Castle of Hambach

Towering above Neustadt lies Hambacher Schloß (Hambach Castle), which played a dominant role for today’s German democracy. It has been sitting here already during Roman times, at least this is what archaelogists found out, but became important only in the days of Salian emperors and Speyer bishops, of whose it was a kind of summer residence and retreat. During the several wars between 16th and 18th century it was destroyed and rebuilt quite often. But the most important relevance Hambacher Schloß got in early to mid 19th century as Germany’s cradle of democracy. Palatine was belonging to France for a long period, until almost early 19th century. Thus, the people were already accustomed to certain thoughts of freedom and equality from French Revolution. Students marched to Hambacher Schloß in May 1832 and gathered for the famous Hambacher Fest (Hambach festival). Here they demanded democratic rights, uniformity for Germany, freedom of speach and political rights.

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