Gießen was also the site of the central US army depot for all of Europe as well as the site of a special ammunition depot. Army Garrison of Gießen had a population of up to 10,000 American soldiers and their families. military base was located in Giessen after the Second World War. It was part of the Darmstadt region (regierungsbezirk) between 19, until the Giessen (region) was founded on 1 January 1981.Ī U.S. However, this attempt to reorganize the administration was reversed in 1979. In 1977, Giessen was merged with the neighbouring city Wetzlar to form the new city of Lahn. It became part of the modern state of Hesse after the war. Heavy bombing destroyed about 75 percent of Giessen in 1944, including most of the town's historic buildings. After the First World War, it was part of the People's State of Hesse.ĭuring the Second World War, a subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp was in the Heil- und Pflegeanstalt Licher Straße. Giessen was included within the Grand Duchy of Hesse created in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. The University of Giessen was founded in 1607. The town became part of Hesse-Marburg in 1567, passing to Hesse-Darmstadt in 1604.
Giessen came into being as a moated castle in 1152 built by Count Wilhelm von Gleiberg, although the history of the community in the northeast and in today's suburb called "Wieseck" dates back to 775.