Sternenfels
Encyclopedia
Sternenfels, consisting of the villages of Diefenbach and Sternenfels, is the most northern municipality in the Enz (district)
in Baden-Württemberg
in Germany
. The town is located at the border of the Kraichgau
and Stromberg
regions. Sternenfels is considered a showcase village and was mentioned in several national and European studies and competitions. It is about 20 km from Pforzheim
and close to the UNESCO world heritage site
of Maulbronn
.
and farmer associations. As well the town website has been awarded for its a very active web community. The village has received several prizes in national competitions for renovation projects, beauty and sustainability.
Sternenfels has been the subject of several studies, dealing with regional and rural planning and sustainable development, as well as teleworking and rural industrial development
Sternenfels has been used as a Baden-Württemberg
showcase village at EXPO 2000
and various other congresses and conferences. The expo participation is manifested in a monument on the main road.
Sternenfels is located on an exposed western spur of the east-west running Stromberg
hills. The watershed between Rhine and Neckar
rivers as well as the border between Kraichgau
and Stromberg passes near Sternenfels. The Village of Diefenbach is the site of the Metter spring which runs via the Enz
River to the Neckar
, while the Kraich spring in Sternenfels ends in the Rhine river. Sternenfels is at the crossroads of four different counties - (Karlsruhe
, Heilbronn
, Ludwigsburg
und Enzkreis). It is the starting or end point for several hiking or walking trails as well as part of Württemberg Wine route
from Weikersheim
to Metzingen
. The former Roman road
between Stettfeld
and Bad Cannstatt probably crossed Sternenfels. The municipality became a local tourist destination with several inns and (former) breweries located around the town center.
The climate of Sternenfels is generally mild due to the influence of the neighboring Kraichgau
hills. It has been dubbed the Tuscany
of Baden
. The castle hill, with a height of about 400 m (1,312.3 ft), allows portions of Sternenfels to overlook the neighboring Kraichgau. The major rain storms generally happen earlier in the year than in the rest of the region, though this helps the local vineyard
s. Generally the local soil is comparatively poor and is mainly used for forestry.
is under planning.
The former Sternenfels castle was probably founded at the start of the 11th century by the von Sternenfels family. In 1232, Sternenfels community was mentioned in a deed the first time, since the community has been destroyed and resettled several times, e.g. in the Thirty Years' War
, it did not develop into a bigger settlement. However the peculiar site and a vibrant community life make Sternenfels till today an outstanding municipality. During the 14th century, Sternenfels became part of Württemberg
. The Thirty Years' War
left the village in shambles. Immigrants from Switzerland repopulated the area and 'Schweitzer' is still an important local family name. Near the end of the 17th century, some of the Eppingen Line fortifications were built around and integrated Sternenfels. These fortifications are still visible. The Protestant parish church in Sternenfels was built in the 18th century, the Diefenbach church 1621 according plans of Heinrich Schickhardt.
Sternenfels was the main site of the Sternenfels noble family. Derived from high German nobility
they were related with the Herren von Kürnbach
and mentioned as early as the 12th century. A Cunradus liber de Sterrenvils took over the realm of Kürnbach
as well. 1252 two sons of Cunradus, Cunradus und Wernherus nobiles de Sternvels joined the fatal last voyage of Conradin
to Italy.
Sternenfels has a long industrial history. The local quarries were used to produce masonry and "stubensand", an early abrasive
which was very popular for household cleaning in the 18th and 19th centuries. The town castle, built by the von Kürnbach family and later used by the von Sternenfels, was completely demolished and used to produce stubensand by 1778. In 1866 an observation tower was built and triggered local tourism. Sternenfels image was coined by the "sandbauern", farmers that produced stubensand and wove baskets besides farming. The intensive stubensand production led to damages in the local forests and ongoing conflicts between the community and the sandbauern, which were entitled to excavate stubensandstone in the local forests. The last sand mill was closed in 1935, however sandbauern costumes are still worn sometimes and the sandbauern image is used to promote the village. The site of the castle is still visible in the center of the village. The 14 m high Water tower on the former castle hill was built during 1967 as part of the Lake of Constance Water supply system and styled as a keep
. The tower is open for the public and allows an excellent view both over Kraichgau
and Stromberg
. It includes as well an historic exhibition about the local nobility and geology.
The Late Triassic
Stuben Sandstone
formation (German: Stubensandstein, the source of Stubensand) around Sternenfels contains as well small amounts of gold
. Christopher Bechtler
—a citizen and jeweler of Pforzheim
—demonstrated
a gold sluice
, he had invented. The two day trial caused major public attraction since Bechtler invited the farmers to have huge amount of stubensand washed. Bechtler was not very successful in Sternenfels but later became a millionaire in the United States— Bechtler invented and coined the first Gold dollar
s.
Sternenfels has attracted several companies in electronics, mechanical instruments and machinery and is still an industrial village. After World War I, a local tobacco and cigar manufacturer played an important role in the local job market. As well the Schweitzer factory, an industrial complex founded around 1900 producing measurement devices provided over hundred work places but closed down 1995. The site was converted in an innovation center allowing small companies sharing basic facilities and as well teleworking work places.
The Sternenfels Workers Guild founded 1875 was one of the first social democratic local organizations in the German southwest. Bismarcks Anti-Socialist Laws
and as well Sternenfels reputation
as a "red village" during the Nazi regime made the villagers evade into non political associations as the Volkschor (people chorus) and the Badverein (water park pool association).
During the last free elections to the German Reichstag
1932 the SPD
reached 33.7 %, the communist party 45 % and NSDAP 15.2%. However a common list of SPD and KPD
was never achieved. The SPD in Sternenfels tried as early as 1922 to reach out to local farmers and artisans. The first free elections after the war 1947 gave the SPD 4 of 12 seats in the city council, KPD 3 and free voters 5 seats.
The local elections on 13 June 2004 lead to the following results :
The election of the mayor is not done by the magistrate but according to Gemeindeordnung
in southern Germany via a direct election. From 1974 til 2006 Helmut Wagner was mayor. Since 2006 Sigrid Hornauer, the first female mayor, is in office.
Typical for the pragmatic Sternenfels way, a touch of suebian avarity, pietist pragmatism and strong sense of community is the setup of the municipal hall close to Freibad, Kraich fountain, Kindergarten and cemetery. The highly modern and prized architecture of the multipurpose hall is used for sports, local events and—via a separate entry to the cemetery—to convene for burial services. The neighboring parish center, built in the 1980s is named after the pietist
preacher and famous 19th-century labour delegate Christoph Blumhardt
.
Sternenfels has a variety of local associations. The most important is the Sternenfels Freibadverein (Pool association) with more than 600 members. The Badverein takes care of Sternenfels' local water park, the "Freibad". The first pool was built 1939 and the whole site completely renovated 1969. Its a very peculiar institution in a village of less than 3,000 inhabitants and it is said to be among the most beautiful public swimming pools in the area. The pool guards, ticket sales, concerts and night activities and a recently installed beach volley field are managed on a non commercial base.
Sternenfels has attracted some painters and photographers living and working in the village. Kräuterhexe (herbology witch) Gabriele Bickels lives in Sternenfels and provides training courses and field tours in herbology.
Diefenbach has a separate community house hosting various exhibitions and a permanent exhibition about fire fighting and fire pump
systems, the earliest one of 1808. The local fire fighter brigade still plays a part in the community life.
s Waldorf education.
Enz (district)
Enzkreis is a district in the north-west of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Karlsruhe, Heilbronn,Ludwigsburg, Böblingen and Calw...
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 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...
. The town is located at the border of the Kraichgau
Kraichgau
The Kraichgau is a hilly region in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Odenwald and the Neckar to the North, the Black Forest to the South, and the Upper Rhine Plain to the West. To the east, its boundary is considered to be the Stromberg, the Hardt, and the...
and Stromberg
Stromberg
-People:*Lyndon Stromberg, American sculptor and designer*Karl Stromberg, the villain in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me*Joseph R. Stromberg, historian with the Ludwig von Mises Institute*Glenn Strömberg, Swedish soccer player...
regions. Sternenfels is considered a showcase village and was mentioned in several national and European studies and competitions. It is about 20 km from Pforzheim
Pforzheim
Pforzheim is a town of nearly 119,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. It is world-famous for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Until 1565 it was the home to the Margraves of Baden. Because of that it gained the nickname...
and close to the UNESCO world heritage site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
of Maulbronn
Maulbronn Abbey
Maulbronn Monastery is the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monastery complex in Europe. It is situated on the outskirts of Maulbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany and is separated from the town by fortifications. Since 1993 the monastery is part of the Unesco World Heritage.- History :The...
.
Role as showcase village
Sternenfels (Translation: star rock—a meaning which inspired the town coat of arms) has a peculiar location and citizens. The town has a very active community with more than 25 different associations; from different choruses, brass bands, a roaming pigeon club, a German Turkish council, a tourist board, various sport associations, political parties, winemakerWinemaker
A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes:*Cooperating with viticulturists...
and farmer associations. As well the town website has been awarded for its a very active web community. The village has received several prizes in national competitions for renovation projects, beauty and sustainability.
Sternenfels has been the subject of several studies, dealing with regional and rural planning and sustainable development, as well as teleworking and rural industrial development
Sternenfels has been used as a 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...
showcase village at EXPO 2000
Expo 2000
Expo 2000 was a World's Fair held in Hanover, Germany from Thursday, June 1 to Tuesday, October 31, 2000. It was located on the Hanover fairground , which is famous for hosting CeBIT...
and various other congresses and conferences. The expo participation is manifested in a monument on the main road.
Geography and climate
Stromberg
-People:*Lyndon Stromberg, American sculptor and designer*Karl Stromberg, the villain in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me*Joseph R. Stromberg, historian with the Ludwig von Mises Institute*Glenn Strömberg, Swedish soccer player...
hills. The watershed between Rhine and Neckar
Neckar
The Neckar is a long river, mainly flowing through the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, but also a short section through Hesse, in Germany. The Neckar is a major right tributary of the River Rhine...
rivers as well as the border between Kraichgau
Kraichgau
The Kraichgau is a hilly region in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Odenwald and the Neckar to the North, the Black Forest to the South, and the Upper Rhine Plain to the West. To the east, its boundary is considered to be the Stromberg, the Hardt, and the...
and Stromberg passes near Sternenfels. The Village of Diefenbach is the site of the Metter spring which runs via the Enz
Enz
The Enz is a left tributary of the Neckar in Baden-Württemberg.It is 112 km long.Its headstreams – the Little Enz and the Big Enz – rise in the northern Black Forest, the latter at Enzklösterle. In Calmbach , the Little Enz and the Big Enz join to form the Enz. The river passes through...
River to the Neckar
Neckar
The Neckar is a long river, mainly flowing through the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, but also a short section through Hesse, in Germany. The Neckar is a major right tributary of the River Rhine...
, while the Kraich spring in Sternenfels ends in the Rhine river. Sternenfels is at the crossroads of four different counties - (Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe (district)
Karlsruhe is a rural district in the north-west of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Rhein-Neckar, Heilbronn,Enz, Calw, Rastatt, Germersheim, Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis and the district-free city Speyer...
, Heilbronn
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...
, 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:...
und Enzkreis). It is the starting or end point for several hiking or walking trails as well as part of Württemberg Wine route
Wine route
Wine route or wine road is used for a number of tourist routes usually in German-speaking wine regions including:*German Wine Route in Palatinate wine region, the first such route established...
from Weikersheim
Weikersheim
Weikersheim is a town in the Main-Tauber district, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Tauber, 9 km east of Bad Mergentheim, Weikersheim is the location of the famous castle Schloss Weikersheim....
to Metzingen
Metzingen
Metzingen is a Swabian city with about 22,000 inhabitants, in the state of Baden-Württemberg in the southwest of Germany, south of Stuttgart.-History:The city is mentioned for the first time in documents from 1075...
. The former Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
between Stettfeld
Ubstadt-Weiher
Ubstadt-Weiher is a municipality in northern Karlsruhe district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route.The four villages that make up the municipality are : Ubstadt, Weiher, Zeutern, and Stettfeld. The area in between and around these villages is numbered with...
and Bad Cannstatt probably crossed Sternenfels. The municipality became a local tourist destination with several inns and (former) breweries located around the town center.
The climate of Sternenfels is generally mild due to the influence of the neighboring Kraichgau
Kraichgau
The Kraichgau is a hilly region in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Odenwald and the Neckar to the North, the Black Forest to the South, and the Upper Rhine Plain to the West. To the east, its boundary is considered to be the Stromberg, the Hardt, and the...
hills. It has been dubbed the Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
of Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
. The castle hill, with a height of about 400 m (1,312.3 ft), allows portions of Sternenfels to overlook the neighboring Kraichgau. The major rain storms generally happen earlier in the year than in the rest of the region, though this helps the local vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s. Generally the local soil is comparatively poor and is mainly used for forestry.
Transportation
Public Transport is provided by several bus lines. The closest train connection are the Karlsruhe Tram Train system in neighboring Flehingen. A revival of the Zabergäu RailwayZabergäu Railway
The Zabergäu Railway was a spur line from the Franconia Railway. It ran for 20.3 km from Lauffen am Neckar to Leonbronn through an area known as the Zabergäu...
is under planning.
History
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, it did not develop into a bigger settlement. However the peculiar site and a vibrant community life make Sternenfels till today an outstanding municipality. During the 14th century, Sternenfels became part of Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
. The Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
left the village in shambles. Immigrants from Switzerland repopulated the area and 'Schweitzer' is still an important local family name. Near the end of the 17th century, some of the Eppingen Line fortifications were built around and integrated Sternenfels. These fortifications are still visible. The Protestant parish church in Sternenfels was built in the 18th century, the Diefenbach church 1621 according plans of Heinrich Schickhardt.
Sternenfels was the main site of the Sternenfels noble family. Derived from high German nobility
German nobility
The German nobility was the elite hereditary ruling class or aristocratic class from ca. 500 B.C. to the Holy Roman Empire and what is now Germany.-Principles of German nobility:...
they were related with the Herren von Kürnbach
Kürnbach
Kürnbach is a town in the district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.It was the birthplace of John A. Treutlen, who would immigrate to America and become the first Governor of Georgia after the overthrow of British rule....
and mentioned as early as the 12th century. A Cunradus liber de Sterrenvils took over the realm of Kürnbach
Kürnbach
Kürnbach is a town in the district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.It was the birthplace of John A. Treutlen, who would immigrate to America and become the first Governor of Georgia after the overthrow of British rule....
as well. 1252 two sons of Cunradus, Cunradus und Wernherus nobiles de Sternvels joined the fatal last voyage of Conradin
Conradin
Conrad , called the Younger or the Boy, but usually known by the diminutive Conradin , was the Duke of Swabia , King of Jerusalem , and King of Sicily .-Early childhood:Conradin was born in Wolfstein, Bavaria, to Conrad...
to Italy.
Geology and local industry
Abrasive
An abrasive is a material, often a mineral, that is used to shape or finish a workpiece through rubbing which leads to part of the workpiece being worn away...
which was very popular for household cleaning in the 18th and 19th centuries. The town castle, built by the von Kürnbach family and later used by the von Sternenfels, was completely demolished and used to produce stubensand by 1778. In 1866 an observation tower was built and triggered local tourism. Sternenfels image was coined by the "sandbauern", farmers that produced stubensand and wove baskets besides farming. The intensive stubensand production led to damages in the local forests and ongoing conflicts between the community and the sandbauern, which were entitled to excavate stubensandstone in the local forests. The last sand mill was closed in 1935, however sandbauern costumes are still worn sometimes and the sandbauern image is used to promote the village. The site of the castle is still visible in the center of the village. The 14 m high Water tower on the former castle hill was built during 1967 as part of the Lake of Constance Water supply system and styled as a keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
. The tower is open for the public and allows an excellent view both over Kraichgau
Kraichgau
The Kraichgau is a hilly region in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Odenwald and the Neckar to the North, the Black Forest to the South, and the Upper Rhine Plain to the West. To the east, its boundary is considered to be the Stromberg, the Hardt, and the...
and Stromberg
Stromberg
-People:*Lyndon Stromberg, American sculptor and designer*Karl Stromberg, the villain in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me*Joseph R. Stromberg, historian with the Ludwig von Mises Institute*Glenn Strömberg, Swedish soccer player...
. It includes as well an historic exhibition about the local nobility and geology.
The Late Triassic
Late Triassic
The Late Triassic is in the geologic timescale the third and final of three epochs of the Triassic period. The corresponding series is known as the Upper Triassic. In the past it was sometimes called the Keuper, after a German lithostratigraphic group that has a roughly corresponding age...
Stuben Sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
formation (German: Stubensandstein, the source of Stubensand) around Sternenfels contains as well small amounts of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. Christopher Bechtler
Christopher Bechtler
Christopher Bechtler was a German-American goldsmith and watchmaker. He became rich and famous through an American gold rush based on his concept of producing defined gold dollars, the Bechtler Dollars, in the early 1830s and by 1840, before the US government itself started to produce gold...
—a citizen and jeweler of Pforzheim
Pforzheim
Pforzheim is a town of nearly 119,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. It is world-famous for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Until 1565 it was the home to the Margraves of Baden. Because of that it gained the nickname...
—demonstrated
Placer mining
Placer mining is the mining of alluvial deposits for minerals. This may be done by open-pit or by various surface excavating equipment or tunneling equipment....
a gold sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
, he had invented. The two day trial caused major public attraction since Bechtler invited the farmers to have huge amount of stubensand washed. Bechtler was not very successful in Sternenfels but later became a millionaire in the United States— Bechtler invented and coined the first Gold dollar
Gold dollar
The gold dollar was a United States dollar coin produced from 1849 to 1889. Composed of 90% pure gold, it was the smallest denomination of gold currency ever produced by the United States federal government...
s.
Sternenfels has attracted several companies in electronics, mechanical instruments and machinery and is still an industrial village. After World War I, a local tobacco and cigar manufacturer played an important role in the local job market. As well the Schweitzer factory, an industrial complex founded around 1900 producing measurement devices provided over hundred work places but closed down 1995. The site was converted in an innovation center allowing small companies sharing basic facilities and as well teleworking work places.
Local politics
Anti-Socialist Laws
The Anti-Socialist Laws or Socialist Laws were a series of acts, the first of which was passed on October 19, 1878 by the German Reichstag lasting till March 31, 1881, and extended 4 times...
and as well Sternenfels reputation
Reputation
Reputation of a social entity is an opinion about that entity, typically a result of social evaluation on a set of criteria...
as a "red village" during the Nazi regime made the villagers evade into non political associations as the Volkschor (people chorus) and the Badverein (water park pool association).
During the last free elections to the German Reichstag
Reichstag (Weimar Republic)
The Reichstag was the parliament of Weimar Republic .German constitution commentators consider only the Reichstag and now the Bundestag the German parliament. Another organ deals with legislation too: in 1867-1918 the Bundesrat, in 1919–1933 the Reichsrat and from 1949 on the Bundesrat...
1932 the SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
reached 33.7 %, the communist party 45 % and NSDAP 15.2%. However a common list of SPD and KPD
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
was never achieved. The SPD in Sternenfels tried as early as 1922 to reach out to local farmers and artisans. The first free elections after the war 1947 gave the SPD 4 of 12 seats in the city council, KPD 3 and free voters 5 seats.
The local elections on 13 June 2004 lead to the following results :
| SPD | 52.4 % | +5.5 | 6 Seats | ±0 |
| FWG | 47.6 % | -5.5 | 6 Seats | ±0 |
The election of the mayor is not done by the magistrate but according to Gemeindeordnung
Gemeindeordnung
-Germany:Historically, the Gemeindeordnung was state law. During the Weimar Republic, it became federal law named Deutsche Gemeindeordnung. The Nazi regime made several revisions to comply with their political and legal philosophy....
in southern Germany via a direct election. From 1974 til 2006 Helmut Wagner was mayor. Since 2006 Sigrid Hornauer, the first female mayor, is in office.
Typical for the pragmatic Sternenfels way, a touch of suebian avarity, pietist pragmatism and strong sense of community is the setup of the municipal hall close to Freibad, Kraich fountain, Kindergarten and cemetery. The highly modern and prized architecture of the multipurpose hall is used for sports, local events and—via a separate entry to the cemetery—to convene for burial services. The neighboring parish center, built in the 1980s is named after the pietist
Pietism
Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later. It proved to be very influential throughout Protestantism and Anabaptism, inspiring not only Anglican priest John Wesley to begin the Methodist movement, but also Alexander Mack to...
preacher and famous 19th-century labour delegate Christoph Blumhardt
Christoph Blumhardt
Christoph Blumhardt was a German Lutheran theologian and one of the founders of Christian Socialism in Germany and Switzerland. He was a well-known preacher. In 1899 he announced his support for socialism and joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany; for this, he lost his position as minister...
.
Culture and local activities
Sternenfels has attracted some painters and photographers living and working in the village. Kräuterhexe (herbology witch) Gabriele Bickels lives in Sternenfels and provides training courses and field tours in herbology.
Diefenbach has a separate community house hosting various exhibitions and a permanent exhibition about fire fighting and fire pump
Fire pump
A fire pump is a part of a fire sprinkler system's water supply and can be powered by electric, diesel or steam. The pump intake is either connected to the public underground water supply piping, or a static water source . The pump provides water flow at a higher pressure to the sprinkler system...
systems, the earliest one of 1808. The local fire fighter brigade still plays a part in the community life.
Education
Besides a municipal kindergarten and a state primary school, the Freie Schule Diefenbach provides primary to middle education based on Rudolf SteinerRudolf Steiner
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
s Waldorf education.
Personalities
- Theodor Schweitzer (1875–1953), local industrialist, founder of Theodor Schweitzer company
- Franz Walter StahleckerFranz Walter StahleckerFranz Walter Stahlecker was Commander of the Sicherheitspolizei and the Sicherheitsdienst for the Reichskommissariat Ostland in 1941/42...
(1900–1942), Nazi and mass murderer, born in Sternenfels (he moved away in 1903) - Friedrich Veit (1871–1913), linguist
- Horst Krautter (1932–1996), administrative expert and peace movement activist