“In the forest near the Tempelsee mill behind Offenbach…” That’s how it was written in 1799 in an edition of the “Flora der Wetterau”. Welcome to Tempelsee. This district has a story that stretches back centuries.
The Tempelsee area wasn’t always residential. It began with worker housing for the Portland-Zementfabrik. These were built before World War I. They stood far outside the city gates. Think of them as the seeds from which Tempelsee grew.
In 1919, something important happened. Members of a small garden association founded the Odenwaldring housing cooperative. Like Tempelsee itself, it was born out of necessity. From 1922, twelve settlers began building single-family homes. They were near Waldstrasse and Gerhart-Hauptmann-Strasse. Next came semi-detached houses plus a row of buildings on Brunnenweg.
Then, in 1932, a nationwide support program gave the area a push. It provided work for the unemployed. The cement factory had closed. Since 1927, residents had been organized in an association called “Gemaa Tempelsee.” Gemaa meant they saw themselves as an independent community. It was a self-contained entity within the city.
These residents were mainly unemployed. Each family started building a house, a vegetable garden and small animal stalls on 600 square meter plots. They worked together. Plots were assigned by lottery only when the basic construction was done. No one knew if they were working on their own house or a neighbor’s. This shared effort might be the root of the strong community spirit in Gemaa today.
Between 1932 and 1935, 242 houses were built this way. The years after World War II brought another wave of change to Tempelsee. First, bomb damage was repaired. Then came new buildings and modernizations. Houses were expanded and renovated. New residents arrived. Few houses in the settlement probably look like they did originally.
Not all newcomers know where the name of this unique district comes from. Until around 1714, the Hainbach stream was called “Hahnebach.” Its water powered a mill wheel. Later, when the wheel stopped turning, the Tempelsee mill became a restaurant. It was a popular destination with a large hall set in the countryside.
The Tempelsee mill was torn down in 1957. A gas station was built on the site. The dangerous bend in Waldstrasse near the Tempelsee mill was straightened out. The city expanded southward. Tempelsee was no longer on the edge of town.
Now, nothing reminds us of the old days. Only older Offenbachers remember the Tempelsee mill from their childhood. But Tempelsee also became known for something completely different. AC/DC Robbie Williams and Die Fantastischen Vier have performed here. The Stadthalle in Tempelsee offers space for 4000 people. It has good infrastructure for all kinds of events.
So, Tempelsee has seen many changes. From a mill in the forest to a modern district with a lively history.