Weinheim

Weinheim (German pronunciation: [ˈvaɪnhaɪm] ; Palatine German: Woinem) is a town with about 43,000 inhabitants in northwest Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is in the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region, approximately 15 km (9 mi) north of Heidelberg and 10 km (6 mi) northeast of Mannheim. Weinheim is known as the "Zwei-Burgen-Stadt", the "town of two castles", after two fortresses overlooking the town from the edge of the Odenwald in the east. Geography Weinheim is situated on the Bergstraße theme route on the western rim of the Odenwald. The old town lies in the valley, with the new part of town further to the west. The Market Square is filled with numerous cafes, as well as the old Rathaus (guildhall). Further to the south is the Schlossgarten (Palace Garden) and the Exotenwald (Exotic Forest), which contains species of trees imported from around the world, but mostly from North America and Japan. History Weinheim celebrated its 1250th anniversary in 2005. The earliest record of Weinheim dates back to 755 CE, when the name "Winenheim" was recorded in the Lorsch codex, the record book of Lorsch Abbey. In 1000, Emperor Otto III bestowed on Weinheim the right to hold markets, and in 1065 the right to mint and issue coins. A new town developed next to the old town from 1250. In 1308, the old town was transferred to the Electorate of the Palatinate and from 1368 the whole town belonged to the Electorate. From the end of the 14th century, the whole town belonged to the Heidelberg Oberamt district. With the transfer to Baden in 1803, Weinheim became the seat of its own Amt, until unification with the Mannheim Landkreis (district) in 1936. Weinheim has been within the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis since its formation on 1 January 1973. A Jewish community in Weinheim is recorded from 1228. There are records of Jewish persecution in 1298 (Rintfleisch massacres) and 1348–49 (Black Death persecutions) before the Jews were expelled from Weinheim in 1391. The Weinheim Jewish community began to grow again during the Thirty Years' War. There was a synagogue, a beth midrash, and a mikveh, and, in the 19th century, a school for boys together with a teacher-training college. The synagogue was destroyed in the Kristallnacht (9–10 November 1938) and the last remaining Jews were sent to Gurs on 22 October 1940. Local attractions Windeck Castle, originally built around 1100 to protect the Lorsch monastery; it was badly damaged in the Thirty Years' War and again by Louis XIV of France in the Nine Years' War. Wachenburg Castle, built between 1907 and 1928 by German Student Corps fraternities; the annual convention of the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent is held at the Wachenburg. The Market Square The Schloss, home of the town council Gerberbach Quarter, the former tanning district Schlosspark Waidsee Lido (Strandbad Waidsee), swimming beach on the Waidsee artificial lake Miramar (Weinheim) thermal spa and sauna complex, next to the Waidsee lake Exotenwald Weinheim, a forest arboretum Schau- und Sichtungsgarten Hermannshof, a botanical garden Museum Weinheim's town museum occupies the former local headquarters of the Teutonic Order and holds exhibits about Weinheim and its surroundings. Exhibits include archaeology from the prehistoric through to the Merovingian dynasty, the highlight of which is the Nächstenbach bronze hoard of 76 objects from the late Bronze Age, and displays documenting the medieval and modern social history of the town together with works from contemporary artists. Events February: High-jump Gala, with world class high-jumpers March: the Sommertagszug, a festival celebrating the coming of summer. May/June (near Ascension Day): day of the Weinheimer Senioren-Convents June–August: Weinheim's summer of culture June: Scheuerfest (barn party) in Ritschweier July: the Weinheim road race May–September: Kerwes in Rippenweier, Sulzbach, Lützelsachsen, Oberflockenbach und Hohensachsen August (second weekend, Friday-Monday): Weinheim's Kerwe September (first Friday-Sunday): Weinheimer UKW-Tagung, a three-day international amateur radio meeting held annually since 1956 October: Bergsträßer Winzerfest (lit. "mountain-road vintner festival") in Lützelsachsen Economy Freudenberg Group Wiley-VCH publishers SAP SE Transport Trains Weinheim has two main train stations on the Main-Neckar Railway: Weinheim (Bergstraße) station (served by regional and long-distance IC trains) and Lützelsachsen (served by regional trains). These provide connections to Frankfurt, Hamburg and other destinations within Germany. Weinheim is also served by the OEG tramway, which visits the town on the journey between Mannheim and Heidelberg. Air The closest airports to Weinheim are: Frankfurt Airport Baden Airpark Twin towns – sister cities Weinheim is twinned with: Population Population figures are made up of a combination of official estimations, Volkszählungsergebnisse (semi-official figures, demarcated by a ¹), and official statistics based on place of residence (Hauptwohnsitz) registrations. ¹ These are taken from a Volkszählungsergebnis. Notable people Federico Rauch (1786–1829), colonel who fought and died in Argentina Heinrich Hübsch (1795–1863), a German architect, head of public works in Karlsruhe Philipp Bickel, (DE Wiki) (1829–1914), baptist theologian and publisher Valentine Dell (1829–1885), newspaper editor, publisher, politician and U.S. marshal in Arkansas. August Bender, (DE Wiki) (1847–1926), chemist and entrepreneur Wilhelm Platz, (DE Wiki) (1866–1929), author and factory owner Richard Freudenberg (1892–1975), politician (FDP) Erwin Linder (1903–1968), a German stage, film and TV actor. Hartmut K. Lichtenthaler (born 1934), botanist, plant physiologist and university professor. Werner Andreas Albert (1935–2019), an Australian conductor. Valentino Bellucci (1975–2021), an Italian philosopher, sociologist, poet, painter and essayist. Sport Heidi Mohr (born 1967), footballer, played 104 games for Germany women's national team Ralf Sonn (born 1967), high jumper Sven Barth (born 1980), racing driver Stefan Zinnow (born 1980), a former footballer who played 276 games Worked in the town Karl Friedrich Bender, (DE Wiki) (1806–1869), theologian, teacher, principal of the Erziehungsanstalt für Knaben (boys' school) Ingrid Noll (born 1935), a German thriller writer, (e.g. Die Apothekerin), lived in Weinheim Markus Kuhn (born 1986), NFL player Honorary citizens The town of Weinheim has made the following people honorary citizens (Ehrenbürger): 1894: Carl Johann Freudenberg, Geheimer Kommerzienrat (royal economist) 1904: Erhard Bissinger, Consul general 1913: Aute Bode, chief engineer and the architect behind the Wachenburg 1918: Hermann Ernst Freudenberg, Geheimer Kommerzienrat (royal economist) 1922: Georg Friedrich Vogler, vice-mayor 1923: Adam Karrillon, doctor and author 1928: Emil Hartmann, construction engineer 1928: Prof. Arthur Wienkoop, Architect 1933: Paul von Hindenburg, German President 1940: Georg Peter Nickel, agriculturist 1949: Richard Freudenberg, factory owner 1953: Hans Freudenberg, factory owner 1954: Sepp Herberger, manager of the German World Cup winning side of 1954 1962: Wilhelm Brück, Lord Mayor 1986: Theo Gießelmann, Lord Mayor 2004: Dieter Freudenberg, factory owner 2004: Wolfgang Daffinger, mayor and representative in the Landtag 2005: Uwe Kleefoot, Lord Mayor 2011: Hans-Werner Hector, mathematician 2011: Josephine Hector, city patron 2023: Ingrid Noll, author References External links