80-663: The Kreuztal–Cölbe railway is a 88-kilometre-long main line in Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany. It branches off the Ruhr–Sieg railway at Kreuztal and runs via Erndtebrück , Bad Laasphe and Biedenkopf to Cölbe . Operationally, the line is now divided into two parts. The Kreuztal–Erndtebrück section is operated together with the Erndtebrück–Bad Berleburg railway as the Rothaar-Bahn (Rothaar Railway) and
160-543: A Hessian-Westphalian stone cist ( hessisch-westfälische Steinkiste ), it is one of the most important megalithic monuments in Central Europe. Dating to c. 3000 BC , it belongs to the Late Neolithic Wartberg culture . An early Celtic presence in what is now Hesse is indicated by a mid-5th-century BC La Tène -style burial uncovered at Glauberg . The region was later settled by
240-476: A considerable degree of home rule . The state is divided into three administrative provinces ( Regierungsbezirke ): Kassel in the north and east, Gießen in the centre, and Darmstadt in the south, the latter being the most populous region with the Frankfurt Rhine-Main agglomeration in its central area. The administrative regions have no legislature of their own, but are executive agencies of
320-498: A main line from Cologne to Marburg , in order to enable a direct east–west connection on the Breslau – Dresden – Leipzig – Halle – Kassel – Marburg –Cologne– Ostend route, connecting by steamship to London . The cost of the entire line from Marburg to Cologne via Biedenkopf and Siegen, including branch lines to coal mines, was estimated at around 28 million guilders , but only slightly less than 900,000 guilders had to be raised for
400-582: A million displaced ethnic Germans . Due to its proximity to the Inner German border , Hesse became an important location of NATO installations in the 1950s, especially military bases of the US V Corps and United States Army Europe . The first elected minister president of Hesse was Christian Stock , followed by Georg-August Zinn (both Social Democrats ). The German Social Democrats gained an absolute majority in 1962 and pursued progressive policies with
480-432: A parliamentary republic since 1918, except during Nazi rule (1933–1945). The German federal system has elements of exclusive federal competences, shared competences, and exclusive competences of the states. Hesse is famous for having a rather brisk style in its politics with the ruling parties being either the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) or the center-left Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). Due to
560-680: A part of Gudensberg near Fritzlar and less than ten miles from Geismar, was likely an ancient religious center; the basaltic outcrop of Gudensberg is named after Wodan, and a two-meter tall quartzite megalith called the Wotanstein is at the center of the village. By the mid-7th century, the Franks had established themselves as overlords, which is suggested by archeological evidence of burials, and they built fortifications in various places, including Christenberg . By 690, they took direct control over Hessia, apparently to counteract expansion by
640-462: A population of over six million, it ranks seventh and fifth, respectively, among the sixteen German states. Frankfurt Rhine-Main , Germany's second-largest metropolitan area (after Rhine-Ruhr ), is mainly located in Hesse. As a cultural region , Hesse also includes the area known as Rhenish Hesse (Rheinhessen) in the neighboring state of Rhineland-Palatinate . The German name Hessen , like
720-618: A scrap dealer). In Erndtebrück-Grünewald, Kreisbahn Siegen-Wittgenstein operates along the remaining siding to the Erndtebrück ironworks. Occasionally, wagons for loading timber are delivered to Erndtebrück station. The Rothaar-Bahn (RB 93) local service runs on the Rothaar Railway hourly, but only every two hours on Saturday and Sunday night, giving good connections to the Rhein-Sieg-Express (RE 9) and
800-549: A spur that offered a commanding view over Fritzlar and the densely-populated heart of Hessia". Following Saxon incursions into Chattish territory in the 7th century, two gaue had been established; a Frankish one, comprising an area around Fritzlar and Kassel , and a Saxonian one. In the 9th century, the Saxon Hessengau also came under the rule of the Franconians. From 962 the land which would become Hesse
880-606: A substantial built environment such as the country's largest airport, contrasting with the more forested, hillier middle and northern thirds of Hesse. The longest rivers in Hesse are the Eder and moreover its distributary the Fulda draining most of the north, the Lahn in the centre-west and, as to those navigable by large vessels, the Main and very broad Rhine in the south. The countryside
SECTION 10
#1732783178388960-770: A tight federation of German states established by Prussia in 1867, while also remaining part of the Grand Duchy. In 1871, after France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War , the whole of the Grand Duchy joined the German Empire . Around the turn of the 20th century, Darmstadt was one of the centres of the Jugendstil . Until 1907, the Grand Duchy of Hesse used the Hessian red and white lion barry as its coat-of-arms. The revolution of 1918 following
1040-426: Is greatly reduced due to the many unprotected level crossings. The line crosses the Eder after Erndtebrück , where the line to Bad Berleburg branches off, and then runs south-east. From Feudingen, the railway follows the upper course of the Lahn via Biedenkopf to the east. The line from Korbach joins at Sarnau and, four kilometres later, Cölbe is reached. Trains continue to Marburg . The B62, which crossed
1120-934: Is hilly and the topographical map, inset, names 14 short, low to medium-height mountain ranges including the Rhön , the Westerwald , the Taunus , the Vogelsberg , the Knüll and the Spessart . The notable range forming the southern taper of Hesse (shared with a narrowing of the Ried, the Rhine's eastern plain) and briefly spanning the middle Neckar valley which begins directly east of Heidelberg (thus also in Baden-Württemberg )
1200-640: Is the Odenwald . Forming a mid-eastern tiny projection into mostly Thuringia is the uppermost part of the Ulster , commanding the west valley side of which is the Hessian highest point, Wasserkuppe at 950m above sea level – in the Rhön. The Rhine forms the long southwest border of Hesse. Two notables oxbow lakes , the Stockstadt-Erfelder Altrhein and Lampertheimer Altrhein are in
1280-638: The Duchy of Westphalia from Cologne , the parts of Worms on the right-bank of the Rhine, and the former Free City of Friedberg . Nassau-Weilburg gained the right-bank territories of Trier among other territories. Orange-Nassau gained the Prince-Bishopric of Fulda (as the Principality of Nassau-Orange-Fulda ). The Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel was also elevated to the status of Prince-Elector ( Kurfürst ), with his state thereby becoming
1360-647: The Electorate of Hesse or Electoral Hesse (German: Kurhessen , Kur being the German-language term for the Empire's College of Electors ). In July 1806 Hesse-Darmstadt, Nassau-Weilburg, Nassau-Usingen , and the newly merged Principality of Isenburg became founding members of Napoleon 's Confederation of the Rhine . Hesse-Darmstadt expanded further in the resulting mediatisation, absorbing numerous small states (including Hesse-Homburg and much of
1440-732: The French Empire as Pays réservé de Catzenellenbogen [ de ] . The rest of its territory was annexed to the Kingdom of Westphalia in 1807; Hesse-Hanau (a secundogeniture of Hesse-Kassel) was annexed to the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt in 1810 along with the other territories held by the Prince-primate: Frankfurt, Fulda, Aschaffenburg and Wetzlar . As a result of the German campaign of 1813
1520-702: The Germanic Chatti tribe around the 1st century BC, and the name Hesse is a continuation of that tribal name. The ancient Romans had a military camp in Dorlar, and in Waldgirmes directly on the eastern outskirts of Wetzlar was a civil settlement under construction. Presumably, the provincial government for the occupied territories of the right bank of Germania was planned at this location. The governor of Germania, at least temporarily, likely had resided here. The settlement appears to have been abandoned by
1600-865: The Irish Rebellion of 1798 . For further revenue, the soldiers were loaned to other places as well. Most were conscripted, with their pay going to the Landgrave. In 1789 the French Revolution began and in 1794, during the War of the First Coalition , the French Republic occupied the Left Bank of the Rhine , including part of Lower Katzenelnbogen ( Niedergrafschaft Katzenelnbogen [ de ] , Hesse-Kassel's part of
1680-555: The Oberen Lahntalbahn (Upper Lahn Valley Railway) its name. It was not until 1863 that the treaty was contracted between Hesse, Prussia and Electorate Hesse to allow the building of a connection. Since the plans for this main line were not carried out, it was decided to build a line between Kreuztal and Marburg to serve the impoverished districts of Wittgenstein (now part of Siegen-Wittgenstein ) and Biedenkopf (now part of Marburg-Biedenkopf ). In particular, it would supply
SECTION 20
#17327831783881760-779: The Rothaargebirge with two large hairpin curves between Hilchenbach and Erndtebrück in order to gain altitude. The route under the Ginsburg through the Schloßberg tunnel directly next to the Rothaarsteig is particularly picturesque. The high point of the line is directly in front of Lützel station at 555 m above sea level. From there the line follows the Eder valley. The last few kilometres into Erndtebrück run next to federal route 62 (B62). The maximum speed on this section
1840-962: The Westerwald-Sieg-Bahn (RB 90) in Siegen and the Ruhr-Sieg-Bahn (RB 91) in Kreuztal in both directions. In Erndtebrück there is a connection to the Obere Lahntalbahn (RB 94) to Bad Laasphe and Marburg . Local rail passenger services are operated by the Dreiländerbahn of the HLB, which uses LINT (class 640 and 648) and class 1648 diesel multiple units for the Rothaar-Bahn for speeds of up to 120 (class 1648: 140) km/h. Passenger services on
1920-567: The north and Limburg an der Lahn in the west. All of the "on the river" suffixes are locally and, informally far beyond, omitted of these cities. The plain between the rivers Main, Rhine, and lower Neckar, and the Odenwald ridge of low mountains or very high hills is called the Ried which continues to north, across the Main, as the Wetterau. Both plains which are quite densely populated also have
2000-554: The yl-coaches , 5,000 units were built from 1958 to 1981, with some remaining in service still today. The UIC classification identifier letter "n" is an abbreviation for N ahverkehr ("local transit"); the complete description is local transit passenger coach (Nahverkehrswagen) with a length of over 24.5 metres, open coach with centre aisle in 2nd class, centre aisle or side corridor in 1st class, two centre doors, with 36-pole control cable for push-pull operations. The term Silberling (from German Silber , "silver") derives from
2080-609: The 1866 Austro-Prussian War the states of the region allied with Austria were defeated during the Campaign of the Main . Following Prussia's victory and dissolution of the German Confederation, Prussia annexed Electoral Hesse, Frankfurt, Hesse-Homburg, Nassau and small parts of Bavaria and the Grand Duchy of Hesse, which were then combined into the Province of Hesse-Nassau . The name Kurhessen survived, denoting
2160-540: The 1960s to 1990s developed into one of the major cities of West Germany. As of 2016, 12% of the total population of Hesse lived in the city of Frankfurt. The only state to straddle west and central portions of Germany where the eight ordinal directions (compass points) and the centre is considered, Hesse borders six other states. These are, from north, clockwise: Lower Saxony , Thuringia , Bavaria , Baden-Württemberg , Rhineland-Palatinate , and North Rhine-Westphalia . The most populous towns and cities of Hesse are in
2240-639: The 1st century on. Geismar was a particular focus of such activity; it was continuously occupied from the Roman period on, with a settlement from the Roman period, which itself had a predecessor from the 5th century BC. Excavations have produced a horse burial and bronze artifacts. A possible religious cult may have centered on a natural spring in Geismar, called Heilgenbron ; the name "Geismar" (possibly "energetic pool") itself may be derived from that spring. The village of Maden, Gudensberg [ de ] , now
2320-706: The Aar-Salzböde Railway with the Upper Lahn Valley Railway, reaching the section running from Biedenkopf into the Eder valley. The importance for the development of the district of Biedenkopf was highlighted and further preparations were made. The plan was abandoned when the First World War broke out. The single-track line runs between Kreuztal and Hilchenbach on the southern slope of the Ferndorf valley and meanders through
2400-416: The Erndtebrück junction was completed in 2017. The modernisation included the track infrastructure, the upgrade of the platforms to allow barrier-free movement and the construction of an electronic interlocking. Deutsche Bahn, the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia invested a total of €13.8 million in the modernisation. There were Hessian and Prussian plans to build a connection between
2480-720: The German defeat in WWI transformed Hesse-Darmstadt from a monarchy to a republic, which officially renamed itself the People's State of Hesse ( Volksstaat Hessen ). The state parliament, or Landtag consisted of 70 deputies elected on the basis of proportional representation . There were six Landtag elections between 1919 and 1932. Following the Nazi seizure of power in Berlin, the Landtag
Kreuztal–Cölbe railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
2560-477: The Grand Duchy's Upper Hesse, was transferred to Hesse-Nassau. The former Hessian exclave of Rinteln ( Kreis Rinteln [ de ] , the Hessian part of the former County of Schaumburg ) was also detached and transferred to the Province of Hanover . On 1 July 1944 the Prussian Province of Hesse-Nassau was formally divided into the provinces of Kurhessen and Nassau . At the same time
2640-418: The Hessian electoral laws, the biggest party normally needs a smaller coalition partner. Silberling The n-Wagen ("n-coaches") are a type of passenger coach used by Deutsche Bundesbahn and subsequently Deutsche Bahn . With two double-leafed doors per side to enable a high passenger throughput rate, the coaches were conceived for short dwell times in commuter and regional transit. Succeeding
2720-648: The Kingdom of Westphalia and the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt were dissolved and Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Hanau were restored; Orange-Nassau was also restored in its territories previously lost to Berg. As a result of the 1815 Congress of Vienna Hesse-Kassel gained Fulda (roughly the western third of the former Prince-Bishopric, the rest of which went to Bavaria and Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach ) from Frankfurt and part of Isenburg, while several of its small northern exclaves were absorbed into Hanover , some small eastern areas were ceded to Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Lower Katzenelnbogen
2800-615: The Kurhessenbahn. Hesse Hesse or Hessia ( German : Hessen [ˈhɛsn̩] ), officially the State of Hesse (German: Land Hessen ), is a state in Germany . Its capital city is Wiesbaden , and the largest urban area is Frankfurt , which is also the country's principal financial centre . Two other major historic cities are Darmstadt and Kassel . With an area of 21,114.73 square kilometers and
2880-543: The People's State of Hesse and most of what had been the Prussian Provinces of Kurhessen and Nassau. The French incorporated their parts of Hesse (Rhenish Hesse) and Nassau (as Regierungsbezirk Montabaur ) into the newly founded state of Rhineland-Palatinate ( Rheinland-Pfalz ) on 30 August 1946. On 4 December 1946, Greater Hesse was officially renamed Hessen . Hesse in the 1940s received more than
2960-589: The RB 93 service, which were retained even after the DreiLänderBahn won the contract for operations. After the Kurhessenbahn took over passenger operations in 2002, the previously declining passenger numbers have risen. In recent years, the Kurhessenbahn has paved the platforms at all stations (except Wallau) between Marburg and Bad Laasphe and raised them to a height of 38 or 55 centimetres. Furthermore, new stations were opened at Biedenkopf Schulzentrum (2003, renamed Biedenkopf Campus in 2018), Niederlaasphe (2009) and Lahntal-Sarnau (2010). The modernisation of
3040-404: The Romans after the devastating Battle of the Teutoburg Forest failed in the year AD 9. The Chatti were also involved in the Revolt of the Batavi in AD 69. Hessia, from the early 7th century on, served as a buffer between areas dominated by the Saxons (to the north) and the Franks , who brought the area to the south under their control in the early sixth century and occupied Thuringia (to
3120-517: The Saxons, who built fortifications in Gaulskopf and Eresburg across the river Diemel, the northern boundary of Hessia. The Büraburg (which already had a Frankish settlement in the sixth century ) was one of the places the Franks fortified to resist the Saxon pressure, and according to John-Henry Clay, the Büraburg was "probably the largest man-made construction seen in Hessia for at least seven hundred years". Walls and trenches totaling one kilometer in length were made, and they enclosed "8 hectares of
3200-444: The State of Hesse since 1946 due to divisions in the aftermath of World War II. This province is now part of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate . It is a hilly countryside largely devoted to vineyards; therefore, it is also called the "land of the thousand hills". Its larger towns include Mainz , Worms , Bingen , Alzey , Nieder-Olm , and Ingelheim . Many inhabitants commute to work in Mainz, Wiesbaden, or Frankfurt. Hesse has been
3280-501: The also previously existing Hesse-Marburg . As the latter two lines died out quite quickly (1583 and 1605, respectively), Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt were the two core states within the Hessian lands. Several collateral lines split off during the centuries, such as in 1622, when Hesse-Homburg split off from Hesse-Darmstadt, and in 1760 when Hesse-Hanau split off from Hesse-Kassel. In the late 16th century, Kassel adopted Calvinism , while Darmstadt remained Lutheran and consequently
Kreuztal–Cölbe railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-463: The areas which were part of the People's State of Hesse). After World War II , the Hessian territory west of the Rhine was again occupied by France , while the rest of the region was part of the US occupation zone . On 17 September 1945 the Wanfried agreement adjusted the border between American-occupied Kurhessen and Soviet-occupied Thuringia. The United States proclaimed the state of Greater Hesse ( Groß-Hessen ) on 19 September 1945, out of
3440-544: The east) in 531. Hessia occupies the northwestern part of the modern German state of Hesse; its borders were not clearly delineated. Its geographic center is Fritzlar ; it extends in the southeast to Hersfeld on the river Fulda, in the north to past Kassel and up to the rivers Diemel and Weser. To the west, it occupies the valleys of the rivers Eder and Lahn (the latter until it turns south). It measured roughly 90 kilometers north–south, and 80 north-west. The area around Fritzlar shows evidence of significant pagan belief from
3520-412: The economy, and a militaristic approach toward diplomacy. He funded the depleted treasury of the poor government by loaning 19,000 soldiers in complete military formations to Great Britain to fight in North America during the American Revolutionary War , 1776–1783. These soldiers, commonly known as Hessians , fought under the British flag. The British used the Hessians in several conflicts, including in
3600-471: The former County of Katzenelnbogen which was held by the appanage Hesse-Rotenburg ). Emperor Francis II formally recognised the annexation of the Left Bank in the 1801 Treaty of Lunéville . This led in 1803 to the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss , a substantial reorganisation ( mediatisation ) of the states and territories of the Empire. Several exclaves of Mainz were mediatised to Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt , and Hesse-Darmstadt also gained
3680-442: The former Hessian Schmalkalden exclaves ( Landkreis Herrschaft Schmalkalden [ de ] ), together with the Regierungsbezirk Erfurt [ de ] of the Province of Saxony , were transferred to Thuringia . The territories of the new provinces did not directly correspond with their pre-1866 namesakes but rather with the associated NSDAP Gaue : Gau Electoral Hesse and Gau Hesse-Nassau (excluding
3760-427: The government of Great Britain to fight in the American Revolutionary War . The English form Hesse was in common use by the 18th century, first in the hyphenated names of the states of Hesse-Cassel and Hesse-Darmstadt , but the latinate form Hessia remained in common English usage well into the 19th century. The European Commission uses the German form Hessen , even in English-language contexts, due to
3840-469: The line are operated by the Kurhessenbahn (timetable line 623), one of the five regional networks of Deutsche Bahn with a total route network of 245 kilometres. The rail transport is operated by the Kurhessenbahn on behalf of the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (Rhine-Main Transport Association; Marburg–Wallau) and the Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe (Westphalia-Lippe Transport Association; Niederlaasphe–Erndtebrück). Around 3,000 passengers used
3920-410: The line each day in 2010, which corresponds to a passenger increase of 20% since 2007. The transport services of the "Nordwesthessen" (northwest Hesse) diesel network were awarded to the Kurhessenbahn for a further 15 years with the start of the contract in December 2017. Originally, passenger services were to be re-awarded as early as December 2015, so a two-year bridging contract with the Kurhessenbahn
4000-476: The line twice at level crossings southeast of Saßmannshausen, was relocated in 2015 to bypass these level crossings. In order to enable a connection for freight to the south of the line, however, a new level crossing had to be established. The route from Kreuztal to Cölbe is 88 kilometres long and classified as a branch line, with a maximum speed of 60 km/h between Kreuztal and Wallau and 80 km/h between Wallau and Cölbe. A computer-based interlocking
4080-667: The name is recorded as Hessun (dative plural of Hessi ); in Middle Latin it appears as Hassonia , Hassia , Hessia . The name of the Hessians ultimately continues the tribal name of the Chatti . The ancient name Chatti by the 7th century is recorded as Chassi , and from the 8th century as Hassi or Hessi . An inhabitant of Hesse is called a "Hessian" (German: Hesse (masculine), plural Hessen , or Hessin (feminine), plural Hessinnen ). The American English term "Hessian" for 18th-century British auxiliary troops originates with Landgrave Frederick II of Hesse-Kassel hiring out regular army units to
SECTION 50
#17327831783884160-420: The names of other German regions ( Schwaben "Swabia", Franken "Franconia", Bayern "Bavaria", Sachsen "Saxony"), derives from the dative plural form of the name of the inhabitants or eponymous tribe , the Hessians ( Hessen , singular Hesse ). The geographical name represents a short equivalent of the older compound name Hessenland ("land of the Hessians"). The Old High German form of
4240-504: The new Landgraviate of Hesse , which remained with the Ludovingians . From that point on the Ludovingian coat of arms came to represent both Thuringia and Hesse. It rose to prominence under Landgrave Philip the Magnanimous , who was one of the leaders of German Protestantism . After Philip's death in 1567, the territory was divided among his four sons from his first marriage (Philip was a bigamist ) into four lines: Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel), Hesse-Darmstadt , Hesse-Rheinfels , and
4320-450: The numerous hammer mills , smelters and foundries along the line and in the hinterland with coal and coke from the Ruhr area for the blast furnaces and cupola furnaces (wood for charcoal having become scarce) and enable iron and steel products to be transported back to the Ruhr at competitive prices. The first section from Laasphe to Cölbe was opened for freight traffic on 19 March 1883, and passenger traffic began on 2 April of
4400-426: The policy of leaving regional names untranslated. The synthetic element hassium , number 108 on the periodic table , was named after the state of Hesse in 1997, following a proposal of 1992. The territory of Hesse was delineated only in 1945, as Greater Hesse , under American occupation . It corresponds loosely to the medieval Landgraviate of Hesse . In the 19th century, prior to the unification of Germany ,
4480-416: The presence of Pleistocene hunters about 13,000 years ago. A fossil hominid skull that was found in northern Hesse, just outside the village of Rhünda, has been dated at 12,000 years ago. The Züschen tomb (German: Steinkammergrab von Züschen, sometimes also Lohne-Züschen) is a prehistoric burial monument, located between Lohne and Züschen , near Fritzlar , Hesse, Germany. Classified as a gallery grave or
4560-445: The region around Kassel. The Grand Duchy of Hesse retained its autonomy in defeat because a greater part of the country was situated south of the river Main and it was feared that Prussian expansion beyond the Main might provoke France. However, Upper Hesse (German: Oberhessen : the parts of Hesse-Darmstadt north of the Main around the town of Gießen ) was incorporated into the North German Confederation ( Norddeutscher Bund ),
4640-412: The remainder of its territory was merged with that of Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg in August 1806 to form the Duchy of Nassau . Waldeck also joined the Confederation in 1807. The Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in August 1806 , rendering Hesse-Kassel's electoral privilege meaningless. Hesse-Kassel was occupied by the French in October 1806 and the remainder of Lower Katzenelnbogen was annexed to
4720-460: The same time, the range of services was expanded and a regular-interval timetable with standardised routes was introduced. The local line, which was advertised as the "Rothaar-Express" when it was launched, has run hourly between Bad Berleburg and Siegen since then. The Erndtebrück–Marburg line was also equipped with railcars and connections were synchronised. At the turn of the millennium, Alstom Coradia LINT (class 640) multiple units were operated as
4800-410: The same year. The line was thus one of the first branch lines in Prussia. An extension to Kreuztal, making a continuous connection from Marburg to Siegen , was planned from the beginning. The Kreuztal–Hilchenbach section was opened in March 1884, followed by the Feudingen–Laasphe section on 1 July 1888. The Hilchenbach–Erndtebrück section was also put into operation on 1 October 1888. The line
4880-538: The section between Kreuztal and Cölbe, since there was little requirement for expensive tunnels, embankments and other structures. The planning phase was interrupted by the effects of the German revolution of 1848 . Later memoranda and publications repeatedly mentioned an Oberlahn-Eisenbahn (Upper Lahn Railway), Lenne-Lahn-Bahn durch das Oberlahnthal (Lenne-Lahn Railway through the Upper Lahn Valley) or Ruhr-Lenne-(Sieg-)Oberlahn-Eisenbahn (Ruhr-Lenne-(Sieg-) Upper Lahn Railway) between Siegen and Marburg in Rede, which gave
SECTION 60
#17327831783884960-465: The so-called Großer Hessenplan . The CDU gained a relative majority in the 1974 elections, but the Social Democrats continued to govern in a coalition with the FDP . Hesse was first governed by the CDU under Walter Wallmann during 1987–1991, replaced by a SPD-Greens coalition under Hans Eichel during 1991–1999. From 1999, Hesse was governed by the CDU under Roland Koch (retired 2010) and Volker Bouffier (incumbent as of 2020). Frankfurt during
5040-426: The south and the north of the Hessian hinterland from 1866, but nothing happened for a long time. In 1912, a memorandum was drawn up on the importance of a "hinterland railway" ( Hinterlandbahn ). The first section would run from Wetzlar to Weidenhausen and then connect with the Aar-Salzböde Railway ( Aar-Salzböde-Bahn ) at Gladenbach . The next section was supposed to run from Gladenbach to Friedensdorf to connect
5120-413: The south-west fringe. Hesse, 42% forest, is by that measure the greenest state in Germany. Hesse is a unitary state governed directly by the Hessian government in the capital city Wiesbaden, partially through regional vicarious authorities called Regierungspräsidien . Municipal parliaments are, however, elected independently from the state government by the Hessian people. Local municipalities enjoy
5200-424: The southwest, the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Region namely Frankfurt am Main , Wiesbaden , Darmstadt , Offenbach , Hanau , Giessen , Wetzlar , and Rüsselsheim am Main . Outside, but very near the south-west corner of Hesse are four populous, highly technologised, places: Worms , Ludwigshafen , Mannheim , and Heidelberg . Other large Hessian towns are Fulda in the east , Kassel and Marburg an der Lahn in
5280-419: The state government. [REDACTED] Hesse is divided into 21 districts (Kreise) and five independent cities, each with their own local governments. They are, shown with abbreviations as used on vehicle number plates: Independent cities: The term "Rhenish Hesse" ( German : Rheinhessen ) refers to the part of the former Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt located west of the Rhine . It has not been part of
5360-401: The subsequent section to Cölbe, now operated by the Kurhessenbahn , is called the Obere Lahntalbahn (Upper Lahn Valley Railway). Trains at the eastern end of the line run to/from Marburg (Lahn) . The need for a rail connection between the (upper) Lahn valley and the Ruhr was first identified by Splingard, chief engineer of the then Electorate of Hesse , in 1847. His intention was to build
5440-431: The terms of the Versailles peace treaty that officially ended World War I in 1919. The Kingdom of Prussia became the Free State of Prussia , of which Hesse-Nassau remained a province. In 1929 the Free State of Waldeck was dissolved and incorporated into Hesse-Nassau. In 1932 Wetzlar ( Landkreis Wetzlar [ de ] ), formerly an exclave of the Prussian Rhine Province situated between Hesse-Nassau and
5520-454: The territory of the Houses of Solms [ de ] , Erbach [ de ] and Sayn-Wittgenstein ). It was also elevated by Napoleon to the status of Grand Duchy , becoming the Grand Duchy of Hesse . Orange-Nassau, which refused to join the Confederation, lost Siegen , Dillenburg , Hadamar and Beilstein to Berg and Fulda to the Prince-Primate of the Confederation (and former Elector of Mainz) Karl Theodor von Dalberg ;
5600-427: The territory of what is now Hesse comprised the territories of Grand Duchy of Hesse (also known as Hesse-Darmstadt), the Duchy of Nassau , the free city of Frankfurt , the Electorate of Hesse (also known as Hesse-Kassel), the Principality of Waldeck and the Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg . The Central Hessian region was inhabited in the Upper Paleolithic . Finds of tools in southern Hesse in Rüsselsheim suggest
5680-450: The two lines often found themselves on opposing sides of conflicts, most notably in the disputes over Hesse-Marburg and in the Thirty Years' War , when Darmstadt fought on the side of the Emperor, while Kassel sided with Sweden and France . The Landgrave Frederick II (1720–1785) ruled Hesse-Kassel as a benevolent despot, from 1760 to 1785. He combined Enlightenment ideas with Christian values, cameralist plans for central control of
5760-522: Was accompanied by a sharp decline in passenger traffic. In the 1980s the timetable included services almost every hour on weekdays. The trains, made up of two Silberling coaches and a class 211 locomotive, were virtually only used for trips to and from work and school. Freight traffic also declined sharply in the 1970s. It was completely discontinued in the mid-1990s. In 1994, the rail buses and locomotive-hauled trains of coaches between Siegen and Bad Berleburg were replaced by class 628 multiple units. At
5840-658: Was ceded to Nassau. Hesse-Darmstadt lost the Duchy of Westphalia and the Sayn-Wittgensteiner lands to the Prussian Province of Westphalia but gained territory on the left bank of the Rhine centred on Mainz, which became known as Rhenish Hesse ( Rheinhessen ), and the remainder of Isenburg. Orange-Nassau, whose ruler was now also King William I of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg,
5920-586: Was ceded to Prussia but most of its territory aside from Siegen was then ceded on to Nassau. Hesse-Homburg and the Free City of Frankfurt were also restored. While the other former Electors had gained other titles, becoming either Kings or Grand Dukes , the Elector of Hesse-Kassel alone retained the anachronistic title of Prince-Elector; a request to be recognised as "King of the Chatti " ( König der Katten )
6000-537: Was formally abolished as a result of the " Law on the Reconstruction of the Reich " of 30 January 1934, which replaced the German federal system with a unitary state . The parts of Hesse-Darmstadt on the left bank of the Rhine (Rhenish Hesse), as well as those right-bank areas of Hesse-Darmstadt and Hesse-Nassau within 30 km (19 mi) of Koblenz or Mainz were occupied by French troops until 1930 under
6080-592: Was necessary. This would have allowed for the infrastructure to be fully converted to allow the operation of used and reconditioned low-floor trains. However, this project was delayed. In addition, an hourly service was introduced with the start of operations on the RB 94 on Saturdays between Bad Laasphe and Marburg. Since the 2017/2018 timetable change, the Kurhessenbahn has switched its services to Siemens Desiro Classic (class 642) multiple units, which are gradually being transferred from different regional areas and modernised for
6160-675: Was opened for through traffic once the Erndtebrück–Leimstruth section had opened to traffic on 20 December 1888 and the Leimstruth–Feudingen section had opened on 1 October 1889. After the completion of the through line, traffic initially developed extremely well. In the 1930s, long-distance services also ran on the Kreuztal–Cölbe line (KBS No. 174n). From the 1950s, a pair of express trains ran between Frankfurt and Cologne via Biedenkopf and Siegen. Its discontinuation in 1979
6240-658: Was opened in Lützel station in December 2014. In addition to many culverts and retaining walls, there are the following larger structures along the route: Over the Lahn : Over the Eder : Leimstruth tunnel (321 m): between Oberndorf and Leimstruth. In Kreuztal-Ferndorf there are still two industrial sidings (to Bender Eisen- und Metallwerke Ferndorf and for galvanised steel from Thyssen Krupp Stahl AG ) with considerable freight traffic. In Dahlbruch, three sidings are regularly served by DB Cargo ( Eisenbau Krämer , SMS and
6320-756: Was part of the Holy Roman Empire . In the 10th and 11th centuries it was mostly encompassed by the Western or Rhenish part of the stem duchy of Franconia . In the 12th century, Hessengau passed to the Landgraviate of Thuringia . As a result of the War of the Thuringian Succession (1247–1264) the former Thuringian lands were partitioned between the Wettin Margraviate of Meissen , which gained Thuringia proper, and
6400-553: Was rejected by the Congress. Following mediation, the Congress of Vienna had significantly fewer states remained in the region that is now Hesse: the Hessian states, Nassau, Waldeck and Frankfurt. The Kingdoms of Prussia and Bavaria also held some territory in the region. The Congress established the German Confederation , of which they all became members. Hesse-Hanau was (re-)absorbed into Hesse-Kassel in 1821. In
#387612