150 Years Volunteer Fire Brigade Reith

150 Years of Volunteer Firefighting in the Rhön

The Volunteer Fire Brigade Reith was founded in 1876 and thus, in 2026, represents a century and a half of volunteer firefighting and assistance in the Burkardroth district of Reith. Like all brigades in the Bavarian Rhön, the FF Reith covers a broad spectrum of tasks: firefighting, technical assistance, storm and weather-related operations, traffic accidents, and rescue operations. The brigade belongs to the Bad Kissingen District Fire Brigade Association and is one of the oldest fire brigades in the market town of Burkardroth.

Burkardroth and Reith — Rhön Landscape in the Bad Kissingen District

Reith is a district of the extensive market town of Burkardroth, with a total of around 7,500 inhabitants spread across 20 districts. The municipality is located in the Bad Kissingen district in the Bavarian administrative region of Lower Franconia, right in the middle of the UNESCO Rhön Biosphere Reserve. Its location between the Schwarzes Moor, Heidelstein, and the Saale valleys makes Reith a typical Rhön dispersed settlement — agriculture, small craft businesses, and an active community life characterize the village.

Three Days of Celebration — A Typical Franconian Fire Brigade Festival

The anniversary festival follows the typical structure of southern German fire brigade anniversaries: Festival tent opening on Friday with beer tapping and a festive evening, grand festival Saturday with demonstration drills, youth fire brigade presentations, and performances by friendly brigades, festival Sunday with a celebratory service, a parade through the village center, lunch, and a festive conclusion. Throughout the weekend, there will be performances by brass bands from the Rhön — Burkardroth, Oberbach, Wildflecken, and neighboring communities traditionally send their music associations to the anniversaries of friendly brigades.

Demonstration Drills and Community Spirit

The highlight of the festival Saturday traditionally includes the demonstration drills: the FF Reith and friendly brigades from the Bad Kissingen District Fire Brigade Association demonstrate technical assistance, firefighting with modern equipment, and rescue scenarios. Particularly attractive for children: turntable ladder demonstrations, water cannon displays, and a look inside modern emergency vehicles. In parallel, the local youth fire brigade and the children's fire brigade present themselves — fostering the next generation is an important issue in the Rhön.

Part of the District Fire Brigade Calendar

The 150th anniversary of the FF Reith fits into the busy festival calendar of the Bad Kissingen District Fire Brigade Association, which regularly celebrates anniversaries and founding festivals of the numerous brigades in the district. For the Rhön region, such festivals are more than just club events: they strengthen the bond between the brigade, the population, and the market town — and show how deeply volunteer commitment is anchored in rural areas.