It was formed by the Allied Control Council on 19 September 1945[1] and became the modern German state of Hesse on 1 December 1946.

The enclave of Bad Wimpfen, which previously belonged to the Hessian province of Starkenburg, became part of American-administered Württemberg-Baden.

Point number one of this directive stated that the civilian capital for Greater Hesse would be Wiesbaden, effective from noon on that day.

[3] In addition to the establishment of Wiesbaden as the new Hessian capital, 12 October 1945 saw the installment of high-school teacher Karl Geiler as minister-president.

Geiler replaced SPD-politician Ludwig Bergsträsser, who served as acting minister-president for only one month and would remain in office until a successor could be democratically elected.