Reiskirchen: 1050th anniversary falls into the water-historical errors discovered!

Reiskirchen: 1050th anniversary falls into the water-historical errors discovered!

The district of Reiskirchen in the district of Gießen faces an unexpected challenge: on the occasion of the planned 1050th anniversary, which was considered for 2025, there will be no celebrations. This is reported by the Giessener Anzeiger . The secure first mention of Reiskirchen does not come from 975, as long as it was assumed, but from 1236.

A current report from the Hessian State Archives in Darmstadt has brought this knowledge to light. Originally, a number of events were planned for the 1050th anniversary, including:

• A kick -off event in May 2025 around the church and the old rectory.
• A parade in July that should be related to the Reiskirchener Kirmes.
• A final event in October in the community center with the local history association.

The celebrations for the 1000th anniversary in 1975 were based on a certificate from Emperor Otto II from 975, which, however, allocated interpretations for both Reiskirchen in the district of Gießen and for Reiskirchen at Wetzlar. The Hessian State Archives had allowed the two places to rely on the first mention of 975. Archivist Lea Palitsch initiated an expert opinion to clarify the actual old rice church, which finally confirmed that the document from 975 did not clearly refer to one of the two locations.

historical backgrounds

A document from 1238 already mentions a pastor of Reiskirchen and is therefore considered evidence of the first mention. The current state of research indicates that Reiskirchen probably existed before the year 1000, but there are no permanent evidence of a founding date. This confirms the statement that at least the year 1236 is the first secured mention. A possible 800th anniversary could therefore take place in 2038, since there is already a concept.

Reiskirchen is a municipality that is geographically 9 km west of Grünberg. The survey lies at 228 m above NN and extends in a closed form on the O slope of a mountain crest. The Wieseck runs through the valley as a formative river, while the church marks the highest point on the northeastern edge of the upper village. The transport connection is made via the B 49 (Gießen - Grünberg) as well as by a bypass and various connecting roads to be surrounded.

population development and economic aspects

The population of Reiskirchen has developed steadily over the centuries. Historical data show a continuous increase in population, which ranges from 16 men in 1502 to 1676 inhabitants in 1961. This year, 1402 were evangelical and 236 Roman Catholic. A look at the employment in 1961 shows that 195 people in agriculture and forestry, 338 in the manufacturing trade, 173 in retail, transport and communication as well as 148 in services.

In the 20th century, Reiskirchen experienced an economic upswing through industrialization from the end of the 19th century and the construction of the train station in 1869. The motorway, which was completed in the 1930s, also contributed to further development, which brought traffic flows and thus economic advantages for the region. In the 1950s, massive construction activities took place, which significantly expanded the area of ​​the place. In 1971 Reiskirchen became the administrative seat of the large community with around 11,000 inhabitants.

The story of Reiskirchen is closely linked to events such as the fire in Easter Night 1613, which destroyed the village except for nine houses, and the subsequent reconstruction phase until the dawn of the Thirty Years' War. In addition, Reiskirchen is one of the wealthy communities of Upper Hesse, a remarkable development since the beginning of the place.