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Beilstein (Württemberg)
Encyclopedia
Beilstein is a town in the district of Heilbronn
in Baden-Württemberg
in southern Germany
. It is situated 14 km southeast of Heilbronn
. Beilstein is on the Württemberg wine route (Württemberger Weinstraße).
, Großbottwar
(both in the district of Ludwigsburg
), Ilsfeld
, Abstatt
, Lauffen am Neckar (exclave Etzlenswenden), Löwenstein
(all in the district of Heilbronn) and Spiegelberg
(Rems-Murr-Kreis
). The village Farnersberg is an exclave between Untergruppenbach
in the north and Lauffen's exclave Stadtwald Etzlenswenden in the south. Beilstein has combined with Abstatt, Ilsfeld and Untergruppenbach to form a joint association of administrations called Schozach-Bottwartal.
around 1200. Around 1150 a Dietherich von Bilstein is first mentioned. The owners presumably were subjects of the Lords of Vaihingen and Löwenstein. Overlordship passed to the Margraves of Baden in 1234. The town was first mentioned in 1245 and promoted to town status between 1250 and 1288. It was first described as a town in 1304 and changed its owners several times. Ulrich IV
and Eberhard II
gave the town to emperor Charles IV
who returned it as a fief. After any assumption of office the fief was given to the next emperor or count until the 18th century. In the 14th century a city wall was built. Beilstein also was an office and residential town of the Vogt
.
The Reformation came to the town around 1534–35. In 1540 a Latin school was founded.
Thirty Years' War held between Catholics and Protestants claimed many victims by acts of war, epidemics and famines. In 1622, the Battle of Wimpfen
was fought near Beilstein.
First complaints occurred when soldiers were quartered with the town in 1623. Many horses were stolen. Bavarian soldiers occupied trade routes to Heilbronn and Schwäbisch Hall, so there was no possibility to buy grain when there was a huge crop failure. In 1628 there were further losses due to the invasion of Wallenstein's troops, demanding 65 bushels of grain in 1629.
The Battle of Nördlingen
led to much disease. Eberhard III
fled to Straßburg
, so victorious imperial troops looted and burned down many towns and villages. Further rise in prices, hunger and epidemics resulted. Nursing of the sick, monthly requisitions, the building of a soldiers' hospital and quartering of soldiers impoverished the population. The number of Beilstein's inhabitants decreased so far that there were just 39 houses habitable in 1641.
Finally the Peace of Westphalia
of 1648 ended a quarter-century of suffering. People were able to rebuild their villages, fields, and vineyards. The number of habitable houses increased from 39 in 1641 to 117 in 1655.
, where Württemberg's troops beat them and forced them back. During the second invasion the French destroyed Marbach and advanced to Großbottwar, Oberstenfeld, Beilstein and Auenstein. Beilstein was burned down almost completely: 105 houses, 30 barns, and the town hall were destroyed. During the next three decades the town was rebuilt according to plans of architect Matthias Weiß of 1693.
According to a reorganization of Württemberg's departments Beilstein was seat of Oberamt Beilstein between 1803 and 1806. However, four years later it was merged with the Oberamt Marbach. This became part of the district of Heilbronn in 1938. Around 1840 the town began to knock down its town gates and to expand. Further poverty led to a decrease of population. Many people moved to bigger towns or emigrated. Between 1851 and 1860 67 people emigrated.
The Bottwartalbahn opened gradually between 1894 and 1900 and led to a certain upswing to villages along the railroad. However, settlement of industry stayed backward. In 1907–08 a public water supply was installed. In 1911 a connection to the power station of Pleidelsheim and Beihingen took place.
took place in Beilstein 1933. Since no Jews lived in the town, no antisemitic actions occurred. From 1933 to 1937 different parts of the Wehrmacht
were stationed here. On July 12, 1935, the first medical examination for military service took place. In August 1934 there was a decree to build air-raid shelters. After the outbreak of war in 1939 several prisoners of war were quartered in Beilstein.
Until 1944 Beilstein stayed nearly undamaged. There were just three attacks of fighter-bombers causing little damage of property. From February 1944 to April 1945 there were further six attacks causing three casualties and four damaged houses.
In March 1945 the front line came nearer, and army units entered the town, which became the target of a heavy air-raid in the afternoon of April 16, 1945. By this attack nearly 40% of the whole town was destroyed, so it was one of the most affected places of the region. The next night it was very difficult to extinguish all the fires. All the civil population just cared about their own houses and didn't really help the fire brigade.
On April 16 there was still heavy resistance of the Germans. The Americans changed their plans and tried to take the town by encircling it. There were several casualties of these actions. The Germans had an advantage since they knew the area. In the morning of April 19, 1945, the first American tanks entered Beilstein despite tank traps. The Battle of Beilstein took the whole day; military action continued until 11 p.m.
After 1970 the population increased heavily since Beilstein became attractive to commuters driving to Heilbronn, Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart. By a state program of redevelopment decisive resolutions occurred in 1982 to change the town's image.
The mayor is also a member of the district council and its chairman.
Blazon
: In red a hexagonal silver stone with three silver hatchets all around. The town colours are white and red.
Until the 17th century the seals of Beilstein showed just one hatchet being the Fleckenzeichen simultaneously. From 1579 to 1641 the empty surface around the hatchet was filled with roses
. The canting arms
have been used since 1583, but the colours changed several times. The district council of Beilstein confirmed the current form of arms on February 5, 1930.
in the French
Département
Seine-et-Marne
.
Above Beilstein is Hohenbeilstein Castle, built in the 11th century but fell into ruin five centuries later. It was rebuilt in the 19th century and contains both a restaurant and a falconry
today.
Halfway between castle and town is the Unteres Schloss (Lower Castle). It was built in 1907 by Robert Vollmoeller. The Unteres Schloss is the conference venue of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg
since 1960.
The Church of the Magdalene was built in the Romanesque period. In 1805 its use as a church ended, and thereafter it served as a military hospital, ammunition dump, and a gym. Later it decayed. In 1850 the choir was torn down. In 1955 it was rebuilt as a youth hostel.
The town hall is a baroque timber building. After its destruction in 1693 it was rebuilt from 1703 to 1710. Even other timber buildings show the reconstruction of the town, e. g. the neighbouring Alte Schmiede (old smithy). Also a new Alte Kelter (old wine-press) was built in 1698 instead of an older one.
The Sankt-Anna-Kirche was presumably built in 1470 in place of an older church. It has been Beilstein's municipal church since 1800. It was completely redeveloped from 1988 to 1990.
Since 2004 a historical round tour invites to discover Beilstein and its environs. Within the other villages and hamlets there are further notable buildings.
Oberes Bottwartal offers education in swimming and lifesaving inside the mineral pool bath Oberes Bottwartal. The sports club TGV Eintracht Beilstein offers handball, football, swimming and other sports.
, Trollinger
and Lemberger
grow here. By the Rebflurbereinigung
all vineyards have been reorganized from 1966 to 1980. The yards belong to the wine region of Württemberg
. Until recently wine-growing has been the main source of income.
to Heilbronn
. This rail road has been laid up in 1968. Today public transport is ensured by buses of VVS
and H3NV
.
.
Heilbronn (district)
Heilbronn is a district in the north of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Neckar-Odenwald, Hohenlohe, Schwäbisch Hall, Rems-Murr, Ludwigsburg, Enz, Karlsruhe and Rhein-Neckar...
in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
in southern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is situated 14 km southeast of Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
. Beilstein is on the Württemberg wine route (Württemberger Weinstraße).
Geography
Beilstein is situated in the south of the district of Heilbronn. The town is crossed by the Söhlbach, a tributary of the Bottwar. The communal land of Beilstein includes big parts of the Löwenstein Mountains.Neighbouring municipalities
Neighbouring towns and municipalities of Beilstein are (clockwise from the south): OberstenfeldOberstenfeld
Oberstenfeld is a town in the district of Ludwigsburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is located about 40 km north of Stuttgart.-Geography:...
, Großbottwar
Großbottwar
Großbottwar is a town in the Ludwigsburg district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It sits within the Neckar River basin and is located on a tourist route through the Württemberg wine region. The Großbottwar region has been inhabited since at least the Stone Age and was occupied by the Romans...
(both in the district of Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg (district)
Ludwigsburg is a district in the middle of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Heilbronn, Rems-Murr, the district-free city Stuttgart, and the districts Böblingen and Enz.-History:...
), Ilsfeld
Ilsfeld
Ilsfeld is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Ilsfeld is twinned with Ottery St Mary , Auenstein and Moşna ....
, Abstatt
Abstatt
Abstatt is a municipality in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.- Geography :Abstatt is situated in the south of the district of Heilbronn at the Schozach river...
, Lauffen am Neckar (exclave Etzlenswenden), Löwenstein
Löwenstein
Löwenstein is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was first mentioned in 1123. The castle of Löwenstein served as a residence for the counts of Löwenstein-Wertheim. In 1634 the castle was destroyed by the imperial forces....
(all in the district of Heilbronn) and Spiegelberg
Spiegelberg
Spiegelberg is a town in the district of Rems-Murr in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.The name of the town refers to 18th century glass production on the hills, with mirror polishing being done in the valley of the Lauter river....
(Rems-Murr-Kreis
Rems-Murr-Kreis
Rems-Murr is a district in the middle of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Heilbronn, Schwäbisch Hall, Ostalbkreis, Göppingen, Esslingen, the district-free city Stuttgart and the district Ludwigsburg....
). The village Farnersberg is an exclave between Untergruppenbach
Untergruppenbach
Untergruppenbach is a municipality near Heilbronn, a city in the northern half of the German state Baden-Württemberg.There are a total of 7,600 inhabitants living in six villages that form the municipality of Untergruppenbach. Approximately 5,100 live in Untergruppenbach, Donnbronn and...
in the north and Lauffen's exclave Stadtwald Etzlenswenden in the south. Beilstein has combined with Abstatt, Ilsfeld and Untergruppenbach to form a joint association of administrations called Schozach-Bottwartal.
Town structure
Apart from the town itself Beilstein consists of the villages Hohenbeilstein and Schmidhausen. The hamlets Etzlenswenden, Farnersberg and Stocksberg also belong to Beilstein. The neighbouring hill Stocksberg is the highest one of the Löwenstein Mountains, however, it doesn't belong to the communal land of Beilstein. There are also the hamlets Söhlbach, Obere Öhlmühle, Steinberg and Untere Ölmühle. The hamlets Billensbach, Gagernberg, Jettenbach, Kaisersbach, Klingen and Maad belong to Schmidhausen.Foundation in Middle Ages
According to several documents it's presumed that Beilstein developed in Middle Ages underneath Hohenbeilstein Castle. The castle was built around 1080 and received castle wallsCastle Walls
"Castle Walls" is a song by American rapper T.I., from his seventh studio album No Mercy. The song features Pop/R&B singer Christina Aguilera, and was produced by Alex da Kid....
around 1200. Around 1150 a Dietherich von Bilstein is first mentioned. The owners presumably were subjects of the Lords of Vaihingen and Löwenstein. Overlordship passed to the Margraves of Baden in 1234. The town was first mentioned in 1245 and promoted to town status between 1250 and 1288. It was first described as a town in 1304 and changed its owners several times. Ulrich IV
Ulrich IV, Count of Württemberg
Ulrich IV of Württemberg , Count of Württemberg. He reigned, together with his brother Eberhard II from 1344 until 1362....
and Eberhard II
Eberhard II, Count of Württemberg
Eberhard II, called "der Greiner" , Count of Württemberg from 1344 until 1392.Eberhard II was son of Count Ulrich III of Württemberg and Sofie of Pfirt. He married Countess Elizabeth von Henneberg-Schleusingen on September 17, 1342...
gave the town to emperor Charles IV
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
who returned it as a fief. After any assumption of office the fief was given to the next emperor or count until the 18th century. In the 14th century a city wall was built. Beilstein also was an office and residential town of the Vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
.
The Reformation came to the town around 1534–35. In 1540 a Latin school was founded.
Thirty Years' War
Battle of Wimpfen
The Battle of Wimpfen was a battle in the Bohemian Revolt period of the Thirty Years' War on 6 May 1622 near Wimpfen. The forces of the Holy Roman Empire and Catholic League under Marshal Tilly and Gonzalo de Córdoba defeated the Protestant forces of General Ernst von Mansfeld and Georg Friedrich,...
was fought near Beilstein.
First complaints occurred when soldiers were quartered with the town in 1623. Many horses were stolen. Bavarian soldiers occupied trade routes to Heilbronn and Schwäbisch Hall, so there was no possibility to buy grain when there was a huge crop failure. In 1628 there were further losses due to the invasion of Wallenstein's troops, demanding 65 bushels of grain in 1629.
The Battle of Nördlingen
Battle of Nördlingen (1634)
The Battle of Nördlingen was fought on 27 August or 6 September , 1634 during the Thirty Years' War. The Roman Catholic Imperial army, bolstered by 18,000 Spanish and Italian soldiers, won a crushing victory over the combined Protestant armies of Sweden and their German-Protestant allies .After...
led to much disease. Eberhard III
Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg
Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg ruled as Duke of Württemberg from 1628 until his death in 1674....
fled to Straßburg
Strasburg
-Places:*Strasbourg, a city in Alsace *Straßburg, Austria, in Carinthia*Strasburg, Germany, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania*the former name of Brodnica, became Polish after World War I*Strassburg, the German name for Aiud, Alba...
, so victorious imperial troops looted and burned down many towns and villages. Further rise in prices, hunger and epidemics resulted. Nursing of the sick, monthly requisitions, the building of a soldiers' hospital and quartering of soldiers impoverished the population. The number of Beilstein's inhabitants decreased so far that there were just 39 houses habitable in 1641.
Finally the Peace of Westphalia
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October of 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the...
of 1648 ended a quarter-century of suffering. People were able to rebuild their villages, fields, and vineyards. The number of habitable houses increased from 39 in 1641 to 117 in 1655.
Nine Years' War
During Nine Years' War there were several invasions by French troops after 1688. Once the French were able to advance to LauffenLauffen
Lauffen am Neckar is a town in the district of Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Neckar, 9 km southwest of Heilbronn...
, where Württemberg's troops beat them and forced them back. During the second invasion the French destroyed Marbach and advanced to Großbottwar, Oberstenfeld, Beilstein and Auenstein. Beilstein was burned down almost completely: 105 houses, 30 barns, and the town hall were destroyed. During the next three decades the town was rebuilt according to plans of architect Matthias Weiß of 1693.
Beilstein in the 19th century
The Bottwartalbahn opened gradually between 1894 and 1900 and led to a certain upswing to villages along the railroad. However, settlement of industry stayed backward. In 1907–08 a public water supply was installed. In 1911 a connection to the power station of Pleidelsheim and Beihingen took place.
Time of national socialism
As everywhere the GleichschaltungGleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung , meaning "coordination", "making the same", "bringing into line", is a Nazi term for the process by which the Nazi regime successively established a system of totalitarian control and tight coordination over all aspects of society. The historian Richard J...
took place in Beilstein 1933. Since no Jews lived in the town, no antisemitic actions occurred. From 1933 to 1937 different parts of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
were stationed here. On July 12, 1935, the first medical examination for military service took place. In August 1934 there was a decree to build air-raid shelters. After the outbreak of war in 1939 several prisoners of war were quartered in Beilstein.
In March 1945 the front line came nearer, and army units entered the town, which became the target of a heavy air-raid in the afternoon of April 16, 1945. By this attack nearly 40% of the whole town was destroyed, so it was one of the most affected places of the region. The next night it was very difficult to extinguish all the fires. All the civil population just cared about their own houses and didn't really help the fire brigade.
On April 16 there was still heavy resistance of the Germans. The Americans changed their plans and tried to take the town by encircling it. There were several casualties of these actions. The Germans had an advantage since they knew the area. In the morning of April 19, 1945, the first American tanks entered Beilstein despite tank traps. The Battle of Beilstein took the whole day; military action continued until 11 p.m.
Present
Repairing the damages of World War II took until 1955. Then new growth started in Beilstein. Between 1956 and 1971 new building sites containing around 280 houses were created. On July 1, 1971, the municipality Schmidhausen was incorporated into Beilstein.After 1970 the population increased heavily since Beilstein became attractive to commuters driving to Heilbronn, Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart. By a state program of redevelopment decisive resolutions occurred in 1982 to change the town's image.
District council
Following the municipal election of 13 June 2004, the district council of Beilstein has 19 seats. The election result is as follows:| party | amount | seats | ||
| FWG | 45.0% | (+1.3) | 9 | (=) |
| CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
25.0% | (+5.6) | 5 | (+1) |
| SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
16.1% | (−4.1) | 3 | (−1) |
| FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... / DVP Democratic People's Party (Germany) Democratic People's Party was the name of two liberal parties in southern Germany. It is not to be confused with the Deutsche Volkspartei of 1918 which used the same abbreviation DVP.... |
13.8% | (+1.0) | 2 | (=) |
The mayor is also a member of the district council and its chairman.
Arms and flag
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
: In red a hexagonal silver stone with three silver hatchets all around. The town colours are white and red.
Until the 17th century the seals of Beilstein showed just one hatchet being the Fleckenzeichen simultaneously. From 1579 to 1641 the empty surface around the hatchet was filled with roses
Rose (heraldry)
The rose is a common device in heraldry. It is often used both as a charge on a coat of arms and by itself as a heraldic badge. The heraldic rose has a stylized form consisting of five symmetrical lobes, five barbs, and a circular seed. The rose is one of the most common plant symbols in...
. The canting arms
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
have been used since 1583, but the colours changed several times. The district council of Beilstein confirmed the current form of arms on February 5, 1930.
Twin town
Since 1984 there is a relationship with Pontault-CombaultPontault-Combault
Pontault-Combault is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the eastern suburbs of Paris from the center.-History:...
in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Département
Départements of France
The departments of France are French administrative divisions. The 101 departments form one of the three levels of local government, together with the 22 metropolitan and 5 overseas regions above them and more than 36 000 communes beneath them...
Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
.
Notable buildings
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
today.
Halfway between castle and town is the Unteres Schloss (Lower Castle). It was built in 1907 by Robert Vollmoeller. The Unteres Schloss is the conference venue of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg
Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg
The Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg is a Protestant church in the German former state of Württemberg, now the part of the state Baden-Württemberg. The seat of the church is in Stuttgart.It is a full member of the Evangelical Church in Germany , and is a Lutheran Church...
since 1960.
The Church of the Magdalene was built in the Romanesque period. In 1805 its use as a church ended, and thereafter it served as a military hospital, ammunition dump, and a gym. Later it decayed. In 1850 the choir was torn down. In 1955 it was rebuilt as a youth hostel.
The town hall is a baroque timber building. After its destruction in 1693 it was rebuilt from 1703 to 1710. Even other timber buildings show the reconstruction of the town, e. g. the neighbouring Alte Schmiede (old smithy). Also a new Alte Kelter (old wine-press) was built in 1698 instead of an older one.
The Sankt-Anna-Kirche was presumably built in 1470 in place of an older church. It has been Beilstein's municipal church since 1800. It was completely redeveloped from 1988 to 1990.
Since 2004 a historical round tour invites to discover Beilstein and its environs. Within the other villages and hamlets there are further notable buildings.
Sports and leisure
The DLRGDLRG
The Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft e.V. is a relief organization for life saving in Germany. The DLRG is a non-profit, independent organization based on volunteers.-Tasks:...
Oberes Bottwartal offers education in swimming and lifesaving inside the mineral pool bath Oberes Bottwartal. The sports club TGV Eintracht Beilstein offers handball, football, swimming and other sports.
Regular events
In the Weinbergfest underneath Hohenbeilstein Castle taking place every last weekend in July there are shown Beilstein's sparklings and wines. Further celebrations are the Stadtfest and the Andreasmarkt. The Bottwartal-Marathon passes Beilstein.Economy and infrastructure
Wine-growing
Beilstein is known nationwide for its wine. Especially RieslingRiesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
, Trollinger
Trollinger
Trollinger is a light-red, late-maturing wine grape variety that was originally cultivated in the wine regions of South Tyrol and Trentino.It probably reached the southern regions of Germany during Roman times...
and Lemberger
Blaufränkisch
Blaufränkisch is a dark-skinned variety of grape used for red wine. Blaufränkisch, which is a late-ripening variety gives red wines which are typically rich in tannin and may exhibit a pronounced spicy character...
grow here. By the Rebflurbereinigung
Flurbereinigung
Flurbereinigung is the German word used to describe land reforms in various countries, especially Germany and Austria. The term can best be translated as land consolidation. Another European country where those land reforms have been carried out is France...
all vineyards have been reorganized from 1966 to 1980. The yards belong to the wine region of Württemberg
Württemberg (wine region)
Württemberg is a region for quality wine in Germany, and is located in the historical region of Württemberg in southwestern Germany, which today forms part of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. Under German wine legislation, Württemberg and Baden are separate wine regions.With under vine in...
. Until recently wine-growing has been the main source of income.
Traffic
Beilstein is a station of the Bottwartalbahn running from Marbach am NeckarMarbach am Neckar
Marbach am Neckar is a town on the river Neckar in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The nearest larger cities are Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart ....
to Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
. This rail road has been laid up in 1968. Today public transport is ensured by buses of VVS
Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund Stuttgart
The Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund Stuttgart is a regional transport cooperative that coordinates tickets and fares among all transport operators in the metropolitan area of Stuttgart in Germany...
and H3NV
Heilbronner Hohenloher Haller Nahverkehr
The Heilbronner Hohenloher Haller Nahverkehr is a regional transport cooperative that coordinates tickets and fares among all transport operators in the metropolitan area of Heilbronn in Germany. Besides the city of Heilbronn, the H3NV area encompasses the districts of Heilbronn and Hohenlohe...
.
Media
About happenings in Beilstein informs the daily newspaper Heilbronner Stimme. Besides there's a paper called Marbacher Zeitung/Bottwartalbote (part of the Stuttgarter Nachrichten). Every Friday appears the town's office paper.Public institutions
- The spa of Beilstein contains a 25m pool, children's area and sauna. It's open from September until May.
- The spa Oberes Bottwartal runs in cooperation with Oberstenfeld and is open from May until September. There are more than 1,000 parking spaces at its disposal.
Education
There are local schools like a primary school and Hauptschule including Werkrealschule called Langhansschule named after the Bergfried of Hohenbeilstein Castle. There's also the Herzog-Christoph-Gymnasium. Besides Beilstein has its own folk high schoolFolk high school
Folk high schools are institutions for adult education that generally do not grant academic degrees, though certain courses might exist leading to that goal...
.
Sons of the town
- Valentin Vannus (* 1495 in Beilstein als Valentin Wannenmacher; † 1567), Protestant reformer.
- Matthäus Braun (* December 3, 1737; † April 10, 1819 in Brackenheim), poet.
- Immanuel Niethammer (* March 26, 1766; † July 11, 1805) theologian and philosopher.
- Franz Joseph Damian JunghannsFranz Joseph Damian JunghannsFranz Joseph Damian Junghanns was a Jurist and leader in the Baden Revolution of 1848...
(* November 29, 1800 in Stocksberg; † 1870 in Bühl), politician - Julius Krais (* November 29, 1807; † November 30, 1878 in Tübingen), prayer and poet
Further resident personalities
- Hans PurrmannHans PurrmannHans Marsilius Purrmann was a German artist. He was born in Speyer where he also grew up. He completed an apprenticeship as a scene painter and interior decorator, and subsequently studied in Karlsruhe and Munich before going to Paris in 1906. It was here he became a student and later a friend of...
(1880–1966), painter, lived in Beilstein from 1914 to 1916 and had made several paintings of the town and its region - Peter Jakob Schober (1897–1983), painter, lived in Billensbach for 40 years
- Rudolf Yelin Jun. (1902–1991), painter, lived in Billensbach
Literature and sources
- Otto Rohn und Dietmar Rupp (Hrsg.): Beilstein in Geschichte und Gegenwart. Stadt Beilstein, Beilstein 1983
External links
- www.beilstein.de official website (in German)