The city is first mentioned in historical documents dating from 1148. By 1240 Offenburg had already been declared a Free Imperial City. The city was nearly totally destroyed in the Nine Years War. In 1803 Offenburg lost its status as a Free City and fell under the rulership of the Grand Duchy of Baden.
During the outbreak of the Revolutions of 1848, the "Offenburger Program" which contained thirteen demands "in the name of the people of Baden" was announced at the Salmen Inn on 12 September 1847. This was the first democratic demand in Germany. Along with the Karlsbad Resolves, the Offenburger Program demanded basic and human rights as well as freedom of the press and a progressive income tax structure. On 19 March 1848 the demands were confirmed by the 20,000 member Offenburg Peoples' Assembly.
[ source: wikipedia ]
