William of Nassau-Dillenburg, known as the Silent One, was born in Dillenburg on April 14 or 24, 1533, depending on the interpretation of the sources. Raised and educated in the Catholic faith at the court of Emperor Charles V, William became Prince of Orange after the death of his cousin.

He led the Dutch War of Independence against Spain and is revered in the Netherlands today as the father of the fatherland.

As a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II, Wiesbaden received a monument in honor of the ancestor of the Dukes of Nassau in 1908. At the emperor's request, the statue was placed in front of the Marktkirche. On the occasion of the 400th birthday of the monarch, an honorary committee was set up for the celebrations, which signed the city's Golden Book on May 16, 1933.