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From village to city: A look back at the development since 1965
On September 12, 1965, Griesheim was officially granted city rights in a formal ceremony. Sixty years ago, the newly designated city had around 15,000 inhabitants. Mayor Bohl had applied for the granting of city rights as a sign of the continued development of the community, which had first been documented in 1165.
Requirements for city rights
Whether a municipality became a city in the 1960s depended on its population and infrastructure. A dense population, churches, schools, doctors, shopping facilities, and an efficient administration were expected. Leisure activities also played a role. In Griesheim, these included, among other things, the open-air swimming pool, which opened in 1957 .
the then Hessian Minister of the Interior, Heinrich Schneider, praised the reconstruction efforts after the war, the integration of numerous displaced persons, and the further development of the infrastructure.
Historical insights
The then-head of administration and historian Karl Knapp documented the development in 1965. According to his records, a total of 14,833 people in Griesheim on January 31, 1965 (excluding stationed armed forces). Knapp described the municipality as a "garden city" with a dispersed building style.
Agriculture was still present: 141 farms with livestock, including 143 dairy cows, shaped the landscape. At the same time, mechanization increasingly displaced horses. Technological advancements were also taking hold – around 500 telephone connections were registered, with capacity fully utilized.
Transport and infrastructure
Griesheim benefited from good transport connections. Its proximity to the Frankfurt–Mannheim motorway and the Darmstadt–Worms railway line facilitated access. The train station was conveniently located on the northern edge of the residential area. However, the railway line was closed in 1970, just five years after Griesheim was granted city status.
More information about the history of the town charter can be found on the official websites of the Historical Society of Griesheim and the town of Griesheim .
(Griesheim - Red/PSG)
Photos: City of Griesheim
