Friedberg (Friedberg in der Wetterau) is a town near Frankfurt am Main (about 30 km away) and has about 25,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the district Wetteraukreis.

The old city was refounded by the Hohenstaufen dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire, conveniently located at important trading routes. The city initially rivalled Frankfurt am Main economically, with an important annual trading fair, and initial rapid expansion, though its economic fortunes soon dwindled.

City tranquility was hampared by continuous rivalry between the two entities that made up Friedberg : The city and the castle of Friedberg that were politically independent from each other and in permament competition, often quite maliciously, resulting in bitter rivalry that culminated once in the ransacking and destruction of the castle by angry citizens. In central Italy and Lombardy similar struggles between count and commune fuelled the politics of Guelf and Ghibelline parties.

The city became a free Imperial city (Freie Reichsstadt) of the Holy Roman Empire with a charter given in 1211. Under Napoleon, it was incorporated in the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt, until it was annexed by the Prussians in the nineteenth century.

Evidently, the area of Friedberg on a rise by the river Usa has been populated at least since Roman times. The little hillock under the castle was the location of a Roman castle, part of the limes or border fortifications and presumably identical with the castellum in monte tauno that is quoted in Roman records, though this is still under discussion. Ruins of the castle as well other Roman ruins have been found and conserved, e.g. the remains of a Roman public baths (thermae).

Friedberg's old town quarter once housed a prosperous Jewish community that was totally wiped out during World War II. Today, only the old Jewish bath and a memorial plaque at one of the city's secondary schools are reminders of this part of the city's past.

Friedberg is the former home of the US Army installation Ray Barracks, which as since been closed. The base was notable as the home of Elvis Presley during his military stint in Europe.

External link

• Link to the homepage of Friedberg/Hessen (in German)