Editing Wiesbaden (section)

==History==
[[File:Heidenmauer in Wiesbaden.jpg|thumb|The ''Heidenmauer'' ("Heathen Wall") of ''Aquae Mattiacorum''<ref>The hypothesis of the Heidenmauer being a remainder of an aquaeduct now has been definitely proven wrong. Further reading see: Klee, Margot: Sperrmauer oder Aquädukt? Zur Deutung der Heidenmauer in Wiesbaden. (Blocking wall or aquaeduct. Re. Interpretation of the Heidenmauer in Wiesbaden). In: NA (Nassauische Annalen) 2014. Eck Werner: Ein praefectus Aquen(sium), kein praefectus aqu(a)e. Zur Inschrift CIL XIII 7279 aus Mainz Kastel (A praefectus Aquen(sium), not a praefectus aqu(a)e. Re. Inscription CIL XIII 7279 from Mainz Kastel). In: NA (Nassauische Annalen) 2014.</ref>|175px]]

===Classical antiquity===
While evidence of settlement at present-day Wiesbaden dates back to the [[Neolithic]] era, historical records document continuous occupancy after the erection of a [[Roman Empire|Roman]] fort in 6&nbsp;AD which housed an auxiliary cavalry unit. The [[hot spring|thermal springs]] of Wiesbaden are first mentioned in [[Pliny the Elder]]'s ''[[Naturalis Historia]]''. They were famous for their recreation pools for Roman army horses and possibly as the source of a mineral used for red hair dye (which was very fashionable around the turn of BC/AD among women in Rome).<ref>Csysz, Walter: Wiesbaden in der Römerzeit. Aalen: Theiss editors, 2000; mentioned by Roman poet [[Martial]]: Epigrammata 14, 27.</ref>

The Roman settlement is first mentioned using the name ''Aquae Mattiacorum'' ([[Latin]] for "Waters of the Mattiaci") in 121. The [[Mattiaci]] were a [[Germanic peoples|Germanic tribe]], possibly a branch of the neighboring [[Chatti]], who lived in the vicinity at that time. The town also appears as Mattiacum in [[Ptolemy]]'s [[Geographia]] (2.10). The Roman Empire built the [[Limes Germanicus]], which was a line of Roman frontier fortifications in the [[Taunus]]. Wiesbaden is just south of the Taunus.

The capital of the province of [[Germania Superior]], [[Roman Mogontiacum|Mogontiacum]] (present-day [[Mainz]]), base of 2 (at times 3) Roman legions, was just over the Rhine and connected by a bridge at the present-day borough of [[Mainz-Kastel]] (Roman "''castellum''"), a strongly fortified bridgehead.

The [[Alamanni]], a coalition of Germanic tribes from beyond the ''Limes'', captured the fort around 260. Later, in the 370s, when the Romans and Alamanni were allied, the Alemanni gained control of the Wiesbaden area and were in charge of its defense against other Germanic tribes.

===Middle Ages===
After the [[Franks]] under [[Clovis I]] defeated the Alamanni in the [[Battle of Tolbiac]] in 496, the Franks eventually displaced the Alamanni in the Wiesbaden area over the course of the 6th century. In the 8th century, Wiesbaden became the site of a royal [[palace]] of the Frankish kingdom. The first documented use of the name Wiesbaden is by [[Einhard]], the biographer of [[Charlemagne]], whose writings mention "Wisabada" sometime between 828 and 830.

When the Frankish [[Carolingian Empire]] broke up in 888, Wiesbaden was in the eastern half, called [[East Francia]] (which would evolve into the [[Holy Roman Empire]]). The town was part of [[Franconia]], the heartland of East Francia. In the 1170s, the [[Count]] of [[Nassau (state)|Nassau]], Walram I, received the area around Wiesbaden as a [[fiefdom]]. When Franconia fragmented in the early 13th century, Nassau emerged as an independent state as part of the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1232 Wiesbaden became a [[Reichsstadt]], an imperial city, of the Holy Roman Empire. However, in 1242, during the war of Emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] against the Pope, the [[Archbishopric of Mainz|Archbishop of Mainz]], [[Siegfried III (Archbishop of Mainz)|Siegfried III]], ordered the city's destruction.

Wiesbaden returned to the control of the [[House of Nassau]] in 1270 under Count [[Walram II, Count of Nassau]]. However, Wiesbaden and the castle at [[Wiesbaden-Sonnenberg|Sonnenberg]] were again destroyed in 1283 in conflict with [[Eppstein]].

Walram's son and successor [[Adolf, King of the Romans|Adolf]] would later become king of [[Kingdom of Germany|Germany]] from 1292 until 1298. In 1329, under Adolf's son [[Gerlach I of Nassau-Wiesbaden|Gerlach I of Nassau-Weilburg]] the House of Nassau and thereby, Wiesbaden, received the right of [[currency|coinage]] from Holy Roman Emperor [[Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Louis the Bavarian]].

In 1355, the County of Nassau-Weilburg was divided among the sons of Gerlach. The County of Nassau's holdings would be subdivided many times among heirs, with the parts being brought together again whenever a line died out. Wiesbaden became the seat of the County of Nassau-Wiesbaden under Count Adolf I (1307–1370), eldest son of Gerlach. It would eventually fall back to Nassau-Weilburg in 1605.

===Modern era===
[[File:Wiesbaden De Merian Hassiae.jpg|thumb|A view of Wiesbaden from the ''Topographia Hassiae'' by [[Matthäus Merian]] in 1655|295px]]
Due to its participation in the uprisings of the [[German Peasants' War]] of 1525, Wiesbaden lost all its privileges for over 40 years. During this time, Wiesbaden became [[Protestant]] with the nomination of Wolf Denthener as first [[Lutheran]] pastor on 1 January 1543. The same day, the first Latin school was opened, preparing pupils for the [[gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]] in [[Idstein]]. In 1566, the privileges of the city were restored.

The oldest remaining building of Wiesbaden, the old city hall, was built in 1609 and 1610. No older buildings are preserved due to two fires in 1547 and 1561. In 1648, at the end of the devastating [[Thirty Years' War]], chronicles tell that Wiesbaden had barely 40 residents left. In 1659, the County of Nassau-Weilburg was divided again. Wiesbaden became part of the County of Nassau-Usingen. In 1744, the seat of Nassau-Usingen was moved to [[Biebrich (Wiesbaden)|Biebrich]]. In 1771, the Count of Nassau-Usingen granted a concession for gambling in Wiesbaden. In 1810, the Wiesbaden Casino (German: ''Spielbank'') was opened in the old Kurhaus. Gambling was later outlawed by [[Prussia]]n authorities in 1872.

As a result of [[Napoleon]]'s victory over Austria in the [[Battle of Austerlitz]], the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1805. On 12 July 1806, 16 states in present-day Germany, including the remaining counties of Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg, formally left the Holy Roman Empire and joined in the [[Confederation of the Rhine]]. Napoleon was its "protector". Under pressure from Napoleon, both counties merged to form the [[Duchy of Nassau]] on 30 August 1806.

[[File:Wiesbaden Waterloo Memorian.jpg|thumb|right|Memorial for [[Duchy of Nassau|Nassauers]] fallen at the [[Battle of Waterloo]]]]At the 1815 [[Congress of Vienna]], the Duchy of Nassau joined the [[German Confederation]]. The capital of Nassau was moved from Weilburg to Wiesbaden, and the city became the ducal residence. Building activity started to give the city a magnificent appearance. Most of the historical center of Wiesbaden dates back to this time.

[[File:Wiesbaden Innenstadt.jpg|thumb|The [[Marktkirche, Wiesbaden|Marktkirche]], designed by [[Carl Boos]]: Its neo-Gothic steeple dominates the [[Pentagon (Wiesbaden)|Historical Pentagon]].]]
In the [[Revolutions of 1848]], 30,000 citizens of Nassau assembled in Wiesbaden on 4 March. They demanded a constitution from the Duke, which they received.

In the [[Austro-Prussian War]] of 1866, Nassau took Austria's side. This decision led to the end of the duchy. After the Austrian defeat, Nassau was annexed by [[Prussia]] and became part of the Prussian [[province of Hesse-Nassau]]. The deposed duke [[Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg|Adolph of Nassau]] in 1890 became the [[Grand Duke of Luxembourg]] (see [[House of Nassau]]). This turned out to be a fortunate change for the city, as it then became an international spa town. A rise in construction commenced after the aristocracy followed the lead of the Hohenzollern emperors, who began annual trips to Wiesbaden.<ref>{{cite book |title= Wiesbaden: For Old Friends and New|last= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|year= 2011|publisher= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|isbn= 978-3-89889-167-7|pages= 11}}</ref>

The period around the turn of the 20th century is regarded as the heyday of the city. [[Kaiser Wilhelm II]] visited the city regularly in summer, such that it became an unofficial "summer residence". The city was also popular among the Russian nobility. In the wake of the imperial court, numerous nobles, artists, and wealthy businessmen increasingly settled in the city. Many wealthy persons chose Wiesbaden as their retirement seat, as it offered leisure and medical treatment alike. In the latter part of the 19th century, Wiesbaden became the German city with the most millionaires.<ref>{{cite book |title= Wiesbaden: For Old Friends and New|last= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|year= 2011|publisher= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|isbn= 978-3-89889-167-7|pages= 12}}</ref>

In 1894, the present Hessian State Theater, designed by the Vienna architects Fellner and Helmer, was built on behalf of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

===Weimar Republic and Third Reich (1919 to 1945)===
After World War I, Wiesbaden fell under the Allied occupation of the Rhineland and was occupied by the French army in 1918. In 1921, the Wiesbaden Agreement on German reparations to France was signed in the city. In 1925, Wiesbaden became the headquarters of the [[British Army of the Rhine]] until the withdrawal of occupying forces from the Rhineland in 1930.

In 1929, an airport was constructed in Erbenheim on the site of a horse-racing track. In 1936, [[Jagdgeschwader 53|Fighter Squadron 53]] of the [[Luftwaffe]] was stationed here.

In the [[Kristallnacht]] pogrom on 10 November 1938, Wiesbaden's large synagogue on Michelsberg was destroyed. The synagogue had been designed by Phillip Hoffmann and built in 1869. Another synagogue in [[Wiesbaden-Bierstadt]] was also destroyed. When the Nazis came to power in Germany, there were 2,700 Jews living in Wiesbaden. By June 1942 nearly all of them had been deported to the [[extermination camps]] in [[Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)|German-occupied Poland]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wiesbaden &#124; The Valley of the Communities|url=https://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/valley/wiesbaden/index.asp?WT.mc_id=wiki|access-date=8 January 2023|website=www.yadvashem.org|archive-date=30 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130114528/https://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/valley/wiesbaden/index.asp?WT.mc_id=wiki|url-status=live}}</ref>

General [[Ludwig Beck]] from Wiesbaden was one of the planners of the [[20 July plot|20 July 1944 assassination attempt]] of [[Adolf Hitler]]. Beck was designated by his fellow conspirators to be future Head of State (Regent) after elimination of Hitler. The plot failed, however, and Beck was forced to commit suicide. Today, the city annually awards the Ludwig Beck prize for civil courage in his honor.

Lutheran pastor and theologian [[Martin Niemöller]], founder of the [[Confessing Church]] resistance movement against the Nazis, is an Honorary Citizen of Wiesbaden. He presented his last sermon before his arrest in Wiesbaden's Market Church.

===World War II===
In World War II, Wiesbaden was the headquarters for Germany's [[Wehrkreis XII]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tessin |first=Georg |title=Verzeichnis der Friedensgarnisonen 1932–1939 und Stationierungen im Kriege 1939–1945. Wehrkreise VII–XIII |publisher=Biblio Verlag |year=1996 |isbn=3764809418 |editor-last=Zweng |editor-first=Christian |series=Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 |volume=17 |location=Osnabrück |pages=276 |language=de |chapter=}}</ref> This military district included the [[Eifel]], part of [[Hesse]], the [[Palatinate (region)|Palatinate]], and the [[Saarland]]. After the [[Battle of France]], this ''Wehrkreis'' was extended to include [[Lorraine (region)|Lorraine]], including [[Nancy, France|Nancy]], and the Grand Duchy of [[Luxembourg]]. The commander was ''General der Infanterie'' [[Walther Schroth]].

''Wehrkreis'' XII was made up of three subordinate regions: ''Bereich Hauptsitze'' [[Koblenz]], [[Mannheim]] and [[Metz]].

*''Bereich Hauptsitz'' Koblenz was the headquarters for 12 ''Unterregion-Hauptsitze'', namely [[Trier]] I, Trier II, [[Koblenz]], [[Neuwied]], [[Kreuznach]], Wiesbaden, [[Limburg an der Lahn]], [[Lahn]], [[Mainz]], [[Worms, Germany|Worms]], [[Darmstadt]], and [[Luxembourg]].
*''Bereich Hauptsitz'' Mannheim was the headquarters for 10 ''Unterregion-Hauptsitze'', namely [[Saarlautern]], [[Saarbrücken]], [[St. Wendel]], [[Zweibrücken]], [[Kaiserslautern]], [[Neustadt an der Weinstraße]], [[Ludwigshafen]] (Rhein), [[Mannheim]] I, Mannheim II, and [[Heidelberg]].
*''Bereich Hauptsitz'' Metz was the headquarters for ''Unterregion-Hauptsitze'' [[Metz]], [[Diedenhofen]] (Thionville), and [[Saint-Avold]].

During the war, Wiesbaden was, between August 1940 and the end of 1942, bombed by the [[Royal Air Force]] and from 1943 through to March 1945, was attacked by both RAF and United States Air Force bombers on 66 days. In the attacks, about 18% of the city's homes were destroyed. During the war, more than 25% of the city's buildings were damaged or worse and 1,700 people were killed.<ref name="Heinrich-Verlag GmBH-2011">{{cite book |title= Wiesbaden: For Old Friends and New|last= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|year= 2011|publisher= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|isbn= 978-3-89889-167-7|pages= 80}}</ref>

Wiesbaden was the location of a camp for [[Sinti]] and [[Romani people]] (see ''[[Romani Holocaust]]''),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=100001028|title=Lager für Sinti und Roma Wiesbaden|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=9 January 2024|language=de}}</ref> and two subcamps of the [[Hinzert concentration camp]], mostly for Luxembourgish prisoners.<ref>{{cite book|last=Megargee|first=Geoffrey P.|year=2009|title=The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume I|publisher=Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|page=842|isbn=978-0-253-35328-3}}</ref>

Wiesbaden was captured by U.S. Army forces on 28 March 1945. The U.S. 317th Infantry Regiment attacked in assault boats across the Rhine from Mainz while the 319th Infantry attacked across the river Main near [[Hochheim am Main]]. The attack started at 01:00 and by early afternoon the two forces of the [[80th Division (United States)|80th U.S. Infantry Division]] had linked up with the loss of only three dead and three missing. The Americans captured 900 German soldiers and a warehouse full of 4,000 cases of champagne.<ref>The Last Offensive by Charles B. MacDonald, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 71-183070</ref>

After the war's end, American rock artist [[Elvis Presley]] was stationed in Friedberg and often visited Wiesbaden.<ref name="Heinrich-Verlag GmBH-2011"/>

===Cold War and contemporary history===
After World War II, the state of Hesse was established (see [[Greater Hesse]]), and Wiesbaden became its capital, though nearby [[Frankfurt|Frankfurt am Main]] is much larger and works as Hesse's economic and financial centre. Wiesbaden however suffered much less than Frankfurt from air bombing. There is a persistent rumour that the U.S. Army Air Force spared the town with the intention of turning it into a postwar HQ, but USAAF sources claim this to be a myth, arguing that Wiesbaden's economic and strategic importance simply did not justify more bombing.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} Wiesbaden was host to the Headquarters, U.S. Air Forces, Europe based at the former [[Europaviertel (Wiesbaden)|Lindsey Air Station]] from 1953 to 1973.

[[American armed forces]] have been present in Wiesbaden since World War II. The [[U.S. 1st Armored Division]] was headquartered at the [[Wiesbaden Army Airfield]], just off the [[autobahn]] toward Frankfurt, until the Division completed relocation to Fort Bliss, Texas, in 2011. Wiesbaden is now home to the [[U.S. Army Europe]] Headquarters and the General [[John Shalikashvili]] Mission Command Center.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eur.army.mil/news/2012/06112014_Wiesbaden_ceremonies.html |title=Wiesbaden ceremonies mark key milestones in U.S. Army Europe transition |publisher=Eur.army.mil |date=14 June 2012 |access-date=13 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317120017/http://www.eur.army.mil/news/2012/06112014_Wiesbaden_ceremonies.html |archive-date=17 March 2013 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

In 1962, the American artists [[George Maciunas]], [[Dick Higgins]] and [[Alison Knowles]] traveled to Europe to promote a planned "[[Fluxus]]" publication with concerts of antique musical instruments, the “Fluxus Internationale Festspiele Neuester Music” (Fluxus International Festival of Newest Music) at the Museum Wiesbaden. Fourteen concerts were performed on four weekends between 1 and 23 September which marked the beginning of the Fluxus movement. Work by musicians such as [[John Cage]], [[György Ligeti]], [[Krzysztof Penderecki]], [[Terry Riley]], [[Brion Gysin]] and others were performed alongside new performance pieces written by Higgins, Knowles, [[George Brecht]], [[Nam June Paik]], [[Ben Patterson]], [[Robert Filliou]], [[Emmett Williams]], and others. One performance in particular, "Piano Activities" by [[Philip Corner]], became notorious by challenging the important status of the piano in post-war German homes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.schirn.de/en/magazine/context/2019/big_orchestra/fluxus_in_wiesbaden_big_orchestra/ |title="Fluxus is a big ship on which to take a great excursion" |author=Elke Gruhn |publisher=Schirn Mag |date=9 June 2019 |access-date=29 September 2024 }}</ref>