Offenburg - history I

The history of Offenburg begins long before the town was founded. Even Romans and Alemanni left their mark on the area which was to become the town.

It is to be assumed that the town origins are to be found in a market settlement which was already founded before 1100 along what is now "Lange Straße". The first documented reference dates from 1148. The town has an open castle in its coat of arms; the oldest seal dates back to 1284.

Offenburg becomes a town of the empire

In 1240, Friedrich II proclaimed Offenburg a town of the empire. Wölflin von Hagenau who reinforced the Hohenstaufen empire properties to the left and right of the Upper Rhine caused the town fortifications to be erected from which the internal wall ring with its defence and watch towers still partially exists. It was a civic duty to do sentry duty.

The mayor and twelve councillors administered the town, these also being town judges who were responsible for the higher and lower jurisdiction. In around 1300, the "old council" was supplemented by the "young council" which comprised twelve members of the guilds. The "young council" was responsible for the administration. The population of Offenburg originally had a mainly middle­class character as it mainly consisted of old­established families and of noble persons who had moved here from the rural areas. More and more craftsmen also moved to the town. The guilds were allocated special accommodation, a fact of which we are today reminded by many street names (Gerberstraße, Metzgerstraße, Schlossergasse...) [Tanner, Butcher, Locksmith...]. In the 16th century, town citizens also started with farming, wine­growing and cattle breeding in a small way. The town therefore received a middle­class - rural look.

Jews came to Offenburg at around the middle of the 13th century. They were encouraged to do this by the tolerant policies of Friedrich II and they soon formed "a small flourishing community". They not only erected their dwelling and the Jewish school (synagogue) on the ground allocated to them: the Jewish communities built an underground Mikwe (Jewish ritual bath) which can still be visited today and as one of the oldest Jewish architectural monuments in South Baden, it is a special town site.

The Architectural Design (Development) of the Town

The market settlement was mainly to be found within the triangle border by the roads Lange Straße, Klosterstraße and Kesselgasse. After the town became a town of the empire a second settlement centre was formed along Hauptstraße (the main road) and to the west of it. The main municipal buildings were erected on the main road and directly adjoining it. The Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche (church) which was for many centuries the only parish church was erected to the north­west. Offenburg could be entered through three town gates: the Kinzigtor (Kinzig gate) at the southern end of the main road, either through the Neu- or Straßburgertor, situated at the most northerly end of the road and through the Schwabenhausertor to the south­east of Lange Straße.

The Reformation

At the beginning of the 16th century, the dissatisfaction which the inhabitants had with the clerical dignitaries increased continuously. For this reason, the town council took action to improve matters in that it appointed two preachers who were not subordinate to those in the church who had the say. This led to the teachings of Luther spreading especially fast. At the diet of Augsburg in 1530, the envoys from Offenburg and the citizens of Strasbourg spoke out for the new teachings. However, at the same time they promised to serve the (catholic) emperor. As from 1531, the Offenburg council made a complete U­turn: although the citizens of Strasbourg turned to the new religion in ever­increasing numbers, the citizens of Offenburg returned to the old religion in even more numbers as they were interested in retaining their status as a free town of the empire. In 1560, an internal church constitution came into force which was enacted from "Sheriff, Master and Council of the town of Offenburg" in order to restore the church unity. In 1591, the council unanimously decreed that only those persons were to receive the freedom of a borough who professed the "real Roman church". This resolution passed by the council was only repealed in the 18th century.