Karlstein am Main
Encyclopedia
Karlstein am Main is a community in the Aschaffenburg district
in the Regierungsbezirk
of Lower Franconia
(Unterfranken) in Bavaria
, Germany
.
, 16 km northwest of Aschaffenburg.
c settlement (3rd to 14th century), and the placename Großwelzheim a Frankish
one.
in 772. Then, the village was called Walinesheim. The placename has the —heim ending that was typical for places founded in Frankish times. The name comes from a count named Walah who held sway in the Maingau.
Dettingen had its first documentary mention in a donation document from Emperor Otto II
.
The War of the Austrian Succession
brought about, among other things, a battle in the Karlstein area on 27 June 1743, the Battle of Dettingen. The so-called “Pragmatic Army”, made up of 35,000 Britons, Hanoverians and Austrians and under British King George II’s
command, found itself fighting a 70,000-strong French
army. The Pragmatic Army overcame the French, thus giving rise to the legend of the “Wandering Englishman”, which has been handed down in Dettingen to this day. Furthermore, George Frideric Handel
wrote the Dettingen Te Deum
in honour of the British victory, which was first performed on 27 November 1743 – exactly 5 months after the battle began – in George II’s presence.
(who is called Karl der Große in German
). Charlemagne often found himself in Seligenstadt
, right across the river, and was much given to hunting in the Spessart
. To reach there, he would cross the Main in his ship to the place then still known as Tettingen. The stone at the landing, or even the limit stone between Tettingen and Walinesheim, then came to be known as Karlstein.
(as at municipal election held on 2 March 2008)
might be described thus: Party per fess wavy, azure the Cross of Dettingen argent, argent an atom symbol with three orbits of the first and a nucleus gules.
The wavy parting refers to the community’s location on the Main, which is also part of the community’s name. Since the community was formed out of the two former communities of Dettingen and Großwelzheim in 1975, the arms display charge
s from each former community’s arms. The uniquely shaped cross above the parting is the so-called Cross of Dettingen (or Dettinger Kreuz in German
). It comes from Late Gothic times and is found in Saint Hippolytus’s Church (Kirche St. Hippolyt) in the constituent community of Dettingen. The atom symbol below the parting is taken from the arms formerly borne by the community of Großwelzheim. Within community limits, Germany’s first nuclear power
station was built, although it was only experimental. In 1960, it began feeding electricity into the power grid. The reactor was shut down in 1985, and by the end of 2008, it had been fully removed.
The arms have been borne since 13 October 1977.
, which despite the name is wholly within Karlstein’s limits, came into service. The neighbouring community of Kahl am Main
merely stood godfather at the christening. On 25 November 1985, after running for 25 years, the power station was shut down. In 1988 began the first dismantling work, which ended by late 2008.
On the same lands stood the Großwelzheim hot steam reactor, which has been fully dismantled since 1998.
Aschaffenburg (district)
Aschaffenburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Darmstadt-Dieburg, Offenbach, Main-Kinzig , the districts Main-Spessart and Miltenberg, and the town of Aschaffenburg....
in the Regierungsbezirk
Regierungsbezirk
In Germany, a Government District, in German: Regierungsbezirk – is a subdivision of certain federal states .They are above the Kreise, Landkreise, and kreisfreie Städte...
of Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia is one of the three administrative regions of Franconia in Bavaria , Germany ....
(Unterfranken) in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, 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...
.
Location
Dettingen am Main lies on the River Main, and on the railway between Frankfurt am Main and AschaffenburgAschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg is a city in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg is not considered part of the district of Aschaffenburg, but is the administrative seat.Aschaffenburg is known as the Tor zum Spessart or "gate to the Spessart"...
, 16 km northwest of Aschaffenburg.
Prehistory
Karlstein finds itself on old, historic ground, as witnessed by many finds from before the Christian Era. The placename Dettingen suggests an AlamanniAlamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
c settlement (3rd to 14th century), and the placename Großwelzheim a Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
one.
First mentions
Großwelzheim had its first documentary mention in a donation document from the Lorsch AbbeyLorsch Abbey
The Abbey of Lorsch is a former Imperial Abbey in Lorsch, Germany, about 10 km east of Worms, one of the most renowned monasteries of the Carolingian Empire. Even in its ruined state, its remains are among the most important pre-Romanesque–Carolingian style buildings in Germany...
in 772. Then, the village was called Walinesheim. The placename has the —heim ending that was typical for places founded in Frankish times. The name comes from a count named Walah who held sway in the Maingau.
Dettingen had its first documentary mention in a donation document from Emperor Otto II
Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto II , called the Red, was the third ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty, the son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy.-Early years and co-ruler with Otto I:...
.
Battle of Dettingen
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
brought about, among other things, a battle in the Karlstein area on 27 June 1743, the Battle of Dettingen. The so-called “Pragmatic Army”, made up of 35,000 Britons, Hanoverians and Austrians and under British King George II’s
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
command, found itself fighting a 70,000-strong 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...
army. The Pragmatic Army overcame the French, thus giving rise to the legend of the “Wandering Englishman”, which has been handed down in Dettingen to this day. Furthermore, George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
wrote the Dettingen Te Deum
Dettingen Te Deum
The Dettingen Te Deum is a canticle in D major composed by George Frideric Handel in 1743.-Background:On 27 June 1743, the British army and its allies, under the command of King George II and Lord Stair, won a victory at the Battle of Dettingen, over the French army, commanded by the Maréchal de...
in honour of the British victory, which was first performed on 27 November 1743 – exactly 5 months after the battle began – in George II’s presence.
Amalgamation
In the course of municipal reform in Bavaria came the merger of the two communities of Dettingen and Großwelzheim on 1 July 1975. In a vote, the new community’s citizens decided on the name Karlstein, which had cropped up as early as some time about 1000 in a description of the Aschaffenburg Forest Region, and was also the name given an old community limit stone between Dettingen and Großwelzheim.Name’s origin
The name Karlstein supposedly, according to a traditional anecdote, goes back to CharlemagneCharlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
(who is called Karl der Große in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
). Charlemagne often found himself in Seligenstadt
Seligenstadt
Seligenstadt is a town in the Offenbach district in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. Seligenstadt is one of Germany’s oldest towns and was already of great importance in Carolingian times.-Location:...
, right across the river, and was much given to hunting in the Spessart
Spessart
The Spessart is a low mountain range in northwestern Bavaria and southern Hesse, Germany. It is bordered on three sides by the Main River. The two most important towns located at the foot of the Spessart are Aschaffenburg and Würzburg....
. To reach there, he would cross the Main in his ship to the place then still known as Tettingen. The stone at the landing, or even the limit stone between Tettingen and Walinesheim, then came to be known as Karlstein.
Community council
The council is made up of 20 council members, not counting the mayor.| CSU Christian Social Union of Bavaria The Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany... |
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
GREENS | 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... |
Total | |
| 2008 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 20 seats |
(as at municipal election held on 2 March 2008)
Coat of arms
The community’s armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
might be described thus: Party per fess wavy, azure the Cross of Dettingen argent, argent an atom symbol with three orbits of the first and a nucleus gules.
The wavy parting refers to the community’s location on the Main, which is also part of the community’s name. Since the community was formed out of the two former communities of Dettingen and Großwelzheim in 1975, the arms display charge
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
s from each former community’s arms. The uniquely shaped cross above the parting is the so-called Cross of Dettingen (or Dettinger Kreuz in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
). It comes from Late Gothic times and is found in Saint Hippolytus’s Church (Kirche St. Hippolyt) in the constituent community of Dettingen. The atom symbol below the parting is taken from the arms formerly borne by the community of Großwelzheim. Within community limits, Germany’s first nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
station was built, although it was only experimental. In 1960, it began feeding electricity into the power grid. The reactor was shut down in 1985, and by the end of 2008, it had been fully removed.
The arms have been borne since 13 October 1977.
Nuclear power stations
On 13 November 1960, the Kahl Nuclear Power PlantKahl Nuclear Power Plant
The Kahl plant was the first nuclear power plant ever to be built in Germany. It was located in Karlstein am Main and was an experimental boiling water reactor. It was built by General Electric and supplied by Siemens. At the end of 2008, the demolition works had been finished....
, which despite the name is wholly within Karlstein’s limits, came into service. The neighbouring community of Kahl am Main
Kahl am Main
Kahl am Main is a community in the Aschaffenburg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany.- Location :...
merely stood godfather at the christening. On 25 November 1985, after running for 25 years, the power station was shut down. In 1988 began the first dismantling work, which ended by late 2008.
On the same lands stood the Großwelzheim hot steam reactor, which has been fully dismantled since 1998.