175 years of the Sonneberg fire brigade: Big celebration awaited on June 21!

175 years of the Sonneberg fire brigade: Big celebration awaited on June 21!

Sonneberg, Deutschland - On June 19, 2025, the signs in Sonneberg are entirely at celebrations, because the Sonneberg-Mitte volunteer fire brigade has every reason to be happy: it is 175 years old. This is not only a reason to celebrate the fire brigade itself, but also for the entire city. The fire brigade is one of the oldest and leading rescue organizations in the urban area, with a long and remarkable story.

An organized fire protection has been recorded in Sonneberg since the late Middle Ages. At that time, every citizen was obliged to help with fires and contribute to the safety of the population. In the 16th century, ladders and fire hooks were used, followed by the first fire injection in the 18th century, which enabled the fire brigades more effective fire fighting. Today, in the age of modern technology, the picture of course looks very different.

festivities for the big anniversary

The anniversary celebration on June 21, 2025 will come up with a varied program. From 10:00 a.m., next meadow next to the town hall of the official festival commers will take place. Here visitors can look forward to guests of honor from politics, fire brigade associations and city life. The program is diverse and will not only honor the past, but also put modern fire engineering in the spotlight.

• 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Official festival commer
• 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.: Technical show along the Bahnhofplatz with modern fire engineering and vehicles
• 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Show exercises of the volunteer fire brigade with realistic demonstrations
• 7:00 p.m.: Musical evening with the band "Why not"

The festival meadow and the areas around the train station will act as event locations and everyone is invited to celebrate the legacy and role of the fire brigade for security in the region. This will not only be a tribute to the history of the fire brigade, but also a sign of the meaning that this institution has in our daily life.

The roots of the fire brigades

The fire brigade has had many development steps over the centuries. The first approaches to organized fire fighting have already been documented in China and ancient Rome. There, the “Vigiles” under Emperor Augustus created a structured group of 3,500 men for fire fighting. In the European Middle Ages, on the other hand, the technical equipment was limited and the citizens were obliged to fight fire through legal regulations.

The foundation of Germany's first volunteer fire brigade in 1799 in Alzey was based on the today's large number of volunteer fire brigades, which now comprises around 24,000 in Germany. These not only make a valuable contribution to fire protection, but are also active in rescue and disaster protection.

The upcoming anniversary of the Sonneberg-Mitte volunteer fire brigade on June 21 will not only be a festival for the fire brigade, but also a celebration of the common sense and commitment, which has stood for the safety of the population for over centuries. Visit this unique event and become part of an important story!

For more information and details on the history of the fire brigade, interested parties can take a look at the comprehensive articles of Insuedthueringen, Sonneberg and fire facts: Sonneberg , Fire facts .