Hof, Germany
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Hof () is a town on the banks of the
Saale The Saale (), also known as the Saxon Saale ( ) and Thuringian Saale (), is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Fränkische Saale, Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the M ...
in the northeastern corner of the
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
state of
Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
, in the
Franconia Franconia ( ; ; ) is a geographical region of Germany, characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (). Franconia is made up of the three (governmental districts) of Lower Franconia, Lower, Middle Franconia, Middle and Upper Franco ...
n region, at the
Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...
border and the forested
Fichtel Mountains The Fichtel Mountains (, ; ) is a mountain range in Germany and the Czech Republic. They extend from the valley of the Red Main River in northeastern Bavaria to the Karlovy Vary Region in western Czech Republic. The Fichtel Mountains contain an ...
and Franconian Forest upland regions. The town has 47,296 inhabitants, the surrounding district an additional 95,000. The town of Hof is enclosed by, but does not belong to the Bavarian district of Hof; it is nonetheless the district's administrative seat. The town's most important work of art, the Hofer altar, dates from about 1465 and is exhibited in the
Alte Pinakothek The Alte Pinakothek (, ''Old Pinakothek'') is an art museum located in the Kunstareal area in Munich, Germany. It is one of the oldest galleries in the world and houses a significant collection of Old Master paintings. The name Alte (Old) Pin ...
in
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
today. The Heidenreich organ in the parish church of St. Michaelis, completed in 1834, is considered one of Bavaria's finest. Hof is known for two local "delicacies", namely , a kind of hotpot, and sausages boiled in a portable, coal-fired brass cauldron, which are sold in the streets by the ''sausage man'' ( in the local dialect). There is also a particularly strong beer (), which is available only on the first Monday after
Trinity Sunday Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christianity, Western Christian liturgical year, liturgical calendar, and the Sunday of Pentecost in Eastern Christianity. Trinity Sunday celebrates the Christian doctrine of the ...
(''Schlappentag''). This tradition dates back to the establishment of the town militia which forced all shooters to take part in a special shooting training each year. To avoid penalties, a lot of shooters rushed out to the training area in the morning of the last possible day, without even enough time to get dressed and thus still wearing their clogs (). The Hof Theatre ( Theater Hof) is a multi-purpose theatre whose construction was completed in 1994. It serves as an opera house and drama theatre, and hosts the city's ballet company and a youth theatre. The Hofer Symphoniker, Hof's symphony orchestra, plays as opera orchestra at the theatre and gives concerts at the Freiheitshalle Hof.


Geography


Administrative divisions

The town of Hof consists of the following districts in particular:


Surroundings

Hof is located in between the areas of the Franconian Forest, the
Fichtel Mountains The Fichtel Mountains (, ; ) is a mountain range in Germany and the Czech Republic. They extend from the valley of the Red Main River in northeastern Bavaria to the Karlovy Vary Region in western Czech Republic. The Fichtel Mountains contain an ...
and the
Vogtland Vogtland (; ) is a region spanning the German states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia and north-western Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It overlaps with and is largely contained within Euroregio Egrensis. The name alludes to the former leadershi ...
.


Climate

Hof has an
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: ''Dfb''; Trewartha: ''Dclo''). Hof is located at an altitude of , which is much cooler than other areas in Bavaria. The average annual temperature ranges from in winter to in summer, and the annual precipitation is . The Hof weather station has recorded the following extreme values: * Its highest temperature was on 20 July 2022. * Its lowest temperature was on 10 February 1956. * Its greatest annual precipitation was in 1995. * Its least annual precipitation was in 1953. * The longest annual sunshine was 2,008.9 hours in 1959. * The shortest annual sunshine was 1,247.5 hours in 1978.


History


Roman period

Hof in the Middle Ages was located in the Provincia Variscorum and was known in Latin as or meaning "Court of the Varisci/Narisci." It is assumed then that Hof was the place where the chief(s) of the Varisci (or Narisci) tribe of the
Suebi file:1st century Germani.png, 300px, The approximate positions of some Germanic peoples reported by Graeco-Roman authors in the 1st century. Suebian peoples in red, and other Irminones in purple. The Suebi (also spelled Suavi, Suevi or Suebians ...
people held court (and/or perhaps a pagan temple or hall). The Varisci appear briefly in
Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. Tacitus’ two major historical works, ''Annals'' ( ...
' Germania (Chapter 42) as participants in the
Marcomannic Wars The Marcomannic Wars () were a series of wars lasting from about AD 166 until 180. These wars pitted the Roman Empire against principally the Germanic peoples, Germanic Marcomanni and Quadi and the Sarmatian Iazyges; there were related conflicts ...
. Their chief, Valao, was killed during battle around 167 AD and it is possible that these ancient peoples were then transplanted to Italy by
Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ( ; ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoicism, Stoic philosopher. He was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, the last of the rulers later known as the Five Good Emperors ...
and lost their identity. A few centuries later (4th or 5th century) the obscure Armalausi peoples appear where the Varisci once lived, however the Latin name of stuck to the region. This is evidenced by nearby
Plauen Plauen (; ; ) is a town in Saxony, Germany with a population of around 65,000. It is Saxony's 5th most populated city after Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz and Zwickau, the second-largest city of the Vogtland after Gera, as well as the largest cit ...
being called Plavia Variscorum and Hof: Curia Variscorum. The name has been used to denote the city of Hof in numerous documents and publications throughout the years. This legacy remains even to this day as the word is German for 'court', just as is Latin for 'court'.


Sorbish-Frankish Conflicts (c. 600 – 1080)

Sometime around the 6th century AD the Slavic
Sorbs Sorbs (; ; ; ; ; also known as Lusatians, Lusatian Serbs and Wends) are a West Slavs, West Slavic ethnic group predominantly inhabiting the parts of Lusatia located in the German states of Germany, states of Saxony and Brandenburg. Sorbs tradi ...
began arriving near the
Saale River The Saale (), also known as the Saxon Saale ( ) and Thuringian Saale (), is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the Main, or the Saale ...
which runs through Hof. They are first mentioned in 631 A.D., when Fredegar’s Chronicle described them as "Surbi" and as under the rule of a
Dervan Dervan is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Dervan (duke) (), Sorbian medieval ruler * Billy Dervan (1884–1944), New Zealand rugby league player * Mick Dervan (1898–1981), Irish hurler * Peter Dervan (born 1945), American ch ...
, an ally of
Samo Samo (–) was the founder and sole ruler of the first recorded political union of Slavs, Slavic tribes, known as Samo's Empire ("realm", "kingdom", or "tribal union"), ruling from 623 until his death in 658. According to Fredegarius, the only ...
. The
Frankish Kingdom The Kingdom of the Franks (), also known as the Frankish Kingdom, or just Francia, was the largest post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Frankish Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties during the Early Middle A ...
of
Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...
and his descendants were determined to Christianize the pagan Slavs and various campaigns were waged against them. The
Annales Regni Francorum The ''Royal Frankish Annals'' (Latin: ''Annales regni Francorum''), also called the ''Annales Laurissenses maiores'' ('Greater Lorsch Annals'), are a series of annals composed in Latin in Carolingian Francia, recording year-by-year the state of ...
state that in 806 A.D. Sorbian Duke
Miliduch Miliduch (also Miliduh and , , ; d. 806) was a knyaz of the Sorbs_(tribe), Sorbs. Formerly allied to Charlemagne, the Sorbs ended their vassalage to the Franks and rebelled, invading Austrasia. Charles the Younger launched a campaign against the S ...
fought against the Franks and was killed by
Charles the Younger Charles the Younger ( – 4 December 811) was the son of the Frankish ruler Charlemagne and his wife Queen Hildegard. Charlemagne's second son, Charles gained favour over his older, possibly illegitimate half brother Pepin. Charles was entruste ...
the son of Charlemagne around nearby modern-day
Weißenfels Weißenfels (; often written in English as Weissenfels) is the largest town of the Burgenlandkreis district, in southern Saxony-Anhalt, central Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, approximately south of Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Halle. His ...
. The region where Hof is located first came under the ecclesiastic control of the Dioceses of Würzburg during this time period. Then in 1007 the region which contains Hof came under the
Bishopric of Bamberg The Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg () was an ecclesiastical State of the Holy Roman Empire. It goes back to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bamberg established at the 1007 synod in Frankfurt, at the behest of King Henry II to further expand the spr ...
which was established out of the Dioceses of Würzburg to further spread Christianity throughout this area. While the area around Hof remained
terra incognita ''Terra incognita'' or ''terra ignota'' (Latin "unknown land"; ''incognita'' is stressed on its second syllable in Latin, but with variation in pronunciation in English) is a term used in cartography for regions that have not been mapped or d ...
during this time period it was not isolated from the rest of the world. Although not home to a king or prince, Hof was on located on a somewhat protected, and very important trade route; the
Via Imperii Via Imperii (Imperial Road) was one of the most important of a class of roads known collectively as imperial roads (') of the Holy Roman Empire. This old trade route ran in a south–north direction from Venice on the Adriatic Sea and Verona i ...
. This route led from Italy to the Baltic Sea and Hof was well situated to be a place of rest for travelers and traders as the flourishing markets of
Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
,
Zwickau Zwickau (; ) is the fourth-largest city of Saxony, Germany, after Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz, with around 88,000 inhabitants,. The West Saxon city is situated in the valley of the Zwickau Mulde (German: ''Zwickauer Mulde''; progression: ), ...
, and
Nuremberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...
began to develop. The budding mining industry of silver and tin from the nearby
Ore Mountains The Ore Mountains (, or ; ) lie along the Czech–German border, separating the historical regions of Bohemia in the Czech Republic and Saxony in Germany. The highest peaks are the Klínovec in the Czech Republic (German: ''Keilberg'') at ab ...
would also contribute to the development of trade in this region.


Andechs-Merania and Vögte of Weida (1080–1373)

It appears that the missionary efforts of Bamberg were fairly successful in Hof as sometime around 1080 a group of farmers (possibly Sorbish) settled parts of modern-day Hof had built a chapel on Klausenberg an der Saale. They called their settlement "Rekkenze" which appears to be derived from the Western Slavic word meaning "river." Rekkenze was first mentioned in a document written by one Pastor Albertus of St. Lorenzkirche in 1214 to the Bishop of Bamberg. The Slavic language has left many marks on the geography of this region and to this day there are two waterways known as "Regnitz" near Hof: the Upper/Southern Regnitz (which flows in the south of Hof on the east side of the Saale River) and the Lower/Northern Regnitz (which flows in the north and east side of the Saale). Also of note, the area around Hof, the southern Bavarian-Bohemian part of the Vogtland, was known as the Regnitzland.


Rekkenze and other historic names of Hof

This Rekkenze settlement, which later became Hof, went by this and many other names through the years. For example, Hof is also called "curia Reckenize" (court of Reckenize) and "schlosz Reckenitz" (Castle Reckenitz) in a document of the in the year 1276. It has been suggested that the name "Hof" is the shortened form of meaning "City on the Court at the Regnitz". Other names for Hof have included: (Variscorum), , , , , , , , and to name but a few.


House of Andechs-Merania

In 1098 Count Berthold II of
Andechs Andechs is a municipality in the district of Starnberg in Bavaria in Germany. It is renowned in Germany and beyond for Andechs Abbey, a Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB ...
inherited his father's lands including those in modern-day
Upper Franconia Upper Franconia (, ) is a (administrative 'Regierungs''region 'bezirk'' of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia, the others being Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia, wh ...
. In the 1130s he built Plassenburg Castle in Kulmbach and from 1137 he styled himself as 'Count of
Plassenburg Plassenburg is a castle in the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were Ministerialis, ministerial of the counts of And ...
". He thus strengthened his influence in and around the nearby Regnitzland. Around 1230, Count Berthold's great-grandson, the Crusader Duke Otto I von Andechs-Merania fortified the area north of the Rekkenze farming settlement () at the area downstream now known as (New City).


Vögte of Weida

By 1248 the royal house of Andechs-Merania dies out with Duke
Otto II Otto II (955 – 7 December 983), called the Red (), was Holy Roman Emperor from 973 until his death in 983. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto II was the youngest and sole surviving son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy. Otto II was ...
. Soon after the Vögte of Weida acquired the Regnitzland including Hof. Vogt Henry VIII of Weida (1258–1279) earned the city of Hof and Regnitzland. He was married to Sophie, daughter of Count Hermann II of Orlamünde and Beatrix of Andechs-Merania (daughter of Count Otto I). Under the guidance of the Vögte of Weida the first city wall and the foundation of the poor hospital (Armenspitals) were built (). Also, in 1270 there is the first mention of a castle at Hof and in 1278 the beginnings of the Klarissenkloster was established under the aid of the Vogt. The convent was blessed by the first Franciscan
Pope Nicholas IV Pope Nicholas IV (; born Girolamo Masci; 30 September 1227 – 4 April 1292) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 February 1288 to his death, on 4 April 1292. He was the first Franciscan to be elected pope.McBrie ...
in 1291 and came under the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Cross in 1292. In 1299 75% of the city (both Old and New Hof) was destroyed by a fire and the population was left destitute. It took over 30 years to rebuild Hof, however during the rebuilding process (1319) the Vogt Heinrich XII the Younger (der Jüngere) of Weida (1302–1324) confirmed traditional rights and privileges upon the City of Hof. These rights officially made Hof a city. In 1373, Vogt Heinrich XVI of Weida sold the Regnitzland to Burgrave Friedrich V of
Nürnberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the largest city in Franconia, the second-largest city in the German state of Bavaria, and its 544,414 (2023) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest city in Germany. ...
. However, due to this early history with the Vögte of Weida, Hof is still considered part of the geographical region known as the
Vogtland Vogtland (; ) is a region spanning the German states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia and north-western Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It overlaps with and is largely contained within Euroregio Egrensis. The name alludes to the former leadershi ...
. To this day the (Shield) of Hof has the lion of the Vögte emblazoned in remembrance of the fact it was once owned by the Vögte. The name of the Museum Bayerisches Vogtland in Hof today also pays homage to this history.


Brandenburg period (1373–1792)

Burgrave Friedrich V died on January 21, 1398, and his lands were split between his two sons, Johann III and Friedrich IV, thus creating what has been called the
Principality of Bayreuth The Principality of Bayreuth () or Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (''Markgraftum Brandenburg-Bayreuth'') was an immediate territory of the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by a Franconian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Since Burgrave Frederi ...
. Hof was under this
Hohenzollern The House of Hohenzollern (, ; , ; ) is a formerly royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) German dynasty whose members were variously princes, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern, Brandenburg, Prussia, the German Empire, and Romania. ...
Principality until December 2, 1791, and during this time was known as the (the "Princely Brandenburg capital city of Hof in the Vogtland").


Hussite Wars (1419–1434)

Close to the end of the
Hussite Wars The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars or the Hussite Revolution, were a series of civil wars fought between the Hussites and the combined Catholic forces of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the Papacy, a ...
(between the 4th and 5th Crusade against them) Hof was sacked by the
Hussite file:Hussitenkriege.tif, upright=1.2, Battle between Hussites (left) and Crusades#Campaigns against heretics and schismatics, Catholic crusaders in the 15th century file:The Bohemian Realm during the Hussite Wars.png, upright=1.2, The Lands of the ...
followers of
Jan Hus Jan Hus (; ; 1369 – 6 July 1415), sometimes anglicized as John Hus or John Huss, and referred to in historical texts as ''Iohannes Hus'' or ''Johannes Huss'', was a Czechs, Czech theologian and philosopher who became a Church reformer and t ...
. In 1430, during the period the
Hussite file:Hussitenkriege.tif, upright=1.2, Battle between Hussites (left) and Crusades#Campaigns against heretics and schismatics, Catholic crusaders in the 15th century file:The Bohemian Realm during the Hussite Wars.png, upright=1.2, The Lands of the ...
s called the Spanilé jízdy (or "beautiful rides") they raided and devastated the city of Hof. on 25 January they burnt Plauen and then turned their attention to Hof. From the end of January into February they attacked and finally broke through killing many Hofers and looted and burned Hof. They also took away inhabitants of Hof as booty.


Rebuilding of Hof

In 1432 a militia was organized to defend Hof. The organization of this Shooter's Guild is still celebrated in Hof annually in festival called Schlappentag ee description above in 1464 the Hospital and Hospital Church
Hospitalkirche
were rebuilt. 1487 a foundation in Niclaskirche for pilgrims on the Jacobsweg was built near the modern day St. Marienkirche. Jacobsweg is part of the famous
Camino de Santiago The Camino de Santiago (, ; ), or the Way of St. James in English, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tra ...
which ends in at
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish language, Spanish and Galician language, Galician: ) is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela, Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an inte ...
in Galicia, Spain. There is a plaque on the wall of Marienkirche that commemorates this pilgrim inn that is now lost. In 1498 a watch tower was constructed to add to the defenses of Hof.


Reformation

While 1517 brought the 95 Theses, the spark that ignited the
Protestant Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and ...
, in Hof 1517 sparked a terrible fire that destroyed some 50 homes around the Orlaplatz and St. Michaeliskirche, severely damaging the rectory. The various churches and chapels in Hof at this time were all under the head pastor () of Hof, Margrave Friedrich von Brandenburg of the
Hohenzollern The House of Hohenzollern (, ; , ; ) is a formerly royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) German dynasty whose members were variously princes, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern, Brandenburg, Prussia, the German Empire, and Romania. ...
family. This family often fought amongst themselves during the reformation using religion to gain political power. Friedrich tended to side with the Catholic Church against his brother George "the Pious" who used the new Protestant religion to his advantage. In 1524, a reforming priest named Kaspar Löhner was reassigned from his preaching position at Kloster Birkenfeld, after complaints from the Abbess, and brought to Hof under Head Pastor Friedrich v. Brandenburg. Löhner had been performing Mass in German and singing German songs during the Mass. He arrived in Hof where his preaching continued to carry a certain reformation flavor. This is understandable given that he was a friend of
Martin Luther Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...
who had accompanied him from Wittenberg and Augsburg in 1518. Soon after Löhner arrived in Hof the radical lay-preacher from Zwickau, Nikolaus Storch, also arrived in Hof. According to the Hof chronicler Enoch Widmann, Storch was in Hof at the end of 1524 working as a weaver, but still preaching and gaining followers. Previously a co-worker with Thomas Müntzer, Storch is also considered a forerunner of the
Anabaptist Anabaptism (from Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism'; , earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re-baptizers"), considering it biased. ...
movement, because Widmann recorded him as having preached and practiced adult baptism in Hof. This was opposed by Löhner and others in Hof and towards the end of January in 1525 he applied to the mayor of Zwickau to be allowed to return there. This was refused and according to Philip Melancthon (letter to Joachim Camerarius, 17 April 1525) Storch played a leading role in the Peasants War of 1525. Löhner's first stay in Hof was also short-lived and Head Pastor Friedrich von Brandenburg had him removed the year after he arrived (1525) and he was replaced by the Catholic priest Wolfgang Thech. On Easter of 1527 Thech had his beard and hair purposely set on fire by young men while he was impersonating Christ in a
Harrowing of Hell In Christian theology, the Harrowing of Hell (; Greek language, Greek: – "the descent of Christ into Christian views on Hell, Hell" or Christian views on Hades, Hades) is the period of time between the Crucifixion of Jesus and his Resurre ...
re-enactment. Believing they had been taught to disrespect the priesthood by men like Löhner, Thech left Hof for Halle an der Saale. After time in Wittenberg (1526) and then Oelzntiz (1527) Löhner was then reinstated in 1528 in Hof by Friedrich's Lutheran brother the Margrave George the Pious. Löhner then returned to Hof in league with the Hof born theologian, mathematician, and school master Nikolaus Medler (who was also a student of Luther's). Together they more boldly introduced the Reformation. The first Evangelical (Lutheran) communion service in Hof was held by Löhner at St. Michaeliskirche on September 5, 1529. This public act marks a major turning point in which Hof began to assert itself as openly Lutheran against the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church. However, Löhner and Medler continued to face stiff opposition to these changes as their subsequent removal from Hof reveals. Pastor Kaspar Löhner was a leading theologian and writer in his day and he wrote a church liturgy (), catechism, and a hymnal among other writings. While in Hof he married Margarethe Felitscher, daughter of the Mayor (Bürgermeister) of Hof Konrad Felitscher, and by which he became the father of John Joshua Löner and the great-grandfather of the famous Lutheran theologian and hymn writer Joshua Stegmann. Löhner and Medler both continued to receive opposition from powerful individuals including the regional governor () Christoph von Beulwitz who was a supporter of the Bishop of Bamberg. Being acquainted with Martin Luther, both Pastor Löhner and Schoolmaster Medler asked him for advice concerning this opposition and received a letter from Luther addressed from
Wittenberg Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is the fourth-largest town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, in the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. It is situated on the River Elbe, north of Leipzig and south-west of the reunified German ...
on June 7, 1531, which encouraged them to stay. The letter begins: "" Translation: "
rom Rom, or ROM may refer to: Biomechanics and medicine * Risk of mortality, a medical classification to estimate the likelihood of death for a patient * Rupture of membranes, a term used during pregnancy to describe a rupture of the amniotic sac * ...
Martin Luther, to the venerable brothers in Christ and faithful citizens of the city of Hof, Kaspar Löner, Pastor, and Nicholas Medler, School Master."
However, the next month (13 July 1531) both Löhner and Medler were ousted from Hof. This is due to the fact that even though George the Pious was actively trying to introduce Protestantism into his lands, he was constantly opposed by his brother Friedrich who held numerous
benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...
s in Hof. Also still holding great influence and power in and around Hof was the Bishop of Bamberg Weigand von Redwitz. These two were able to somewhat curb the influence of Margrave George the Pious and the reformers. However, the next year, in 1532, George the Pious was able to obtain the famous theologian and reformer Stephan Agricola and assign him to St. Michaeliskirche in Hof. Also during the year 1532 there was public shock throughout Hof as a local noblewoman who had become a nun (Veronika von Zedtwitz) left the
Poor Clares The Poor Clares, officially the Order of Saint Clare (Latin language, Latin: ''Ordo Sanctae Clarae''), originally referred to as the Order of Poor Ladies, and also known as the Clarisses or Clarissines, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Or ...
' cloister in Hof and broke her vows to marry the rector of the Gymnasium in Hof, Conrad Meyer. Pastor Agricola continued his influential ministry in Hof until 1542 and during his time as Hof's pastor he was present at the meeting of Lutheran theologians at Schmalkalden in 1537 and was a signer of the Schmalkaldic Articles written by Martin Luther. It was during this time period that the Catholic population in Hof became severely limited, although it held on for a few more decades. In 1538 the Sigmundskirche was demolished and the St. Gangolf church was sold (and was later burned down and turned into barns). After the Franciscan monastery was abolished in Hof in 1564, Catholicism did not really regain ground in the city again until after Catholic Bavaria purchased Franconia in 1810. It wasn't until 1837 that the Catholic population of Hof received their own priest and 1844 until a small church was built ( Marienkirche).


Margrave Albert Alcibiades

In 1546, Margrave Albert Alcibiades of Brandenburg-Kulmbach founded a Grammar School in Hof, which is today known as the Jean-Paul Gymnasium, in honor of the most famous student that attended there: Jean Paul Friedrich Richter. Jean-Paul Gymnasium is one of the oldest schools in Upper Franconia.


= Siege of Hof

= On August 7, 1553, Hof came under a 7-week siege known as the
Siege of Hof image:Notgeldhof.JPG, Emergency money printed by the city in 1920 with the woodcut by Hans Glaser image:HeinrichIVHof.JPG, thumb , Tinted element of the woodcut with a depiction of Henry IV, Burgrave of Plauen, Henry IV of Plauen The siege of H ...
. The siege was one of the major battles of the Second Margrave War and Hof was finally taken from Margrave Albert Alcibiades by
Heinrich IV Henry IV may refer to: People * Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1050–1106), King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor * Henry IV, Duke of Limburg (1195–1247) * Henry IV, Duke of Brabant (1251/1252–1272) * Henryk IV Probus (c. 1258–1290), ...
of
Plauen Plauen (; ; ) is a town in Saxony, Germany with a population of around 65,000. It is Saxony's 5th most populated city after Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz and Zwickau, the second-largest city of the Vogtland after Gera, as well as the largest cit ...
on September 28, 1553. Albert was able to briefly retake Hof on October 11, but it fell back into the hands of those allied against Margrave Albert on November 27. Some 18,236 stone cannonballs are said to have been shot into Hof during this siege with some cannonballs still visible today lodged in walls throughout Hof. For example, from the Saale River looking back one can still see a cannonball lodged in one of the towers of St. Michaeliskirche from the siege of 1553. Aftermath: St. Lorenzkirche was looted and burned during the siege and the old Watch Tower was also burned out. Th
Hospitalkirche
which was used as a war camp by the attackers, was attacked and destroyed by the city's defenders. Also, the end of the last Roman Catholic stronghold in Hof; occurred during this siege as Abbess Amalie of Hirschberg escaped with her nuns to Cheb (Eger). The Cloister was looted and later turned into a school. After the siege, Henry IV briefly put
Georg Wolf of Kotzau Georg Wolf of Kotzau, nicknamed ''the rich'' (died 1560) was an Imperial Knight and ''Amtmann'' and Governor. Georg Wolf of Kotzau was a member of the ancient knightly family of Kotzau. According to the genealogists Alban of Dobeneck, Georg W ...
(who had once served Margrave Albert) in charge of the governance of Hof. Finally, Albert's cousin, Margrave Jürgen Friedrich of Brandenburg-Ansbach (reign of 1557–1603) took power and ruled over Hof and rebuilt it along with much of his Margraviate which had been ransacked during the war. The noted artist Hans Glaser made
woodcut of the siege of Hof
which is located in today in the
Germanisches Nationalmuseum The ''Germanisches Nationalmuseum'' is a museum in Nuremberg, Germany. Founded in 1852, it houses a large collection of items relating to German culture and art extending from prehistoric times through to the present day. The museum is Germany' ...
in Nürnberg.


Thirty Years War (1618–1648)


= Regional Prelude: Brandenburg-Ansbach to Brandenburg-Bayreuth

= After the death of the childless Margrave Jürgen Friedrich of Brandenburg-Ansbach in 1603, his margraviate was given to Karsten, the son of Elector Johann Jürgen of
Brandenburg Brandenburg, officially the State of Brandenburg, is a States of Germany, state in northeastern Germany. Brandenburg borders Poland and the states of Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It is the List of Ger ...
. This was done in accordance with
House Treaty of Gera The House Treaty of Gera was a house law of the House of Hohenzollern on the succession in Brandenburg and in the Franconian territories at the end of the sixteenth century binding rules. The Treaty and came about because Elector John George of ...
set in place in 1599 to provide for a
peaceful transition of power A peaceful transition or transfer of power is a concept important to democracy, democratic governments in which the leadership of a government peacefully hands over control of government to a newly elected leadership. This may be after elections o ...
to the heirless Jürgen Friedrich. Margrave Karsten took power over Brandenburg-Ansbach after Jürgen Friedrich’s death in 1603. In 1604, he moved his capital from
Kulmbach Kulmbach () is the capital of the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany. The town, once a stronghold of the Principality of Bayreuth, is renowned for its University of Life Sciences, a branch of the University of Bayreuth, the massive Plasse ...
to
Bayreuth Bayreuth ( or ; High Franconian German, Upper Franconian: Bareid, ) is a Town#Germany, town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtel Mountains. The town's roots date back to 11 ...
, thus changing the name of the margraviate to Brandenburg-Bayreuth. This Margraviate had been a member of the
Franconian Circle The Franconian Circle () was an Imperial Circle established in 1500 in the centre of the Holy Roman Empire. It comprised the eastern part of the former Franconian stem duchy—roughly corresponding with the present-day Bavarian ''Regierungsbez ...
since 1500 and Margrave Karsten was elected Colonel () of the Franconian Circle in 1606. He was also one of the founding members of the
Protestant Union The Protestant Union (), also known as the Evangelical Union, Union of Auhausen, German Union or the Protestant Action Party, was a coalition of Protestant German states. It was formed on 14 May 1608 by Frederick IV, Elector Palatine in order t ...
founded in 1608 as a way of giving teeth to the
Peace of Augsburg The Peace of Augsburg (), also called the Augsburg Settlement, was a treaty between Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and the Schmalkaldic League, signed on 25 September 1555 in the German city of Augsburg. It officially ended the religious struggl ...
(1555). Karsten was Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth which oversaw the governance of Hof when the 30 Years War broke out ten years later in 1618.


= Fire of 1625

= On November 6 a fire broke out in Hof that destroyed 174 houses. Hof was again left destitute and it took 40 years before widespread re-construction could be financed. During this time period Hof was left vulnerable, especially to the pillaging of the mercenary Heinrich Holk's notorious cavalry unit, "Holk's Horse" (see below).


= Heinrich Holk's Raids

= In 1632 and 33 Heinrich Holk's cavalry unit of Croatian and Polish forces ravaged the surrounding region (especially the neighboring
Electorate of Saxony The Electorate of Saxony, also known as Electoral Saxony ( or ), was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356 to 1806 initially centred on Wittenberg that came to include areas around the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz. It was a ...
). On 23 Jan 1633, 8 companies of Holk's Horse plundered Hof. The raiding, raping, looting, and destruction continued also in later raids on June 13 and August 11 of the same year. Fortunately for the distraught citizens of Hof Heinrich Holk's forces were politically stymied after the Battle of Lützen on November 16.


= Margrave Karsten in the war and aftermath

= During the war, Margrave Karsten formed an alliance with Sweden, although the Swedes sacked Hof on 29 May 1640. Emperor Ferdinand II tried to depose him as ruler of Bayreuth in 1635; however, he continued in office. All of Europe was deeply affected by these wars. Disease, starvation, and warfare took a terrible toll on infrastructure, livestock, farmlands, and human dignity. After the 30 Years War it is estimated that one half of the population of Brandenburg was lost and in some areas as many as two-thirds. One can only imagine the joy when the wars ended and Margrave Karsten called a general festival of thanksgiving for peace which was celebrated throughout his Principality in February 1639. Hof seems to have recovered quickly under Margrave Karsten and it became a refuge for displaced Protestants, especially from Austria and Bohemia.


Postal link

In 1683 Hof became a link in the postal service between
Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
and
Nuremberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...
. The post came through twice a week. Postal links to
Regensburg Regensburg (historically known in English as Ratisbon) is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Naab and Regen (river), Regen, Danube's northernmost point. It is the capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the ...
(1692) and to
Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...
(1693) followed.


Fire of 1743

In 1743 the Hof Castle burned down and was not rebuilt, although several walls of the castle are still visible in modern-day Hof.


Prussian rule (1791–1805)

Hof came under Prussian rule on December 2, 1791, when Margrave Karl Alexander, the last Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth, sold it to King Friedrich Wilhelm II of
Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
, a fellow member of the House Hohenzollern.


Napoleonic Conflicts (1805–1810)

On 3 November 1805 the Prussians had signed the Treaty of Potsdam, agreeing to enter the
War of the Third Coalition The War of the Third Coalition () was a European conflict lasting from 1805 to 1806 and was the first conflict of the Napoleonic Wars. During the war, First French Empire, France and French client republic, its client states under Napoleon I an ...
against
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
if he didn't agree to peace within four weeks. This treaty came to nothing after the
Battle of Austerlitz The Battle of Austerlitz (2 December 1805/11 Frimaire An XIV French Republican calendar, FRC), also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of the most important military engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle occurred near t ...
on 2 December 1805, when Napoleon decisively crushed the Third Coalition. This forced the Prussian envoy, Count Karsten of Haugwitz, to negotiate a treaty of friendship called the Convention of Schönbrunn (15 December 1805) proclaiming an alliance between Prussia and France. As part of this treaty Prussia was forced to give up Brandenburg-Ansbach. In February 1806 Haugwitz went to Paris to ratify this Treaty of Schönbrunn and to attempt to secure some modifications in favour of Prussia. He was received with a storm of abuse by Napoleon, who insisted on tearing up the treaty and drawing up a fresh one, which doubled the amount of territory to be ceded by Prussia and forced her to a breach with Great Britain by binding her to close the Hanoverian ports to British commerce. The treaty, signed on 15 February, left Prussia wholly isolated in Europe and led Prussia into war with Napoleon later that year. In the
War of the Fourth Coalition The War of the Fourth Coalition () was a war spanning 1806–1807 that saw a multinational coalition fight against Napoleon's First French Empire, French Empire, subsequently being defeated. The main coalition partners were Kingdom of Prussia, ...
(1806–1807) Hof was then briefly held by General Bogislav Friedrich Emanuel von Tauentzien of the Prussian Army. Tauentzein more or less abandoned Hof on 8 October 1806 and Hof was easily taken by light cavalry from Napoleon's Marshal General
Jean-de-Dieu Soult Marshal General Jean-de-Dieu Soult, 1st Duke of Dalmatia (; 29 March 1769 – 26 November 1851) was a French general and statesman. He was a Marshal of the Empire during the Napoleonic Wars, and served three times as President of the Council of ...
's IV Corps that same day. Hof's geographic position made it an ideal 'jumping off' point of Napoleon'
Campaign in Saxony
which quickly resulted in the French-won Battle of Schleiz the next day and soon thereafter the famous Napoleon victory at the
Battle of Jena A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
. Napoleon sold Hof to the
Kingdom of Bavaria The Kingdom of Bavaria ( ; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1806 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German Empire in 1871, the kingd ...
on 30 June 1810.


Bavarian rule (1810–1918)


Fire of 1823

On 4 September 1823, the town was virtually destroyed by a fire as 9 out of 10 buildings were destroyed.


World War II

In 1945, Hof suffered minor destruction due to aerial attacks but by the end of 1945 housed twice its previous population, receiving German-speaking refugees from neighbouring
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...
, where extensive
ethnic cleansing Ethnic cleansing is the systematic forced removal of ethnic, racial, or religious groups from a given area, with the intent of making the society ethnically homogeneous. Along with direct removal such as deportation or population transfer, it ...
of Czechoslovakia's German-speaking population was taking place.


Modern era

From 1945 to 1990 Hof was very close to the
border Borders are generally defined as geography, geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by polity, political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other administrative divisio ...
between
East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
and
West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
. In 1989 thousands of East German citizens, who had demanded the right to travel or emigrate to West Germany and had been allowed to do so, first arrived on western soil at Hof's
railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
, having been placed on a special train and officially "expelled" by the East German government. Hof is located near the old Berlin-Munich autobahn, which was thought to be a possible invasion route by Warsaw Pact forces had the Cold War ever escalated into armed conflict (see Fulda Gap).


Population development


Politics


Margraves of Kulmbach and Bayreuth

* 1398: Johann III of Nuremberg * 1420: Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg, Friedrich I of Brandenburg * 1440: John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, Johann IV ''the Alchemist'' * 1457: Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg, Albert I ''Achilles'' (also Margrave of Margraviate of Brandenburg, Brandenburg from 1470) * 1486: Siegmund, Margrave of Bayreuth, Siegmund * 1495: Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Friedrich III (also Margrave of Margraviate of Ansbach, Ansbach as Friedrich I) * 1515: Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, Kasimir * 1527: Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, Albert Alcibiades * 1553: George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Jürgen Friedrich (also Margrave of Ansbach) * 1603: Karsten * 1655: Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, Karsten Ernst * 1712: George William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, Jürgen Wilhelm * 1726: George Frederick Charles, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, Jürgen Friedrich Karl (previously Margrave of Margraviate of Kulmbach, Kulmbach from 1708) * 1735: Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, Friedrich * 1763: Frederick Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, Friedrich Karsten * 1769: Christian Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Karsten Friedrich (to 1791; also Margrave of Ansbach)


Mayors (first mayors and lord mayors)

(since the introduction of the Bavarian Municipal Code in 1818)


Twin towns – sister cities

Hof is Sister city, twinned with: * Cheb (Eger), Czech Republic * Joensuu, Finland * Ogden, Utah, Ogden, United States *
Plauen Plauen (; ; ) is a town in Saxony, Germany with a population of around 65,000. It is Saxony's 5th most populated city after Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz and Zwickau, the second-largest city of the Vogtland after Gera, as well as the largest cit ...
, Germany * Caruaru, Brazil * Villeneuve-la-Garenne, France


Culture


Points of interest

* Botanischer Garten der Stadt Hof, a municipal botanical garden and the Hof Zoo, a zoological garden located on the Theresienstein, a hill near the downtown * Freiheitshalle, event building * St Mary's Cathedral, highest church of the town (65 meters high) * St Michel's Cathedral, second largest church * Untreusee, a lake in the south of the town


Concert, theatre and festivals

* Freiheitshalle, the biggest hall for events and concerts in north-east Bavaria, famous for TV shows and trade fairs, with a capacity of more than 6,000 people. * Theater Hof, a multi-purpose theatre, opera house and drama theatre. It hosts also the city's ballet company and a youth theatre. Intendant: Reinhardt Friese. * Hofer Symphoniker, the symphony orchestra of Hof, plays as opera orchestra at the theatre and gives concerts at the Freiheitshalle Hof. Notable is also the Hofer Symphoniker Music School, which is unique among Germany's professional orchestras. Intendant: Ingrid Schrader. * Church music at City churches :de:St. Marien (Hof), St Mary's and St Michel's. Music direktors: Ludger Stühlmeyer and Georg Stanek. * International Violin Competition Henri Marteau: Named after the violinist and violin teacher Henri Marteau, the competition takes place under the responsibility of the District of
Upper Franconia Upper Franconia (, ) is a (administrative 'Regierungs''region 'bezirk'' of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia, the others being Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia, wh ...
and organized by Hofer Symphoniker every three years in Lichtenberg, Bavaria, Lichtenberg and Hof. * Hof International Film Festival. * Schlappentag (see above in the general description) * Hofer Volksfest: The term means fair or folk festival. The Hofer Volksfest is the biggest of its type in the area. It takes place at the end of July and beginning of August every year. It begins on the last Friday of July with a big parade which passes through the town centre in the direction of the festival area where it finishes. The festival occupies a big amusement park with a wide variety of attractions and all kinds of local food and beer specialties, and partly occupies a big beer tent area. Most of the latter takes place in a big concert hall but the atmosphere is similar to that of a beer tent. Every night, different local bands play mostly traditional Bavarian music.


Weather and geography

Hof is also known as ''Bavarian Siberia'' because temperatures are usually a few degrees lower than in most other parts of Bavaria, particularly in winter, but summers are warm. The coat-of-arms of Hof is a red shield with two white towers against which leans a black shield with a gold lion. 322 miles away the town of Heimbach where Hengebach castle is located (former capital of the Duchy of Jülich) the coat-of-arms is almost the reverse: a black shield with a red roof on a white tower against which leans a gold shield with a black lion. Although Hof is 322 miles away from Heimbach, the two cities have some association. The castle of Hengebach in Heimbach is located in the section that was the former village of Schmidt and there lived a branch of the baronial dynasty of von Schmidt auf Altenstadt until they emigrated in 1749 and the seat of the barons von Barony of Altenstadt, Altenstadt was very near Hof, in a part of the municipality of Gattendorf known as Kirchgattendorf, where the ruins of the von Altenstadt castles can still be seen. But the coincidences do not stop there: the family arms of the von Schmidts auf Altenstadt were a swan and the arms of Gattendorf are a swan. The barons von Barony of Schmidt auf Altenstadt, Schmidt auf Altenstadt, as barons of the village Gattendorf in the environs of Hof were a significant part of social and aristocratic life in the town. In the nineteenth century, Christoph August von Schmidt, after having served as a Provost at the University of Saint Petersburg, Russia where he was ennobled by the Tsar and awarded the orders of St Stanislaus and Sts Ann-and-Vladimir, erected a monument describing his adventure and bearing the simplified, swan version of his coat-of-arms which today has been adopted by the village of Gattendorf as its municipal arms. Hof provided Anthony Hope (author of "The Prisoner of Zenda") with his inspiration for Strelsau, capital of his fictitious kingdom of Ruritania. Although the book locates Ruritania along the railway line between Dresden in Sachsen (Saxony) and Prague, capital of Bohemia (modern day Czech Republic), one can see Hof in the descriptions of Strelsau. Among the clues there is the name "Altstadt" for the "old town", similar to , the older part of Strelsau where "Black Michael", the Duke of Duchy of Strelsau, Strelsau, was popular.


Climate

Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Köppen climate classification#Group C: Temperate/mesothermal climates, Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate).


Education

Hof is also home to the University of Applied Sciences Hof which has around 3,700 students and the University of Applied Sciences for Administration and Legal Affairs in Bavaria which has around 1,800 students. Hof-Franziskanerkloster.JPG, Jean Paul Gymnasium Longoliusplatz 1 20211020 HOF07292cens.png, School at Longoliusplace Südkante Gebäude B Hochschule Hof 20210815 HOF03601.jpg, University


Media

In Hof is the headquarters of the Frankenpost, the regional newspaper. There are two radio stations Radio Euroherz and Extra Radio. Furthermore are the studios of the regional television channel (TV Upper-Franconia) in Hof.


Military

Hof was of special interest during the Cold War as it was near the border with Czechoslovakia and the GDR. On Hohe Saas, there was a radar site. A border camp of the American 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment was near the town. The 511th Military Intelligence Battalion also maintained a border resident office in Hof*. Between 1949 and 1993, Hof was also the site of an RIAS transmitting station.


Transport

Hof Hauptbahnhof, Hof central station is on the Weiden–Oberkotzau railway, Regensburg–Hof, Bamberg–Hof railway, Bamberg–Hof and Saxon-Bavarian Railway, Leipzig–Hof main lines and the Hof–Bad Steben railway, Hof–Bad Steben branch line. Buses are run by HofBus, which operates 12 routes in the town.https://web.archive.org/web/20100108083413/http://www.stadtwerke-hof.de/verkehr Hof has a Hof-Plauen Airport, regional airport.


Notable people


Born in Hof

* Nikolaus Decius (1485–after 1546), monk, minister, cantor, hymns poet and Prussian reformer * Johann Christian Reinhart (1761–1847), painter, etcher and draftsman * Johann Georg August Wirth (1798–1848), journalist and political activist * Johann Erhard Fischer (1817–1884), pastor, historian, author and editor of Freimund's kirchlich-politisches Wochenblatt für Stadt und Land * Heinrich Gerber (civil engineer), Heinrich Gerber (1832–1912), civil engineer, bridge-builder and inventor of the Gerber girder * Otto von Schrön (1837–1917), physician, epidemiologist, Director of the Institute of Pathological Anatomy at the University of Naples, freeman of Naples * Otto von Lossow (1868–1938), General, commander of the Infantry School in Munich * Ernst Pöhner (1870–1925), Munich Police President and one of the parties at the Hitlerputsch, Hitler Ludendorff Putsch in 1923 * Hans Georg Hofmann (1873–1942), SA-''Obergruppenführer'' and ''Regierungspräsident'' of Middle and Upper Bavaria * Stefan Dittrich (1912–1988), politician (CSU), member of the Bundestag * Gerhard Hetz (1942–2012), float and swim coach * Klaus Wedemeier (born 1944), SPD - politician, 1971–1985 and 1995–1999 member of the Bremen Regional Parliament (Landtag), 1985–1995 mayor and president of the Senate of Bremen * Reinhard Kapp (born 1947), musicologist * Daniel Felgenhauer (born 1976), football player * Vivi Vassileva (born 1994), percussionist * Mergim Vojvoda (born 1995), Kosovan football player


Those associated with Hof

* Stephan Agricola (1491–1547), theologian and reformer in Hof * Paul Daniel Longolius (1704–1779), rector of the school in Hof, chief editor of Zedler Universal Lexicon * Jean Paul (1763–1825), writer, visited the school in Hof * Bernhard Lichtenberg (1875–1943), Catholic priest who took a position critical during the Nazi era, died on the way to Dachau concentration camp in court. Was awarded for his commitment to persecuted Jews in the Israeli memorial Yad Vashem as "Righteous Among the Nations" (memorial bust in the Parish Church of St. Mary) * Leo Götz (1883–1962), painter, died in Hof * Richard Wendler (1898–1972) mayor in Hof * Hans Hofner (1908–1982), local historian, winner of the Golden Ring of Honour of the city Hof * Enoch zu Guttenberg (1946–2018), honorary conductor of the Hofer Symphoniker * Hans-Peter Friedrich (born 1957), German politician of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria, CSU, former Interior Minister * Ludger Stühlmeyer (born 1961), deanerycantor, docent, musicologist and composer * Barbara Stühlmeyer (born 1964), author, scientist, church musician * Alfredo Stroessner (1912–2006) 42nd president of Paraguay's father, Hugo Strößner was from Hof


References


Literature

* Chronik der Stadt Hof, Band I-X, (''Chronicle of the City Court'', Volume I-X, publication of Hof, Mintzel pressure Hof 1937-1997): : Band I, Hof 1937, Ernst Dietlein: . : Band II, Hof 1939, Ernst Dietlein: . : Band III, Hof 1942, Ernst Dietlein: . : Band IV, Hof 1955, Ernst Dietlein: . : Band V, Hof 1957, Friedrich Ebert: . : Band VI, Hof 1966, Friedrich Ebert, Karl Waelzel: . : Band VII/1, Hof 1979, Dietmar Trautmann: . : Band VIII, Hof 1936, Ernst Dietlein: . : Band IX, Hof 1997, Rudolf Müller, Carola Friedmann, Adelheid Weißer: . : Band X, Hof 2005, Jörg Wurdack: . * Christoph Rabenstein: Hof 1918-1924. Hagens Antiquariatsbuchhandlung, Bayreuth 1986. * Friedrich Ebert, Axel Herrmann: . Hoermann Verlag, Hof 1988, . * Peter Nürmberger, Reinhard Feldrapp: . Hoermann Verlag, Hof 2002, . * Arnd Kluge, Beatrix Münzer-Glas: . Sutton Verlag, Erfurt 2007, . * Ludger Stühlmeyer: ('' - The musical history of the city court''. With biographies of musicians who were born in the yard or have worked here.) Phil.Diss., Bayerische Verlagsanstalt, Heinrichs-Verlag, Bamberg 2010, .


External links


Stadt Hof website

Homepage of Evangelical Deanery yard


* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150705144952/http://www.us-musical-gala.de/Vita/Selele.htm Zodwa Selele] (archived 2015) {{Authority control Hof, Bavaria, Towns in Bavaria Urban districts of Bavaria Upper Franconia