Alsfeld does not celebrate!No 50th Hessentag!

It could have been a major event: for the third time in Alsfeld—something no other Hessian city had achieved—and a jubilee “Hessentag” as well! As early as 1985, during the second Alsfeld Hessentag, Prime Minister Holger Börner had given a verbal commitment. Following a positive response from the Hessian State Chancellery in late 2004, the official announcement from Wiesbaden for the year 2010 finally arrived in December 2006.

However, when the time for preparation came, the city found itself in significant financial difficulties. A budget consolidation concept imposed by the municipal supervisory authority forced the cancellation of voluntary services and planned investments. A personal appeal by the Mayor and the First City Councilor in Wiesbaden, requesting a limit on the financial risk of hosting the Hessentag, was unsuccessful.

By the end of 2007, the state of Hesse withdrew the 50th Hessentag from the city, citing a lack of confidence in its financial reliability. This was a first in the history of the event. The decision was fiercely debated within the city, and opinions on the outcome were divided. In retrospect, it was a missed opportunity for urban development. (NH)