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Protestant in the family tradition after his father's early death, but converted to
Catholicism, the religion of his mother Princess Maria Crescentia zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, on May 2, 1861. Four years later, he married the Catholic princess Marie Luise of Austria, Princess of Tuscany, and since then all the ducal family have remained members of this faith. The church has been the site of many Isenburg weddings, most recently that of Princess Katharina of Isenburg to Archduke Martin of Austria-Este in 2004.
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in
Unterreichenbach. In 1544, Count Reinhard of Isenburg, the ruler of the region, converted to Protestantism. On August 7, 1597 Count Wolfgang Ernst I of Isenburg announced the conversion of the region itself. The 200-year-old Protestant church in Birstein burned to its foundations on January 7,
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Other events also left their mark. On July 21, 1684, fire destroyed 17 homes, 18 barns, 9 cattle stalls, and a bakehouse in the
Oberberg, but spared the nearby church and rectory. Another fire in the Oberberg on July 14, 1744 destroyed 23 homes. On June 27, 1767, a terrible hailstorm gave rise to
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In 1840, a small
Catholic house of worship was built. A larger Catholic church, Mariä Heimsuchung (Church of the Visitation) was built in 1912-14. The current Count of Isenburg, Alexander, is also Catholic. This came about as follows: Alexander's ancestor Karl Viktor of Isenburg was raised a
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in the state of Hesse in the new
Federal Republic of Germany. It was declared an official fresh-air spa resort in 1963, increasing its attractiveness for tourists. The unification of its various district subdivisions (see above) took place from 1971–74, bringing the municipality to its present
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as the bridegroom is the head of the former
Imperial House of Germany and Royal House of Prussia. Katharina and Sophie's eldest brother Alexander, the heir to the family castle, was married to plastic surgeon Sarah Lorenz in a civil ceremony in Birstein, followed by a Catholic ceremony near her
81:
1044:. He donated two stained glass windows, "The Crucifixion" and "The Resurrection" to the Protestant church in Birstein, and was made an honorary citizen. This document is displayed in the foyer of the town hall. A street in Birstein, "Carl-Lomb-Strasse" is also named for him.
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community existed in
Birstein from the 17th century on, with the first mention of a Jewish inhabitant in 1549. A Jewish cemetery was founded in 1679, while a synagogue built in 1749 was rebuilt and expanded in 1866. A Jewish school was built in 1849 and operated until 1936.
1023:(1560–1613). Calvinist theologian who held the position of court preacher at the castle in Birstein from 1596-1598. As a witness in a celebrated witchcraft trial there, he made a historic protest against torture which, unusually, resulted in the release of the accused.
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and gave its name to the surrounding town. The name comes from the archaic verb "birsen" (= "birschen"), which means to hunt with tracking dogs. The palace was remodeled several times and took its present form in 1764-1768. It is still inhabited by members of the
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Birstein proper has two sections. The northern part, uphill from the palace, is known as the "Oberberg", while the southern part, where most of the shops and commercial establishments are located, is called the "Unterberg".
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In 1590 a Latin school was founded in
Birstein. It remained in various forms and locations for over three hundred years. By the early 20th century, girls were also admitted. The school closed in 1939.
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Birstein escaped damage in World War II, although many of its young men were killed as soldiers. It was occupied by the
Americans after the war, and eventually became part of the
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608:. The brook which flows through this area, called the Bracht, was designated as the border between the two localities. They lie approximately 100 meters apart.
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668:, and Birstein fell to Kassel. With the Prussian victory against Austria in 1866, Birstein became part of the Prussian empire until German unification in 1875.
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Originally Roman
Catholic, Birstein began to move toward Protestantism in 1530, when the minister Johannes Henkel began to preach in favor of
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dynasty, whose ancestor Heinrich II von Isenburg obtained it as part of his marriage settlement with Adelheid von Hanau in 1332.
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In 1925, Jews composed 10.4% of Birstein's population. A majority of these were forced to emigrate in the first years of the
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regime, and the Jewish community was officially dissolved in 1937. Although Birstein did not take part in the violence of
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473:. For this reason, and because of the natural beauty of its setting, it is known as the "Pearl of the Vogelsberg".
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The palace at Birstein, originally a fortified royal hunting lodge, was first cited in documents in 1279 as
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Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
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1913; the current church was built on the same site and consecrated on April 19, 1914.
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with approximately 6,600 inhabitants. It was the home of the former principality of
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1073:"Ergebnisse der letzten Direktwahl aller hessischen Landkreise und Gemeinden"
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Princess Katharina's younger sister, Princess Sophie of Isenburg, married
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Birstein, like other German regions, was greatly affected by the
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A high percentage of the population of greater Birstein is
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The municipality consists of the subdivisions of Birstein,
60:
Location of Birstein within Main-Kinzig-Kreis district
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The election of 27 March 2011 resulted in the following:
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The "Cathedral of the Vogelsberg" in Unterreichenbach
1094:"Bevölkerung in Hessen am 31.12.2022 nach Gemeinden"
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II (Hessian Bösgesäß) took place as a result of the
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440:is a municipality on the northeastern edge of the
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683:a yearly day of prayer against severe weather.
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660:In 1815, the principality was divided between
501:(also in the Vogelsbergkreis) and the town of
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469:The town lies at the southern base of the
1331:Wappen des Landkreises Main-Kinzig-Kreis
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1123:Links in German concerning Birstein:
314:86.63 km (33.45 sq mi)
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632:), where the Birstein branch of the
628:The entrance into Birstein Castle (
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1101:Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt
1080:Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt
1052:Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia
848:Social Democratic Party of Germany
728:Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia
485:To the north, Birstein borders on
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14:
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735:hometown of Munich in June 2014.
998:Cultural and tourist attractions
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1117:Official website (in German):
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1361:Holocaust locations in Germany
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513:border it on the south, as do
16:Municipality in Hesse, Germany
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913:Active citizens for Birstein
757:
1164:Towns and municipalities in
1048:Sophie, Princess of Isenburg
1003:The palace of the counts of
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810:Parties and voter coalitions
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644:Birstein Castle, park front
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870:Christian Democratic Union
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600:I (Prussian Bösgesäß) and
481:Neighboring municipalities
322:570 m (1,870 ft)
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780:This section needs to be
567:Oberreichenbach, Birstein
521:on the west, both in the
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1040:, founded by his cousin
509:and the municipality of
493:. On this border is the
330:268 m (879 ft)
1351:Municipalities in Hesse
980:Voter turnout in %
1332:
645:
637:
621:
620:Birstein Castle (1720)
351:72/km (190/sq mi)
319:Highest elevation
113:
1330:
1313:Steinau an der Straße
934:Free Democratic Party
677:Jean-Baptiste Jourdan
643:
627:
619:
503:Steinau an der Straße
374: • Summer (
327:Lowest elevation
112:
1183:Bad Soden-Salmünster
709:evangelical Lutheran
507:Bad Soden-Salmünster
489:, which lies in the
471:Vogelsberg Mountains
417:Vehicle registration
348: • Density
210:50.35306°N 9.30917°E
1082:. 5 September 2022.
650:castrum birsenstein
495:Völzberger Köpfchen
266:Main-Kinzig-Kreis
206: /
149:Show map of Germany
1333:
748:National Socialist
646:
638:
636:continues to live.
622:
606:Congress of Vienna
596:The separation of
340: • Total
311: • Total
114:
1356:Main-Kinzig-Kreis
1338:
1337:
1166:Main-Kinzig-Kreis
1038:Bausch & Lomb
1005:Isenburg-Birstein
995:
994:
801:
800:
692:Main-Kinzig-Kreis
655:Isenburg-Birstein
634:House of Isenburg
454:Isenburg-Birstein
442:Main-Kinzig-Kreis
435:
434:
215:50.35306; 9.30917
181:Show map of Hesse
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1158:
1151:
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1090:
1084:
1083:
1077:
1069:
1035:
1021:Anton Praetorius
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805:
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787:
775:
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767:
673:Thirty Years War
575:Unterreichenbach
517:and the town of
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293:(2019–25)
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25:
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1365:
1341:
1340:
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1334:
1322:
1283:Niederdorfelden
1228:Großkrotzenburg
1169:
1162:
1119:www.birstein.de
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1109:
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1091:
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1075:
1071:
1070:
1066:
1061:
1029:
1017:
1000:
837:
830:
823:
816:
797:
791:
788:
785:
776:
772:
765:
760:
701:
662:Hesse-Darmstadt
614:
531:
491:Vogelsbergkreis
483:
467:
462:
430:www.birstein.de
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373:
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35:
26:
23:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1374:
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763:Representation
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591:Wüstwillenroth
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407:Dialling codes
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28:
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22:
15:
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3:
2:
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1263:Linsengericht
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1258:Langenselbold
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755:
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752:Kristallnacht
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729:
724:
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716:Martin Luther
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579:Untersotzbach
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572:
568:
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560:
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552:
548:
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536:
526:
524:
523:Wetteraukreis
520:
516:
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508:
504:
500:
499:Freiensteinau
496:
492:
488:
478:
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472:
457:
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297:Fabian Fehl (
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249:Admin. region
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191:Coordinates:
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38:
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1318:Wächtersbach
1213:Flörsbachtal
1192:
1188:Biebergemünd
1103:. June 2023.
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666:Hesse-Kassel
659:
649:
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595:
571:Obersotzbach
532:
529:Subdivisions
484:
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468:
437:
436:
395:Postal codes
272:Subdivisions
49:Coat of arms
33:Municipality
1298:Schlüchtern
1238:Hammersbach
1218:Freigericht
1030: [
1007:in Birstein
892:Free Voters
555:Kirchbracht
547:Hettersroth
254:Darmstadt
213: /
1345:Categories
1248:Hasselroth
1223:Gelnhausen
1203:Bruchköbel
1059:References
1050:, wife of
1042:Henry Lomb
758:Governance
705:Protestant
563:Mauswinkel
559:Lichenroth
551:Illnhausen
487:Grebenhain
335:Population
283:Government
198:50°21′11″N
174:Birstein
142:Birstein
24:Birstein
1293:Ronneburg
1288:Rodenbach
1253:Jossgrund
1198:Brachttal
1027:Carl Lomb
792:July 2021
732:Sanssouci
543:Fischborn
511:Brachttal
460:Geography
383:UTC+02:00
362:UTC+01:00
357:Time zone
277:Ortsteile
201:9°18′33″E
1303:Schöneck
1278:Nidderau
1208:Erlensee
1193:Birstein
1168:district
1125:Birstein
699:Religion
602:Bösgesäß
598:Bösgesäß
583:Völzberg
539:Bösgesäß
535:Bösgesäß
515:Kefenrod
465:Location
438:Birstein
261:District
1308:Sinntal
1273:Neuberg
1268:Maintal
1233:Gründau
1178:Bad Orb
782:updated
612:History
587:Wettges
450:Germany
426:Website
230:Germany
226:Country
1129:Curlie
740:Jewish
695:form.
589:, and
519:Gedern
1243:Hanau
1097:(XLS)
1076:(XLS)
1034:]
968:100.0
958:100.0
953:total
902:28.8
896:27.5
880:34.3
874:28.7
858:36.9
852:33.5
836:Seats
822:Seats
446:Hesse
411:06054
400:63633
343:6,203
290:Mayor
242:Hesse
237:State
990:49.6
985:55.5
938:4.8
930:FDP
916:5.5
910:ABB
888:FBG
866:CDU
844:SPD
838:2006
831:2006
824:2011
817:2011
664:and
541:II,
387:CEST
306:Area
1127:at
537:I,
505:.
444:in
421:MKK
376:DST
366:CET
299:SPD
275:16
1347::
1032:de
973:25
963:25
947:–
944:–
941:1
925:–
922:–
919:1
905:7
899:7
883:9
877:7
861:9
855:9
738:A
630:de
593:.
585:,
581:,
577:,
573:,
569:,
565:,
561:,
557:.
553:,
549:,
545:,
525:.
456:.
448:,
1157:e
1150:t
1143:v
1054:.
829:%
815:%
794:)
790:(
784:.
707:(
389:)
385:(
378:)
368:)
364:(
301:)
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