Dürkheim’s Colorful Past—A Retrospective View
By Georg Feldmann
The information that follows has been extracted from the writings of Dürkheim’s eminent historian, Georg Feldmann. Herr Feldmann has maintained an active interest in the Christlieb family since Ned Crislip first met him at Dürkheim’s City Hall in 1976. Most of the photographs in this section are from “Bad Dürkheim, Chronik einer Salierstadt,” published in 1978.
The archaeological finds in the district of Bad Dürkheim prove that we are on the site of an ancient culture here. Long before the Romans established themselves here, the Celts resided in our native region. They chose this place because of its southern climate, its fertile soil, its wood and its salt wells. It is suspected that a Celtic royal residence was located at Limburg, where there remain remnants of a protective ring-wall dating from ca. 1000 B.C.
Following the Celts were the Romans who occupied this district from 58 B.C. to 406 A.D. The Romans brought, from southern France, Burgundy, and Alsace, grapevines to the sunny slopes of the Haardt Mountains. The Romans cut stones for their buildings from nearby Mainz. Eventually, Germanic Tribes overran the Roman occupation during the period of mass migrations. The Alemannis and later the Franks took possession of our native region. Even the short-lived Burgundian Empire around Worms (ca. 406-437) extended over our territory for the names Kriemhildenstuhl and Brunhildenstuhl, as well as Drachenfels originate from the saga of the Nibelungs. The Franks settled here and established villages among which were Dürkheim and Grethen.
It is suspected that our village originated around the 5th or 6th century. About 500 A.D., the Alemannians and the Franks settled in here. They founded the village called “Turinchhiem, which was documentarily mentioned in the Codex of the Lorsch Cloister in 778 A.D. As early as the 9th century, Dürkheim was under the control of the Salian Franks and was identified as being among the possessions of the Carolingian King, Ludwig, whose rule extended from 843 to 854.
All that remains of the Cloister of Lorsch is the gatehouse shown here. Dating from the 8th century, the edifice is said to be the oldest structure in Germany.
Thanks to the convenient location at the exit from the Isenach Valley and at the intersection of important trade routes, the village was soon enlarged to accommodate a growing population. A church located on the site of the present Castle Church (Schlosskirche) is mentioned as early as 946.
After 1025, Emperor Konrad II transformed his ancestral castle, Limburg, into a cloister, the ruins of which still remain above Grethen. In 1035, the Emperor gave control of Dürkheim, Grethen, and other villages, along with their vast forests to the west, to the Limburg Abbey.
In 1206, the Counts of Leiningen were invested by the Abbot to be the governors of the Limburg. Later it was occupied by various sovereigns of minor states, thus it became the subject of dissension.
Shown here is the ancient symbol of Dürkheim, a highly-stylized bow honoring the Counts of Leiningen, who, with their soldiers, served as the Emperor’s personal bodyguards in the days of the Crusades.
By 1300, the village was surrounded with a wall. In 1360, Dürkheim was given the status of a city and was designated as the strongest fortress in the Haart Mountains. Gradually, the Counts of Leiningen succeeded in acquiring more and more control over Dürkheim, so that by 1560 they became its overlords.
An Illustration of Turckheim Dating From 1450
The turbulent times of the 14th and 15th centuries also brought Dürkheim into distress: In the so-called War of the cities in 1375, it was stormed by the cities of Oppenheim, Mainz, Worms, and Speyer. The Elector, Friedrich I, conquered Dürkheim in 1471. As a result of this conquest, the fortifications were demolished, and the city was declared an open market town and jurisdiction over the Limburg Cloister was taken away from the Counts of Leiningen and given to the Palatinate. The Palatinate Troops, under Field Marshall Kessler, wreaked havoc in Dürkheim and the surrounding area. As a counter move, Count Emich VIII, of Leiningen, in 1504, ordered the Limburg Abbey destroyed. The cloister became secularized by Elector Friedrich III, and its rich holdings were overseen by an administrative manager who took up residence in the Limburg wine cellar.
The Cloister Limburg As It Appears After Its Destruction in 1504
Like the Palatinate, the Counts of Leiningen were also involved in the Reformation. About 1572, they introduced the Lutheran faith into their Earldom and thus into Dürkheim. St. John’s Church [Sankt Johannes Kirche], which was renamed Schlosskirche (Castle Church), has been a Protestant church since that time. The church was constructed around 1300 over the remains of the earlier church, which was historically mentioned as early as 946.
The residents of Dürkheim suffered terribly during the Thirty-Years’ War (1618-1648), especially from the plague and famine. A partial destruction of the city followed in 1674, at which time the Town Hall also fell victim. In 1689, during the Orlean War, the city was almost completely burned to the ground by the French. Many towns, among them Heidelberg, Speyer, and Dürkheim were destroyed by fire and ravage. In Dürkheim, the town hall, the church of St. John (later called Schlosskirche), along with many homes were burned. Before and after 1700 the population was replenished by immigrants from nearly all parts of Germany, especially from Upper Hesse and Württemberg, but also from Switzerland, and also by the immigration of victims of religious persecution from France, the Huguenots.
In 1700, in order to revitalize the depressed market town, the Count of Leiningen granted Dürkheim the rights of a city again and granted various privileges for the rebuilding of the city. Serfdom and compulsory labor were abolished. After 1725, Counts built their residence in Dürkheim. With the building of the palace with its gardens, an era of cultural florescence began for Dürkheim. Plays were performed in the palace theatre with distinguished guests in attendance. A frequent visitor was Prince Karl Friedrich Wilhelm. It was at this time that the Johannes Kirche became the Schlosskirche (Castle Church). In 1727, the Schlosskirche was refurbished. The beautiful new chancel finished with carvings and the baroque altar of wood was completed.
