150 Years Volunteer Fire Brigade Müdesheim

A Village on the Werntal Celebrates its Brigade

Müdesheim is a district of Arnstein, nestled in the Werntal valley between Würzburg and the Spessart. The formerly independent wine-growing village was first mentioned in 889 as "Moutwinesheim" in a donation deed from the Fulda Monastery and was incorporated into Arnstein on July 1, 1974. The Müdesheim Volunteer Fire Brigade was formed during a wave of Bavarian brigade foundings in the mid-1870s, which organized comprehensive firefighting after several devastating village fires in the region. In June 2016, the brigade celebrated its 140th anniversary — ten years later, the 150th anniversary follows as a central major event in the club calendar.

Four Days of Festivities in the Werntal

The festival will take place from Friday, June 12, to Monday, June 15, 2026, on the Müdesheim festival grounds. The date is in the official calendar of the Main-Spessart District Fire Brigade Association and is being prepared by the brigade in close coordination with the town of Arnstein, the "Um Maria Sondheim" parish community, and the surrounding godparent brigades. As is customary for traditional founding festivals in Lower Franconia, the ceremonial act, kommers (celebratory gathering), and parade form the core content, supplemented by dance evenings, morning pint gatherings (Frühschoppen), and club competitions.

Club Life and Village Culture

Müdesheim currently has around 750 inhabitants. The Volunteer Fire Brigade, alongside the sports club RSV Werntal and the kindergarten "Haus Kunterbunt," is one of the central clubs in the village. It not only ensures fire protection but also contributes significantly to public life: Kirchweih (church consecration festival), Fasching (Carnival), and the annual summer festival are co-organized. A 150th-anniversary celebration bundles these traditions and simultaneously brings brigades from the entire Arnstein and Karlstadt inspection areas to Müdesheim.

Location and Surroundings

Visitors to the festival can also reach the neighboring districts of Gänheim, Heugrumbach, and Reuchelheim via the Werntal Cycle Path — all with their own fire brigade traditions. Worth seeing in Müdesheim is the Radegundis Chapel in the forest southeast of the village, the "Holzkirchlein" (little wooden church) on the Wern slope, as well as the Old Smithy and the playground area directly at the festival grounds. Müdesheim is located directly on the Wern River and has been part of the Franconian wine-growing region again since the 2000s.

Significance for the Region

In the Main-Spessart district, 150th brigade anniversaries are clustered in 2026 — celebrations are also taking place in Steinfeld, Frammersbach, and other communities. The District Fire Brigade Association publishes the 2026 festival calendar on its website. The Müdesheim anniversary fits into this festival season and represents a piece of lived Lower Franconian identity: volunteer brigade, village community, and church customs under one festival tent.