The name comes fromGiezzen, as it was first referred to in 1197, which refers to the position of the town between several rivers, lakes and streams.[citation needed] The largest river in Giessen is theLahn, which divides the town in two parts (west and east), roughly 50 kilometres (31 miles) north ofFrankfurt am Main. Giessen is also home to theUniversity of Giessen.
In 1969, the town hosted the ninthHessentag state festival.
The city's civilian regional airport, having opened in 1924, was militarized following the establishment of theNational Socialist Government in Germany in 1933, and became the founding place of the infamousKampfgeschwader 55Luftwaffe bomber unit during World War II. Closing the end of theEuropean theatre of World War II, units of the1st US Army[8] reached Giessen by early April 1945. The captured airfield would be classified as "Advanced Landing Ground Y-84", briefly used for casualty evacuation and combat resupply by the X Air Service Command,Ninth Air Force. Following German capitulation on May 8th 1945, it was re-designated as "Army Air Forces Station Giessen" until June 1945, whereas the Ninth Air Force vacated the premises to allow the 56th Quartermaster Battalion of theUnited States Army Quartermaster Corps[9] to converted it to theGiessen Army Depot. The Giessen Army Depot had a population of up to 10,000 American soldiers and their families. 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.[10] The base is a converted German Army Air Field which is reflected in some of the buildings including the housing area. A theatre, known as the Keller Theatre, is a converted German Army Officers' Club. As of 28 September 2007, the Giessen Depot and all other U.S. facilities in the greater Giessen area were returned to local German authorities. The former U.S. Army housing buildings were converted for civilian use.
In 1977, Giessen was merged with the neighbouring cityWetzlar to form the new city ofLahn. However, this attempt to reorganize the administration was reversed in 1979, due to unpopularity by both cities' population. It was then part of theDarmstadt region (Regierungsbezirk) between 1945 and 1981, until theGiessen (region) was founded on 1 January 1981.
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Friedrich Kellner (1885–1970), Chief Regional Auditor in Giessen 1948–1950, and Chief Justice Inspector of Laubach, where he wrotehis secret WWII diary. The Holocaust Research Unit of Justus Liebig University of Giessen has established the Kellner Project
Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1845–1923), physicist, professor of physics from 1879 until 1888 at the University of Giessen. He was buried at the "Alte Friedhof", where his tomb can still be found
Manisch is a dialect ofrotwelsch spoken in and around Giessen by people in lower income neighbourhoods, some of which are known as "Eulenkopf", "Gummiinsel", "Heyerweg" and "Margaretenhütte". Approximately 700–750 residents spoke the dialect fluently as of 1976.[17] Although the dialect still influences the Giessenvernacular, it is nearly extinct in terms of fluent speakers.
Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. TheKöppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb". (Marine West Coast Climate).
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