Alsfeld jubilates!Alsfeld celebrates the 700th town anniversary

Despite the crisis-ridden post-war period, the city’s anniversary was celebrated lavishly one hundred years ago: There was a parade with historical groups (“21 floats with escorts, total length 800 m”) and a “large trade exhibition, which was to praise and extol the crafts”.

It should not be forgotten that at that time inflation was galloping, money was scarce. The city subscribed to a guarantee fund for financial security and called for donations, quite successfully: a large sum was sent from New York by a former Alsfelder. The great day of celebration was set for June 25. The city asked its citizens “to remove the wooden piles in front of the houses in the streets” and “to decorate their houses with garlands, wreaths, flags, etc.”

The railroad arranged for various special trains. “A tremendous number of participants” turned out for “folk festival,” “jubilee celebration,” “choral blowing from the church steeple,” and the “pageant.” As in 2022, the jubilee was also of double importance for the (then still) “History and Antiquities Society”, as it was also the 25th anniversary of the founding of the society.

It published a jubilee publication and organized an academic celebration with a lecture. In addition, the festival play “Im Sturm des großen Krieges” (In the Storm of the Great War) and a musically accompanied “Schwerttanz” (Sword Dance) by Alsfeld teacher and town archivist Karl Dotter (1878 – 1940) were performed. MNic