Offenburg
Offenburg | |
---|---|
Location of Offenburg within Ortenaukreis district | |
Coordinates: 48°28′N 7°56′E / 48.467°N 7.933°E | |
Country | Germany |
State | Baden-Württemberg |
Admin. region | Freiburg |
District | Ortenaukreis |
Government | |
• Lord mayor (2018–26) | Marco Steffens[1] (CDU) |
Area | |
• Total | 78.38 km2 (30.26 sq mi) |
Elevation | 163 m (535 ft) |
Population (2022-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 61,670 |
• Density | 790/km2 (2,000/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
Postal codes | 77652, 77654, 77656 |
Dialling codes | 0781 |
Vehicle registration | OG, BH, KEL, LR, WOL |
Website | www |
Offenburg ("open borough" - coat of arms showing open gates; Low Alemmanic: Offäburg) is a city in the state of Baden-Württemberg, in south-western Germany. With nearly 60,000 inhabitants (2019), it is the largest city and the administrative capital of the Ortenaukreis.
History
Imperial City of Offenburg Reichsstadt Offenburg | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
before 1240–1803 | |||||||
Status | Reichsfreiheit | before 1240 the 13th century | |||||
• City razed in Nine Years' War | 1689 | ||||||
• Became Badish fief | 1701–71 | ||||||
• Ceded to Baden | 1803 | ||||||
| |||||||
Today part of | Germany |
In recent times the remains of Roman settlements have been found within the city's territory. Offenburg was first mentioned in historical documents dating back to 1148. Offenburg had already been declared a
During the outbreak of the
During World War I Offenburg was one of the first cities to experience the effects of aerial bombardment, the operations against Offenburg railway sidings were mostly flown by aircraft from the Independent Force from Ochey aerodrome.
It is mostly neglected, that in the aftermath of World War I, during the
Following the rise to power of the NSDAP in the 1930s, Offenburg's Jewish population fell victim to acts of repression, that culminated in the vandalization of the local synagoge in November 1938. After the war had begun, those members of the Jewish population that had not managed to emigrate were deported to
In
French Forces entered Offenburg on 15 April 1945 and from then on Offenburg became part of the French Zone of Occupation until the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany in May 1949.
Since the creation of the Federal Republic, Offenburg has continually developed in size, inhabitants and prosperity. Between 1971 and 1975 eleven adjacent villages were incorporated into the commune of Offenburg and are now an integral part of the city.
Government
Mayors
- 1801–1803: Leopold Witsch
- 1803–1832: Johann Nepomuk Lihl and Josef Sebastian Gottwald
- 1832–1840: Karl Josef Burger
- 1840–1845: Landolin Löffler
- 1845–1849: Gustav Rée
- 1849–1859: August Wiedemeyer (1849–1851 acting)
- 1860–1875: Bernhard Schaible
- 1875–1890: Franz Volk
- 1893–1921: Fritz Herrmann
- 1921–1934: Josef Holler
- 1934–1945: Wolfram Rombach
- 1945: Hermann Isenmann (acting)
- 1945–1946: Ludwig Heß, (acting)
- 1946–1947: Gustav Ernst (acting)
- 1947–1948: R. Moßbrugger (acting)
- 1949–1975: Karl Heitz
- 1975–1989: Martin Grüber
- 1989–2002: Wolfgang Bruder
- 2003–2018: Edith Schreiner
- since 3 December 2018: Marco Steffens
Representatives to the Federal Parliament
- CDU) has been representing the constituency of Offenburg as directly elected MP in the Lower House of the German Parliament since 1972. Since October 24, 2017, he has held the office as 13th President of the Bundestag.
Geography
Offenburg is located approximately 15 km east of the river
Climate
Köppen climate classification classifies its climate as oceanic (Cfb). Marine features are limited however, as a result of its vast distance from oceans and seas. Winters are cool, sometimes with night frosts. Precipitation mostly falls in summer months.
Climate data for Offenburg (normals 1991-2020) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.6 (36.7) |
3.6 (38.5) |
7.2 (45.0) |
11.2 (52.2) |
15.3 (59.5) |
19.8 (67.6) |
20.6 (69.1) |
20.0 (68.0) |
15.7 (60.3) |
11.1 (52.0) |
6.4 (43.5) |
3.6 (38.5) |
11.4 (52.6) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 55.9 (2.20) |
51.4 (2.02) |
57.9 (2.28) |
59.0 (2.32) |
94.7 (3.73) |
86.0 (3.39) |
89.5 (3.52) |
84.4 (3.32) |
64.9 (2.56) |
76.0 (2.99) |
68.1 (2.68) |
67.6 (2.66) |
855.4 (33.67) |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 54 | 82 | 138.9 | 185.1 | 210.4 | 231.1 | 245.6 | 230 | 171.2 | 103.9 | 56 | 41.3 | 1,749.5 |
Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst[6][7][8] |
Economy
Offenburg has a rich trade and manufacturing sector and is home to a number of well-known brands.
Manufacturing and industry
Important manufacturing companies based at Offenburg include tesa-Werke Offenburg GmbH (adhesive tapes), Vivil (humbugs and sweets), MEIKO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG (professional dishwashing systems, cleaning and disinfection technology), Hansgrohe SE (sanitary fittings) and HOBART GmbH (professional kitchen equipment). Besides, there are many other small and medium-sized companies that produce highly specialized top-of-the-line products in their appropriate sector of business.
Trade and commerce
The most important trading company in terms of employees (1,850) is EDEKA Handelsgesellschaft Südwest mbH, the largest German supermarket corporation which has a large regional production, storage and distribution centre in Offenburg. Printus GmbH with approx. 1,600 employees is a stationary wholesaling company. Several subsidiaries or affiliated companies of Markant AG (food and nonfood trade) are based in Offenburg with approx. 600 staff.
Publishing and printing
Hubert Burda Media is one of Germany's largest publishing companies. Together with the affiliated Burda printing works it still employs 1,600 people in Offenburg. Although the prominent position with regard to the number of employees has diminished during the last decades with the emerging of further economic actors in town, the expansion of Franz Burda's printing business after World War II as well as the growth and success of his wife Aenne Burda's Burda Style (formerly: Burda Moden) have been decisive in developing the local economy after 1945 and in making the name of the city known all over the world.
Infrastructure
Traffic
Owing to its favourable geographic situation Offenburg lies at the crossroads of important lines of communication that can be traced back to Roman times.
Road
Offenburg is situated 3 km east of the federal motorway A 5, to which it has been connected since 1960 via a famous egg-shaped junction. Two major federal roads, B 3 and B 33, intersect at Offenburg.
Rail
Since the construction of the railway line from Mannheim in 1844, Offenburg had developed into a railway centre during the 19th and earlier part of the 20th century. However, since the privatization of the
Air
Offenburg airfield (EDTO) has been used for flying purposes since 1911 and has received a paved runway in 1975. It is owned by the municipality. However, since its declassification as a publicly accessible airfield in the 1990s, the 910 metre asphalt runway (02-20) is only available to resident aeroclubs and to aircraft that have obtained prior permission from the operator. Airports in the vicinity are:
Education
Apart from the primary and secondary schools that are within the responsibility of several public bodies, Offenburg houses a diverse number of educational institutions.
Offenburg is also home to the University of Applied Sciences Offenburg, with its main campus location in Offenburg, and the other campus in Gengenbach (less than 12 km away).
Cultural heritage
There are several historical attractions in Offenburg including:
- Hirschapotheke is an old pharmacy built in 1698. The Löwenbrunnen (Lions' Fountain) in front of it dates from 1599.[9]
- The City Hall was founded in 1521 and enlarged in a baroque style in 1741.[10]
- Saint Ursula's Column in the middle of the Market Place was erected in 1961. Legend has it that Saint Ursula saved the city in the Thirty Years' War in 1631.
- The Salmen Inn
- The Capuchin Monastery
- The Ritterhaus, a 1784 manor-house that has been converted into the city archives and museum
- The Jewish Bath (Mikveh): a bathhouse belonging to the city's historical Jewish community; it was held to be medieval, but recent research suggests it may be from the 16th or 17th century[11]
- The former Royal Palace (Königshof) built by Michael Ludwig Rohrer 1714 - 1717, now housing the Police station
- A part (1,340 metres) of the medieval city wall built in the 11th century can be visited in the west of the city centre.[12] Zwinger Park in front of the wall with its banana trees is worth a visit as well.
- The Protestant Church (Evangelische Stadtkirche) was built from 1857-1864 in a neogothique style. Its tower was damaged by artillery at the end of World War II.[13]
- Holy Trinity Church (Dreifaltigkeitskirche) was built from 1906 to 1908 in a neoromanesque style and damaged during World War II.[14]
- The Church of the Holy Cross (Heiligkreuzkirche) was built in the 13th century, burnt down in 1689 and was rebuilt at the end of the 17th century.[15]
Sports
Offenburger FV is a German association football club based in the city of Offenburg, Baden-Württemberg. The club is one of the most successful amateur football clubs in Germany.
Notable people
- Lorenz Oken (1779–1851), naturalist
- Johann Hofer (1810–1880), lawyer, lived and died here
- Artur Dinter (1876–1948), writer and politician
- Kurt Baschwitz (1886–1968), journalist
- Emil Sutor (1888–1974), sculptor
- Hermann Vallendor (1894–1974), World War I flying ace
- Hans Furler (1904–1975), politician
- Otto Kumm (1909–2004), senior officer of the Waffen SS
- Aenne Burda (1909–2005), publisher and honorary citizen
- Hanns Martin Schleyer (1915–1977), manager, employer and industry representative
- Hubert Burda (born 1940), publisher and honorary citizen
- Jürgen Todenhöfer (born 1940), author, journalist, politician, and executive
- Martin Wagner (born 1968), footballer
- Jonas Alber (born 1969), conductor and violinist
- Dirk von Lowtzow (born 1971), musician
- Michael Kaeshammer (born 1977), Canadian pianist, vocalist and composer
- Atika Bouagaa (born 1982), volleyball player
- Madeline Juno (born 1995), singer-songwriter
Twin towns – sister cities
Offenburg is twinned with:[16]
- Lons-le-Saunier, France (1959)
- Weiz, Austria (1964)
- Borehamwood, England, United Kingdom (1982)
- Altenburg, Germany (1988)
- Olsztyn, Poland (1999)
- Pietra Ligure, Italy (2007)
Notes
- ^ Aktuelle Wahlergebnisse, Staatsanzeiger, accessed 13 September 2021.
- Statistisches Landesamt Baden-Württemberg. June 2023.
- ISBN 978-0-253-06089-1.
- ^ Peter Nath: Luftkriegsoperationen gegen die Stadt Offenburg im Ersten und Zweiten Weltkrieg, in: Die Ortenau (1990), S. 574-659.
- ^ "Offenburg - mitten in Baden". Stadt Offenburg (in German). Retrieved 9 November 2018.
- ^ "Lufttemperatur: vieljährige Mittelwerte 1991 - 2020" [Air Temperature: Long-term averages for 1991-2020]. dwd.de (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
- ^ "Niederschlag: vieljährige Mittelwerte 1991 - 2020" [Precipitation: Long-term averages for 1991-2020]. dwd.de (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
- ^ "Sonnenscheindauer: vieljährige Mittelwerte 1991 - 2020" [Sunshine: Long-term averages for 1991-2020]. dwd.de (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ Karl Baedeker GmbH: Deutschland 2000, p.723. Ostfildern 2000
- ^ Karl Baedeker GmbH: Deutschland 2000, p.724. Ostfildern 2000
- ^ "Offenburger Judenbad jünger als angenommen (Offenburg Jewish Bath younger than expected)" (PDF) (in German). Amtsblatt der Stadt Offenburg (Official Journal of the town of Offenburg). Retrieved 7 May 2012.
- ^ Information board on the wall, in German and French. The board can be seen at Wikipedia Commons Stadtmauer (Offenburg)
- ^ "Evang. Stadtkirche".
- ^ "Dreifaltigkeitskirche".
- ^ "Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche/Ölberg".
- ^ "Partnerstädte". offenburg.de (in German). Offenburg. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
External links
- Official website
- Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 16. .
- Information about and images (in German)
- (in German) Messe Offenburg-Ortenau (fair Offenburg-Ortenau)
- (in German) Webcam over the Burda-Tower