Fuessen is an extremely old cultural area; discoveries, dating from the end of the early Stone Aqe (14000 - 9000 B.C.) & yet more from the middle Stone Age show that at least temporarily Stone Age man lived here. Later, the area was occupied by a settlement of the Vindelic Licatiers tribe (related to the Celts) and was then Romanized from the year 15 B.C. due to the military campaigns of Tiberjus & Drusus, step-sons of Auqustus. The administration of the country was the responsibility of the Roman province of Raetien which, under the reign of the emperor Diodetian (284 - 305 A.D.) was divided as Raetia 1 (provincial capital Chur) & Raetia II (provincal capital Augsburg). For better communication to these new provinces of the Roman empire, the Emperor Claudius (41-54 A.D.) ordered the construction of a military road (Via Claudia) that led from Altimo near Venice, across Fuessen & Augsburg to the river Danube. Towards the end of the third century a castle was built on the site of to today's Schlossberq, this in order to protect the supply routes against the invading Alemmanics, although they were to settle in the area in succeeding years. As they settled they became subject to the rule of the East-Gots & later to the Franks.

The name Fuessen remains obscure in oriqin but miqht be of preTeutonic (Licatic) ancestory. lt was first recorded in the 5th century in a Roman report of the State & Court departments & was spelt as "Foetibus" which referred to the Roman castle on the Schlossberg. Foetes or Foetus are also likely derivations of the same word. Durinq the middleof the 10th century it was called ,,Vuzzen" whilst monks of that time wrote it as "Fauces"

The crest or coat of arms for Fuessen is in the form of three feet whilst the origin of this is somewhat obscure the crest first appears upon a seal dated 1317, but there can be no doubt that the crest came after the naming of the town. It is quite conceivable that the formation of the crest relates to the older authorities of Fuessen, namely the Princely Episcopate of Augsburg, the Dukedom of Swabia, the Earldom of Tyrol & Dukedom of Bavaria, although this cannot be established for certain.

Neuschwanstein Country

The coming of St. Marcus marked a new pinnacle in the towns history. Born 700 A.D. he was probably a citizen of Rome. He left the monastery of St. Gallen & worked for 26 years in this area, not so much as a missionary but more as a teacher, though continuing to spread the gospel whilst demonstrating the true values of life. He died in Fuessen on the 6th of September 1772 or 1773. Later, in the course of rebuilding, his cell & the church of St. Mary became the St. Mang Monastery the church of which was built in Italian baroque style by the allgaeu's architect Johann Hercomer. Beneath the high alter is a 9th cent£ury Roman crypt containing the remains of a 9th century fresco painting, the oldest fresco painting in Bavaria. The canopy ceiling of the crypt was the altar grave of St. Magnus. There are few painted dances of death still existing but the adjoming St. Anna chapel contains such a painting that was completed in 1602. The monastery was secularized in 1802 & since 1909 it has served as the town hall of Fuessen.

During the l2th century the Guelphs had jurisdictional rights over the monastery & town & they were replaced by the Hohenstaufen in 1191. After the Hohenstaufen decline a Duke attempted to influence Fuessen by building in 1268, a castle on the site of the present Schlossberq. He was thwarted however by the Bishops of Augsburg who also had constitutional rights & they succeeded in wresting these rights from the Lech rain. lt is believed that Fuessen as it is now known was established between the years 1273 & 1286 but an exact date cannot be apportioned. Fuessen had it's own local govemment but it was not a free town of the Reich (Empire).

Neuschwanstein Country

Emperor Heinrich VII because of money shortage during his Italian campaign of 1313, pledged the town to the Bishop of Augsburg for the sum of 400 Silver marks (= 10 Panzer Reiter), but he died without the pledge being redeemed. From this time on Fuessen remained under the supremacy of a Bishop of Princely rank from Augsburg until secularization in 1802, followed by subjugation to Bavaria. The panorama still to-day shows the influence of the Bishop & during the years 1496 to 1505 Bishop Friedrich von Zollern re-built the High Castle which still stands in it's original form. He also ordered the building of a second wall & this round wall, still in good condition can be seen in the eastern part. (See the hospital & the Bleicher gate). In 1628 the Bishop Heinrich von Knoeringen founded the Monastery of Franciscus, the foundation being laid in 1763.

With the exception of the two world wars, Fuessen experienced nearly all the European wars of modern times; the worry of farmers not in 1525, the Smalcaldic war in 1546 when one called Schertlin von Burtenbach occupied the town, the Thirty years war when the town was pillaged by the Swedes & their allies, the 1700 to 1714 Spanish war of succession with the marches through the town & the Austrian Bavarian war of succession from 1740 - 1745. In that latter year the Peace of Fuessen was concluded, probably in the High Castle, then, last but by no means least came the revolutionary & Napoleonic wars of the l8th & l9th centuries. (See the soldiers tomb on the Blutanger).

Since ancient times, Fuessen fate has been determined by it's dose proximity to the arterial road called the Via Claudia, hence the effects of the numerous campaigns. This road was also the cause of Fuessen's economic rise & fall. Goods from the Southern & Northern countries were wharehoused in Fuessen & the Fuessener businessmen then freighted or re-loaded the goods onto rafts. In short, the commercial connections with Italia contributed greatly to the wealth of the town. In addition to this there were many highly skilled craftsmen that made international reputations for themselves & the town because of their professional skill in the making of violins & guitars.

In course of time Fuessen lost lt's trading advantage but in the second half of the l9th century a further change took place, this with the commencement of mechanical rope making. Thus life once again improved & to add to this was the interest created by the tourists who came to see & admire the castles, especially Neuschwanstein; thus, during the years 1869 to 1896 the town flourished as did the population. In 1870 Fuessen had some 2,000 inhabitants increasing by 1938 to 7,000 and, in 1972 to 11,300. (see books about King Ludwig II)

Neuschwanstein Country

Since 1899 there has been a rail link to Kaufbeuren & Fuessen has ~ not only a district court but also a finance office, customs house, elementary, secondar & grammar schools & a hiqhschool.

Faulenbach was incorporated with Fuessen in 1921 and 15 a well known recreation centre wlth a Kneipp-bathing-cure-sanitarium, hotels that offer bathing cures, two swimming lakes & tennis with six courts.

In the North-East part of Fuessen the river Lech was dammed to make a storage lake of some 16.5 square kilometres, measuring 12km x 3km. lt is the fourth largest lake in Bavaria & Forggensee navigation run a regular timetable of motor boats during the summer months.

In 1973 Fuessen erected a very modern indoor swimming pool & the funicular railway to the almost 5,OOOft summit of the Tegelberg will be of great interest to the tourist. The townsfolk of Fuessen were very impressed when it was completed in 1967. The town is also the centre of German ice-hockey & the roofed artificial ice-stadium is the main coaching & training centre.

      
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