Listen closely. Spiekershausen has quite the story to tell.
Spiekershausen is a district in Staufenberg. It sits nestled in the Fulda valley. This idyllic village boasts a rich history.
Let’s journey back to 1319. This marks Spiekershausen’s first documented mention. But older burial mounds hint at even earlier settlements.
Spiekershausen played host to a significant event on May 27, 1500. Disputes between Prince Erich I of Brunswick and Landgrave Wilhelm of Hesse were settled here. Frederick III and Duke John of Saxony acted as mediators.
The village frequently saw treaties signed between the Welfs and the House of Hesse. Erich I and Landgrave Philipp the Magnanimous met here. Duke Heinrich the Younger and Landgrave Philipp also convened in Spiekershausen. It was their last amicable meeting.
Around 1800, Spiekershausen earned a nickname. It was called the main smuggling hub along the borders of Hesse and the Kingdom of Hanover. Smugglers sensed opportunity. They crossed the Fulda under the cover of darkness. They vanished quickly into the woods. Hessian officials built a guardhouse to combat this. This guardhouse eventually became a tavern.
The construction of the high bridge over the Fulda valley changed Spiekershausen forever. This took place from 1852 to 1856. It was part of the railway construction to Kassel. Many residents found work on the project. They earned good wages.
The citizens of Spiekershausen had a close bond with the Fulda. Many were fishermen when the river teemed with fish, especially salmon.
The village chapel is another key landmark in Spiekershausen. It is dedicated to St. Mary. The chapel shares the same year of the first naming of Spiekershausen. It was later expanded westward. It now forms the choir of today’s church. The church walls consist mainly of fieldstones. The upper part of the choir and the gable of the west wall feature timber framing. A roof turret covered with slate serves as a bell tower on the west side.
The interior features pointed arch windows. A solid arch separates the choir and the nave. A small niche exists in the eastern wall. The baptismal font dates back to 1593. It displays the letters V.E.I.H. A crucifix by Gustav Eberlein is in the choir. Eberlein was a sculptor born in Spiekershausen. There is also a small sacrament house. The church is a listed building.
A ferry operated from the late 1920s. It transported vehicles across the Fulda. The ferry service continued until the mid-1960s. In 1843, the first steamship on the Upper Weser took its maiden voyage. It traveled from Kassel to Spiekershausen and back on the Fulda.
Spiekershausen officially became part of the new Staufenberg municipality on January 1, 1973.
Today, Spiekershausen thrives. It is a lovely residential community. It lies just outside of Kassel. Its history is interwoven with powerful leaders, cunning smugglers, and hardworking villagers. Spiekershausen offers a glimpse into a past. It is still present today.