Seventy fifty-two. That’s the year when Bretzenheim was first mentioned in a document. Now, let’s delve into the story of this unique part of Mainz.
Bretzenheim is not just a district. It is one of the oldest places around Mainz. Evidence shows people lived here in prehistoric times. Romans and Franks also called this area home near the Zaybach stream.
In fact, some historians believe Roman Emperor Severus Alexander was murdered near Bretzenheim in 235 AD. The historian Aurelius Victor mentions a “vicus Britanniae” as the place of death. Some researchers think this refers to Bretzenheim. If true, it would be the earliest mention of Bretzenheim. The name might even come from British settlers.
However, this idea is debated. Some argue there is no proof of a large Roman settlement here. They say “villa Prittonorum” was just a clever name. According to them, the name really comes from a Frankish person named Bretzo. This Bretzo must have been important in early Frankish times.
In 1266, the Lazarus Order sold its properties in and around Bretzenheim to Dalheim Abbey. This made the abbey the biggest landowner here. The abbess had the power to hold court, announce rules and collect taxes. People in Bretzenheim were serfs of the abbey. They had to perform services for it. The abbey ruled for centuries until the French Revolution.
Bretzenheim became French in 1797 along with the left bank of the Rhine. After Napoleon’s defeat in 1815, it became part of Hesse.
In 1930, Bretzenheim was incorporated into Mainz. This happened along with Weisenau and the towns on the right bank of the Rhine. Bretzenheim had asked to be part of Mainz decades earlier. But a contract was not signed until 1905.
Wine growing has a long history in Bretzenheim. An old document tells of a gift. The Abbey of St. Maximin near Trier received a royal estate in Dalheim. Bretzenheim is mentioned in connection with this. In 754, Adalbrecht donated a vineyard near the walls of Mainz in the village of Brezzenheim. St. Maximin owned the vineyard’s grapevines on one side.
Today only two vineyards remain in Mainz-Bretzenheim. They belong to the St. Alban area and the Hechtsheimer Kirchenstück site for wine law purposes.
The coat of arms of Bretzenheim also tells a story. An abbess from Dalheim Abbey had three rings in her family crest. She used these rings to seal her property and documents. These rings were used as the local coat of arms until the 18th century. Around 1790, the pretzel appeared in the coat of arms for the first time. People probably thought Bretzenheim and pretzel went well together. The current Mainz local coats of arms were created around 1920.
So as you stroll through Bretzenheim today remember its long and varied past. It is a place where Roman history Frankish legends and wine-making traditions all come together.