Friedrichsdorf

Friedrichsdorf
Part of the 'Hugenottenstraße in Friedrichsdorf,
Coat of arms
Friedrichsdorf
Location of Friedrichsdorf within Hochtaunuskreis district
Coordinates: 50°15′20″N 8°38′23″E / 50.25556°N 8.63972°E / 50.25556; 8.63972Coordinates: 50°15′20″N 8°38′23″E / 50.25556°N 8.63972°E / 50.25556; 8.63972
Country	Germany
State	Hesse
District	Hochtaunuskreis
Government
• Mayor	Horst Burghardt (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Area
• Total	30.12 km2 (11.63 sq mi)
Population (2015-12-31)
• Total	25,092
• Density	830/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	61381
Dialling codes	06172 (Friedrichsdorf, Dillingen, Seulberg), 06175 (Köppern) und 06007 (Burgholzhausen)
Vehicle registration	HG
Website	www.friedrichsdorf.de

Friedrichsdorf is a town of the Hochtaunuskreis, some 20 km (12 mi) north of Frankfurt am Main in Hesse, Germany.

Friedrichsdorf is located in the Taunus area, ranking third among the Hochtaunuskreis boroughs after Bad Homburg vor der Höhe and Oberursel (Taunus). The municipal area includes, on the one hand, agricultural land such as that between Burgholzhausen and the edge of the Wetterau. On the other hand, there are vast woodlands on the crest of the Taunus, where the highest point in Friedrichsdorf's rural areas can be found: the Gickelsburg at 471 m above sea level. From the Taunus' heights, the river Erlenbach makes its way down and through town.

Friedrichsdorf borders in the north and east on the town of Rosbach (Wetteraukreis), in the south on the town of Bad Homburg, and in the west on the community of Wehrheim.

The town's founding in 1687 goes back to the prosecution of the Huguenots in France, where millions of them fled their country. Part of this exodus was granted asylum by Landgrave Friedrich II with the words "Lieber will ich mein Silbergerät verkaufen, als diesen armen Leuten die Aufnahme versagen" ("I would rather sell my silverware than deny these poor people asylum."). The Huguenots then founded Friedrichsdorf, gratefully naming it after the Landgrave. They brought flannel and with them from France, which spread quickly.

Later, Zwieback was produced in Friedrichsdorf, which is why Friedrichsdorf is known as the "Town of Zwieback". The zwieback factory "Emil Louis Pauly" became Milupa, still in business now as a baby food maker, and still headquartered in Friedrichsdorf. It is now owned by Numico, a Dutch company, and the production facilities have been moved abroad.