Between 1871 and 1914
After the FrenchGerman War, the development of Offenburg continued undiminished. The construction of the railways led to Offenburg becoming a traffic junction and an attractive location for many industrial company. Leather and tobacco factories settled, as did weaving mills and spinning mills. Especially the enamel and glass plate factories flourished and they made Offenburg famous far across the German borders.
The inhabitants were provided with water pipes, drains, electricity and gas lighting. Between 1875 and 1900, the number of inhabitants increased from 6600 to 13,670. Due to the fact that the town of Offenburg gradually extended beyond the town walls, a new suburb, Oststadt was founded this leading to the town concentrating . An increasing number of residents also required more schools so that building work was commenced on the basic and primary school for girls (AnneFrank School) in 1870, the grammar school was extended to form a complete grammar school (188182), the commercial college was founded (1883), the basic and primary school for boys (GeorgMonsch School) was built in 189799 and the upper secondary modern school on Schillerplatz was built (1912).
Other important events for the town were the erection of the barracks on the Weingartenstraße and the occupation by the "Infantry Regiment 170". The opening of the "Bähnli" the light railway OffenburgAltenheim, enables people and material (especially tobacco and workers) in the Rhine plain.
The municipal hospital on Ebertplatz was opened in 1912.
1915 - 1945
In 1915, during the First World War, Offenburg was subjected to two heavy air raids, after the war it was occupied by the French in 192324. There was a dire lack of accommodation in the town due to the fact that Alsatian refugees were taken in. However, the commercial life was given new impetus, not least of all due to the Ortenau Autumn Fair which opened its doors for the first time in 1924. and since then the yearly life in the town cannot be imagined without it. The town development between 1927 and 1938 made itself known in many areas such as the introduction of electric street lighting, the extension of Grabenallee and the opening of the Stegermatt public baths.
The takeover of power by the national Socialists also had an effect on the local politics in Offenburg. The elected mayor, Walter Blumenstock was forced by the national Socialists to resign and was sent into Dutch exile after he refused to run up the Swastika flag on the town hall. As from 1933 the rights of the Jewish citizens were increasingly restricted. The synagogue furnishings were completely destroyed in the "Reichskristallnacht" [pogrom against Jews ]between 8th and 10th November 1938; in 1940 all Jews who still lived in Offenburg and Baden were deported to the Gurs concentration camp in France and from there, they were sent to Auschwitz in order for them to await their certain death. In 1944, an air raid caused much damage to the town, the railway station and the tracks being especially affected . French troops marched into Offenburg on 15th April 1945.
After World War II
The terror of the Third Reich and the Second World War has a lasting effect. Due to the influx of many expellees and the stationing of the French occupying French troops and their families, it was imperative that new accommodation be created: new residential areas were built, e.g. Albersbösch (building begin 1952) and Uffhofen (as from 1963); the municipal hospital was extended and the Josefs hospital was built; new roads and schools were built. In 195153, the Burda printing house introduced a new phase of the settlement of large industrial companies . Offenburg became a large district town; in 1960, the town was provided with a connection to the HamburgBasel motorway.
