War: Mainz and Wiesbaden in the dispute over the AKK suburbs!

War: Mainz and Wiesbaden in the dispute over the AKK suburbs!

The city of Wiesbaden comprises the districts of Amöneburg, Kastel and Kostheim, which historically belong to the city of Mainz. This geographical and historical discrepancy brought numerous challenges. In a recently published video, Youtuber Matthias Schwarzer explains the background of this situation and highlights the continuing tensions between the two cities.

The three districts, referred to together as a AKK, were originally incorporated into Mainz between 1908 and 1913. After the Second World War, more precisely on August 10, 1945, the American occupying powers ordered the integration of these districts to Wiesbaden, which Mainz brought in significant territorial losses. Mainz not only lost almost half of its area, but also a large part of its industry.

rivalry between Mainz and Wiesbaden

The rivalry between Mainz and Wiesbaden is still noticeable. Mainz presents itself as a university city and stronghold of Fastnacht, while Wiesbaden is entitled "Nice of the North". There are also differences in the wine -growing regions: Wiesbaden belongs to the Rheingau, Mainz, however, belongs to Rheinhessen. These urban identities reinforce the tension that is also reflected in social media.

The names of the districts are strongly reminiscent of their past: they contain the name Mainz, a result of a contract from 1945. This connection is also evident in the infrastructure, since the train stations in Kastel, Gustavsburg and Bischofsheim still lead the name Mainz. Together with the circumstances of the letter delivery and the telephone numbers, some of which are provided with the Mainz area code 06134, this underlines the deep connections between the AKK city parts and Mainz.

administration and needs of the residents

Although Wiesbaden has its own household for the AKK city parts, the administration remains in Mainz. The Mainz Stadtwerke are still responsible for the care of these areas, while the legal conditions regarding the property cause conflicts. Public roads and squares continue to belong to the city of Mainz, which leads to further tensions.

Nevertheless, the residents of the AKK city parts have repeatedly expressed the desire for a reverse structure in Mainz. This proves surveys from different years: A survey from 2006 provided results similar to an official citizen survey from 1986, in which 58.3 % of the survey participants were for status quo. However, resolutions for reorganization failed so far.

The cheap rents in Amöneburg, Kastel and Kostheim also attract many residents, which leads to a paradoxical situation in which the residents of a district are repeatedly reminded of the historical legacy and the desire for belonging.

The development of the AKK city parts is an example of the complex relationships between history, identity and urban administration in Germany. The topic remains exciting and shows how deeply rooted the connections between the cities and what challenges arise from this division.

More information on the historical background can be found in the reports of wiesbaden.de , while goruma.de offers deeper information on the history of Wiesbaden.