Bensheim
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2014) |
Bensheim | |
---|---|
Location of Bensheim within Bergstraße district | |
Coordinates: 49°40′N 8°37′E / 49.667°N 8.617°E | |
Country | Germany |
State | Hesse |
Admin. region | Darmstadt |
District | Bergstraße |
Government | |
• Mayor (2020–26) | Christine Klein[1] |
Area | |
• Total | 57.83 km2 (22.33 sq mi) |
Elevation | 115 m (377 ft) |
Population (2022-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 42,089 |
• Density | 730/km2 (1,900/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
Postal codes | 64625 |
Dialling codes | 06251 |
Vehicle registration | HP |
Website | https://www.bensheim.de/ |
Bensheim (German pronunciation:
Geography
Location
The town lies at the eastern edge of the
The Lauter flows through Bensheim, coming from the Lauter valley from the east, which after it passes through Bensheim is known as the Winkelbach. In the south of town runs the Meerbach, also coming from the Odenwald (but from the Zell valley). Mostly channelled underground and only coming above ground at the western edge of town is the Neuer Graben, or “New Channel”, which branches off the Lauter.
Neighbouring communities
Bensheim borders in the north on the town of
.Constituent communities
Bensheim is roughly subdivided thus:
- The main town east of the railwayline (old town and outskirts) with many modern town expansion developments (for example the neighbourhoods of Brunnenweg, Metzendorf, Griesel, Meerbach and Hemsberg);
- The Weststadt (“West Town”) west of the railway line (for example the neighbourhoods of Port Arthur, Marokko, Leibweh and Kappesgärten);
- The outlying centre of Auerbach to the north of the main town on the Bergstraße;
- The outlying centres of Hochstädten, Schönberg, Wilmshausen, Gronau and Zell in the nearer Odenwald valleys;
- The outlying centres of Langwaden, Fehlheim and Schwanheim in the Hessisches Ried (part of the Rhine rift in Hesse).
Climate
Bensheim is especially well known, like other places along the Bergstraße as well, for its particularly mild and sunny climate with roughly 2,000 hours of sunshine yearly and Germany's earliest onset of spring. Under the Odenwald's protection, kiwifruit, almonds, figs and peaches thrive here, giving the Bergstraße the nickname “Germany’s Riviera”.
The town of Bensheim fosters almond tree cultivation, to name one example, in people's front gardens. Each year in Bensheim, there is even a Blütenkönigin (“Blossom Queen”). She is put forth every year by the Bensheim Automobile Club and for decades has been Bensheim's hallmark both within the country and abroad.
History
Bensheim has grown out of a village that had its first documentary mention in the 8th century. In the 14th century, Bensheim was granted town rights. On 26 March 1945, much of the Old Town was destroyed by incendiary bombs.
Settlement history
The South Hesse area was settled quite early on. The many finds from archaeological digs stretch back to the time of the Linear Pottery and Corded Ware cultures (roughly 2500 to 1500 BC), peoples who raised crops and livestock.
Middle Ages
In 765, Basinsheim had its first documentary mention in the
The name changed from Basinsheim to Basinusheim and then to Besensheim, finally becoming Bensheim. Noteworthy is that town rights were granted early on by Emperor
When
Early modern times
In today’s outlying centres of Auerbach and Schönberg, Bensheim borders on what were the Upper County – “Upper” here refers to geography, not rank – of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen and domains of the Schenken of Erbach. When the Katzenelnbogens died out in 1479, the Landgraviate of Hesse became a neighbour to the north. In 1532, the Erbachs were raised to counts and the County of Erbach became a neighbour to the east.
In the time of the pledging to the
With the introduction of the
The
Modern times
By the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss in 1803, Bensheim passed to the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, who joined the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806 and was raised to Grand Duke. In 1822, there was a great fire in which 16 buildings were destroyed and 15 others were heavily damaged.
Bensheim became the seat of the Landratsbezirk (an administrative region) of Bensheim in the province of Starkenburg, which in 1832 was merged with the Landratsbezirk of Heppenheim to form the district of Bensheim (Kreis Bensheim) with Bensheim as its seat.
In 1918, the Grand Duke was removed and out of the
During
On 24 March 1945, twelve people were taken to the Kirchberg (mountain) where they were murdered by the Gestapo. Two days later, on 26 March 1945, Saint George's Parish Church, the Town Hall and parts of the Old Town were destroyed by incendiary bombs. On 27 March, the town was occupied by United States troops. As the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps agent, Henry Kissinger was the most important representative of the occupying power, after the official town commander.
In 1945, Bensheim passed to the newly formed state of Hesse.
After the
In 1971, the population rose to some 34,000 with the amalgamation of Langwaden, Schwanheim, Fehlheim, Hochstädten, Gronau and Wilmshausen.
From 1859 to 1987 on the Nibelungenstraße towards Schönberg stood the Guntrum Bräu Bensheim brewery. In 1979, the brewery was taken over by Binding Bier Mainz, and then closed and torn down in 1987. Today, the former premises are home to a number of houses.
Politics
Town council
This section needs to be updated.(July 2021) |
The municipal election held on 27 March 2011 yielded the following results:
Parties and voter communities | % 2011 |
Seats 2011 |
% 2006 |
Seats 2006 |
% 2001 |
Seats 2001 | |
CDU | Christian Democratic Union of Germany | 36.4 | 16 | 43.2 | 20 | 43.1 | 20 |
SPD | Social Democratic Party of Germany | 23.8 | 11 | 29.5 | 13 | 32.7 | 15 |
FDP | Free Democratic Party | 4.0 | 2 | 7.1 | 3 | 5.3 | 2 |
GLB | Grüne Liste Bensheim | 22.9 | 10 | 13.6 | 6 | 13.7 | 6 |
FWG | Freie Wählergemeinschaft Bensheim | 5.7 | 3 | 6.6 | 3 | 5.2 | 2 |
BFB | Bürger für Bensheim | 7.2 | 3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
Total | 100.0 | 45 | 100.0 | 45 | 100.0 | 45 | |
Voter turnout in % | 47.0 | 43.0 | 50.5 |
The Magistrat (roughly “town executive”) is made up of nine councillors and the mayor Rolf Richter (CDU). The two full-time councillors are Helmut Sachwitz (CDU) and Adil Oyan (Grüne Liste Bensheim). The other seats are shared among the CDU (3), the SPD (1), the Grüne Liste Bensheim (2) and the FWG (1).
Mayors
When the Municipal Order of the Grand Duchy of Hesse came into force on 30 June 1821, Bensheim citizens were allowed to choose their mayor.
- 1822–1825: Philipp Meißel
- 1825–1837: Philipp Werle
- 1837–1840: Adam Fertig
- 1840–1857: Johannes Traupel
- 1857–1859: Joseph August Hainz
- 1860–1870: Franz Heinz
- 1871–1902: Aloys van Gries
- 1902–1912: Ignaz Frenay
- 1913–1922: Karl Löslein
- 1922–1933: Rudolf Angermeier
- 1933–1934: Heinrich Nachtigall
- 1934–1938: Georg Brückmann
- 1938–1945: Ernst Missler
- 1945–1945: Theodor Kräge
- 1945–1946: Willy Klapproth
- 1946–1954: Joseph Treffert, CDU
- 1954–1972: Wilhelm Kilian, CDU
- 1972–2002: Georg Stolle, CDU
- 2002–2014: Thorsten Herrmann, CDU
- 2014–2020: Rolf Richter, CDU
- 2020–incumbent: Christine Klein
Coat of arms
The town's arms might be described thus: Gules a knight with kontos, held in both hands, and armour Or astride a steed salient argent, the whole sinister, below which a dragon statant reguardant sinister vert, the knight's kontos thrust through it.
The German blazon says that the kontos, or lance, is golden, and that the dragon is green, although the achievement shown here, whose source is the town administration itself, shows different tinctures for these two charges.
The red field refers to the Mainz coat of arms, as the town was owned by the Bishopric of Mainz until 1802. The knight slaying the dragon represents Saint George, who was said in earlier times to have been Bensheim's patron saint.
Town partnerships
- Beaune, Côte-d'Or, France, since 1960
- Amersham, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, since 1977
- Mohács, Baranya County, Hungary, since 1987
- Riva del Garda, Trentino, Italy, since 1989
- Kłodzko, Lower Silesia, Poland, since 1996
- Hostinné, Hradec Králové Region, Czech Republic, since 2002
Moreover, some outlying centres have their own separate partnerships.
Sponsorship
On 29 April 1956, a Patenschaft (roughly, “sponsorship”) was set up for Sudeten Germans driven out of the town of Arnau (now Hostinné in the Czech Republic) on the Elbe in the Hohenelbe district.
Culture and sightseeing
Theatre
The Parktheater was built in 1968 and is a linchpin in offering various cultural activities. Besides the municipal programme of plays, freelance producers, clubs and schools bring a multifaceted programme in the fields of spoken theatre, musical theatre and dance theatre. From October 1998 to December 1999, the Parktheater was optically, technologically and artistically made over from the ground up and now shines in new splendour.
Furthermore, Bensheim also has the PiPaPo Theater (cabaret), the Vornerum Theater, the Varieté Pegasus and the Autorenkollektiv Laufkundschaft.
Museums
Besides the Museum der Stadt Bensheim (municipal museum), there is also the old synagogue in Auerbach which nowadays houses a museum.
Music
The Bensheim Music School was founded in 1979. By taking part in various contests, the students at this municipal music school regularly find themselves among the prizewinners at both the state and national level. Many ensembles promote the music school's community spirit.
Buildings (secular)
Bensheim, along with all its outlying centres has all together 557 cultural monuments.[3] The following is a selection of the town's most important buildings:
- Alte Faktorei, Mainz cathedral chapter's former factory (in the sense of “commercial outpost”)
- Alte Gerberei (Old Tannery), from 1873
- Bismarckturm (tower), from 1902, on the Hemsberg (262 m)
- Dalberger Hof, former noble estate
- “Luginsland” (Blaues Türmchen or Eckturm [tower]) on the Höhenweg above Baßmannpark, built in 1910
- Hohenecker Hof, former noble estate from 1756
- Kirchberghäuschen (220 m), built in 1849, dedicated in 1857
- Metzendorf-Villen (villas)
- Rinnentorturm (tower), from the 13th or 14th century
- Rodensteiner Hof, stately home with park
- Roter Turm, watchtower from the old town wall, from the 13th century
- Walderdorffer Hof, southern Hesse's oldest timber-frame house, built in 1395
- Wambolter Hof, former noble estate from about 1732/33
The Landgraves of Hesse once used the Fürstenlager near Bensheim-Auerbach as a spa. It is an artistic combination of simple buildings clustered like a village around the Good Well in the middle of a picturesque landscaped park. Like many territorial overlords of their day, its owners sought the peace of a rural idyll far removed from the pomp and circumstance of court.
Buildings (ecclesiastical)
- Saint George's Parish Church (Pfarrkirche St. Georg), from 1830
- Saint Joseph's Hospital Church (Hospitalkirche St. Joseph), from the 14th century
- Saint Crescentius's Graveyard Church (Friedhofskirche St. Crescens), from 1618
- Saint Michael's Church (Michaelskirche), from 1863
- Saint Lawrence's CatholicParish Church (Katholische Pfarrkirche St. Laurentius), from 1965
All the above churches are Catholic, except Saint Michael's, which is
All 557 cultural monuments are listed in the Liste der Kulturdenkmäler in Bensheim.
-
Dalberger Hof
-
Walderdorffer Hof
-
Wambolter Hof
-
Villa Ernst (Ludwigstraße) by Heinrich Metzendorf, 1905
-
Flecksches Haus
-
Rote Turm from about 1300
-
Kirchberghäuschen
-
Fürstenlager near Bensheim
-
Auerbach Castle
Sport
Nationally known is the HSG Bensheim/Auerbach women's
Bensheim and its outlying centres are also home to many other sport clubs.
Denominational Institute
Since 1947, Bensheim has been home to the Evangelical Federation's Konfessionskundliches Institut (“Denominational Institute”), Europe’s biggest ecumenical institute. It was housed at Wolfgang-Sucker-Haus from 1947 to 1967 and also has been once again since November 2007.
Youth culture
Bensheim has many offerings for children up to 14 years old, with, for example, a new youth centre, opened on 26 January 2006 offering ample possibilities, busying itself with this. The old, bigger youth centre on Wilhelmstraße was then closed. For youths, there is relatively little on offer. However, work has begun on the new Skate/BMX-park, on the same site where the old one was. The park was promoted and planned by youths themselves.
Bandsheim (“Band Home”) has afforded the youth music scene an outlet that regularly hosts “newcomer” concerts in Bensheim.[4] Besides Bandsheim there is also an outlet in Party-Bensheim, which offers a venue for youths to get to know each other, have discussions and make arrangements.[5] Both these outlets were founded by youths themselves.
Bensheim does host an “unofficial” youth club. Since the early 1980s there has been “McSlobos”, an inn that had its beginnings in the “Germania-Hof”, which has now been torn down. With many live concerts by famous local bands and the guests’ active engagement in political issues, this inn has grown into an attraction for many youths.
Nevertheless, many youths feel left out, as they must pay for all leisure activities. Hence there has also been for some time the will to create a self-administering youth centre. To this end, various action groups and campaigns have been started, such as, for example SKJuz,[6] a “promotional club for a self-administering culture and youth centre in Bensheim”, and the action group BürgerMaiStar.[7]
In 2010 about 50 young people from the region occupied a derelict army complex in order to establish a self-organised youth centre.[8] However, the occupation was broken up by police several hours after it had begun.
As a follow-up to the SKJuz club the JUKUZ Bensheim e.V. was formed, which is still actively promoting the idea of a self-administered, self-organised youth centre.[9]
Regular events
The nationally known Bergsträßer Winzerfest (“Bergstraße Vintners’ Festival”) is held every first week in September throughout the inner town. The festival, which begins on the Saturday, lasts nine days. On the first Sunday there is a great festive parade, and on the second Saturday, fireworks are lit on the Kirchberg. The first Bergsträßer Winzerfest was held from 19 to 22 October 1929. Even at this first festival there were a festive parade and fireworks on the Kirchberg. Bensheim is in an area where wine grapes are grown extensively.
The Bürgerfest (“Citizens’ Festival”), which was introduced on the occasion of the opening of the
Since 2003, the Maiway has been held every year. This is a gastronomical festival at which many pubs in Bensheim have musical groups perform.
Culinary specialities
Bensheim has Zwewwelkuche à la Fraa vun Bensem (“onion cake à la woman from Bensheim”). The first word is a local form of the German Zwiebelkuchen, and the woman is the one mentioned under History (see above).
Economy and infrastructure
Established businesses
Bensheim is part of the economically strong
The town has in its favour good economic data – even in relation to the Rhine Neckar Area's as a whole – above-average employment figures and an especially high proportion of graduates in the resident population's above-average buying power.
Sirona Dental Systems GmbH has its head office in Bensheim. The enterprise is the district's biggest employer and produces goods and services for
Media
Local happenings are reported in Bensheim and the surrounding area are reported by the Bergsträßer Anzeiger, a newspaper belonging to the Mannheimer Morgen publishing group. The paper's address is Rodensteinstraße 6 and it is published from Monday to Saturday.
Transport
Bensheim lies at the crossroads of federal highways B 3 and B 47. Through the town's west end runs Autobahn A 5, from which Bensheim can be reached by two exits: in the north the Zwingenberg – Bensheim-Auerbach exit, and in the south the Bensheim exit. A few kilometres farther west, running parallel to the A 5, is the A 67, when Bensheim can be reached through the Lorsch exit.
From
Frankfurt Airport lies just under 50 kilometres (31 miles) away by road, north of Bensheim. There is a gliderport at Bensheim for gliders, motor gliders and other, smaller aircraft, managed by a nonprofit gliding club (SFG Bensheim).[10]
Education
Bensheim is a school town, with five
Offering adult education are the Volkshochschule Bensheim
- Primary schools
- Grundschule Kappesgärten
- Hemsbergschule
- Joseph-Heckler Schule
- Kirchbergschule
- Schloßbergschule
- Primary school/Hauptschule/Realschule
- Schillerschule
- Cooperative comprehensive school
- Geschwister Scholl Schule
- Vocational schools
- Berufsbildungszentrum
- Heinrich-Metzendorf-Schule
- Advisory and advocacy centres
- Behindertenhilfe Bergstraße GmbH (help for the handicapped)
- Schule für Lernhilfe (school for help with learning)
- Seebergschule für praktisch Bildbare (practically educable)
Notable people
- Jakob Adam (1568–1618), reformed preacher and minister (in Bensheim 1598 to 1603)
- Gerhard Beetz (1918–2005), General secretary of the Evangelical Federation
- Hermann von Beisler (1790–1859), Bavarian military officer and politician
- Nicolai Borger (born 1974), writer, director and actor
- Sir William Curtius (1599–1678), 1st Curtius Baronet of Sweden, FRS, diplomat
- Moritz Edelmann (1891–1973), National Socialist historical didactic
- Friedrich von Eichheimer (1764–1854), Bavarian military physician and Surgeon General of the Bavarian army
- Wilhelm Euler (1847–1934), paper manufacturer, member of the Landtag, patron and member of the city council of Bensheim
- Friedrich Wilhelm Euler (1908–1995), archivist, genealogist and endowment founder
- Elsa Fraenkel (1892–1975), sculptor
- Steffen Gebhardt (born 1981), pentathlete
- Heike B. Görtemaker (born 1964), historian
- Leo Grewenig (1898–1991), painter, student of Kandinsky and Klee[13]
- Willi Harwerth (1894–1982), graphic artist and illustrator
- Eduard Haßloch (1887–1944), businessman, journalist and Bensheim local poet
- Joseph Heckler (1786–1857), Grand Duchy of Hesse collector, “homeland researcher” (Heimatforscher)
- Heinz Jost (1904–1964), SS-Brigadeführer, major general of the police, Amtschef in the SD-Hauptamt Amt III (Abwehr), Chief of RSHA-Amt VI
- Karl Ernst Knodt (1856–1917), poet
- Paul Kleinschmidt (1883–1949), painter
- Michael Klemm (born 1953), author, director and actor
- Josefine Koebe (born 1988), social democratic politician and economist
- Karl Kunkel (1913–2012), Catholic theologian
- Klaus Kübler (1936–2007) Member of the Bundestag (SPD)
- Father Dirk Kranz (born 1969), Catholic priest
- Matthias Lorenz (born 1964), classical cellist
- Hugo Lindemann (1867–1949), college teacher and social democratic politician
- Michael Meister (born 1961), Member of the Bundestag (CDU)
- Georg Metzendorf (1874–1934), architect
- Franz Heinrich Metzendorf (1866–1923), architect, “Building Master of the Bergstraße”
- Marcus Morlinghaus (born 1965), German actor, author and director
- Norbert Müller-Everling (born 1953), sculptor
- Arthur von Oettingen (1836–1920), Baltic-German physicist, musical theorist and biographer
- Wilhelm Ringelband (1921–1981), theatre critic, endower of the Gertrud-Eysoldt-Ring
- Joseph Stoll (1879–1956), local poet, “homeland researcher”, cofounder of the Bensheimer Winzerfest, NSDAP local politician
- Bernhard Trares (born 1965), footballer and football trainer
- Heinrich Werlé (1887–1955), choir director and music critic
- Otto-Werner Mueller (born 1926), conductor and musical educator
- Wilhelm Weyrauch (1914–2003), regional history researcher, municipal politician
Twin towns – sister cities
References
- Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. 5 September 2022.
- Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. June 2023.
- ^ Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Hessen, as at 23 April 2008
- ^ "Spähling". Facebook.
- ^ Party-Bensheim[permanent dead link], a forum for youth in Bensheim and the surrounding area.
- ^ "Nicht verfügbar". skjuz.de.
- ^ Webseite der Bürgermaistars Archived September 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, a citizen initiative for Bensheim youth.
- ^ "Jukuz Maraldo". blogsport.de.
- ^ "Uebergebuehr Hosting". jukuz-bensheim.de.
- ^ "Fliegen - Segelfluggruppe Bensheim". Archived from the original on 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
- ^ "- VHS Bensheim". Archived from the original on 2009-03-21. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- ^ Familienzentrum Bensheim. "Bensheim - Frauen und Familienzentrum". familienzentrum-bensheim.de.
- ^ "Leo Grewenig (1898–1991) - Leben und Werk: mit einem kritischen Katalog sämtlicher Arbeiten". uni-heidelberg.de. 1997.
- ^ "Partnerstädte". bensheim.de (in German). Bensheim. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
Further reading
- Joseph Stoll: Bensheimer Idiotikon, Eine Sammlung von Wörtern und Ausdrücken der Bensheimer Mundart mit Nachweisungen ihres Ursprungs und lokalgeschichtlichen Anmerkungen. Museumsverein Bensheim 1984, ISBN 3-931960-04-8.
- Diether Blüm: Bensheimer Schulhäuser im Wandel der Jahrhunderte. Verlag Bergsträßer Anzeiger, Bensheim 1992.
- Diether Blüm: Adelsfamilien im alten Bensheim. K+G Verlag GmbH, Bensheim 1995.
- Rudolf Köster und Wilhelm Weyrauch: Ältere Flurnamen von Bensheim und seinen Stadtteilen bis zur Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts. Hrsg. v. Museumsverein Bensheim in Verbindung mit der Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Geschichts- und Heimatvereine im Kreis Bergstraße, Sonderband 17 in der Reihe der Geschichtsblätter Kreis Bergstraße, Verlag Laurissa Lorsch [1995], ISBN 3-922781-82-9
- Rudolf Köster: Die Namen der Bensheimer Straßen, Wege, Plätze und Passagen von A–Z erläutert. Museumsverein Bensheim, 1996, ISBN 3-931960-05-6.
- ISBN 3-89702-090-4.
- Dorothea Schües: Der korrupte Kommerzienrat [Johann Maria Schlinck, Bürger und Stadtrat in Bensheim] Ein Zeitbild um 1800. R. G. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2002, ISBN 3-8301-0390-5.
- Manfred Berg: Bensheim erleben – Ein Führer zu den historischen Sehenswürdigkeiten. Edition Diesbach, Weinheim 2002, ISBN 3-936468-02-8.
- Wilhelm Weyrauch: Das frühe Bensheim - Vorträge und Aufsätze zur Entwicklungsgeschichte der Stadt - mit zahlreichen historischen Abbildungen. VVB Laufersweiler Verlag, Gießen 2004.
- Rudolf Köster: Bensheimer Familiennamen. Hrsg. v. Museumsverein Bensheim in Verbindung mit der Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Geschichts- und Heimatvereine im Kreis Bergstraße, Sonderband 23 in der Reihe der Geschichtsblätter Kreis Bergstraße, Verlag Laurissa Lorsch 2004, ISBN 3-922781-25-X.
- Manfred Berg: Bensheim entdecken - Ein Malbuch für Schulkinder. Eigenverlag Berg, Bensheim 2005, ISBN 3-00-017780-9.
- Geschichtswerkstatt Geschwister Scholl (Hrsg.) unter Leitung v. Schäfer, Franz Josef und Lotz, Peter: Jakob Kindinger - Ein politisches Leben. Druckhaus Diesbach GmbH, Weinheim 2006, ISBN 3-00-018379-5.
- Reiner Maaß und Manfred Berg (Hrsg.): Bensheim – Spuren der Geschichte. EditionDiesbach, Weinheim 2006, ISBN 978-3-936468-31-1
- Diether Blüm: Wenn Steine erzählen könnten... Verlag der Wochenzeitung "Der Bensemer"
External links
- Bensheim at Curlie(in German)
- Official website (in German)
- Hesse state castles and gardens (in German)
- Fürstenlager Auerbach
- Displaced persons camp in Bensheim after the Second World War (in German)