Hesse

Hesse, also called Hessen, is a state in Germany without coastlines. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, but the biggest city is Frankfurt am Main. Frankfurt is very important because it is the main money center for all of Germany. Other big old cities in Hesse are Darmstadt and Kassel.

Hesse is the seventh biggest state in Germany, covering 21,114.73 square kilometers, and it is the fifth most crowded, with over six million people living there. Most of the big city area called Frankfurt Rhine-Main is in Hesse. This area is the second largest in all of Germany, just after Rhine-Ruhr.

As a place with rich history and culture, Hesse also includes a region named Rhenish Hesse that is part of the next door state, Rhineland-Palatinate.

Etymology

The name Hesse comes from the people who lived there long ago, called the Hessians. In old German, the land was known as Hessenland, meaning "land of the Hessians." Over time, the name changed in different languages. In old Latin writings, it was called Hassonia or Hessia.

The people of Hesse are called Hessians today. The name was also used for soldiers from Hesse-Kassel who helped Britain during the American Revolutionary War. A special element in science, called hassium, was named after Hesse in 1997.

History

Main article: History of Hesse

The area that is now Hesse was formed in 1945 as part of American occupation. It mostly matches the old medieval region called Hesse. Before the 1800s, the land was split into several smaller areas like Grand Duchy of Hesse, Duchy of Nassau, and Electorate of Hesse.

Early history

Further information: Chatti and Austrasia

People lived in Hesse a very long time ago, during ancient times. Tools found near Rüsselsheim show people were there about 13,000 years ago. A very old skull was found near Rhünda, dating back 12,000 years. There is also an ancient tomb called the Züschen tomb, built around 3000 BC.

The region was later home to a group of people called the Chatti. The Romans had a camp there, but left after a big battle in the year AD 9.

Holy Roman Empire

Further information: Ludovingians, House of Hesse, and List of rulers of Hesse

From 962, the land that would become Hesse was part of the Holy Roman Empire. In the 1200s, it became part of the Landgraviate of Thuringia. Later, it split into different areas ruled by different families.

One important leader was Philip the Magnanimous, who supported new ideas and religions. After he died in 1567, his land was split among his sons into four parts: Hesse-Kassel, Hesse-Darmstadt, Hesse-Rheinfels, and Hesse-Marburg.

Modern history

French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars

In 1789, big changes began in France. Soon, French forces took over parts of Hesse. This caused many changes in how the land was ruled.

Napoleon created new countries, and Hesse was split and joined to different places. After Napoleon lost, things changed again.

German Empire

In 1866, a big war happened. After this, Prussia took control of many parts of Hesse and put them together into a new area called Hesse-Nassau.

Weimar and Nazi periods

After World War I, Hesse became a republic. Later, during World War II, the area was changed again by Nazi leaders.

Post-World War II

After World War II, the United States created the state of Greater Hesse from several older areas. In 1946, it was named Hesse. Many people who had to leave their homes came to live in Hesse. The state became important for military bases. Different political groups have led the state over time. Frankfurt grew to become a big, important city.

Geography

See also: List of places in Hesse and List of mountains of Hesse

Hesse is a state in Germany that touches six other states. Starting from the north and moving clockwise, these are Lower Saxony, Thuringia, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and North Rhine-Westphalia.

The biggest cities in Hesse are found in the southwest, especially in the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Region. This includes Frankfurt am Main, the capital Wiesbaden, and other cities like Darmstadt, Offenbach, Hanau, Giessen, Wetzlar, and Rüsselsheim am Main. Nearby, but just outside Hesse, are Worms, Ludwigshafen, Mannheim, and Heidelberg.

Other important towns in Hesse include Fulda in the east, Kassel and Marburg an der Lahn in the north, and Limburg an der Lahn in the west. The land between the Main, Rhine, and Neckar rivers, known as the Ried, and the Wetterau plain to the north, are very populated areas with many buildings, including Germany’s largest airport. Much of the rest of Hesse is hilly and forested, with several small mountain ranges such as the Rhön, the Westerwald, the Taunus, the Vogelsberg, the Knüll, and the Spessart. The Odenwald mountains form the southern edge of Hesse.

The Rhine River runs along Hesse’s southwestern border. The state is covered with forests, making it the greenest part of Germany.

Administrative divisions

Hesse is a state in Germany that is governed directly by its government in the capital city, Wiesbaden. The people of Hesse elect local leaders who make decisions for their areas.

The state has three main areas: Kassel in the north and east, Gießen in the centre, and Darmstadt in the south. Darmstadt is the biggest area and includes the busy city of Frankfurt am Main, which is very important for money and business in the country.

There are 21 districts and five independent cities in Hesse, each with its own local government. The cities are Frankfurt am Main, Darmstadt, Kassel, Offenbach am Main, and Wiesbaden.

Rhenish Hesse

Main article: Rhenish Hesse

"Rhenish Hesse" is a part of land west of the Rhine River. It used to belong to Hesse, but after World War II, it became part of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. This area is known for its hills and vineyards, and many people live in towns like Mainz, Worms, and Bingen. Some people travel to work in nearby cities such as Mainz, Wiesbaden, or Frankfurt.

State symbols and politics

Main article: Politics of Hesse

Hesse has been a democratic state since 1918, except during a difficult time between 1933 and 1945. In Hesse, politics often involve either the center-right Christian Democratic Union or the center-left Social Democratic Party of Germany. Usually, the largest party works together with a smaller partner to make decisions.

After the election in 2023, the ruling groups in Hesse changed from a mix of the Christian Democratic Union and the Greens to a new team of the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party.

Hesse’s leader combines the roles of both the main representative of the state and the head of government, similar to a prime minister.

Hesse does not have its own diplomats but has offices in other countries like the United States and China to promote its interests. It also has representatives in Berlin and Brussels.

The colors of Hesse’s flag are red and white. Its coat of arms shows a lion on a blue background. The official anthem of Hesse is called “Hessenlied” and was created by Albrecht Brede and Carl Preser.

Demographics

See also: List of cities in Hesse by population

Hesse is home to over 6 million people. Most of them live in the Rhein-Main area in the southern part of the state. This area includes Frankfurt am Main, the biggest city, the capital Wiesbaden, and other cities like Darmstadt and Offenbach. The number of people in Hesse is expected to decrease by 4.3% by 2030, especially in the northern part near Kassel. However, Frankfurt is growing quickly, with a predicted increase of 4.8% by 2030. This growth is because Frankfurt is an important financial center, attracting people from all over the world. In 2015, more than half of Frankfurt’s residents had backgrounds from other countries.

Language

Three main language groups are spoken in Hesse. The far north uses Low Saxon, which includes small areas of Eastphalian and Westphalian dialects. Most of Hesse speaks West Middle German dialects. There is some debate about whether the dialects south of the Benrath line are all part of Rhine Franconian or if they form their own group called Hessian. Hessian can be divided into Lower, East, and Central Hessian. In the northeast, Thuringian dialects are spoken, and in the southeast, the dialects mix with those of Bavaria.

Since World War II, many people in Hesse have started speaking Standard German more often, especially in the north. In the south, however, many still use South Hessian dialects. Traditionally, almost everyone spoke these dialects, but now Standard German is more common, especially among older generations. Standard German has been the main written language since the 16th century. Before that, Low Saxon areas used Middle Low German, and the rest used Early Modern German, replacing Latin during the High Middle Ages.

Religion

In 2016, Christianity was the most common belief in Hesse, with about 63% of the population identifying as Christian. In 2011, around 40% belonged to either the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau or the Evangelical Church of Hesse Electorate-Waldeck, which are part of the larger Protestant Church in Germany. About 25% were part of the Roman Catholic Church, and a smaller group, around 3%, were other Christians. The next largest group was those who followed Islam, making up about 7% of the population.

A study from 2011 by sociologist Michael N. Ebertz and author Meinhard Schmidt-Degenhard found that people in the region could be grouped into six main belief types: Christians, non-Christian believers, those with a worldview focused on nature or the universe, those with no specific beliefs or many beliefs, atheists, and others.

Education and research

Hesse is a special place for learning and discovering new things. The state government takes care of making sure everyone has good schools. Hesse has several big universities where students can study many different subjects. Some of the universities are Goethe University Frankfurt, Technical University of Darmstadt, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Philipps University of Marburg, and University of Kassel. There are also many international schools, especially around Frankfurt.

Hesse is also known for its important research centers. In Darmstadt-Wixhausen, there is the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, and a big new research facility called the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research is being built and will finish in 2025. Darmstadt is home to two major European space organizations. There are also many health and medicine research institutes, like the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research and the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, both in Frankfurt-am-Main. Other research centers focus on computer science, artificial intelligence, and many other fields, spread across cities like Darmstadt, Kassel, and Frankfurt-am-Main.

Culture

Hesse has a rich and varied cultural history, with many important cultural and historical centers and several UNESCO world-heritage sites.

Darmstadt has a rich cultural heritage as the former seat of the Landgraves and Grand Dukes of Hesse. It is known as a center of the Art Nouveau Jugendstil and modern architecture. Darmstadt is an important center for music, home of the Darmstädter Ferienkurse for contemporary classical music and the Jazz Institute Darmstadt, Europe's largest public jazz archive.

Frankfurt am Main is a major international cultural center. Over 2 million people visit the city's exhibition centers every year. Amongst its most famous art galleries are the Schirn Kunsthalle, a major center for international modern art, and the Städel, whose large collections include works by Picasso, Monet, Rembrandt and Dürer. Goethe was born in Frankfurt and there is a museum in his birthplace. Frankfurt has many music venues, including an award-winning opera house, the Alte Oper, and the Jahrhunderthalle.

Kassel has many palaces and parks, including Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Brothers Grimm lived and worked in Kassel for 30 years and the Grimmwelt museum explores their lives and works. Kassel is also home to the documenta, a large modern art exhibition that has taken place every five years since the 1950s.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Hesse has several UNESCO World Heritage sites. These include:

• Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe in Kassel
• Kellerwald-Edersee National Park in North Hesse
• Lorsch Abbey
• The Messel Fossil Pit. Exhibits from the Messel Pit can be seen in Messel town museum, the Museum of Hessen in Darmstadt, and the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt.
• The Saalburg, part of the Roman Limes.
• Darmstadt Artists' Colony

Sports

Frankfurt hosts many professional sports teams. These include teams for football, basketball, American football, ice hockey, rugby, and more. The city also hosts the annual Frankfurt Marathon and the Ironman Germany.

Outside Frankfurt, notable professional sports teams include Wehen Wiesbaden, Kickers Offenbach, SV Darmstadt 98, Marburg Mercenaries, Gießen 46ers, MT Melsungen, VfB Friedberg, and the Kassel Huskies.

TV and radio stations

The Hessian state broadcasting corporation is called HR (Hessischer Rundfunk). HR provides a statewide TV channel as well as regional radio stations. Besides the state run HR, privately run TV stations exist and are an important line of commerce. Among the commercial radio stations that are active in Hesse, Hit Radio FFH, Planet Radio, Harmony FM, Radio BOB and Antenne Frankfurt are the most popular.

Economy

Financial

Hesse is home to the financial capital of mainland Europe because of Frankfurt am Main. Important institutions like the European Central Bank, the German Bundesbank, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange are located there. In 2013, Hesse's economy was very strong, with a GDP of over €236 billion, making it one of the largest economies in Europe.

Frankfurt is a major financial center, with many important banks such as Deutsche Bank, DZ Bank, and KfW Bank. Insurance companies are mainly based in Wiesbaden.

Chemical and pharma

The Rhine-Main Region is known for its strong chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Companies like Sanofi, Merck, and Heraeus have their headquarters there. Other important companies include BioNTech, which helped develop a vaccine for COVID-19, and Boehringer Ingelheim.

Metallurgy and nuclear

Hesse has a strong industry focused on special metals like platinum. Companies like Heraeus and Umicore work with these materials. There was also a plant in Hanau that made nuclear fuel, but it is no longer in operation.

Engineering

Hesse has many engineering companies. For example, Opel in Rüsselsheim is part of Stellantis. Volkswagen has a factory in Baunatal for making parts, and Daimler Truck makes vehicle axles nearby. Other companies make locomotives, printers, and medical equipment.

Aerospace

The company that runs Frankfurt Airport employs many people. There are also aviation engine workshops and service centers for airplanes in Hesse.

Optics and electronics

Outside of Frankfurt, in Wetzlar, there are many companies that make optical and electronic products. Companies like Leica and Minox are based there. Other companies make transformers, solar inverters, and electrical enclosures.

IT and telecom

Many IT and telecommunications companies have offices in Hesse, especially in Frankfurt and Darmstadt. Companies like Software AG, T-Systems, and Deutsche Telekom are located in these areas.

Food and beverage

Hesse is known for its sweet foods and drinks. Factories make candies, sparkling wines, white wines like Riesling, mineral waters, beers, and cider. Frankfurt-Oberrad is famous for its green sauce made from wild herbs.

Defunct industries

Some industries that used to be important in Hesse, like leather making in Offenbach and fur making in Frankfurt, no longer exist today.

Typical Hesse's products

Hesse is known for products like the Opel Insignia, Braun Shavers, Leica cameras, TRAXX locomotives, warp knitting machines, printing machines, Apfelwein (Cider), and Riesling wine.

Unemployment

Different areas of Hesse have different unemployment rates. The Hochtaunuskreis has a low rate of 3.8%, while the city of Kassel has a higher rate of 12.1%. In October 2018, the unemployment rate in Hesse was 4.4%, which was lower than the national average.

Traffic and public transportation

Road transport

Hesse has many highways, including important ones like the A3, A5, and A7. Near Frankfurt Airport is the Frankfurter Kreuz, one of Germany’s busiest highway junctions where the A3 and A5 meet. Some highways have extra lanes during busy times to help with traffic.

Railway transport

Hesse has many train lines, including fast ones like Cologne–Frankfurt and Hanover–Würzburg. Frankfurt Central Station is a major train hub with lots of trains every day. The area around Frankfurt also has a good network of local trains called the S-Bahn Rhein-Main. Kassel has a special train system called RegioTram.

Air transport

Frankfurt Airport is Germany’s largest airport, handling many passengers each year. There is also Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport for smaller planes, Kassel Airport with some holiday flights, and several sports airfields. Low-cost airlines use Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, which is actually in the nearby state of Rhineland-Palatinate.