Museum der Stadt Butzbach

Tucked away in the charming town of Butzbach in Hessen, Germany, lies a hidden gem of cultural and historical significance – the Museum der Stadt Butzbach. This museum, dedicated to the rich history of the town and its surrounding region, offers visitors an immersive journey through time, showcasing the evolution of Butzbach from its Roman roots to its industrial era. Established in 1894/95 as an Antiquities and Costume Museum, it has grown and evolved over the years to become a comprehensive repository of the town's heritage.

The History of the Museum der Stadt Butzbach

The museum's origins date back to the late 19th century when it was founded as an Antiquities and Costume Museum. In 1900, the Butzbach Historical Society was established, which took on the responsibility of managing the museum for several decades. From 1907 to 1991, the museum was housed in the Gothic Michaelis Chapel. However, in 1990-1993/94, a modern museum building was constructed on a site between the two Butzbach castles – the Landgrave's Castle Butzbach and the Solms Castle. This new building, which includes the historic Solms-Braunfels administrative house from the 15th century and an adjoining new structure, provides a fitting home for the museum's extensive collection. The museum also features several rooms for special exhibitions and a lecture hall, along with the Butzbach City Archive.

The Roman Era

The basement of the historic building is primarily dedicated to archaeological finds from the Roman period. Butzbach was a significant military site on the Wetterau Limes, part of the Upper German-Raetian Limes. The town also hosted the small fort of Degerfeld. One of the highlights of this section is a model of the 3.3-hectare cohort fort of Hunneburg, embedded in the floor of the large exhibition room. The display cases are filled with numerous finds from the fort and the associated settlement (Vicus), including a vast array of ceramics. In a rear room, the storage cellar of a Roman potter has been reconstructed, adding to the authenticity of the exhibit. The collection is complemented by stone monuments, including a small Mercury altar discovered in 1913 during the demolition of the old Griedel Church.

The History of Butzbach

The museum's first floor is devoted to the history of Butzbach, which was granted city status in 1321. The exhibition begins with a copy of the epitaph of Philip VIII of Falkenstein from the Markuskirche. Visitors can admire a city model and various city views, along with models of several large buildings, including two churches, the Landgrave's Castle, and the fortress-like Castle Philippseck near Münster. A significant focus of the exhibition is Butzbach's time as the residence of the Hesse-Darmstadt side line under Landgrave Philip III of Hesse-Butzbach. Philip, known for his scholarly pursuits, promoted science and established an observatory in the castle, hosting notable visitors like Johannes Kepler. This important historical period is illustrated with sketches by Valentin Wagner, who stayed in Butzbach in 1631/32. The exhibition is further enriched with original furniture, paintings, weapons, and smaller installations.

Friedrich Ludwig Weidig and His Era

One of the museum's most poignant sections is dedicated to Friedrich Ludwig Weidig, an educator, theologian, and freedom fighter who lived from 1791 to 1837. Weidig co-authored and distributed the revolutionary pamphlet The Hessian Courier (1834) with Georg Büchner, advocating for social change. His democratic convictions led to his imprisonment and eventual death in a Darmstadt prison. This exhibit provides a brief introduction to the period (Congress of Vienna, Carlsbad Decrees, etc.) and showcases numerous original documents, books, and pamphlets by Weidig and his contemporaries, along with paintings, drawings, and period furniture.

Folk Culture

The second floor of the museum is dedicated to folk culture, displaying traditional costumes from the Wetterau and Hüttenberg regions. The museum's initial focus and decades of collecting activity have resulted in an extraordinarily rich collection of costumes. The exhibition recreates various life situations of the past, such as baptism and birth, spinning room, daily rural life, wedding procession, death and mourning, as well as emigration and land travel.

Crafts and Trades in Old Butzbach

The Crafts and Trades section is located in the new building of the museum. It highlights local crafts such as weaving, blue dyeing, tanning, pottery, woodworking, and metalworking, shedding light on the guild-based organization of crafts in Butzbach.

Butzbach in the Industrial Age

Also housed in the new building is a large-scale exhibition on industrialization. This section focuses on electrification, the Butzbach newspaper founded in 1848, and local industries such as a noodle factory, an agricultural equipment factory, a brewery (Gambrinus Brewery Melchior), a paint factory, a dry cleaning business, a locomotive factory, and abrasive works. A large overview model depicts the extensive factory facilities of the former largest local business (Bamag-Meguin). A unique feature of this collection is the miniature shoe museum of Butzbach industrial shoemaker Richard Fenchel, located on the first floor of the new building. Over 200 miniature models, from Stone Age fur shoes to astronaut shoes, illustrate the cultural history of the European shoe.

In conclusion, the Museum der Stadt Butzbach is not just a repository of artifacts but a vibrant tapestry of history that brings the past to life. Its diverse exhibits offer something for everyone, from history enthusiasts to casual visitors, making it a must-visit destination for anyone exploring the rich cultural heritage of Butzbach and the wider Hessen region.