Vilseck

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Vilseck is a town in northeastern Bavaria, Germany. On December 31, 2005, 6.484 citizens were registered living within its area of 64,71km², (location 402 m above sea level) in 35 hamlets and villages. These are: Altmannsberg, Axtheid, Axtheid-Berg, Bruckmühle, Bürgerwald, Drechselberg, Ebersbach, Frauenbrunn, Gressenwöhr, Gumpenhof, Heringnohe, Heroldsmühle, Hohenzant, Kagerhof, Ködritz, Langenbruck, Lohof, Neuhammer, Oberweißenbach, Ödgodlricht, Rauschenhof, Reisach, Schlicht, Schöfelhof, Schönlind, Schüsselhof, Seiboldsricht, Sigl, Sollnes, Sorghof, Triebweg, Unterweißenbach, Vilseck, Weiherhäusl and Wickenricht.

Vilseck is situated on the river Vils, a tributary of the Naab river. The Grafenwoehr Training Area complex (GTA) is a live-fire multi-national shooting range and borders the town of Vilseck on the north. The town is home to Germany's first tower museum. The ancient Bavarian town of Vilseck is geographically completely separate from the nearby large American military base which is commonly referred to by the same name.

[edit] History of Vilseck

930 Construction of the castle at around 930. Primary wooden watchtower with piling and moat, stone watchtower built in the 12th century. At this time a "Burg" (castle) was called an "Eck"; thus the name Vilseck derived from: City next to the Vilsburg. (Vilseck).

1104 Destruction of the castle by Emperor Heinrich IV during a devastation campaign against Berengar from Sulzbach.

1185 First documentation of the town "Vilseck"

1188-1268 Affiliation of Vilseck and surrounding areas to the administrative district of the Episcopal-Bamberg bailiwick (Vogtei) under the protection of the Stauffer Emperor.

1190 Earliest documentation of the second castle. In the following years construction of a new castle with the growing of the new city of Vilseck. City and Castle accrete.

1269-1802 Town area belongs to the administrative office of the Bishop to Bamberg.

1289 First documentation of "City" (ciuitatis) of Vilseck.

1332-1380 Construction of the city fortification: 940 m curtain wall, (9 m high, 1,60 m thick), 17 towers and three gates surrounded by a moat.

1380 Awarding of the city crest by Lampert von Brunn, Bishop of Bamberg. Construction of the town hall (Rathaus). Ende des 14./ Anfang des 15. Jahrhunderts Construction of choir aisle and nave on Romanic foundation, remaining from 11th century, at the church in Schlicht.

1407-1412 Construction of parish church on from 11th century remaining Romanic foundation.

1430/39 Siting of the huge city pond, about 13 ha wide, as protection from enemies, (at that time the Hussiten). Existed until 1926.

1466 Construction of the Vogelturm tower (far-known landmark and symbol of Vilseck).

1512 Castle is attacked, plundered and burned down by the knights Hans Pflug and Hand Selbitz, comrades-in-arms of Götz von Berlichingens . Afterwards - reconstruction.

1522 Majority of city, inclusively city hall, burns down. Plundering of city through Margrave (Marktgraf) Albrecht IV from Brandenburg.

1620 Pillaged during 30-year-war.

1631- 1634 The black death carries off most of population.

1638/39 Pillaged during 30-year-war.

1648 1751-1754 Construction of the nave at Catholic church in baroque style.

1802 Since 1802 affiliation to Bavaria.

1803 Integration into the Oberpfalz. (Upper Palatinate District).

1808 Local villages, like Gressenwöhr, Irlbach, Langenbruck, Schlicht and Sigl, become political structured communities.

1838 After authorization through King Ludwig I. the Landgericht (County Court) is set in the Vilseck cityhall.

1852-1919 In this timeframe a "Vilseck District" exists as major regional authority with the communities of Adlholz, Ehenfeld, Gebenbach, Gressenwöhr, Großschönbrunn, Hahnbach, Iber, Irlbach, Kürmreuth, Langenbruck, Massenricht, Schlicht, Seugast, Sigl, Sigras, Süß, Vilseck and Weißenberg .

1864 City hall on fire. Ruin will be transferred to state government to construct new district courthouse.

1901 Opening of a public telephone office.

1908 Construction of the Grafenwöhr Training Area North, with displacement of larger parts of the Vilseck Bürgerwald. (forest).

1929-1930 Construction of water supply system

1937 Enlargement of water supply system to supply German Army Base.

1937/38 Construction of German Army Base (Südlager) in the Grafenwöhr Training Area. For the extension of the Grafenwöhr Training Area several villages, like: Langenbruck, Altenweiher, Altneuhaus, Bernhof, Betzlhof, Erzhäusl, Fenkenhof, Grünwald, Hellziechen, Kittenberg, Schindlhof, Schmierhütte and Wirlhof had to be evacuated.

1945 Capitulation of German Army Base (Südlager) to US Army

1946 Grand opening of a movie theatre. Integration of the villages Schönlind, Ödgodlricht, Heroldsmühle und Gumpenhof from the broken down community of Irlbach, into the community of Schlicht.

1951 Construction of the new railway station.

1954/55 Construction of the local hospital.

1955 Connection of Schlicht to the city water supply system.

1956-1959 Construction of the Protestant church in Vilseck.

1957 Start of construction of the city sewage system.

1962-1964 Construction of the new school with gymnasium in Vilseck.

1981-1993 Extension and enlargement of Rose Barracks for about 1 billion marks.

2000 Grand Opening of "Erstes Deutsches Türmermuseum". (1st. German museum of tower watchman or tower keeper).

[edit] Vilseck and the U.S. Army

Vilseck is home to Rose Barracks, a U.S. Army base located just outside the town.

Currently the following units are based in Rose Barracks:

2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
72nd Med Det VS
A Co, 39th Finance
HSC/B/94 EN Bn
2nd ASOS

In 1990, as part of 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division; 1st Battalion 37th Armor was attached to the 3rd "Bulldog" Brigade from Bamberg and deployed to Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield/Storm. 2nd Battalion 37th Armor along with the Brigade HQ proper remained deployed to Rose Barracks for the duration of the conflict.

In 1991, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division elements still in Rose Barracks were redesignated 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.

In 2005, the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division departed Vilseck Germany after redeployment from Iraq.

In 2006, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Stryker) moved to Vilseck. Vilseck and the Grafenwoehr Training Area will become one of the last remaining major hubs of the American Military in Europe.