150 Years Volunteer Fire Brigade Altfeld

Altfeld — District of Marktheidenfeld

Altfeld is a district of the town Marktheidenfeld in the Lower Franconian district of Main-Spessart, located between Würzburg and Aschaffenburg in the Mainviereck region. The town of Marktheidenfeld, with around 11,000 inhabitants, consists of several districts; Altfeld is one of the traditional, village-like districts with its own community life. The Altfeld Volunteer Fire Brigade was founded in 1876 — accordingly, it celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2026.

150 Years of Fire Protection and Community Life

1876 — the founding of the Altfeld Fire Brigade occurred at a time when volunteer fire brigades were springing up all over Germany. Rapid industrialization, the growth of villages, and the increasing risk of fire due to dense wooden construction made organized fire protection necessary. To this day, the FFW Altfeld is responsible for fire defense in the district and is simultaneously the central association for village life — generations of Altfeld citizens have served in the brigade.

Anniversary Festival at Jöspershecklein

The venue for the anniversary festival is the "Am Jöspershecklein" event grounds on the outskirts of the village. Over three days, the brigade is organizing a classic fire brigade festival: a festival tent with catering, a parade of clubs and friendly brigades from the Main-Spessart district, live music, technical demonstrations by the brigade (e.g., respiratory protection deployment, turntable ladder, historical vehicles), a children's program, and the festival's conclusion on Sunday evening. The event is organized by the Altfeld Volunteer Fire Brigade in cooperation with the Main-Spessart District Fire Brigade Association.

Tradition of Lower Franconian Fire Brigade Festivals

Fire brigade anniversaries are among the most important club festivals in Bavaria. They attract brigades from the entire district and beyond, and the parade is usually a major local event with a historical vehicle show. The 150th anniversary of the FFW Altfeld joins this tradition and is also a recognition of 150 years of voluntary work in fire protection in Lower Franconia's Mainfranken region.