Chronicle of the city of Esslingen am Neckar
Esslingen: A proud, medieval Imperial City, early flourishing industrial city, and a modern, central location for economy and education. Esslingen has a proud, rich history that can still be felt and experienced to this very day.
Small Timetable
around 1000 BC until 100-200 AD
around 650 - 1000 AD
650-750
The Neckargau region, which encompasses Esslingen as well, is ruled by the Merovingian family of Pleonungen.
777
First documented mention of Esslingen: Abbot Fulrad von Saint-Denis, chaplain to Pippin and Charlemagne, bequeathed the sixth cell above the Rhine Neckar given to him by the Alsatian noble Hafti (Hatto/Hetti) to the Saint Denis Imperial Monastery near Paris in the event of his death (784). The sixth cell was also the resting place of the bones of Saint Vitalis.
around 800
Esslingen received market rights.
866
King Ludwig of Germany confirmed the market rights of “Hetsilinga”, the former name of Esslingen.
949-953
Esslingen is owned by Duke Liutolfs of Swabia.
um 950-1050
Esslingen is demonstrated as a mint.
1077 - 1388
1077
Rudolf von Rheinfelden holds a court meeting in the Oppidum.
1181
Documents show Esslingen as the administrative center of an area spanning mainly across the Filder highlands.
1213
Friedrich II hands over as a gift his Esslingen Pfarrkirche to the Speyer cathedral chapter.
1229
Esslingen’s city charter is first mentioned in a donation to the Salem Monastery.
1246
Battle of Frankfurt: Esslingen stands in opposition to the Counts of Wirtenberg, who were defeated in the battle of the Staufers; this marks the beginning of discord between Esslingen and Württemberg.
1259
First mention of the Outer Pliensau Bridge.
1286-1289
Rudolf von Habsburg uses Esslingen as a starting point for his attempts within Swabia to reestablish the Duchy of Swabia.
1295 and 1297
The Esslingen hospital acquires the villages of Möhringen and Vaihingen, which remain under Esslingen ownership until the end of the Old Empire.
1298
The first documented mention of Esslingen as an Imperial City; In a document of King Albrecht, the oldest son of Rudolf von Habsburg, Esslingen appears as one among the “empire’s cities” (in German: one of "des riches steten").
1310-1313
Imperial War of King Henry VII against Count Eberhard I of Württemberg; Esslingen bears the brunt of the war as a suburb of an intra-Swabian League of Towns.
1312
Along with other Württemberg cities, the city of Stuttgart subjects itself to the city of Esslingen and the Empire.
1316
Peace-circuit between Esslingen and Count Eberhard von Württemberg.
1316
First regiment order that allows the guilds legally recognized during the reign of Rudolf von Habsburg to participate in city government.
1377
The League of Towns defeats the counts of Württemberg in the Battle of Reutlingen.
1388
Victory of Count Eberhard of the Greiner of Württemberg over the League of Towns in the Battle of Döffingen.
1418 - 1693
1418-1443
The cities Esslingen, Reutlingen, Weil der Stadt, Heilbronn Wimpfen, and Rottweil form the so-called “Esslingen Union”, an intra-Swabian League of Towns lead by Esslingen.
1418-1454
Great Swabian city war against Count Eberhard the Beloved of Württemberg, sparked by disputes between Esslingen and Württemberg. Multiple sieges and destructions.
1423/1424
Construction of the city’s purchase and tax house (known today as the Old City Hall).
1449
Battle of Mutzenreis right next to the outer bridgehead of the Pliensau Bridge between the army of the Swabian cities and the knights of Ulrich von Württemberg and Bernhard von Baden; defeat of the cities.
1454
Peace is made between Esslingen and Württemberg. Esslingen asks the Margraves of Baden to protect its privileges and freedoms.
1472
Treaty of Trier between Esslingen and Ulrich von Württemberg, which assures Esslingen’s citizens that all possessions within their county will remain exempt from taxation.
1473
A contract is made between Esslingen and Württemberg that guarantees Württemberg’s protection of the Imperial City in exchange for a sum of money. This contract was continually renewed and remained in place until the loss of the Imperial immediacy.
1488
Foundation of the "Swabian League" in Esslingen, which the city joins in the same year.
1499
Esslingen mercenaries participate in the Swabian League’s so-called “Swiss War”.
1519
Last battles between Esslingen and Württemberg.
1520-1527
Imperial Regiment and the Imperial Supreme Court in Esslingen. Adoption of the so-called "Esslingen Coin Order” as the first Imperial mind order.
1525
Interrogation of the Reutlingen preacher Matthew Alber before the Imperial Regiment in Esslingen.
1531
The Esslingen Council announces its decision to allow the Word of God to be freely preached according to Evangelical doctrine in the future.
1531
Esslingen joins the Schmalkaldic League.
1552
Karl V gives the city of Esslingen as predominantly aristocratic constitution, which maintained most of its validity until the end of the Old Empire.
1556/67 and 1571/72
The University of Tübingen relocates to Esslingen due to the plague.
1648
Esslingen retains its independence in the Peace of Westphalia.
1676
The hospital sells the Hohenheim Estate.
1688
General Mélac occupies Esslingen.
1693
Renewed occupation of the city by General Mazel.
1701 - 1894
1701
Great city fire.
1707
New occupational burdens through the city’s occupation by France’s General Villars.
1796
The Battle of Esslingen and Weil between the French General La Roche and the Archduke Charles of Austria takes place in the wake of the Coalition Wars, which repeatedly affected the city of Esslingen directly.
1802-1803
Esslingen becomes a chief administrative city of Württemberg.
1809
Christian Gottlieb Steudel, owner of a wool and textile business, asks permission to build a cloth factory, Esslingen’s first factory (until 1825). Steudel’s example is followed 7 years later by Rudy from Neuwied, who built a metal coating factory, and Hans Caspar Bodmer from Stäfa near Zurich, who founded a glove factory.
1811
Foundation of the Esslingen Teacher Seminar.
1818-1869
The City Hall, which was seized in 1803 and served as the seat of a Criminal Tribunal since 1806, becomes the seat of the District Court for the Neckar District.
1830
Esslingen is the most developed industrial city in the Kingdom of Württemberg.
1845
Württemberg’s first locomotive runs from Cannstatt to Esslingen.
1846
Foundation of the Esslingen Machine Works / Maschinenfabrik Esslingen.
1848
The request is made at the Württemberg Trade Congress Esslingen to build a Württemberg Central Office for Industry and Commerce (since June 17, 1848).
1851
Esslingen receives a telegraph station.
1854
The gas facility opens to supply the train station and larger factories.
1865
The Pliensau suburb is established on the left bank of the Neckar.
1894
Establishment of employment service offices, the very first Job Center in Germany.
1909 - 1999
1909
The first apartments of the homestead colony Neckarhalde are available.
1912
Opening of the tram line Obertürkheim - Mettingen - Oberesslingen.
1913, 1914
Incorporation of Oberesslingen and Oberhof.
Incorporation of Hegensberg and Kimmichsweiler.
Opening of the Royal Württemberg Building Trades School, Department of Mechanical Engineering, in Esslingen, today the Hochschule Esslingen.
1916
First semester at the State Higher School of Engineering Esslingen.
1919
A new Württemberg municipal code comes into effect.
Foundation of the Volkshochschule Esslingen (until 1933 and since 1946).
1926
The Esslingen Nellingen-Denkendorf tram line is put into operation.
Completion of the Old City Hall renovations and inauguration of the carillon (1927).
1929
Opening of the Oberesslingen barrage and power station of the Neckar-AG.
1933
Dissolution of the Esslingen Municipal Council due to the "provisional law for the enforced conformity of the states with the Empire" (March 31st).
1935, 1938
Ceremonial inauguration of the new castle buildings.
Access to Weil domains and division of the markings Berkheim, Nellingen, and Uhlbach.
"Kristallnacht" in Esslingen: Crowds swarm to the Jewish orphanage. The synagogue is demolished, but not set on fire.
1944
Esslingen is the first Württemberg city to receive a network of urban trolleybuses.
1945
Esslingen is handed over to the Americans on April 22.
Foundation of the School of Church Music in the Evangelical State Church in Württemberg.
1952
Ground is broken for the new Neckartalstraße Esslingen-Plochingen.
1955
Ground is broken in the new Zollberg city district. The industrial area Neckarwiesen, which was first recognized in 1953, is developed into an “industrial island”.
1956
Completion of the Dieter-Roser Bridge (Sirnauer Bridge).
1959
Ground is broken in the new Lerchenäcker city district.
1964
Completion of the Mettinger Bridge.
1965
State Seminar for Student Teachers, now the Seminar for Teacher Education, begins in Esslingen.
1966
Inauguration of the Church of St. Elisabeth in the Pliensauvorstadt.
1969
Technical Academy Esslingen starts operations in the new building in the in the Rotenackerstraße.
1970
Inauguration of the Adenauer Bridge.
1971
Inauguration of the Berkheimer Aufstiegstraße. Esslingen am Neckar becomes the county seat of the new greater region of Esslingen.
1972
Demolition of the old Schwätzbrückle. Opening of the Weiherzentrum. The City Hall’s carillon is renewed and expanded. Merkel-Park opens to the public. Inauguration of Esslingen’s first pedestrian zone, Inner Pliensau Bridge.
1973
Inauguration of the Vogelsang Bridge and the "small market".
1974
Berkheim (May 1st) and Zell (July 1st) are incorporated into the city of Esslingen on the basis of voluntary agreements. Inauguration of the high school complex on Flandernstraße. Inauguration of the Berkheim Indoor Swimming Pool.
1975
Foundation of the Medical Academy of Esslingen.
1977
1,200-year anniversary of the city of Esslingen am Neckar
The inner and outer castle square is renewed.
Inauguration of the new Children's Hospital.
1978
The Esslingen-Nellingen-Denkendorf tram ceases operations.
1981
Inauguration of the castle’s renovated powder tower.
1984
The Gatekeeper’s House / Bahnwärterhaus near the Villa Merkel becomes the State Gallery for Young Art. Inauguration of the redesigned port market.
1990
Storms destroy 38,000 cubic meters of wood in the forest.
800-year anniversary of Berkheim.
Opening of the Civil Office in the City Hall.
1991
Foundation of the Wohnbau Stadt Esslingen GmbH.
1995
Foundation of the City Senior Council.
Foundation of the Esslinger Stadtmarketing und Tourismus GmbH.
The Theodor-Haecker Prize is awarded for the first time.
1996
The University of Applied Sciences Esslingen - Technological College - moved to the new building on Kiesstraße.
1997
Foundation of the Esslingen Youth Council.
1998
A culture, leisure, and experience center opens in the "Dicke Building” / Dick Areal.
Esslingen receives an EU award for its involvement in town twinning.
1999
Opening of the J.F. Schreiber Museum in the Salem Court.
from 2002
2002
1,225 years of Esslingen city history.
Opening of the “Das ES” trade center on Bahnhofstraße.
Completion of the renovation work on the Old City Hall.
2003
The State Heritage Authority moves into the “Altes Schelztorgymnasium” building.
Esslingen receives the Europe Plaque from the European Council for its town-twinning activities.
2005
Opening of the Neckar Forum culture and congress center, complete with hotel.
