Wolfstein, Rhineland-Palatinate
Wolfstein was founded in 1275 on Habsburg King Rudolph I's orders, which called for a “fortified and free” town near his castle, “Woluisstein”, now known as the "Alt-Wolfstein" (“Old Wolfstein”) ruin. Rudolph forthwith granted the new town the same town rights and freedoms as the town of Speyer. As an “everlasting marketplace”, it was to be a sanctuary for commerce, trade and dealing. The first townsmen and -women came from the surrounding, much older villages.
Neumarkt (district)
In early medieval times the region was ruled by the counts of Wolfstein, while the city of Neumarkt was directly subordinate to the emperor and hence independent from the Wolfstein family. In the 14th century the counts of Wolfstein, as well as the city of Neumarkt, became subordinate to the Electorate of the Palatinate, and in 1628 to Bavaria."
Below an outline of the history of Neumarkt from its founding in the 12th century to its destruction in World War II is provided. The town's development can be divided into 5 periods: