Volksstaat Hessen
Encyclopedia
The People's State of Hesse was the name of the German state of Hesse-Darmstadt
from 1918 until 1945.
After the end of World War I the Grand Duchy of Hesse
became a republic and changed its name to People's State (meaning republic, in contrast to monarchy, not the later meaning of "people's republic" implying a socialist state). Its capital was Darmstadt
. The state consisted of provinces Upper Hesse ' onMouseout='HidePop("63606")' href="/topics/Gießen">Gießen
), Starkenburg (capital Darmstadt
) and Rhenish Hesse ' onMouseout='HidePop("40806")' href="/topics/Mainz">Mainz
).
Area of the state was 7,692 km²; it had 1,347,279 inhabitants. Around two thirds were Protestants, one third Roman Catholics.
In accordance with Treaty of Versailles
approximately 40% of its territory, in particular Rhine Hesse and part of Starkenburg, was until June 30, 1930 occupied by the French Army
.
After the end of World War II Oberhessen and Starkenburg belonged into the American occupation zone
while Rheinhessen on the left bank of Rhine to the French occupation zone. On September 19, 1945 American administration created the new state of Greater Hesse
from their part of the former Hessian state, from the Prussia
n provinces of Hesse and Nassau
and from Frankfurt am Main. On December 1, 1946 Greater Hesse was renamed Hesse
and later became one of the federal states of West Germany
.
The part of the state on the left bank of Rhine, and some western parts on the right bank of the Rhine, became part of the Rhineland-Palatinate
(Rheinland-Pfalz) federal state.
Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was a member state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was formed in 1567 following the division of the Landgraviate of Hesse between the four sons of Philip I, the last Landgrave of Hesse....
from 1918 until 1945.
After the end of World War I the Grand Duchy of Hesse
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
became a republic and changed its name to People's State (meaning republic, in contrast to monarchy, not the later meaning of "people's republic" implying a socialist state). Its capital was Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
. The state consisted of provinces Upper Hesse ' onMouseout='HidePop("63606")' href="/topics/Gießen">Gießen
Gießen
Gießen, also spelt Giessen is a town in the German federal state of Hesse, capital of both the district of Gießen and the administrative region of Gießen...
), Starkenburg (capital Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
) and Rhenish Hesse ' onMouseout='HidePop("40806")' href="/topics/Mainz">Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
).
Area of the state was 7,692 km²; it had 1,347,279 inhabitants. Around two thirds were Protestants, one third Roman Catholics.
In accordance with Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
approximately 40% of its territory, in particular Rhine Hesse and part of Starkenburg, was until June 30, 1930 occupied by the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
.
After the end of World War II Oberhessen and Starkenburg belonged into the American occupation zone
Allied Occupation Zones in Germany
The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative purposes during 1945–49. In the closing weeks of fighting in Europe, US forces had pushed beyond the previously agreed boundaries for the...
while Rheinhessen on the left bank of Rhine to the French occupation zone. On September 19, 1945 American administration created the new state of Greater Hesse
Greater Hesse
Greater Hesse was the provisional name given for a section of German territory created by the US military administration in at the end of World War II...
from their part of the former Hessian state, from the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n provinces of Hesse and Nassau
Province of Nassau
The Province of Nassau was a province of Prussia from 1944-1945.Although all German states had been de facto dissolved since 1933, the Nazi government formally dissolved the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau into two provinces on 1 April 1944, Kurhessen and the province of Nassau.The name comes...
and from Frankfurt am Main. On December 1, 1946 Greater Hesse was renamed Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
and later became one of the federal states of West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
The part of the state on the left bank of Rhine, and some western parts on the right bank of the Rhine, became part of the Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
(Rheinland-Pfalz) federal state.
External links
- Overview of Volksstaat Hessen (in German)