Staufenberg – Germany
The first documented mention of Staufenberg comes from 1233, at which time the name Stouphenberch was used. According to the document, the castle belonged to the Count of Ziegenhain, and it can also be concluded that the castle belonged to this family until the era of Frederick, Count of Ziegenhain. Over the centuries, Staufenberg has been mentioned historically as an influential city in the political sphere. The castle changed hands between owners from Hessen, Mainz, and Ziegenhain, and the castle was used both during years of war and during years of peace. In 1858, the castle in Giesen was acquired by studying princes Ludwig, later Grand Duke Ludwig IV, and Henry of Hesse-Darmstadt, who performed additional construction at the castle and the grounds below the castle. In 1925, influenced by territorial exchanges, the castle came into the hands of the State of Hesse. In mid-2002, the grounds beneath the castle came under private ownership and a famous hotel and restaurant was established by the castle wall, far from the borders of Hesse. The original castle is now owned by the city of Staufenberg.
Staufenberg has held city rights since at least 1336. In 1680, Landgravine (a title of the no¬bility) Elisabeta Dorota of Hesse granted the city the right to hold a market each year. In 1983, these market rights were reinstated as part of the celebration of the 750th anniversary of the founding of the city. Each year, on the Feast of Corpus Christi, an event called the “Staufenberg Market” takes place in the city’s historical section.
On 1 July 1974 the independent towns of Staufenberg, Daubringen, Mainzlar, and Treis voluntarily united into a single city – today’s Staufenberg. The city boasts a modern city centre with all of the necessary services for residents. In 1956, the city of Staufenberg entered into a patronage relationship with the former residents of the town of Boršov in the Sudetenland. The city also established a new partnership with the Hungarian city of Tarjan in 1990.
In 1995, contacts were forged with the city of Moravská Třebová, and in September 2003 a partnership agreement between the city of Staufenberg and Moravská Třebová was signed in Moravská Třebová during the Czech-German Culture Days festivities.Another declaration of partnership between the cities of Moravská Třebová and Staufenberg was signed on 14 September 2013 in Moravská Třebová and on 6 September 2014 in Staufenberg. The Moravská Třebová city council, represented by Mayor Miloš Izák, and the Staufenberg city council represented by mayor Peter Gefeller confirmed that, in 10 years of partnership, they have been able to achieve the following goals, which they will continue to develop, and thus continue to strengthen the friendship between the two cities.
The city councils of both cities will continue to broaden the mutual understanding between the residents of both partner cities. Both cities will contribute to mutual tourist exchange, to developing contacts and exchanging experiences in the areas of culture and humanitarian and athletic activities with the help of their organisations. Furthermore, both cities will work on strengthening the relationship between individual associations, schools and organisations.
Some of the most important regular activities include: Czech-German Culture Days held in Moravská Třebová in September, the Krämemarkt festival held in Staufenberg in May, (International Tri-City Youth Exchange Camp for Moravská Třebová (Czech Republic), Staufenberg (Germany), Tarjan (Hungary), regular meetings between the mayors of Moravská Třebová and Staufenberg. The cities’ mutual information exchange in education (preschools, primary schools, secondary schools) and regular international football matches of the partner cities are important as well.