150 Years Volunteer Fire Brigade Reichenbach — Anniversary Festival

150 Years of Fire Service in Vorspessart

The Volunteer Fire Brigade Reichenbach was founded in 1876 and has been firmly rooted in the village community of the Reichenbach district (Municipality of Johannesberg) ever since. Johannesberg is located in Vorspessart in the district of Aschaffenburg, on the border of Bavarian Lower Franconia. The brigade serves Reichenbach and neighboring districts in case of fires, technical assistance, and severe weather — and is also a central pillar of village festival culture.

Partnership with Reichenbach in Odenwald

The anniversary is given a special touch by the partnership with the Volunteer Fire Brigade Reichenbach in Odenwald, which has existed since 1974. The connection arose by chance during a parade in Miltenberg when the organizers mistakenly combined the two groups with the same name — the "mix-up" turned into a lasting friendship thanks to shared prizes and a shared barrel of beer. For the 150th anniversary, the partner fire brigade is sending a delegation to Reichenbach.

Program — Haspelessen and Festival Parade

The festival kicks off on Saturday evening with the traditional Haspelessen at the festival grounds — a hearty Franconian specialty — combined with live music and social gatherings. On Sunday morning, the festival parade forms at the fire station and proceeds to the festival grounds, where a festive church service with a blessing of equipment and a ceremony with greetings from patron brigades, the mayor, and the district fire chief will follow.

Embedded in the Spessart Festival Calendar

2026 is an exceptional anniversary year for the Aschaffenburg fire brigades. The FFW Krombach is also celebrating its 150th anniversary a few weeks later (May 23rd/24th, 2026) — a visible concentration of fire brigade foundings around 1876 in the region. Those who want to experience the anniversary year of the Bavarian-Lower Franconian fire brigades will have several opportunities in May 2026.