Decompositions of Fundamental Groups of Closed Surfaces into Free Constructions

Let T be a closed surface. It is proven that any decomposition of ₁(T,x) into an amalgamated product (or, more generally, into the fundamental group of a finite graph of groups) with f.g. edge group(s) is almost geometric. A problem of H. Zieschang is solved and the edge rigidity property is investigated.