The marketplace in Westhofen consists of two areas. The upper part by the church was used as a community cemetery until the 16th century, while markets have been held for centuries on the lower, eastern part of the square - called "Gänsemarkt". Both areas are separated by a small wall and stairs. As early as 1733, a winter market and a yearly market were held on the Gänsemarkt. These took place “on the first Tuesday of Lent” or on Laurentius Day in August. Goods of all kinds were offered for sale, from foodstuffs and cloths to bath ointments.
The design of today's market square dates back to 1832. The mayor at the time, Johannes Orb (*January 17, 1854, †November 11, 1911; mayor 1825-1849, SPD) wanted it to be "one of the most beautiful in Rheinhessen". . The buildings adjacent to the square show architectural elements from the 16th to the 19th century. In addition to the evangelical church, there are two monuments on the square: the Veteran's Stone and the War Memorial. Both have been given different meanings and symbolism over time, depending on who viewed them.
The veterans' stone commemorates the Westhofeners who fell on the side of the French army in the Napoleonic Wars (1792-1815) and was erected by the veterans in 1847 in the middle of the market square. The war memorial was erected only a few decades later. In return, this honors those Westhofeners who lost their lives in the war against France (1871).
As a result of the First World War (1914-1918), the German Empire ended and the Weimar Republic was established. The area west of the Rhine, where Westhofen is located, was again occupied by the French. These gave the veterans' monument the symbolism of reconciliation and international understanding. In order to consolidate this, the people of Westhofen were the first in the district of Worms to be allowed to go hunting again. The first hunt was then organized by the descendants of the Napoleonic war veterans together with the French delegate for the Worms district.
In 1935 the aspect of international understanding was no longer of central importance; the Veteranenstein was moved to the edge of the market square to make room for National Socialist parades. The monument represents a "major traffic obstacle on all festive occasions, as well as marches by formations of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, during military and fire brigade exercises". The veterans' monument was now a symbol of the "unity of the German people" in the "Napoleonic Time, the greatest humiliation and disgrace of our German fatherland. 2] When the Rhineland was occupied by US troops after the end of the Second World War (1939-1945), the National Socialist interpretation of the veteran monument also came to an end.
Today, the Westhofen market square is a listed building and hosts events of all kinds - from the weekly market to the boules tournament [Note. 3]. The historical monuments are still on the Gänsemarkt.
The large square that exists today was once divided into two parts. The churchyard was located in the upper part, while the weekly markets took place in the lower part.
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