“Salt stream.” That is the likely origin of the name Sulzbach. We are in Sulzbach am Main. It is a market municipality in Bavaria’s Miltenberg district. Sulzbach sits on the Main and Sulzbach rivers. This location is roughly 7 km south of Aschaffenburg. It lies on the western edge of the Spessart range.
The Sulzbach valley has a long history. Findings show settlements as early as 3500 BC. The Schlossberg hill holds a circular rampart called Altenburg. This was used in the late Hallstatt period.
During Roman times, the Main River marked Germania’s border. The Odenwald area across the river was Roman-occupied. Later, tribes like the Chatti and Franks inhabited the Sulzbach valley. The municipality of Ruchelnheim, now within Sulzbach, was founded. Settlements like Sulzbach and Soden likely emerged in Carolingian times.
A document from Pope Lucius III mentions Sulzbach in 1184. It lists a curtem in Sulzibah (estate in Sulzbach) among the Aschaffenburg Stiftskirche’s holdings. From the mid-13th century, Sulzbach belonged to the Centena Ascaffinburg. Until 1803, Sulzbach was under Electoral Mainz’s lordship. It then became part of the Principality of Aschaffenburg. In 1814, it joined the Kingdom of Bavaria.
Mainz inheritance law splintered farmland in the 18th and 19th centuries. This caused an economic downturn in Sulzbach. Conditions improved with industrialization in Aschaffenburg. The Aschaffenburg-Miltenberg railway line opened in 1876.
Dornau and Soden municipalities merged with Sulzbach in 1971 and 1972. Sulzbach became a Markt or Market on May 15, 1973. Sulzbach is known for its lighter and textile industries. Ibelo, once Europe’s biggest lighter producer, had a factory here. Many residents worked in the textile industry.
Sodenthaler, a drink manufacturer, was founded in 1950. It is now part of the Coca-Cola Group. Möbel Kempf, a furniture shop, started here. It later moved to Aschaffenburg.
Sulzbach retains medieval fortifications. You can still see a gate with two round towers. The Altenburg, or Sodenburg, is an oval hilltop fortress. It sits on the Schlossberg between Sulzbach and Leidersbach. Excavations revealed three periods of use. The first was during the Neolithic Michelsberg culture. The second was during the late Hallstatt period.
Sulzbach boasts active sport clubs. The Mountainbike Club 26 Zoll Sulzbach e.V. was founded in 1993. The Rhein-Main Bienen play in the women’s First Handball Bundesliga. Other clubs include SV Sulzbach and TSV Soden for football. RV Adler Soden has produced artistic cycling champions.
Sulzbach’s coat of arms features salthooks. These refer to the saltmining that gave Sulzbach and Soden their names. The Wheel of Mainz represents Electoral Mainz’s rule. The heraldic lily comes from the Lords of Sulzbach family arms. The inescutcheon shows the arms of the Lords of Eppstein.
Hans Backoffen, a sculptor, was likely born in Sulzbach. Hermann Zahn was an entrepreneur who was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz. Sulzbach, with its layers of history and modern industry, offers a unique glimpse into Bavaria’s past and present. Take a moment to appreciate the blend of old and new that defines Sulzbach am Main.