Schwabmünchen
Encyclopedia
Schwabmünchen is a regional centre in Bavaria
in the administrative region of Swabia
south of Augsburg
in the Augsburg district
.
between Lech
and Wertach
on the western edge of the Lechfeld, a gravel plain. Through the city flows the river Singold. In the west, about 5 km from town in the residential area of Stauden rise the Westliche Wälder, or Western Forests.
as "castellum Mantahinga"
in a biography of Saint Ulrich
, Bishop of Augsburg
. From archaeological
digs in the north of the modern city have come clues of Celtic, Roman
and Alamanni
c peoples dwelling in the area in bygone ages. In 1562, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I
raised the community to market town and bestowed upon it a market town's coat of arms
. In the years from 1804 to 1806, Schwabmünchen came under Bavarian rule, having formerly belonged to the Augsburg Church Estate (Augsburger Hochstift).
On 4 March 1945, late in the Second World War, Schwabmünchen was beset by a heavy air raid
, which killed 60 inhabitants. One fourth of the town was utterly destroyed, and two thirds of it was heavily damaged.
After the war, the population rose dramatically owing to the great number of refugees flowing into the town, and in 1953, Schwabmünchen was raised from market town to city. In 1972, the former district of Schwabmünchen was merged with the district of Wertingen to form the current district of Augsburg
.
1900: 4,751
1939: 5,453
1970: 9,200
2005: 13,806
Since 2008, Lorenz Müller (CSU) has been mayor of Schwabmünchen.
in France
. Giromagny lies 12 km north of Belfort
at the foot of the Vosges mountains
.
Worth seeing is one of Schwabmünchen's landmarks, the Hexentürmchen, or Witches' turrets, flanking a gateway at the city hall that once led into the episcopal Straßvogtei, or "road bailiwick", the name given the area for the important ancient road that led through it. The turrets were apparently built in the sixteenth century.
Another thing to see is the Strickerbrunnen, or "Knitter Fountain", at Schrannenplatz. It was created by sculptor Karl-Ulrich Nuss. To the right and the left, underneath the knitter stand a lamb and a goat. According to one story, if two people sit on these animals at the same time, they will be lifelong friends.
Every year on the last weekend of September, the local fair Michaelimarkt takes place.
and Augsburg
.
Through ringroads and feeder roads, the town is connected with Bundesstraße (Federal Highway) 17 which leads to Augsburg
and Landsberg am Lech
, and which is built quite similarly to an Autobahn.
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...
in the administrative region of Swabia
Swabia (administrative region)
Swabia is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany.- Geography :Swabia is located in southwest Bavaria. It was formed out of the part of the historic region of Swabia which was annexed by Bavaria in 1803. It was once formally ruled by dukes of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. During...
south of Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
in the Augsburg district
Augsburg (district)
Augsburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the city of Augsburg and the districts of Aichach-Friedberg, Landsberg, Ostallgäu, Unterallgäu, Günzburg, Dillingen and Donau-Ries...
.
Location
Schwabmünchen lies about 20 km south of AugsburgAugsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
between Lech
Lech River
The Lech is a river in Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube in length with a drainage basin of .Its source is located in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, where the river rises from lake Formarinsee in the Alps at an altitude of...
and Wertach
Wertach River
The Wertach is a river in Bavaria, southern Germany, left tributary of the Lech. Its total length is 151 km. The Wertach originates in the Northern Limestone Alps, in Bad Hindelang, east of Sonthofen . It flows north along the towns Wertach, Nesselwang, Marktoberdorf, Kaufbeuren, Schwabmünchen and...
on the western edge of the Lechfeld, a gravel plain. Through the city flows the river Singold. In the west, about 5 km from town in the residential area of Stauden rise the Westliche Wälder, or Western Forests.
Neighbouring communities
North of Schwabmünchen, about 3 km away, lies Großaitingen. Furthermore, Schwabmünchen is surrounded by Untermeitingen to the southeast, Langerringen to the south and Hiltenfingen to the southwest, as well as, about 10 km away in the Stauden – an area of gentle wooded hills and cultivated dales – Mickhausen to the northwest.City divisions
In 1978, as a result of Bavarian municipal reform, the following communities were amalgamated into Schwabmünchen:- Birkach, with a population today of 186, was mentioned in a document as early as 969969Year 969 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Byzantine Empire :* December 11 – John I Tzimiskes becomes Byzantine Emperor after assassinating Nikephoros II Phokas....
under the name "Pirichah" as a domain of Saint Stephen's Convent ("Kloster St. Stephan") in Augsburg. It lies about 7 km from Schwabmünchen in the Schwarzachtal (valley).
- Klimmach, with a population today of 255 already existed in the early Middle AgesMiddle AgesThe Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, but was only first mentioned in a document in 1482. Klimmach is an important pilgrimagePilgrimageA pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
place in the Bishopric of Augsburg. Klimmach lies about 6 km west from Schwabmünchen on the heights between the Wertach Plain ("Wertachebene") and the Schwarzachtal.
- Mittelstetten with 571 inhabitants.
- Schwabegg, which today has 781 inhabitants, had its first documentary mention in 1110. It lies about 5 km west of Schwabmünchen at the edge of the rise towards the Stauden area and the Wertach Plain.
History
Schwabmünchen was first mentioned in writing in 954954
Year 954 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* King Máel Coluim I of Scotland is killed in battle against the Highlanders...
as "castellum Mantahinga"
in a biography of Saint Ulrich
Ulrich of Augsburg
Saint Ulrich , sometimes spelled Uodalric or Odalrici, was Bishop of Augsburg and a leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany. He was the first saint to be canonized.-Family:...
, Bishop of Augsburg
Bishop of Augsburg
The Bishop of Augsburg is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Augsburg in the Ecclesiastical province of München und Freising.The diocese covers an area of 13,250 km².The current bishop is Konrad Zdarsa who was appointed in 2010....
. From archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
digs in the north of the modern city have come clues of Celtic, Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and Alamanni
Alamanni
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 peoples dwelling in the area in bygone ages. In 1562, Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
raised the community to market town and bestowed upon it a market town's coat of arms
Coat 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...
. In the years from 1804 to 1806, Schwabmünchen came under Bavarian rule, having formerly belonged to the Augsburg Church Estate (Augsburger Hochstift).
On 4 March 1945, late in the Second World War, Schwabmünchen was beset by a heavy air raid
Airstrike
An air strike is an attack on a specific objective by military aircraft during an offensive mission. Air strikes are commonly delivered from aircraft such as fighters, bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters, and others...
, which killed 60 inhabitants. One fourth of the town was utterly destroyed, and two thirds of it was heavily damaged.
After the war, the population rose dramatically owing to the great number of refugees flowing into the town, and in 1953, Schwabmünchen was raised from market town to city. In 1972, the former district of Schwabmünchen was merged with the district of Wertingen to form the current district of Augsburg
Augsburg (district)
Augsburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the city of Augsburg and the districts of Aichach-Friedberg, Landsberg, Ostallgäu, Unterallgäu, Günzburg, Dillingen and Donau-Ries...
.
Population growth
1840: 3,438 inhabitants1900: 4,751
1939: 5,453
1970: 9,200
2005: 13,806
Politics
Distribution of places on the 24-seat city council (as of municipal elections in 2008) is as follows:- CSU: 13 seats
- SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
: 4 seats - Freie Wählervereinigung (citizens' coalition): 7 seats
Since 2008, Lorenz Müller (CSU) has been mayor of Schwabmünchen.
City partnership
Since 7 June 1975, there has been a city partnership between Schwabmünchen and the city of GiromagnyGiromagny
Giromagny is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France.-External links:*...
in France
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...
. Giromagny lies 12 km north of Belfort
Belfort
Belfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-...
at the foot of the Vosges mountains
Vosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
.
Culture and sightseeing
Another thing to see is the Strickerbrunnen, or "Knitter Fountain", at Schrannenplatz. It was created by sculptor Karl-Ulrich Nuss. To the right and the left, underneath the knitter stand a lamb and a goat. According to one story, if two people sit on these animals at the same time, they will be lifelong friends.
Every year on the last weekend of September, the local fair Michaelimarkt takes place.
Transport
Schwabmünchen is the terminal stop on the Augsburger Verkehrsverbund, the Augsburg area's transport system. Trains run half-hourly to BuchloeBuchloe
Buchloe is a community raised to city status in 1954, lying in Ostallgäu district in Bavaria. Together with the neighbouring communities of Jengen, Lamerdingen and Waal, Buchloe belongs to the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Buchloe.-Geography and transport:Buchloe lies right on Bundesautobahn 96 ...
and Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
.
Through ringroads and feeder roads, the town is connected with Bundesstraße (Federal Highway) 17 which leads to Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
and Landsberg am Lech
Landsberg am Lech
Landsberg am Lech is a town in southwest Bavaria, Germany, about 65 kilometers west of Munich and 35 kilometers south of Augsburg. It is the capital of the district of Landsberg am Lech....
, and which is built quite similarly to an Autobahn.
Established enterprises
- Schöffel Sportbekleidung GmbH (sportswear)
- OsramOsramOsram, founded 1919, is part of the industry sector of Siemens AG and one of the two leading lighting manufacturers in the world. The name is derived from osmium and Wolfram , as both these elements were commonly used for lighting filaments at the time the company was founded...
wire and chemical works - Kalenderwerk Zettler
- Eberle spring factory
- CTP GmbH
Sons and daughters of the city
- Leonhard Wagner (1453–1522), the most important calligrapherCalligraphyCalligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
of the late German RenaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
, after whom the city's HauptschuleHauptschuleA Hauptschule is a secondary school in Germany and Austria, starting after 4 years of elementary schooling, which offers Lower Secondary Education according to the International Standard Classification of Education...
, RealschuleRealschuleThe Realschule is a type of secondary school in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia , Denmark , Sweden , Hungary and in the Russian Empire .-History:The Realschule was an outgrowth of the rationalism and empiricism of the seventeenth and...
and GymnasiumGymnasium (school)A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
are named. - Prof. Dr. Werner Huß (1936- ), ancient historianAncient historyAncient history is the study of the written past from the beginning of recorded human history to the Early Middle Ages. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, with Cuneiform script, the oldest discovered form of coherent writing, from the protoliterate period around the 30th century BC...
- Claudia VecchiarelliClaudia VecchiarelliClaudia Vecchiarelli , is a contemporary Italian-German naive painter, whose favourite subjects are Italian landscapes ....
(1978- ), naïveNaïve artNaïve art is a classification of art that is often characterized by a childlike simplicity in its subject matter and technique. While many naïve artists appear, from their works, to have little or no formal art training, this is often not true...
painter - Peter SeitzPeter SeitzPeter Seitz is a graphic designer, author, teacher and business owner who served as the first Design Director at The Walker Art Center , and helped establish the graphic design program at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.-Early career and education:Born in Schwabmünchen, Germany in 1931,...
(1931- ) Graphic Designer, Author, Professor, Business Owner