Germanic tribes]] from the north, the Celtic culture began to fall into decline. The southern parts of present-day Franconia soon fell under Roman control; however, most of the region remained in [[Free Germania]]. Initially, Rome tried to extend its direct influence far to the northeast; in the longer term, however, the Germanic-Roman frontier formed further southwest.<ref>Peter Kolb, Ernst-Günter Krenig: ''Unterfränkische Geschichte. Von der germanischen Landnahme bis zum hohen Mittelalter.'', Vol. 1. Würzburg, 1989; second edition: 1990, pp. 27–37.</ref>

[[File:Weißenburg Porta decumana1.jpg|thumb|left|A 1990 replica of the ''Porta decumana'' of the [[Biriciana]]. View over the camp ring road]]
Under the emperors, [[Domitian]] (81–96), [[Trajan]] (98–117) and [[Hadrian (emperor)|Hadrian]] (117–138), the [[Rhaetian Limes]] was built as a border facing the Germanic tribes to the north. This defensive line ran through the south of Franconia and described an arc across the region whose northernmost point lay at present-day [[Gunzenhausen]]. To protect it, the Romans built several forts like [[Biriciana]] at [[Weißenburg in Bayern|Weißenburg]], but by the mid-third century, the border could no longer be maintained and by 250&nbsp;A.D. the [[Alemanni]] occupied the areas up to the [[Danube]]. Fortified settlements such as the [[Gelbe Bürg]] at [[Dittenheim]] controlled the new areas.<ref name="kraus2">Wilfried Menghin: ''Grundlegung: Das frühe Mittelalter''. In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, begr. von Max Spindler, 3rd vol., 1st sub-vol.: Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts, re-published by Andreas Kraus, 3rd, revised edition, Munich, 1997, pp. 47–69, here: p. 60</ref> More such Gau forts have been detected north of the former Limes as well. Which tribe their occupants belonged to is unknown in most cases. However, it is likely that it was mainly Alemanni and [[Juthungi]], especially in the south.<ref name="Kraus1">Wilfried Menghin: ''Grundlegung: Das frühe Mittelalter''. In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, begr. von Max Spindler, 3. Bd., 1. Teilbd: Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts, re-published by Andreas Kraus, 3rd, revised edition, Munich, 1997, pp. 47–69, here: S. 55.</ref>

By contrast, it was the [[Burgundians]] who settled on the Lower and Middle Main.<ref name="Kraus1"/> Many of these hill forts appear to have been destroyed, however, no later than 500&nbsp;A.D. The reasons are not entirely clear, but it could have been as a result of invasions by the [[Huns]] which thus triggered the [[Migration Period|Great Migration]]. In many cases, however, it was probably conquest by the [[Franks]] that spelt the end of these hilltop settlements.<ref name="kraus2"/>

=== Middle Ages ===
[[File:Grave Westheim.JPG|thumb|Franconian warrior's grave goods from the early mediaeval burial site of [[Westheim (Mittelfranken)|Westheim]]]]
[[File:Franken-um-800.jpg|thumb|left|Duchy of Franconia around 800]]
With their victories over the heartlands of the Alamanni and [[Thuringians]] in the 6th century, the present region of Franconia also fell to the [[Franks]].<ref name="francia orientalis">Karten zur Geschichte Bayerns: Jutta Schumann / Dieter J. Weiß, in: ''Edel und Frei. Franken im Mittelalter'', ed. by Wolfgang Jahn / Jutta Schumann / Evamaria Brockhoff, Augsburg, 2004 (Veröffentlichungen zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur 47/04), pp. 174–176, Cat. No. 51. Siehe [http://www.hdbg.de/karten/karten_detail_58.php Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte]{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> After the [[division of the Frankish Empire]], East Francia (''Francia orientialis'') was formed from the territories of the dioceses of [[Mainz]], [[Worms, Germany|Worms]], [[Würzburg]] and [[Speyer]]. Later, the diocese of Bamberg was added.<ref name="francia orientalis"/> In the 7th century, the [[Slavs]] started to populate the northeastern parts of the region from the east, because the area of today's Upper Franconia was very sparsely populated ([[Bavaria Slavica]]).<ref name="slawen">Franz-Joseph Schmale, Wilhelm Störmer: ''Die politische Entwicklung bis zur Eingliederung ins Merowingische Frankenreich''. In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, begr. von Max Spindler, 3rd vol., 1st sub-vol.: Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts, re-published by Andreas Kraus, 3rd, revised edition, Munich, 1997, pp. 89–114, here: p. 80.</ref> However, in the 10th and 11th centuries, they largely gave up their own language and cultural tradition. The majority of the population of Franconia was [[pagan]] well into the [[Early Middle Ages]], The first people to spread the Christian faith strongly were wandering [[Ireland (island)|Irish]] [[Anglo-Saxon]] [[monk]]s in the early 7th century. [[Saint Kilian]], who together with his companions, [[Saint Colman (martyr)|Saint Colman]] and [[Saint Totnan]] are considered to be the [[apostle]]s to the Franks, suffering martyrdom in Würzburg in the late 7th century, probably did not encounter any pagans in the ducal court. It was probably [[Saint Boniface]] who carried the Christian mission deep into the heart of the ordinary population of Franconia.<ref>Friedrich Helmer: ''Bayern im Frankenreich (5. - 10. Jahrhundert)'', In: ''Politische Geschichte Bayerns'', published by the Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte as Issue 9 of the ''Hefte zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur'', pp. 4–6, here: p. 6</ref>

{{main|Duchy of Franconia}}
In the mid-9th century the [[Duchy of Franconia|tribal Duchy of Franconia]] emerged, one of the five tribal or [[stem duchies]] of [[East Francia]].<ref name="hdbg3"/> The territory of the stem duchy was far bigger than modern Franconia and covered the whole of present-day Hesse, northern Baden-Württemberg, southern Thuringia, large parts of Rhineland-Palatinate and parts of the Franconian provinces in Bavaria. It extended as far west as [[Speyer]], [[Mainz]], and [[Worms, Germany|Worms]] (west of the [[Rhine]]) and even included [[Frankfurt]] ("ford of the Franks"). In the early 10th century, the [[Babenbergs]] and [[Conradines]] fought for power in Franconia. Ultimately this discord led to the [[Babenberg Feud]] which was fuelled and controlled by the crown. The outcome of this feud meant the loss of power for the Babenbergs, but indirectly resulted in the Conradines winning the crown of East Francia. Sometime around 906, [[Conrad I of Germany|Conrad]] succeeded in establishing his ducal hegemony over Franconia, but when the direct Carolingian male line failed in 911, Conrad was acclaimed [[List of German Kings and Emperors|King of the Germans]], largely because of his weak position in his own duchy. Franconia, like [[Alamannia]] was fairly fragmented and the duke's position was often disputed between the chief families. Conrad had granted Franconia to his brother [[Eberhard of Franconia|Eberhard]] on his succession, but when Eberhard rebelled against [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]] in 938, he was deposed from his duchy, which disintegrated in 939 on Eberhard's death into West or [[Rhenish Franconia]] ({{lang|la|Francia Rhenensis}}), and East Franconia (''{{lang|la|Francia Orientalis}}'')<ref group="note">East Franconia should not be confused with the eastern division of the Frankish Empire, [[East Francia]], which was also known as {{lang|la|Francia Orientalis}} in Latin. This refers to the much larger area which later became the [[German Kingdom]] and of which the whole of the Duchy of Franconia was a part.</ref> and was directly subordinated to the Reich. Only after that was the former {{lang|la|Francia Orientalis}} considered to be under the sphere of the bishops of Würzburg as the true Franconia, its territory gradually shrinking to its present area.<ref name="francia orientalis"/>

Meanwhile, the inhabitants of parts of present-day Upper and Middle Franconia, who were not under the control of Würzburg, probably also considered themselves to be Franks at that time, and certainly their dialect distinguished them from the inhabitants of Bavaria and [[Swabia]].<ref name="francia orientalis2">Karten zur Geschichte Bayerns: Jutta Schumann / Dieter J. Weiß, in: Edel und Frei. Franken im Mittelalter, ed. by Wolfgang Jahn / Jutta Schumann / Evamaria Brockhoff, Augsburg, 2004 (Veröffentlichungen zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur 47/04), pp. 174–176, Cat. No. 51. See [http://www.hdbg.eu/karten/karten_detail_60.php Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040034/http://www.hdbg.eu/karten/karten_detail_60.php |date=2016-03-04 }}</ref>

Unlike the other stem duchies, Franconia became the homeland and power base of East Frankish and German kings after the [[Ottonians]] died out in 1024.<ref name="hdbg3">Josef Kirmeier: ''Bayern und das Deutsche Reich (10.-12. Jahrhundert)'', In: ''Politische Geschichte Bayerns'', published by the Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte as Issue 9 of the ''Hefte zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur'', pp. 7–9, here: p. 7</ref> As a result, in the [[High Middle Ages]], the region did not become a strong regional force such as those which formed in Saxony, Bavaria and [[Swabia]]. In 1007, the later canonized Henry II founded the [[Arcbishopric of Bamberg|Bishopric of Bamberg]] and endowed it with rich estates.<ref name="bamberg">{{HistLexBay||link|Dieter Weiß|Bamberg, Hochstift: Territorium und Struktur}}</ref> Bamberg became a favoured ''[[Kaiserpfalz|Pfalz]]'' and an important centre of the Empire.<ref name="bamberg"/> Because parts of the Bishopric of Würzburg also fell to Bamberg, Würzburg was enfeoffed several royal estates by King Henry II by way of compensation.<ref>Meininger Urkundenbuch Nos. 3-5. Reg. Thur. I Nos. 614, 616, 618-. Stadtarchiv Meiningen.</ref>

[[File:Franken um 1250.jpg|thumb|Franconia around 1200]]
From the 12th century [[Nuremberg Castle]] was the seat of the [[Burgraviate of Nuremberg]]. The burgraviate was ruled from about 1190 by the Zollerns, the Franconian line of the later [[House of Hohenzollern]], which provided the German emperors of the 19th and 20th century.<ref name="burgnürnberg">{{HistLexBay||link|Otto Spälter|Nürnberg, Burggrafschaft}}</ref> Under the Hohenstaufen kings, [[Conrad III (HRR)|Conrad&nbsp;III]] and [[Frederick I (HRR)|Frederick Barbarossa]], Franconia became the centre of power in the Empire. During the time when there was no emperor, the [[Interregnum (Holy Roman Empire)|Interregnum]] (1254–1273), some [[territorial prince]]s became ever more powerful. After the Interregnum, however, the rulers succeeded in re-establishing a stronger royal lordship in Franconia.<ref>Alois Gerlich, Franz Machilek: ''Die innere Entwicklung vom Interregnum bis 1800: Staat, Gesellschaft, Kirche Wirtschaft. - Staat und Gesellschaft. Erster Teil: bis 1500'' In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, begr. von Max Spindler, 3rd vol., 1st sub-vol.: Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts, re-published by Andreas Kraus, 3rd, revised edition, Munich, 1997, pp. 537–701, here: p. 602.</ref> Franconia soon played an important role again for the monarchy at the time of [[Rudolf I (HRR)|Rudolf of Habsburg]]; the itineraries of his successors showing their preference for the Rhine-Main region. In 1376 the [[Swabian League of Cities]] was founded and was joined later by several Franconian [[imperial cities]].<ref>{{HistLexBay||link|Alexander Schubert|Swabian League of Cities}}</ref> During the 13th&nbsp;century the [[Teutonic Order]] was formed, taking over its first possession in Franconia in 1209, the Bailiwick of Franconia. The foundation of many schools and hospitals and the construction of numerous churches and castles in this area goes back to the work of this Roman Catholic military order. The residence place of the bailiwick was at [[Ellingen]] until 1789 when it was transferred to today's [[Bad Mergentheim]].<ref name="kraus9">Rudolf Endres: ''Staat und Gesellschaft. Zweiter Teil: 1500-1800''. In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, begr. von Max Spindler, 3rd vol., 1st sub-vol.: Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts, re-published by Andreas Kraus, 3rd, revised edition, Munich, 1997, pp. 702–781, here: pp. 752ff</ref> Other orders such as the [[Knights Templar]] could not gain a foothold in Franconia; the [[Order of St. John]] worked in the Bishopric of Würzburg and had short term commands.<ref name="orden">Wilhelm Störmer: ''Die innere Entwicklung: Staat, Gesellschaft, Kirche, Wirtschaft''. In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, begr. von Max Spindler, 3rd vol., 1st sub-vol.: Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts, re-published by Andreas Kraus, 3rd revised edition, Munich, 1997, pp. 210–315, here: p. 314.</ref>

====Successor states of East Francia====

As of the 13th century, the following states, among others, had formed in the territory of the former Duchy:

{|
|-
||
* [[Bishopric of Würzburg]]
* [[Abbacy of Fulda]]
* [[County of Abenberg]]
* [[County of Henneberg]]
* County of [[Hohenlohe]]
* [[County of Lauffen]]
* [[County of Nassau]]
||
* [[County Palatine of the Rhine]]
* [[County of Löwenstein]]
* [[County of Rieneck]]
* [[County of Truhendingen]]
* [[County of Vaihingen]]
* [[County of Wertheim]]
* [[County of Wildberg]]
||
|}

=== Modern Period ===

==== Early Modern Period ====
[[File:Dankaerts-Historis-9308 - Franconia map.tiff|thumb|Map of Franconia, 1642]]
On 2&nbsp;July 1500 during the reign of Emperor [[Maximilian I (HRR)|Maximilian&nbsp;I]], as part of the [[Imperial Reform (Holy Roman Empire)|Imperial Reform Movement]], the Empire was divided into [[Imperial Circle]]s. This led in 1512 to the formation of the [[Franconian Circle]].<ref name="reichskreis2"/> Seen from a modern perspective, the Franconian Circle may be viewed as an important basis for the sense of a common Franconian identity that exists today.<ref name="reichskreis3"/> The Franconian Circle also shaped the geographical limits of the present-day Franconia.<ref name="francia orientalis2"/> In the late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period, the Imperial Circle was severely affected by ''[[Kleinstaaterei]]'', the patchwork of tiny states in this region of Germany. As during the late Middle Ages, the bishops of Würzburg used the nominal title of Duke of Franconia during the time of the Imperial Circle.<ref name="herzogfranken">{{HistLexBay||link|Johannes Merz|Herzogswürde, fränkische}}</ref> In 1559, the Franconian Circle was given jurisdiction over coinage (''Münzaufsicht'') and, in 1572, was the only Circle to issue its own police ordinance.<ref>Rudolf Endres: ''Der Fränkische Reichskreis'', In: ''Hefte zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur 29'', published by the Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte, Regensburg, 2003, p. 21, see [http://www.hdbg.eu/basis/pdfs/downloads/reichskreis1.pdf online version] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611170705/http://www.hdbg.eu/basis/pdfs/downloads/reichskreis1.pdf |date=2016-06-11 }} (pdf)</ref><ref>Michael Henker: ''Bayern im Zeitalter von Reformation und Gegenreformation (16./17. Jahrhundert)'', In: ''Politische Geschichte Bayerns'', published by the Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte as Issue 9 of the ''Hefte zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur'', pp. 14–17, here: p. 14</ref>

Members of the Franconian Circle included the imperial cities, the prince-bishoprics, the Bailiwick of Franconia of the Teutonic Order and several counties. The [[Imperial Knight]]s with their tiny territories, of which there was a particularly large number in Franconia, were outside the Circle assembly and, until 1806, formed the [[Franconian Knights Circle]] (''Fränkischer Ritterkreis'') consisting of six [[Knights' Canton]]s. Because the extent of Franconia, already referred to above, is disputed, there were many areas that might be counted as part of Franconia today, that lay outside the Franconian Circle. For example, the area of Aschaffenburg belonged to [[Electoral Mainz]] and was a part of the [[Electoral Rhenish Circle]], the area of Coburg belonged to the [[Upper Saxon Circle]] and the Heilbronn area to the [[Swabian Circle]]. In the 16th century, the [[College of Franconian Counts]] was founded to represent the interests of the [[count]]s in Franconia.<ref>Pütter, John Stephen. ''An Historical Development of the Present Political Constitution of the Germanic Empire'', Vol. 3, London: Payne, 1790, p. 156.</ref>

Franconia played an important role in the spread of the [[Reformation]] initiated by [[Martin Luther]],<ref name="kraus7">Rudolf Endres: ''Von der Bildung des Fränkischen Reichskreises und dem Beginn der Reformation bis zum Augsburger Religionsfrieden von 1555''. In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, edited by Max Spindler, 3rd vol., 1st sub-vol.: Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts, re-published by Andreas Kraus, 3rd revised edition, Munich, 1997, pp. 451–472, here: pp. 455ff.</ref> Nuremberg being one of the places where the [[Luther Bible]] was printed.<ref>[http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/sammlungen/bibeln/bestand/besondere-stuecke/endter-bibeln/ ''Endter-Bibeln''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611170715/http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/sammlungen/bibeln/bestand/besondere-stuecke/endter-bibeln/ |date=2016-06-11 }}, [[Württembergische Landesbibliothek]], retrieved 5 July 2014.</ref> The majority of other Franconian imperial cities and imperial knights embraced the new confession.<ref name="kraus6">Rudolf Endres: ''Von der Bildung des Fränkischen Reichskreises und dem Beginn der Reformation bis zum Augsburger Religionsfrieden von 1555''. In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, edited by Max Spindler, 3rd vol., 1st sub-vol.: Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts, re-published by Andreas Kraus, 3rd revised edition, Munich, 1997, pp. 451–472, here: p. 467.</ref> In the course of the [[Counter-Reformation]] several regions of Franconia returned to Catholicism, however, and there was also an increase in [[witch trial]]s.<ref>Birke Grießhammer: ''Verfolgt – gefoltert – verbrannt. Die Opfer des Hexenwahns in Franken.'', pp. 15 ff</ref> In addition to Lutheranism, the [[Radical Reformation|radical reformatory]] [[baptist]] movement spread early on across the Franconian area. Important Baptist centres were [[Königsberg in Bayern|Königsberg]] and Nuremberg.<ref>{{GAMEO|konigsberg_freistaat_bayern_germany|Königsberg in Bayern (Freistaat Bayern, Germany)|Autor=Christian Hege}}</ref><ref>{{GAMEO|N860.html|Nürnberg (Freistaat Bayern, Germany)|Autor=Christian Neff}}</ref>

[[File:Karte bauernkrieg3.jpg|thumb|Extent of the uprisings in the Peasants' War]]
In 1525, the burden of heavy taxation and socage combined with new, liberal ideas that chimed with [[the Reformation]] movement, unleashed the [[German Peasants' War]]. The Würzburg area was particularly hard hit with numerous castles and monasteries being burned down.<ref name="bauern">[https://archive.today/20130707031748/http://www.wuerzburg.de/de/themen/kultur-bildung-kulturangebot/denkmalpflegeundstadtgeschichte/stadtarchiv/veranstaltungenundpublikationen/schlaglichter/8708.Stadthistorische_Streiflichter_.html ''Stadthistorische Streiflichter (24)''], www.wuerzburg.de, accessed 7 June 2014.</ref> In the end, however, the uprisings were suppressed and for centuries the lowest strata of society were excluded from all political activity.

From 1552, Margrave [[Albert Alcibiades]] attempted to break the supremacy of the mighty imperial city of Nuremberg and to secularise the ecclesial estates in the [[Second Margrave War]],<ref name="kraus61">Rudolf Endres: ''Von der Bildung des Fränkischen Reichskreises und dem Beginn der Reformation bis zum Augsburger Religionsfrieden von 1555''. In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, ed. Max Spindler, 3 vols., 1 sub-vol: History of Franconia to the end of the 18th century, revised by Andreas Kraus, 3rd revised edition, Munich, 1997, pp. 451-472, here: p. 469</ref> to create a duchy over which he would rule.<ref>Michael Henker: ''Bayern im Zeitalter von Reformation und Gegenreformation (16./17. Jahrhundert)'', In: ''Politische Geschichte Bayerns'', published by the House of Bavarian History as Issue 9 of the ''Hefte zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur'', pp. 14–17, here: p. 15</ref> Large areas of Franconia were eventually devastated in the fighting until King [[Ferdinand I (HRR)|Ferdinand I]] together with several dukes and princes decided to overthrow Albert.

[[File:Trexelplan 1632.jpg|thumb|left|Part of Wallenstein's camp around [[Zirndorf]] and the [[Alte Veste]]]]

In 1608, the reformed princes merged into a so-called [[Protestant Union|Union]] within the Empire. In Franconia, the margraves of Ansbach and Bayreuth as well as the imperial cities were part of this alliance. The Catholic side responded in 1609 with a counter-alliance, the [[Catholic League (1609)|League]]. The conflicts between the two camps ultimately resulted in the [[Thirty Years' War]], which was the greatest strain on the cohesion of the Franconian Circle<ref>Rudolf Endres. ''Der Fränkische Reichskreis'', In: ''Hefte zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur 29'', published by the House of Bavarian History, Regensburg, 2003, p. 19, see [http://www.hdbg.de/basis/pdfs/downloads/reichskreis1.pdf online version] (pdf)</ref> Initially, Franconia was not a theatre of war, although marauding armies repeatedly crossed its territory. However, in 1631, Swedish troops under [[Gustavus II Adolphus (Sweden)|Gustavus Adolphus]] advanced into Franconia and established a large encampment in summer 1632 around Nuremberg.<ref name="kraus8">Rudolf Endres: ''Vom Augsburger Religionsfrieden bis zum Dreißigjährigen Krieg''. In: Handbuch der Bayerischen Geschichte, ed. Max Spindler, 3rd vol., 1st sub-vol: Geschichte Frankens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Jahrhunderts, revised by Andreas Kraus, 3rd revised edn., Munich, 1997, pp. 473–495, here: p. 490.</ref> However, the Swedes lost the [[Battle of the Alte Veste]] against [[Wallenstein]]'s troops and eventually withdrew. Franconia was one of the poorest regions in the Empire and lost its imperial political significance.<ref name = "hdbg1">Michael Henker: ''Bayern im Zeitalter von Reformation und Gegenreformation (16./17. Jahrhundert)'', In: ''Politische Geschichte Bayerns'', published by the House of Bavarian History as Issue 9 of the ''Hefte zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur'', pp. 14–17, here: p. 17</ref> During the course of the war, about half the local population lost their lives. To compensate for these losses about 150,000&nbsp;displaced Protestants settled in Protestant areas, including [[Austria]]n [[exiles]].<ref>[https://www.br.de/fernsehen/bayerisches-fernsehen/sendungen/frankenschau/exulanten-oesterreich-franken-100.html ''Aus Österreich vertrieben: Glaubensflüchtlinge in Franken''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204100030/https://www.br.de/fernsehen/bayerisches-fernsehen/sendungen/frankenschau/exulanten-oesterreich-franken-100.html |date=2014-12-04 }}, br.de, Bayerischer Rundfunk, retrieved 7 June 2014.</ref>

[[File:FRK 1789 en.png|thumb|The Franconian Imperial Circle in 1789]]
Franconia never developed into a unified territorial state, because the patchwork quilt of small states (''[[Kleinstaaterei]]'') survived the Middle Ages and lasted until the 18th century.<ref name = "hdbg2">Karlheinz Scherr: ''Bayern im Zeitalter des Fürstlichen Absolutismus (17./18. Jahrhundert)'', In: ''Politische Geschichte Bayerns'', published by the House of Bavarian History as Issue 9 of the ''Hefte zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur'', pp. 18–21, here: p. 20</ref> As a result, the Franconian Circle had the important task of preserving peace, preventing abuses and to repairing war damage and had a regulatory role in the region until the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Until the [[War of the Spanish Succession]], the Circle had become an almost independent organization and joined the [[Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg)|Grand Alliance]] against [[Louis XIV]] as an almost sovereign state. The Circle also developed early forms of a [[welfare state]].<ref name = "hdbg2"/> It also played a major role in the control of disease during the 16th and 17th centuries.<ref>Rudolf Endres: ''Der Fränkische Reichskreis'', In: ''Hefte zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur 29'', published by the House of Bavarian History, Regensburg, 2003, p. 35, see [http://www.hdbg.de/basis/pdfs/downloads/reichskreis2.pdf online version] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123455/http://www.hdbg.de/basis/pdfs/downloads/reichskreis2.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }} (pdf)</ref> After [[Charles Alexander (Brandenburg-Ansbach-Bayreuth)|Charles Alexander]] abdicated in 1792, the former margraviates of Ansbach and Bayreuth were annexed by [[Prussia]].<ref>Rudolf Endres: ''Der Fränkische Reichskreis'', In: ''Hefte zur Bayerischen Geschichte und Kultur 29'', published by the house of Bavarian History, Regensburg, 2003, p. 38, see [http://www.hdbg.de/basis/pdfs/downloads/reichskreis2.pdf online version] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123455/http://www.hdbg.de/basis/pdfs/downloads/reichskreis2.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }} (pdf)</ref><ref name="preußen"/> [[Karl August Freiherr von Hardenberg]] was appointed as governor of these areas by Prussia.<ref name="preußen"/>

==== Later Modern Period ====
Most of modern-day Franconia became part of Bavaria in 1803 thanks to Bavaria's alliance with [[Napoleon]]. Culturally it is in many ways different from Bavaria proper ("Altbayern", Old Bavaria), however. The ancient name was resurrected in 1837 by [[Ludwig I of Bavaria]]. During the [[Nazi]] period, Bavaria was broken up into several different [[Gau (country subdivision)|Gaue]], including [[Gau Franconia|Franconia]] and [[Gau Mainfranken|Main-Franconia]].

===== 19th century =====
In 1803, what was to become the [[Kingdom of Bavaria]] was given large parts of Franconia through the enactment of the ''[[Reichsdeputationshauptschluss]]'' under pressure from [[Napoleon]] for [[secularization]] and [[German mediatisation|mediatisation]].<ref>[http://www.hdbg.eu/koenigreich/web/index.php/themen/index/herrscher_id/1/id/3 ''Der Friede von Lunéville (1801) und der Reichsdeputationshauptschluss (1803)''], House of Bavarian History, accessed 7 June 2014.</ref> In 1806, the [[Act of Confederation]] led to stronger ties between Bavaria, Württemberg, Baden and other areas with France, whereupon the Holy Roman Empire including the Franconian Circle fell apart.<ref name="rheinbundakte">[http://www.hdbg.eu/koenigreich/web/index.php/objekte/index/id/553 ''Rheinbundakte, deutsche Fassung (1806)''], House of Bavarian History , retrieved 7 June 2014.</ref><ref>Dietmar Willoweit: ''Reich und Staat: Eine kleine deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte'', p. 70</ref> As a reward Bavaria was promised other estates, including the city of Nuremberg.<ref name="rheinbundakte" /> In the so-called ''[[Rittersturm]]'' of 1803, Bavaria, Württemberg and Baden seized the territories of the Imperial Knights and Franconian nobility, whose estates were often no bigger than a few parishes, even though the ''Reichsdeputationshauptschluss'' had not authorised this.<ref name="herzogfranken"/> In 1806 and 1810, Prussia had to release the territories of Ansbach and Bayreuth, which it had annexed in 1792, to Bavaria, whereby Prussia lost its supremacy in the region.<ref name="preußen">[http://www.hdbg.de/bup/c/c08.htm ''Preußen in Franken 1792 - 1806''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116150641/http://www.hdbg.de/bup/c/c08.htm |date=2016-11-16 }}, material from the State Exhibition in 1999 by the House of Bavarian History</ref>

In 1814, as a result of the [[Congress of Vienna]], the territories of the [[Principality of Aschaffenburg]] and [[Grand Duchy of Würzburg]] went to the Kingdom of Bavaria. In order to merge the [[patchwork quilt]] of small states in Franconia and Swabia into a greater Bavaria, [[Maximilian Montgelas|Maximilian Joseph Montgelas]] reformed the political structure.<ref>Max Seeberger et al.: ''Wie Bayern vermessen wurde,'' booklets on Bavarian History and Culture, Volume 26, published by the House of Bavarian History in collaboration with the [[Deutsches Museum]] and [[Bavarian State Survey Office, Munich]], Augsburg, 2001, pp. 11-12</ref><ref>Manfred Treml: ''Das Königreich Bayern (1806 - 1918).'' in: [http://www.hdbg.de/polges/pages/politische_geschichte.pdf '' Political History of Bavaria''], published by the House of Bavarian history as No. 9 of ten booklets on Bavarian History and Culture, 1989, pp. 22-25, here: p. 23</ref> Out of this in January 1838 emerged the Franconian provinces with their present names of Middle, Upper and Lower Franconia.<ref>[https://www.br.de/franken/inhalt/frankenkult-ur/tag-der-franken-geschichte100.html ''Fränkischer Reichskreis: So entstand der "Tag der Franken"''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325092108/https://www.br.de/franken/inhalt/frankenkult-ur/tag-der-franken-geschichte100.html |date=2015-03-25 }}, www.br.de, Bayerischer Rundfunk, retrieved 28 June 2014</ref> Considerable resentment arose in parts of the Franconian territories over their new membership of Bavaria.<ref name="geschichte">Hans Maier: ''Die Franken in Bayern'', p. 6, [http://hhmaier.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Franken-in-Bayern.pdf see pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161007000956/http://hhmaier.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Franken-in-Bayern.pdf |date=2016-10-07 }}, retrieved 12 July 2014.</ref> There were liberal demands for republican structures which erupted in the [[German Revolution (1848/1849)|revolts of 1848 and 1849]] and the [[Gaibach Festival]] in 1832.<ref>Katharina Weigand: ''Gaibach. Eine Jubelfeier für die bayerische Verfassung von 1818?'' In: Alois Schmid, Katharina Weigand (eds.): ''Schauplätze der Geschichte in Bayern.'' Munich, 2003, pp. 291-308, here: p. 291</ref><ref>''House of Bavarian History: [http://www.hdbg.eu/koenigreich/web/index.php/themen/index/herrscher_id/3/id/28 deutsche Revolution von 1848/49]'', retrieved 18 July 2014.</ref> On the one hand the reconciliation policy of the [[Wittelsbachs]]<ref name="geschichte"/> and Montgelas' aforementioned policy of unification, and, on the other hand, the inclusion of Bavaria in the [[German Empire]] in 1871, which weakened her power Bavaria slightly, the conflict between Franconia and Bavaria eased considerably.

From 1836 to 1846, the Kingdom of Bavaria built the [[Ludwig Canal]] from Bamberg to Kelheim, which was only abandoned in 1950.<ref>''Edition Bayern: Industriekultur in Bayern'', published by the House of Bavarian History, p. 123</ref> However, the canal lost much of its importance shortly after the arrival of the railways. Between 1843 and 1854, the [[Ludwig South-North Railway]] was established within Franconia, which ran from [[Lindau (Lake Constance)|Lindau]] on [[Lake Constance]] via [[Nuremberg]], [[Bamberg]] and [[Kulmbach]] to [[Hof (Saale)|Hof]]. The first locomotive to run on German soil steamed 1835 from Nuremberg to Fürth on 7 December 1835.

===== 20th century =====
After the [[World War I|First World War]] the monarchy in Bavaria was abolished, but the state could not agree on a compromise between a [[Soviet system]] and [[Parliamentary system|parliamentarianism]]. This caused fighting between the opposing camps and the then prime minister was shot. As a result, the government fled to Bamberg in 1919, where the [[Bamberg Constitution]] was adopted while, in Munich, the [[Bavarian Soviet Republic]] reigned briefly.<ref name="bam-haupt">Wolf Weigand: ''Bayern zur Zeit der Weimarer Republik und des Nationalsozialismus (1918 - 1945).'' In: [http://www.hdbg.de/polges/pages/politische_geschichte.pdf ''Politische Geschichte Bayerns''] published by the House of Bavarian History as No. 9 of the booklets on Bavarian History and Culture, 1989, pp. 26-28, here: p. 26</ref> In 1919 the [[Free State of Coburg]] voted in a [[referendum]] against joining [[Thuringia]] and was instead united with Bavaria on 1&nbsp;July 1920.<ref name="bam-haupt" />

[[File:General view of the Bavarian city of Nuremberg, following the cessation of organized resistance. In the distance, the... - NARA - 540139.tif|thumb|Destruction in Nuremberg in 1945 (Egidienplatz)]]
[[File:Heilbronn 1945 US Army retouched-2.jpg|thumb|Destruction in Heilbronn in 1945]]
[[File:Karl Emil Otto Fritsch-Denkmaeler Deutscher Renaissance-1891-Nuernberg-Pellerhaus zu Nuernberg Aegidienplatz 1605 Facade.jpg|thumb|The [[Pellerhaus]] in Nuremberg was one of the most important buildings of the [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance]] period from 1605 until the destruction of its façade in 1945.]]
During the [[Nazi Germany|Nazi era]] Nuremberg played a prominent role in the self-expression of the [[Nazism|National Socialists]] as the permanent seat of the [[Nazi Party]].<ref>Eckart Dietzfelbinger, Gerhard Liedke: ''Nürnberg - Ort der Massen. Das Reichsparteitagsgelände. Vorgeschichte und schwieriges Erbe.'' 1st edition, Berlin, 2004, p. 29</ref> [[Gunzenhausen]] made its mark as one of the first towns in the Reich itself to exercise discrimination against the Jewish population. The first Hitler Monument in Germany was established there in April 1933. On 25&nbsp;March 1934 the first anti-[[Jewish]] [[pogrom]] in Bavaria took place in Gunzenhausen. The attack brought the town negative press coverage worldwide.<ref name="Nürnberger Nachrichten 0309">Werner Falk: ''Ein früher Hass auf Juden'' in Nürnberger Nachrichten, 25 March 2009.</ref> On 15&nbsp;September, a [[Reichstag (Nazi Germany)|Reichstag]] was specially convened in Nuremberg for the purpose of passing the [[Nuremberg Laws]], under which the [[antisemitism|antisemitic]] ideology of the Nazis became a legal basis for such actions.<ref>[https://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/nazi/antisemitismus/nuernberg/ ''Die Nürnberger Gesetze''], [[Deutsches Historisches Museum]], retrieved 28 July 2014.</ref>

Like all parts of the German Reich, Franconia was badly affected by [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] [[airstrike|air raids]]. Nuremberg, as a major industrial centre and transportation hub, was hit particularly hard. Between 1940 and 1945 the city was the target of dozens of air raids. Many other places were also affected by air raids. For example, the [[air raid on Heilbronn|air raid on 4 December 1944]] on Heilbronn<ref>{{cite book|author1 = [[:de:Christhard Schrenk|Christhard Schrenk]]|author2= [[:de:Hubert Weckbach|Hubert Weckbach]]|author3= Susanne Schlösser| title = Von Helibrunna nach Heilbronn. Eine Stadtgeschichte|language=de|trans-title=From Helibrunna to Heilbronn. A city history| isbn = 3-8062-1333-X| year = 1998| publisher = Theiss| location = Stuttgart| series = Veröffentlichungen des Archivs der Stadt Heilbronn| volume = 36| page = 173}}</ref> and the [[bombing of Würzburg on 16 March 1945|bombing of Würzburg on 16&nbsp;March 1945]], in which both old towns were almost completely destroyed, was a disaster for both cities. By contrast, the old town of Bamberg was almost completely spared.<ref>''Bamberg, die Altstadt als Denkmal: Denkmalschutz, Modernisierung, Sanierung'', Moos, 1981, p. 172</ref> In order to protect [[cultural artefact]]s, the [[Historischer Kunstbunker|historic art bunker]] was built below Nuremberg Castle.<ref>[https://museen.nuernberg.de/kunstbunker/ Historischer Kunstbunker] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160830103321/http://museen.nuernberg.de/kunstbunker/ |date=2016-08-30 }}, the City Museums, retrieved 7 July 2014.</ref> In the closing stages of the [[Second World War]], at the end of March and April 1945, Franconian towns and cities were captured by formations of the [[United States Army|US Army]] who advanced from the west after the failure of the [[Battle of the Bulge]] and [[Operation Nordwind]]. The [[Battle of Nuremberg (1945)|Battle of Nuremberg]] lasted five days and resulted in at least 901 deaths. The [[Battle of Crailsheim]] lasted 16&nbsp;days, the [[Battle of Würzburg (1945)|Battle of Würzburg]] seven and the [[Battle of Merkendorf]] three&nbsp;days.

Following the [[unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht|unconditional surrender]] on 8&nbsp;May 1945, Bavarian Franconia became part of the [[American zone of occupation]]; whilst South Thuringia, with the exception of smaller enclaves like [[Ostheim]], became part of the [[Soviet occupation zone of Germany|Soviet zone]] and the Franconian parts of today's Baden-Württemberg also went to the American zone<ref>See [[:File:Deutschland Besatzungszonen 8 Jun 1947 - 22 Apr 1949 amerikanisch.svg|map of the American zone]]</ref> The most important part of the Allied prosecution programme against leaders of the Nazi regime were the [[Nuremberg Trials]] against leaders of the German Empire during the Nazi era, held from 20 November 1945 to 14 April 1949.<ref>{{HistLexBay||link|Annette Weinke|Nuremberg Trials}}</ref> The Nuremberg Trials are considered a breakthrough for the principle that, for a core set of crimes, there is no [[diplomatic immunity|immunity]] from prosecution. For the first time, the representatives of a [[sovereignty|sovereign]] state were held accountable for their actions. In autumn 1946, the Free State of Bavaria was reconstituted with the enactment of the [[Constitution of Bavaria|Bavarian Constitution]].<ref>[https://www.bayern.de/Geschichte-.364/index.htm ''Bayerische Geschichte und Persönlichkeiten''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030103029/https://www.bayern.de/Geschichte-.364/index.htm |date=2014-10-30 }}, Bayerisches Landesportal, retrieved 6 June 2014.</ref>

The state of [[Württemberg-Baden]] was founded on 19&nbsp;September 1945.<ref>Paul Sauer: ''Demokratischer Neubeginn in Not und Elend. Das Land Württemberg-Baden von 1945 bis 1952.'' Ulm, 1978, p. 91</ref> On 25&nbsp;April 1952 this state merged with [[Baden (South Baden)|Baden]] and [[Württemberg-Hohenzollern]] (both from the former [[French occupation zone]]) to create the present state of Baden-Württemberg.<ref>[https://www.lpb-bw.de/entstehung_baden-wuerttembergs.html ''Gründung des Landes Baden-Württemberg am 25. April 1952''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116150719/https://www.lpb-bw.de/entstehung_baden-wuerttembergs.html |date=2016-11-16 }}, Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Baden-Württemberg</ref> On 1&nbsp;December 1945 the state of Hesse was founded. Beginning in 1945, [[Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–50)|refugees and displaced persons from Eastern Europe]] were settled particularly in rural areas.<ref>{{HistLexBay||link|[[Walter Ziegler]]|Flüchtlinge und Vertriebene}}</ref> After 1945, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg managed the transition from economies that were predominantly [[agriculture]] to become leading industrial states in the so-called ''[[Wirtschaftswunder]]''. In Lower and Upper Franconia, there was still the problem, however, of the zone along the [[Inner German Border]] which was a long way from the markets for its agricultural produce, and was affected by migration and relatively high unemployment,<ref>[https://www.bpb.de/geschichte/zeitgeschichte/deutschlandarchiv/170619/ at-end-of-world-development-of-west German-zone border area-since-the-reunion ''Am Ende der Welt - Entwicklung des westdeutschen Zonenrandgebietes seit der Wiedervereinigung''], [[Federal Agency for Civic Education]], published 18 November 2013, retrieved 9 September 2014.</ref> which is why these areas received special support from federal and state governments.

By contrast, the state of Thuringia was restored by the [[Soviet Military Administration in Germany|Soviets]] in 1945. On 7&nbsp;October 1949 the [[German Democratic Republic]], commonly known as [[East Germany]], was founded. In 1952 in the course of the [[Administrative divisions of East Germany|1952 administrative reform in East Germany]], the state of Thuringia was relieved of its function.<ref name = "Thuringia"/> The Soviet [[occupying forces]] exacted a high level of reparations (especially the [[Allied plans for German industry after World War II|dismantling]] of industrial facilities) which made the initial economic conditions in East Germany very difficult.<ref>[[Werner Abelshauser]]: ''Deutsche Wirtschaftsgeschichte seit 1945.'' C.H. Beck, Munich, 2004, chapter on "Die Reparationsfrage", pp. 75-84.</ref> Along with the failed economic policies of the GDR, this led to a general frustration that fuelled the [[uprising of 17 June]]. There were protests in the Franconian territories too, for example in Schmalkalden.<ref>''Quellen zur Geschichte Thüringens. Der 17. Juni 1953 in Thüringen.'', The State Commissioner of Thuringia for the Records of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic and State Centre for Political Education, Thuringia, Sömmerda, 2003, p. 180</ref> The village of [[Mödlareuth]] became famous because, for 41&nbsp;years, it was divided by the [[Inner German Border]] and was nicknamed 'Little Berlin. After ''[[Die Wende]]'', the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989 and [[German reunification|reunification]] on 3&nbsp;October 1990, made possible mainly by mass demonstrations in East Germany and local exodus of East Germans, the state of Thuringia was reformed with effect from 14 October 1990.<ref name="Thuringia">Steffen Raßloff: ''Geschichte Thüringens.'' Munich, 2010, p. 106</ref>

[[File:Zusammensetzung des Landkreises Ansbach.png|thumb|The administrative reform in Bavaria in the Franconian county of [[Landkreis Ansbach|Ansbach]]]]

In the years from 1971 to 1980 an administrative reform was carried out in Bavaria with the aim of creating more efficient municipalities (''[[Gemeinde (Germany)|Gemeinden]]'') and counties (''[[Landkreis]]e''). Against sometimes great protests by the population, the number of municipalities was reduced by a third and the number of counties by about a half. Among the changes was the transfer of the Middle Franconian county of [[Landkreis Eichstätt|Eichstätt]] to [[Upper Bavaria]]. On 18 May 2006, the [[Bavarian Landtag]] approved the introduction of [[Franconia Day]] (''Tag der Franken'') in the Franconian territories of the free state.<ref name="einführungtagderfranken">[https://www.bayern.landtag.de/www/ElanTextAblage_WP15/Drucksachen/Folgedrucksachen/0000004000/0000004034.pdf Document 15/5583 of the Bavarian Landtag] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081330/https://www.bayern.landtag.de/www/ElanTextAblage_WP15/Drucksachen/Folgedrucksachen/0000004000/0000004034.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }} (pdf; 86&nbsp;kB)</ref>

Since ''Die Wende'', new markets have opened up for the Franconian region of Bavaria in the new (formerly East German) federal states and the Czech Republic, enabling the economy to recover.<ref name = "grenzland">{{HistLexBay||link|Frank Altrichter|Grenzlandproblematik (nach 1918)}}</ref> Today, Franconia is in the centre of the EU (at [[Oberwestern]] near [[Westerngrund]]; {{Coord|50.117286|N|9.247768|E|type:landmark_text:location_region:DE-BY_name: geographical centre of the EU}}).<ref>Frank Müller. [https://www.br.de/radio/bayern2/sendungen/regionalzeit-franken/gespraech-mitte-eu-100.html Westerngrund (LK: AB). The Navel of Europe in Franconia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222153147/https://www.br.de/radio/bayern2/sendungen/regionalzeit-franken/gespraech-mitte-eu-100.html |date=2014-02-22 }} radio report, Bayern 2, regionalZeit - Franken</ref>