Spielmann, Johann Christian Karl

City archivist, historian, writer

Born: 12.10.1861 in Neuwied

died: 23.02.1917 in Wiesbaden

After completing his teacher training and doctorate, Spielmann worked at a school in Weilburg before retiring early in 1889 due to a hearing impairment.

Almost deaf, he moved to Wiesbaden, where he had been working since 1892 to preserve the previously neglected holdings on Wiesbaden's history from further deterioration. The files and documents previously stored in the clock tower were at that time disorganized in a tower room of the Marktkirche. Spielmann organized the creation of a new archive in the rooms of the town hall, was appointed "City Archivist" and later "City Archive Director". He is rightly regarded as the founder of the Wiesbaden City Archive, even though he constantly had to fight for appropriate recognition of his work.

Spielmann wrote an almost incalculable number of essays on Wiesbaden's city history, which were mainly published in the local press, including the topographical atlas on Wiesbaden's urban development "Die Entwicklung des Weichbildes der Stadt Wiesbaden" and his three-volume "Geschichte von Nassau". He also published the magazine "Alt-Nassau", a supplement to the Wiesbadener Tagblatt, and founded the local history magazine "Nassovia". He also wrote novels, short stories, dramas and poems, several educational writings and works on East Asian history and politics.

He received many awards for his work, including honorary prizes in Cologne and Zaragoza, in 1904 Grand Duke Adolph awarded him the title of Court Councillor and in 1911 he was appointed a member of the Academy of Spanish Poetry in Madrid. Today, he is commemorated by a small forest path below the Greek Chapel(Russian Orthodox Church of St. Elisabeth) and the Christian Spielmann memorial stone. His grave is located in the North Cemetery.