The history of Heiligenstadt

973 the first provable mention
around 1000 the village "Heiligenstat" is belongs to the archbishopric Mainz; the village is besides Erfurt an important centre of the politics of the church of Mainz in the middle of Germany
around 1020 the foundation of the "Sankt-Martin-Stift"
11./12. century the emergence of a market with a church ("Marienkirche") and a town hall as well as a settlement on the "Heimenstein"
1169 Heiligenstadt becomes a mint
1227 The archbishop Siegfried II. confers the right to be a town and the seal of the town.
after 1227 The wall of the town is built.
1333 the first big fire in the town
1350 the plague year
around 1460 Tilman Riemenschneider is born in Heiligenstadt
1525 the Farmer`s War, the Reformation, Thomas Müntzer is in Heiligenstadt
1540 Heiligenstadt becomes the capital of the Eichsfeld. The town has a big regional and national status.
1575 The counter-reformation begins. The Jesuits come to Heiligenstadt.
1618-1648 the Thirty Years`War, troops repeatedly devastate the town
1722 The first newspaper is published.
1739 the second big fire in the town
1773 The Jesuits leave Heiligenstadt.
1802 Heiligenstadt is part of Prussia
1806-1813 occupation by Napoleon`s troops
1838 Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm are in Heiligenstadt to complete their "German Dictionary".
1856-1864 Theodor Storm is a district judge in Heiligenstadt
1926 the foundation of the "Kneippverein Sankt Martin" in Heiligenstadt
1929 The spa rooms are built.
1932 the opening of the "Eichsfelder Heimatmuseum"
1933 A grave from the 5th or the 4th century BC is found during works in a pit near Heiligenstadt. So here lived yet people 2500 years ago.
1945 The Second World War is over. There is not a lot of damage in Heiligenstadt. The Eichsfeld is split up.
1949 The spa rooms are reopened.
19.12.1950 The town gets the title "spa".
1973 Heiligenstadt becomes 1000 years old.
1989 In autumn there are demonstrations for freedom (like in many other towns).
1990 the reunification of the two German states
1992 Heiligenstadt belongs to the "German Fairytale Street".
1994 Heiligenstadt becomes the county town of the Eichsfeld.
1997 The Eichsfeld was first mentioned  1100 years ago. There is an  anniversary.

 

The coat of arms and the seal of Heiligenstadt

You can see this coat of arms on a relief about the history of the town in the street Wilhelmstrasse.

This is an old representation of the coat of arms from 1624.

 

In the year 1227 the archbishop of Mainz Siegfried II. confers to Heiligenstadt the right to be a town and the seal of the town.

This seal has the inscription: "+ Sigillum Burgensum Heiligenstadt".

There was a big and a small seal. The archbishop Siegfried II. is presented as a knight. The left arm has a shield with the "Mainzer Rad" (wheel). The right arm carries a flag with the same things. In the top right corner you can see a wall with a tower. This is a symbol for the right to be a town.

The coat of arms of the town is developped from this seal. It contains the same motive, but it hasn`t any inscription.

The seal and the flag of the town have been used again since 1990.

The oldest published seals are from the May 21 in 1263 and from the May 12 in 1288.