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97-664: Known primarily as an industrial city, Ludwigshafen is home to BASF , the world's largest chemical producer , and other companies. Among its cultural facilities are the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz . It is the birthplace and death place of the former Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl . In 2012, Ludwigshafen was classified as a global city with ' Sufficiency ' status by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC). In antiquity , Celtic and Germanic tribes settled in

194-577: A "Greater Ludwigshafen" by agglomerating smaller towns and villages in the vicinity. Thus Oggersheim, Oppau, Edigheim , Rheingönheim, and Maudach became suburbs of Ludwigshafen, raising its population to 135,000. The Ludwigshafen synagogue was destroyed in 1938 and its Jewish population of 1,400 was deported in 1940. During the Oil Campaign of World War II , the Allies conducted bombing of Ludwigshafen and Oppau . Thirteen thousand Allied bombers hit

291-490: A bungalow in southern Oggersheim. The Wallfahrtskirche, a railway station, the important Unfallklinik (“casualty hospital”), and several large residential blocks are to be found in Oggersheim. For the last few years, the northern subdistricts of Notwende and Melm have seen a large amount of building activities in their new housing estates. Rheingönheim (ca 7,000 inhabitants), as the southernmost suburb of Ludwigshafen,

388-704: A guarantee of her continued sovereign and independent status. On 14 October, Bavaria made a formal declaration of war against Napoleonic France. The treaty was passionately backed by Crown Prince Ludwig and by Marshal Karl Philipp von Wrede . With the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813 ended the German Campaign with the Coalition nations as the victors, in a complete failure for the French, although they achieved

485-533: A minor victory when a Bavarian army attempted to block the retreat of the French Grande Armée at Hanau . With the defeat of Napoleon's France in 1814, Bavaria lost the territories it had gained from Austria, but was compensated for some of its losses, receiving new territories such as the Grand Duchy of Würzburg , the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt and parts of the Grand Duchy of Hesse . Finally,

582-536: A privileged status for the Kingdom of Bavaria within the German Empire ( Reservatrechte ). The Kingdom of Bavaria was even able to retain its own diplomatic body and its own army, which would fall under Prussian command only in times of war. After Bavaria's entry into the empire, Ludwig II became increasingly detached from Bavaria's political affairs and spent vast amounts of money on personal projects, such as

679-594: A relation of Hauptstaat (main state, i.e. Bavaria) and Nebenstaat (alongside state, i.e. the Palatinate). In 1825, Ludwig I ascended the throne of Bavaria. Under Ludwig, the arts flourished in Bavaria, and Ludwig personally ordered and financially assisted the creation of many neoclassical buildings and architecture across Bavaria. Ludwig also increased Bavaria's pace towards industrialization under his reign. In foreign affairs under Ludwig's rule, Bavaria supported

776-795: A republic after the German Revolution , and the kingdom was thus succeeded by the current Free State of Bavaria . On 30 December 1777, the Bavarian line of the Wittelsbachs became extinct, and the Electorate of Bavaria passed to Charles Theodore , the Elector Palatine . After a separation of four and a half centuries, the Electoral Palatinate , to which the duchies of Jülich and Berg had been added,

873-702: A second large shopping mall on the southern tip of the city centre (the Walzmühle near Berliner Platz ) with affiliated railway station ( Ludwigshafen-Mitte ). In addition, another shopping mall on the banks of the Rhine, the Rhein-Galerie, was completed in September 2010. Ludwigshafen has enormous importance as an industrial city. The city centre of Ludwigshafen is comparatively small and dominated by post-war buildings. Its northern and southern boundaries are

970-473: A way station for passing river traffic. Later, the Rheinschanze with its winter-proof harbour basin (created by a flood in 1824) was used as trading post. Hornig died in 1819, but Johann Heinrich Scharpff , a businessman from Speyer , continued Hornig's plans, which were then turned over to his son-in-law, Philipp Markus Lichtenberger , in 1830. Their activities marked the beginning of the civilian use of

1067-563: Is known mainly for its industry ( Woellner ) and its game enclosure Wildpark. Maudach (ca. 7,000 inhabitants), in Ludwigshafen's South-West, is a popular residential area, closely associated with the Maudacher Bruch park. Ruchheim (ca. 6,000 inhabitants), as the westernmost suburb, has long been a small agricultural village, but now it is growing rapidly due to new housing estates. Although Ludwigshafen has no airfield, it

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1164-522: Is one of the most important suburbs, being much like a town for itself (which it was in the Middle Ages). It is mentioned in the Wormser wall-building ordinance from around 900 as one of the places that shared responsibility for maintaining the city wall of Worms . During the 18th century, Electress Palatine , Elisabeth Auguste used Schloss Oggersheim as her summer palace. Helmut Kohl owned

1261-1005: Is well connected with several airports in the region. There are small airfields near Speyer , Bad Dürkheim and Worms , a medium-sized regional airport in Mannheim, and the Frankfurt International Airport in about an hour's driving distance. BASF Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.236 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 962310269 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:37:43 GMT Kingdom of Bavaria The Kingdom of Bavaria ( German : Königreich Bayern [ˈkøːnɪkʁaɪç ˈbaɪɐn] ; Bavarian : Kinereich Bayern [ˈkɪnəraɪ̯x ˈb̥ajɛɐ̯n] ; spelled Baiern until 1825)

1358-557: The Confederation of the Rhine . The Duchy of Berg was ceded to Napoleon only in 1806. The new kingdom faced challenges from the outset of its creation, relying on the support of Napoleonic France . The kingdom was forced to give Napoleon conscripts for the Peninsular War , faced war with Austria in 1809 and from 1810 to 1814 lost territory to Württemberg and Italy . In 1808, all relics of serfdom were abolished. In

1455-615: The Hemshof district, which belonged to Ludwigshafen. From then on, the city's rapid growth and wealth were linked to BASF's success and its expansion into becoming one of the world's most important chemical companies. Ludwigshafen also became home to several other rapidly growing chemical companies, including Friedrich Raschig GmbH, the Benckiser company (founded by Johann Benckiser), Giulini Brothers, Grünzweig&Hartmann AG, and Knoll AG  [ de ] . With more jobs available,

1552-597: The House of Wittelsbach as King of Bavaria in 1806. The crown continued to be held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom came to an end in 1918. Most of the border of modern Germany's Free State of Bavaria were established after 1814 with the Treaty of Paris , in which the Kingdom of Bavaria ceded Tyrol and Vorarlberg to the Austrian Empire while receiving Aschaffenburg and Würzburg . In 1918, Bavaria became

1649-689: The Munich Residenz with his family due to the outbreak of the German Revolution . He was the first of the monarchs in the German Empire to be deposed; only days later, the Kaiser abdicated the German throne. Ludwig took up residence in Austria for what was intended to be a temporary stay. On 12 November, he issued the Anif declaration , declaring that under the circumstances, he was "in no position to lead

1746-658: The North German Confederation , with the Prussian king leading the state. Bavaria's previous inhibitions towards Prussia changed, along with those of many of the south German states, after French Emperor Napoleon III began speaking of France 's need for "compensation" from its loss in 1814 and included the Bavarian-held Palatinate as part of its territorial claims. Ludwig II joined an alliance with Prussia in 1870 against France, which

1843-619: The Prinzregentenjahre ("The Prince Regent Years"). In 1912, Luitpold died, and his son, Prince Regent Ludwig, took over as regent. By then, it had long been apparent that Otto would never be able to reign, and sentiment grew for Ludwig to become king in his own right. On 6 November, a day after the Landtag passed a law allowing him to do so, Ludwig ended the regency, deposed Otto and declared himself King of Bavaria as Ludwig III . The Prinzregentenzeit ("prince's regent's time"), as

1940-670: The Rhenish Palatinate and Franconia were annexed to Bavaria in 1815. After the founding of the kingdom the state was totally reorganised and, in 1808, divided into 15 administrative government districts ( Regierungsbezirke , singular Regierungsbezirk ) in Bavaria called Kreise (singular Kreis ). They were created in the fashion of the French departements, quite even in size and population, and named after their main rivers: Altmühl-, Eisack-, Etsch-, Iller-, Inn-, Isar-, Lech-, Main-, Naab-, Oberdonau-, Pegnitz-, Regen-, Rezat-, Salzach- and Unterdonaukreis. Because of

2037-467: The Rhenish Palatinate was given to Bavaria by the Treaty of Munich . It was the second largest and second most powerful state south of the Main , behind only Austria. In Germany as a whole, it ranked third behind Prussia and Austria. Between 1799 and 1817, the leading minister Count Montgelas followed a strict policy of modernisation and laid the foundations of administrative structures that survived even

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2134-705: The Social Democrats were elected to the parliament. From 1903, university education was also possible for female students . Electoral reforms changed the elections of the parliament from indirect to direct elections in 1906. With the Centre politician Georg von Hertling the Prince Regent appointed a government headed by a representative of the Landtag's majority for the first time in 1912. Luitpold's years as regent were marked by tremendous artistic and cultural activity in Bavaria where they are known as

2231-729: The Stadtteil Süd or “South” quarter. “South” has some of the most attractive residential areas, especially the Parkinsel area. Other sub-quarters of “South” are the Musikantenviertel or the Malerviertel . In a few years, there will be one more highly prized residential area (“ Rheinufer Süd ”) on the Rhine near the Walzmühle on former industrial estates. The Nördliche Innenstadt (ca. 22,000 inhabitants) includes

2328-626: The Zollverein in 1834. In 1835, the first German railway was constructed in Bavaria, between the cities of Fürth and Nuremberg . In 1837, the Roman Catholic-supported clerical movement, the Ultramontanes , came to power in the Bavarian parliament and began a campaign of reform to the constitution, which removed civil rights that had earlier been granted to Protestants, as well as enforcing censorship and forbidding

2425-455: The explosion of 1921 and the flood of 1882. Edigheim (ca. 9,000 inhabitants) had once been a part of Oppau in the South, today ist almost as large as Oppau. The Pfingstweide (ca. 6,000 inhabitants) is Ludwigshafen's northernmost district; it is dominated by tower blocks and is located in close vicinity to Frankenthal. The Gartenstadt (ca. 18,000 inhabitants), west of Mundenheim, is (as

2522-589: The Austrian defeat at Hohenlinden , and Moreau once more occupied Munich. By the Treaty of Lunéville (9 February 1801), Bavaria lost the Palatinate and the duchies of Zweibrücken and Jülich . In view of the scarcely disguised ambitions and intrigues of the Austrian court, Montgelas now believed that the interests of Bavaria lay in a frank alliance with the French Republic; he succeeded in overcoming

2619-609: The German Confederation had not agreed on a common strategy in the war. Their separate armies were therefore defeated in succession by Prussia. The Bavarian Army was defeated in Lower Franconia at the Battle of Kissingen (10 July 1866). Prince Karl Theodor of Bavaria took command, but the Bavarians were decisively beaten at Roßbrunn (26 July 1866). Austria was defeated, and the German Confederation

2716-586: The German invasion of neutral Belgium the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. Initially, in Bavaria and all across Germany, many recruits flocked enthusiastically to the Army. At the outbreak of the war, King Ludwig III sent an official dispatch to Berlin, to express Bavaria's solidarity. Later Ludwig even claimed annexations for Bavaria (Alsace and the city of Antwerp in Belgium , to receive access to

2813-575: The Greeks during the Greek War of Independence with his second son, Otto being elected King of Greece in 1832. As for politics, initial reforms advocated by Ludwig were both liberal and reform-oriented. However, after the Revolutions of 1830 , Ludwig turned to conservative reaction. The Hambacher Fest in 1832 showed the discontent of the population with high taxes and censorship. Bavaria joined

2910-552: The Hemshof, “North” and “West” districts. Hemshof and “North” represent the “old town” of Ludwigshafen, they are known for their very high proportion of foreign inhabitants, making them culturally diverse. ”West” (also called Valentin-Bauer-Siedlung ) is located between main station and main cemetery. Friesenheim (ca. 18,000 inhabitants) is located north of Hemshof and is one of the two (the other one being Mundenheim) “mother villages” of Ludwigshafen, because they were responsible for

3007-716: The Hochstraßen (highways on stilts), the Rhine is in the East and the main station is located in the West of downtown Ludwigshafen, at a walking distance of about 15 minutes from the central pedestrian precinct Bismarckstraße that forms, together with the shopping mile Ludwigsstraße , the main North-South Axis, connecting the so-called “North Pole” with the Rathaus Center and the “South Pole” with Berliner Platz,

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3104-480: The Landtag as a House of Representatives and meant therefore indirectly the first step toward full parliamentary government. Today the connection of these two developments is regarded as a main cause for the unspectacular end of the Bavarian kingdom without opposition in the course of the November revolution of 1918. However the course of his 26-year regency Luitpold knew to overcome, by modesty, ability and popularity,

3201-468: The Ludwigshafen area with the armies of the French Revolution . The palace at Oggersheim was burned down, Mannheim besieged several times, and all the area west of the Rhine annexed by France from 1798 to 1813. The Electorate of the Palatinate was split up. The eastern bank of the Rhine with Mannheim and Heidelberg was given to Baden , while the western bank (including the Ludwigshafen area)

3298-399: The Rheinschanze. The year 1844 was the official birth of Ludwigshafen, when Lichtenberger sold this property to the state of Bavaria (Bayern), and the military title of the fortress was finally removed. The Bavarian king, Ludwig I , set forth plans to rename the settlement after himself and to start construction of an urban area as a Bavarian rival to Mannheim on the opposite bank. During

3395-524: The Rhine Neckar area. During the 1st century B.C. the Romans conquered the region, and a Roman auxiliary fort was constructed near the present suburb of Rheingönheim. The Middle Ages saw the foundation of some of Ludwigshafen's future suburbs, including Oggersheim , Maudach, Oppau , and Mundenheim. Most of the area, however, remained swampland, with its development hindered by seasonal flooding of

3492-647: The Rhine. The Rhine Neckar region was part of the territory of the Prince-elector of the Kurpfalz , or Electorate of the Palatinate , one of the larger states within the Holy Roman Empire . The foundation of the new capital of the Kurpfalz, Mannheim, was a decisive influence on the development of the area as a whole. Parallel to the foundation of Mannheim in 1606, a fortress ( die Rheinschanze )

3589-496: The Walzmühle shopping centre and Ludwigshafen (Rhein) Mitte station . The main east–west connections are the Bahnhofsstraße and Kaiser-Wilhelm-Straße . The Pfalzbau, Staatsphilharmonie, Wilhelm-Hack-Museum and the half-destroyed monument Lutherkirche are main features of downtown Ludwigshafen. The Südliche Innenstadt or “southern city centre” (ca. 29,000 inhabitants) includes the real city centre as described above and

3686-576: The administration of Ludwigshafen prior to its independence. Helmut Kohl was born in Friesenheim. Its western district, the Froschlache , boasts four impressive tower blocks. Oppau (ca. 10,000 inhabitants) in the North is dominated by the nearby BASF and had once been a town of its own prior to its incorporation into Ludwigshafen. In its history, it has been afflicted by several catastrophes like

3783-562: The administration of the Prussian War Ministry. Bavaria however maintained a degree of autonomy in peacetime, with its own two (later three) army corps remaining outside the Prussian order of battle. The Bavarian infantry and cavalry regiments retained their historic light blue and green uniforms, distinctive from the Prussian model adopted throughout most of the army. The individual Bavarian soldier swore an oath of loyalty to King Ludwig, though in wartime this pledge of obedience

3880-706: The aftermath of the failure of the Frankfurt Parliament, Prussia and Austria continued to debate over which monarchy had the inherent right to rule Germany. A dispute between Austria and the Elector of Hesse-Kassel was used by Austria and its allies (including Bavaria) to promote the isolation of Prussia in German political affairs. This diplomatic insult almost led to war when Austria, Bavaria, and other allies moved troops through Bavaria towards Hesse-Kassel in 1850. However, Prussia backed down to Austria, and accepted its political leadership of Germany. This event

3977-554: The capital of Rheinland-Pfalz, Mainz , for a while. In the early 1970s, a plan to reform the composition of the German Bundesländer, which would have created a new state around a united Mannheim-Ludwigshafen as capital with more than half a million inhabitants, failed. Nevertheless, further ambitious projects were financed in Ludwigshafen, first of all the 15-floor city hall with its linked-up shopping centre ( Rathaus Center ). The last (up to now) new incorporated suburb

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4074-666: The city in 121 separate raids during the war, of which 56 succeeded in hitting the IG Farben plant. Those 56 raids dropped 53,000 bombs each containing 250 to 4,000 pounds of high explosives, plus 2.5 million 4-pound magnesium incendiary bombs (the bombers also dropped millions of leaflets warning the civilians to evacuate the city, plus counterfeit ration coupons). Repairs took longer and longer as spare parts became more difficult to find. By December 1944, so much damage had been done to vital utilities that output dropped to nearly zero. Follow-up raids every week ended production permanently. By

4171-553: The city were literally ruined, which were rebuilt in the architectural style of the 1950s and 1960s. The most important projects were the Hochstraßen (highways on stilts), the revolutionary new main station (then the most modern station in Europe), several tower blocks and a whole new suburb, the satellite quarter Pfingstweide north of Edigheim. The city's economic wealth allowed social benefits and institutions to be introduced. The population number reached its all-time climax in 1970 with more than 180,000 inhabitants, thus surpassing even

4268-414: The combined German forces, it was Ludwig II who proposed that Prussian King Wilhelm I be proclaimed German Emperor ( Kaiser ) of the new German Empire ( Deutsches Reich ), which occurred in 1871 at the German-occupied Palace of Versailles , France. The territories of the German Empire were declared, which included the states of the North German Confederation and all of the south German states, with

4365-408: The constitution with articles supporting the equality of all religions, despite opposition by supporters of the Roman Catholic Church. The initial constitution almost proved disastrous for the monarchy, with controversies such as the army having to swear allegiance to the new constitution. The monarchy appealed to Prussia and the Austria for advice; the two refused to take action on Bavaria's behalf, but

4462-450: The constitution, including changes to the lower house of the Landtag with equal suffrage for every male who paid a direct tax. Maximilian II responded to the demands of the people for a united German state by attending the Frankfurt Parliament , which intended to create such a state. However, when Maximilian II rejected the Frankfurt Constitution in 1849, there was an uprising in the Bavarian Palatinate under Joseph Martin Reichard , which

4559-420: The construction of a number of fairytale castles and palaces, the most famous being the Wagnerian -style Neuschwanstein Castle . Ludwig used his personal wealth to finance these projects, and not state funds, and the construction projects landed him deeply in debt. These debts caused much concern among Bavaria's political elite, who sought to persuade Ludwig to cease his building; he refused, and relations between

4656-425: The disturbances lessened and the state stabilized with the accession of Ludwig I to the throne following the death of Maximilian in 1825. Within the Kingdom of Bavaria, the Palatinate enjoyed a special legal and administrative position, as the Bavarian government maintained substantial achievements of the French period. The German historian Heiner Haan described the special status of the Palatinate within Bavaria as

4753-401: The eastern bank of the Rhine with the former capital Mannheim and Heidelberg was given to the Grand Duchy of Baden . The western bank was granted to Bavaria as compensation for the loss of Tyrol and Salzburg. After the Austro-Prussian War (1866) in which Bavaria had sided with defeated Austria, it had to cede several Lower Franconian districts to Prussia. The Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

4850-409: The end of the war most dwellings had been destroyed or damaged; 1,800 people had died, and 3,000 were injured. The Allied ground advance into Germany reached Ludwigshafen in March 1945. The US 12th Armored Division and 94th Infantry Division captured Ludwigshafen against determined German resistance in house-to-house and block-to-block urban combat during 21–24 March 1945. Post-war , Ludwigshafen

4947-458: The failed German revolution of 1848 rebels captured Ludwigshafen, but they were bombarded from Mannheim (rumours said the Mannheimers didn't aim at the revolutionaries, but on the rival harbour's infrastructure), and Prussian troops quickly expelled the revolutionaries. On December 27, 1852, King Maximilian II granted Ludwigshafen am Rhein political freedom and as on November 8, 1859, the settlement gained city status. At its founding Ludwigshafen

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5044-405: The flying of any other flag other than the Bavarian flag on public buildings for the emperor's birthday, but this was swiftly modified afterwards, allowing the German imperial flag to be hung beside the Bavarian flag. The Catholic, conservative Patriotic Party founded in 1868 became the leading party in the Bavarian Landtag (Parliament). In 1887, its name was changed to Bavarian Centre . In 1893,

5141-483: The formerly rotten Hemshof quarter has been restored. In 2008, a fire broke out in a building where many ethnic Turks lived. 9 people died, all of them Turks and 5 of them children. It was believed to be an arsonist attack, however this was found to be not true. One of the most annoying faults of Ludwigshafen – at least for many of the city's inhabitants - was its comparative lack of high-quality shopping possibilities. It has attempted to repair this deficiency by creating

5238-437: The free discussion of internal politics. This regime was short-lived due to the demand by the Ultramontanes of the naturalization of Ludwig I's Irish mistress, Lola Montez , a notorious courtesan and dancer, which was resented by Ludwig, and the Ultramontanes were pushed out. During the Revolutions of 1848 , Ludwig abdicated on 20 March 1848 in favour of his eldest son, Maximilian II . The revolutions also brought amendments to

5335-453: The government's ministers and the crown deteriorated. At last, in 1886, the crisis came to a head. A medical commission appointed by the cabinet declared Ludwig insane and thus incapable of reigning. His uncle, Prince Luitpold , was appointed as regent . A day after Ludwig's deposition, the king died mysteriously after asking the commission's chief psychiatrist to go on a walk with him along Lake Starnberg (then called Lake Würm). Ludwig and

5432-441: The government." Accordingly, he released his soldiers and officials from their oath to him. Although he never formally abdicated, the socialist-led government of Kurt Eisner took Ludwig's declaration as such and declared the House of Wittelsbach deposed. With this, the 700-year rule of the Wittelsbach dynasty came to an end, and the former Kingdom of Bavaria became the People's State of Bavaria . The funeral of Ludwig III in 1921

5529-466: The hands of Prince Luitpold, who continued to serve as regent for Otto. During the regency of Prince-Regent Luitpold, from 1886 to 1912, relations between Bavaria and Prussia remained cold, with Bavarians remembering the anti-Catholic agenda of Bismarck's Kulturkampf , as well as Prussia's strategic dominance over the empire. Bavaria protested Prussian dominance over Germany and snubbed the Prussian-born German Emperor, Wilhelm II , in 1900, by forbidding

5626-480: The immediate likelihood of war, tried to keep Bavaria neutral. Ludwig II refused Bismarck's offers and continued Bavaria's alliance with Austria. In 1866, the Austro-Prussian War began. Bavaria and most of the south German states allied with Austria, but contributed far less to the war against Prussia. Prussia quickly defeated the Kingdom of Hanover , then won the Battle of Königgrätz (3 July 1866) against Austria, which sued for peace shortly afterward. The states of

5723-465: The industry had prospered, people had accepted it. Besides that, the concrete constructions that had been so modern after the war and had a formative influence on today's cityscape were increasingly considered as obsolete. In recent years, many efforts have been made to enhance Ludwigshafen's image in the media. The city administration has cut down its deficit by cutting down social payments and maintenance, pollution has been (not least by BASF) restricted,

5820-406: The initial uneasiness of his subjects. These prince regent's years were transfigured, finally—above all in the retrospect – to a golden age of Bavaria, even if one mourned the "fairy tale king" Ludwig II, which happens in a folkloric-nostalgic manner till this day. With the establishment of the German Empire, a series of conventions brought the bulk of the various state military forces directly under

5917-459: The king changed his royal titles to Ludwig, King of Bavaria, Duke of Franconia, Duke in Swabia and Count Palatine of the Rhine and these were retained by his successors. The Palatinate which Bavaria had acquired was mainly the western part of the former Electoral Palatinate . Ludwig's plan to acquire also the former eastern part could not be realized. The electorate, a former dominion of the Bavarian Wittelsbach dynasty, had been split up in 1815,

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6014-424: The loose German Confederation were opposed by Bavaria and Austria, with Bavaria taking part in its own discussions with Austria and other allies in 1863, in Frankfurt, without Prussia attending. In 1864, Maximilian II died early, and his eighteen-year-old son, Ludwig II , became King of Bavaria as tensions between Austria and Prussia escalated steadily. Prussian Minister-President Otto von Bismarck , recognizing

6111-414: The loss of working places and general economic trends, such as the oil crises, further worsened Ludwigshafen's financial situation at the end of the 20th century. The negative aspects of industrial success became obvious when examinations revealed the bad state of air and the Rhine due to pollution . There had always been some stench or dirt all over the city, caused by BASF and other plants, and as long as

6208-510: The major exception of Austria. The empire also annexed the formerly French territory of Alsace-Lorraine , due in large part to Ludwig's desire to move the French frontier away from the Palatinate. Bavaria's entry into the German Empire changed from jubilation over France's defeat to dismay shortly afterward because of the direction Germany took under the new German Chancellor and Prussian Prime Minister, Otto von Bismarck . The Bavarian delegation under Count Otto von Bray-Steinburg had secured

6305-437: The members of which signed a convention with Moreau, by which he granted an armistice in return for a heavy contribution (7 September 1796). Between the French and the Austrians , Bavaria was now in a bad situation. Before the death of Charles Theodore (16 February 1799), the Austrians had again occupied the country, in preparation for renewing the war with France. Maximilian IV Joseph (of Palatinate-Birkenfeld-Zweibrücken ),

6402-408: The monarchy and are (in their core) valid until today. On 1 February 1817, Montgelas was dismissed and Bavaria entered a new era of constitutional reform. On 26 May 1818, Bavaria's second constitution was proclaimed. The constitution established a bicameral Parliament ( Landtag ). The upper house ( Kammer der Reichsräte , meaning "House of Councillors") comprised the aristocracy and noblemen, including

6499-544: The monarchy by force, preferring to do so by legal means. Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber , Archbishop of Munich , in his funeral speech, made a clear commitment to the monarchy while Rupprecht only declared that he had stepped into his birthright. When Napoleon established the Confederation of the Rhine , and Bavaria became a kingdom in 1806, its land area doubled. Tyrol (1806–1814) and Salzburg (1810–1816) were temporarily united with Bavaria but then returned (Tyrol) or ceded (Salzburg) to Habsburg/Austrian rule. In return

6596-429: The name “garden city” suggests) a very green suburb, dominated by flat roofed houses and some tower blocks. Its sub-districts are Niederfeld , Hochfeld and Ernst-Reuter-Siedlung . Mundenheim (ca. 13,000 inhabitants) is a very old suburb, it boasts its own railway station, an extensive industrial area near the harbour. A sub-district is the Herderviertel in Mundenheim's North. Oggersheim (ca. 23,000 inhabitants)

6693-413: The new Prime Minister of Bavaria. Accused of showing blind loyalty to Prussia, Ludwig III became increasingly unpopular during the war. In 1918, the kingdom attempted to negotiate a separate peace with the allies but failed. By 1918, civil unrest was spreading across Bavaria and Germany, Bavarian defiance to Prussian hegemony and Bavarian separatism being key motivators. On 7 November 1918, Ludwig fled from

6790-400: The new elector, succeeded to a difficult inheritance. Though his own sympathies, and those of his all-powerful minister, Maximilian von Montgelas , were, if anything, French rather than Austrian, the state of the Bavarian finances, and the fact that the Bavarian Army was scattered and disorganized, left him helpless in the hands of Austria; on 2 December 1800, the Bavarian Army was involved in

6887-658: The numerous territorial changes in 1810 and 1815, the divisions needed to be adjusted and the number of Kreise was reduced to 8: Isar-, Unterdonau-, Oberdonau-, Regen-, Rezat-, Untermain-, Obermain- and Rheinkreis. As of 1838, at the instigation of King Ludwig I, the Kreise were renamed after the former historical tribes and territories of the respective area in: Upper Bavaria , Lower Bavaria , Swabia and Neuburg , Upper Palatinate and Regensburg , Middle Franconia , Lower Franconia and Aschaffenburg , Upper Franconia and Palatinate . The town names of Neuburg, Regensburg and Aschaffenburg were later dropped. Accordingly,

6984-482: The officers of the French garrison. The economic recovery of the 1920s was marred by one of the worst industrial explosions in history when, on Sept. 21, 1921, a BASF storage silo in Oppau blew up, killing more than 500 people, injuring a further 2,000, and destroying countless buildings. Despite this setback, Ludwigshafen reached a population of 100,000 in 1922, thus gaining " City " status. It prospered until 1929 and

7081-595: The onset of the Great Depression , which brought unemployment, labor trouble, political strife, and the rise of the Nazis . The Nazi party had few followers and votes in working-class-dominated Ludwigshafen, but succeeded in enforcing their policies. Many small houses with gardens were built, especially in the Gartenstadt . Further, similar to Nazi plans in other cities (e.g. Hamburg ), they aimed at creating

7178-523: The original ground level in many backyards of Ludwigshafen, which are sometimes two floors below street level. During World War I (1914–1918), Ludwigshafen's industrial plants played a key role in Germany's war economy, producing chemical ingredients for munitions, as well as much of the poison gas used on the Western Front . This contributed to Ludwigshafen, on May 27, 1915, being the target of

7275-410: The population of Ludwigshafen increased rapidly. In 1899 the city was governing more than 62,000 residents (compared to 1,500 in 1852). This population explosion looked quite “American” to contemporaries; it determined Ludwigshafen's character as a “worker's city”, and created problematic shortages of housing and real estate. The solution was the expansion of the municipal area and the incorporation of

7372-583: The psychiatrist were found dead, floating in the lake. The official autopsy listed cause of death as suicide by drowning, but some sources claim that no water was found in Ludwig's lungs. While these claims could be explained by dry drowning , they have also led to conspiracy theories of political assassination. The crown passed to Ludwig's brother Otto . However, Otto had a long history of mental illness and had been placed under medical supervision three years earlier. The duties of head of state actually rested in

7469-456: The regency of Luitpold is often called, was an era of the gradual transfer of Bavarian interests behind those of the German Empire. In connection with the unhappy end of the preceding rule of King Ludwig II this break in the Bavarian monarchy looked even stronger. Finally, the constitutional amendment of 1913 brought the determining break in the continuity of the king's rule in the opinion of historians, particularly as this change had been granted by

7566-421: The reluctance of Maximilian Joseph; and, on 24 August, a separate treaty of peace and alliance with France was signed at Paris. The 1805 Peace of Pressburg allowed Maximilian to raise Bavaria to the status of a kingdom. Accordingly, Maximilian proclaimed himself king on 1 January 1806 as Maximilian I. The king still served as an elector until Bavaria seceded from the Holy Roman Empire on 1 August 1806, joining

7663-574: The royal princes, holders of the crown offices , archbishops, members of the Mediatized Houses in Bavaria and hereditary and lifelong nominees of the crown. The lower house ( Kammer der Abgeordneten , meaning "House of Representatives"), would include representatives of landowners, the three universities, clergy (Catholic and Protestant), the towns and the peasants. Without the consent of both houses, no law could be passed and no tax could be levied. The rights of Protestants were safeguarded in

7760-609: The same year, Maximilian promulgated Bavaria's first written constitution. Over the next five years, it was amended numerous times in accordance with Paris' wishes. During the French invasion of Russia in 1812 about 30,000 Bavarian soldiers were killed in action. With the Treaty of Ried of 8 October 1813 Bavaria left the Confederation of the Rhine and agreed to join the Sixth Coalition against Napoleon in exchange for

7857-489: The sea). His hidden agenda was to maintain the balance of power between Prussia and Bavaria within the German Empire after a victory. Over time, with a stalemated and bloody war on the western front, Bavarians, like many Germans, grew weary of the conflict. In 1917, the Bavarian Prime Minister Georg von Hertling became German Chancellor and Prime Minister of Prussia; Otto Ritter von Dandl became

7954-472: The settlements around the Rheinschanze began to prosper, profiting from the proximity of the capital Mannheim. Oggersheim in particular gained some importance, after the construction of both a small palace serving as secondary residence for the Elector, and the famous pilgrimage church, Wallfahrtskirche . For some weeks in 1782, the great German writer and playwright Friedrich Schiller lived in Oggersheim, on flight from his native Württemberg . War returned to

8051-429: The two nearest villages, Friesenheim and Mundenheim, in the years 1892 and 1899. In the area between the city centre and those two suburbs new quarters (“North” and “South”) were built after (then) modern urban development plans. Because the ground was marshy and too low to be protected from Rhine floods, all the new houses were built on raised ground, sometimes as high as 5 metres above the original ground. Visitors can see

8148-469: The world's first strategic aerial bombardment. French aircraft attacked the BASF plants, killing twelve people and setting the precedent for the age to come. When the war was lost by Germany in 1918, the left bank of the Rhine was occupied by French troops, in accordance with the terms of the peace agreement. The French occupation lasted until 1930, and some of Ludwigshafen's most elegant houses were erected for

8245-440: Was Ruchheim in 1974. But then a process began that accelerated during the 1980s and 1990s and caused the financial near-collapse of Ludwigshafen. The enormous maintenance costs of the buildings and institutions introduced during the "fat time", new tax regulations that cut down the trade tax profits from the local industries, and thousands of dismissals in BASF were the main causes for the city's crisis. Loss of population due to

8342-541: Was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1806 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German Empire in 1871, the kingdom became a federated state of the new empire and was second in size, power, and wealth only to the leading state, the Kingdom of Prussia . The polity 's foundation dates back to the ascension of Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of

8439-574: Was built by Frederick IV, Elector Palatine on the other side of the Rhine to protect the City of Mannheim, thus forming the nucleus of the City of Ludwigshafen itself. In the 17th century, the region was devastated and depopulated during the Thirty Years' War , and also in King Louis XIV of France ’s wars of conquest in the later part of the century. It was only in the 18th century, that

8536-503: Was dissolved, ending Austria's influence over the lesser German states. Bavaria lost Gersfeld , Bad Orb and Kaulsdorf to Prussia; former two became part of the new Province of Hesse-Nassau whereas the latter became part of Province of Saxony . From this time, Bavaria steadily progressed into Prussia's sphere of influence. With Austria's defeat in the Austro-Prussian War, the northern German states quickly unified into

8633-527: Was extended to Kaiser Wilhelm as supreme commander. In July 1914, the Bavarian Army numbered 92,400 or 11 percent of the total Imperial German Army . In 1914, a clash of alliances occurred over Austria-Hungary 's invasion of Serbia following the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Bosnian Serb militant. Germany went to the side of its former rival-turned-ally, Austria-Hungary, and declared war on France and Russia . Following

8730-410: Was feared or hoped to spark a restoration of the monarchy . Despite the abolition of the monarchy, the former king was laid to rest in front of the former royal family, the Bavarian government, military personnel, and an estimated 100,000 spectators, in the style of royal funerals. Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria did not wish to use the occasion of the passing of his father to attempt to re-establish

8827-460: Was granted to the Kingdom of Bavaria , following the Wars of Liberation (1813–1815), in which the French were expelled. The Rhine had become a frontier and the Rheinschanze, cut off politically from Mannheim, lost its function as the neighbouring city's military bulwark. In 1808, during the French occupation, Carl Hornig of Mannheim purchased the fortress from the French authorities and turned it into

8924-472: Was known as the Punctation of Olmütz but also known as the "Humiliation of Olmütz" by Prussia. This event solidified the Bavarian kingdom's alliance with Austria against Prussia. When the project to unite the German middle-sized powers under Bavarian leadership against Prussia and Austria (the so-called Trias ) failed, Minister-President von der Pfordten resigned in 1859. Attempts by Prussia to reorganize

9021-641: Was part of the French occupation zone, becoming part of the newly founded Bundesland (state) of Rheinland-Pfalz and thus part of the Federal Republic of Germany . Reconstruction of the devastated city and revival of the economy was supported by the Allies, especially by American aid. In 1948, the "Pasadena Shares Committee" sent packages of blankets, clothing, food, and medicines to help the residents of post-war Ludwigshafen. Many friendships started to form, so that in 1956, Ludwigshafen am Rhein and Pasadena , California became sister cities. Large parts of

9118-560: Was put down with the support of Prussian forces. However Maximilian II stood alongside Bavaria's ally, the Austrian Empire, in opposition to Austria's enemy, Prussia. This position was resented by many Bavarian citizens, who wanted a united Germany. In the end Prussia declined the crown offered by the Frankfurt Parliament as the proposed constitution of a German state was perceived to be too liberal and not in Prussia's interests. In

9215-709: Was seen by Germans as the greatest enemy to a united Germany. At the same time, Bavaria increased its political, legal, and trade ties with the North German Confederation. In 1870, war erupted between France and Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War . The Bavarian Army was sent under the command of the Prussian Crown Prince Frederick against the French Army . With France's defeat and humiliation against

9312-562: Was still a very modest settlement with just 1,500 inhabitants. Real growth began with industrialization , and gained enormous momentum in Ludwigshafen due to its ideal transport facilities. In addition to its excellent position and harbor facilities on the Rhine, a railway connecting Ludwigshafen with the Saar coalfields was completed in 1849. The year 1865 was an important date in the history of independent Ludwigshafen. After several discussions, BASF decided to move its factories from Mannheim to

9409-478: Was thus reunited with Bavaria. In 1793, the French Revolutionary Army overran the Palatinate; in 1795, the French , under Moreau , invaded Bavaria itself, advanced to Munich —where they were received with joy by the long-suppressed Liberals—and laid siege to Ingolstadt . Charles Theodore, who had done nothing to prevent the war or to resist the invasion, fled to Saxony , leaving a regency,

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