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Wolfach

Coordinates: 48°18′N 8°13′E / 48.300°N 8.217°E / 48.300; 8.217
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Wolfach
Coat of arms of Wolfach
Location of Wolfach within Ortenaukreis district
Ill (France)Ill (France)FranceRastatt (district)Baden-BadenCalw (district)Emmendingen (district)Freudenstadt (district)Rastatt (district)Rottweil (district)Schwarzwald-Baar-KreisRheinauLaufSasbachAchernAchernAchernAppenweierBad Peterstal-GriesbachBerghauptenBiberachDurbachEttenheimFischerbachFriesenheimGengenbachGutachHaslachHausachHofstettenHohbergHornbergKappel-GrafenhausenKappel-GrafenhausenKappelrodeckWillstättKehlKehlKippenheimKippenheimKippenheimLahrLaufLaufLautenbachMahlbergMahlbergMahlbergMeißenheimMühlenbachNeuriedNordrachOberharmersbachOberkirchOberkirchOberkirchOberkirchOberwolfachOffenburgOhlsbachOppenauOrtenbergOttenhöfen im SchwarzwaldRenchenRenchenRingsheimRingsheimRustRheinauRheinauRheinau (unincorporated area)SasbachSasbachSasbachSasbachwaldenSchuttertalSchutterwaldSchwanauSeebachSeelbachSteinachWillstättWillstättWolfachZell am HarmersbachRhine
Wolfach is located in Germany
Wolfach
Wolfach
Wolfach is located in Baden-Württemberg
Wolfach
Wolfach
Coordinates: 48°18′N 8°13′E / 48.300°N 8.217°E / 48.300; 8.217
CountryGermany
StateBaden-Württemberg
Admin. regionFreiburg
DistrictOrtenaukreis
Government
 • Mayor (2022–30) Thomas Geppert[1]
Area
 • Total
67.99 km2 (26.25 sq mi)
Elevation
262 m (860 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total
5,688
 • Density84/km2 (220/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
77709
Dialling codes07834
Vehicle registrationOG, BH, KEL, LR, WOL
Websitewolfach.de

Wolfach (Low Alemannic: Wolfä) is a town in the Black Forest and part of the Ortenaukreis in Baden-Württemberg (Germany) and borders the Freudenstadt and Rottweil districts.

History

Wolfach was first mentioned in 1084 as Wolphaha and was given a wide variety of names throughout the High and early Late Middle Ages including Wolphaa, Wolua, Wolfacha, Wolva, Wolfach inferius, Wolva, Wolvahe, and Wolffach.

Antiquity and Early Middle Ages

Very little is known about Wolfach before 1000 and there were likely no large settlements in the area. Under Emperor Vespasian, the Roman Empire may have built a trade and military road from Offenburg to Rottweil which passed near the town around 73 AD.[3]

Founding of the Town in the High Middle Ages

The exact age of Wolfach is not known. The noble De Wolphaha family is thought to have lived in the Ruine Wolfach, a hilltop castle that lay north of the town center and was built in the late 11th century.

By the 14th century, the people of Wolfach gained many civil liberties, including the freedom to hold markets. This allowed the town to grow in size and population.

Timber Rafting

As early as the 15th century, the lumber trade was an important source of income for Wolfach because of its location in the Black Forest. The timber trade was aided by timber rafting, which allowed for the cheap and easy delivery of timber to places as far as Strasbourg.

Timber rafting continued until the late 19th century when quicker and more efficient railways deemed the practice obsolete. In 1984, the Wolfach Kinzig Rafers Association (German: Wolfacher Kinzigflößer) was created to preserve the tradition of rafting. A festival is held biennially where rafts are built and floated down the river to celebrate the town's history of rafting.[4]

Destruction by fires

Major fires have forced many of the buildings in the town center and the nearby suburbs to be rebuilt. The most recent major fire was in 1892, which burned the old town hall, school, and two neighbouring buildings. The town hall was rebuilt in 1892/93 in the neo-Renaissance style.[4]

Modern

On April 21, 1945, before fleeing the town, the Gestapo took the French resistants and political prisoners held in the prison of Wolfach to a forest outside of the town, forced them to dig their own graves, and shot them on the spot, just three hours before the arrival of the French 2nd Armored Division commanded by General Leclerc.[5]

Geography

Geographical position

Wolfach lies where the two rivers Wolf and Kinzig meet in the Kinzig valley. The mountains and valleys surrounding the town stretch between 250 and 880 meters above sea level.

City Hall in Wolfach

District villages within the borough of Wolfach include Kirnbach, Halbmeil, Kinzigtal, and St. Roman.

Town Structure

The town center was originally divided into two parts to the north and south of the Kinzig river. The north section was developed as a suburb, where the St. Laurentius–Pfarrei, a Roman Catholic church, still stands today. The south section included a market street and is still lined with shops today. Both sides of the river have been developed to including housing, shops, and other markets. They are connected by a pedestrian bridge and a larger bridge for car traffic.

Due to the harsh topographical location, Wolfach has not received significant expansion. The most significant expansion was the Straßburger Hof, a suburban area which extends to the west of the town center and began construction in 1927.

Kinzig in Wolfach

Government

City council

In the past years the city council consisted of:

Party 1994 1999 2004 2009[6] 2014[7] 2019[8] 2024[9]
CDU 8 seats 10 seats 8 seats 6 seats 5 seats 6 seats 6 seats
SPD 5 seats 3 seats 3 seats 4 seats 5 seats 3 seats 4 seats
FW 6 seats 8 seats 7 seats 7 seats 6 seats 6 seats 6 seats
Greens 1 seat 2 seats 3 seats 2 seats

Mayor

The current mayor of Wolfach is Thomas Geppert, who was first elected in 2015. He was most recently re-elected in 2022, with 76% of the vote.[10]

The mayoral history of Wolfach can be divided into two time periods. The first, from the founding of the town in the 13th century until 1811, is categorized by the title of "Schultheiß". Although the role was similar to a modern-day mayor, it focused more on tax and debt collection.

Term Schultheiß[11] Lifespan Notes
1291–1298 Sifrit, scultetus de Wolva Name translates to "Sifrit, sculpted from the Wolf" in Latin and is thought to be the origin of the name "Wolfach"
1298–1303 Johans der Münster
1328–1349 Friderich der Schultheiß Stepped down in 1349
1377–unknown Fritsch Briß
1380–1382 Dolder von Owe Son of Hainrichs von Owe, a knight
1382–unknown Ulbricht Uberli
1404–unknown Hans Hag (also spelled Hagg and Haugg)
1460–unknown Cuonrat Schoemann
1462–unknown Diebolt
1470–unknown Burfart Snider
1486–unknown Laurenß Kraßer
1490–unknown Hans Renner
1509–unknown Christoffel
1569–unknown Seibmacher
1586–unknown Udam Spilmann Died in 1609
1608–unknown Christoph Braf
1609–1610 Lorenß Bedh Died in 1610
1610–1613 Joannes Bernhart Died in 1613
1613–1636 Joann Roos (also spelled Röß) Died in 1636
1636–1645 Jacob Lempp
1645–1653 Batholomeus Glidh Died in 1654
1653–1669 Martin Holzer Not part of the nobility of Wolfach. A stranger from Elzach, a town about 25 km southwest of Wolfach who was named the mayor.
1669–1689 Joseph Göß
1690 Johann Losinger Acted as an interim mayor
1690–1703 Geörg Leinhard Glidh Resigned in 1703
1703–1721 Dratislaus Hildbrandt
1721–1731 Johannes Jacobus Haaß
1733–1757 Lorenz Sandhaas Died in 1767
1757–1769 Johannes Behr Died in 1769
1769–1783 Johann Georg Mast Died in 1803
1783–1801 Anton Reuf
1801–1811 Johann Straub

After 1811, the title was changed to "mayor" and the position became more formalized.

Term Mayor Lifespan Notes
1811–1820 Johann Georg Neef
1820–1829 Xavery Duppele
1829–1834 Dr. Duttlinger Resigned because his job as a doctor was not compatible with his mayorship
1834–1839 J. B. Baur Previously acted as city clerk
1839–1861 Joseph Bührer
1861–1874 J. G. Armbruster Resigned due to health issues
1874–1886 Hermann Dogt
1880–1900 Friedrich Armbruster Worked as a merchant. Son of J. G. Armbruster.
1900–1909 Bruno Burger
1909–1918 Karl Friedrich Armbruster Son of Friedrich Armbruser and grandson of J. G. Armbruster
1918–1925 Gustav Bulacher
1925–1936[12] August Hämmerle Grandfather of Gerlinde Hämmerle, a former politician for the SPD
1937–1941[13] Adolf Oehler Member of the NSDAP
1941–1944 Alfred Albanus Member of the NSDAP
1944–1945 Hans Auer Member of the NSDAP
1945–1946 Johannes Faißt
1946–1951 Hans Allgeier
1951–1978 Arthur Martin
1978–1991 Hans-Peter Züfle Born 1951/1952
1992–2014 Gottfried Moser Born 1945/1946
Since 2015 Thomas Geppert Born 1980/1981

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the town of Wolfach displays a golden wolf's hook rod on a blue background and is based on the "Wolfsangel" banner from the "Herren von Wolfach" (Lords of Wolfach) who established their control on the town in 1260. It is believed that they adopted the wolf trap sign as their banner having cleared the area of wolves to establish the town.[14]

International relations

Wolfach is twinned with:[15]

Tourism

In the late 16th century, Wolfach started to become known as a spa town and throughout the following centuries, the people of Wolfach adapted to the increased tourism. In the late 19th and early 20th century, Wolfach received acclaim from the Berlin Magazine.

The First and Second World Wars hurt tourism to Wolfach drastically but in the post-war period, it was able to develop once again.

In 2019, Wolfach had 41,733 tourist visitors.[16]

Culture and Sights

Schloss Wolfach

Swabian-Alemannic Carnival

Wolfach is rich in the tradition of the Swabian-Alemannic Fastnacht, where many in the town wear traditional costumes and masks in parades through the town.

Buildings

  • Fürstenberger Schloss, a historic castle in the town center originating around 1180.[17]
  • Ruine Wolfach, the ruins of a castle near the town thought to have originated around 1030.
  • St. Laurentius-Pfarrei, a late Gothic Roman Catholic church near the town center.
  • Dorotheenhütte, a local glassblowing workshop which uses traditional Black Forest methods. Glassworks are blown, cut, and engraved in front of visitors.

Parks

  • Flößerpark, a small park showcasing the history of timber rafting on the Kinzig river.[18]

Regular events

  • Fastnacht or Fasnet (Swabian-Alemannic Carnival), which features parades of Hansele wearing unique, often handmade costumes and masks.[19]
  • Stadtbrunnenfest, an annual festival which often features markets, shows, live music, arts and crafts, and more throughout the town.[20]
  • Biker-Weekend, which takes place on Corpus Christi weekend and sees hundreds of bikers riding through the Black Forest and stopping in small towns for food and to socialize.[21]
  • Flößerfest, a celebration of the town's history of timber rafting with the creation of new rafts and floating them down the Kinzig river.[22]
  • Schlachtfest der Freiwilligen Feuerwehr (Butchers Festival of the Volunteer Fire Department), where firefighters and other volunteers cook meat platters and for attendees.[23]

Notable people

Natives

People who are connected to the town

  • Gustav Trunk (1871–1936), politician, member of the German Centre Party; lived in Wolfach from 1897 to 1900 as beadle
  • Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer (1896–1969), racial hygienist in the Third Reich, went to school in Wolfach from 1898 to 1909

See also

  • Hausach, a neighbouring town
  • Oberwolfach, a neighbouring town which is partially integrated with Wolfach

Citations

  1. ^ Bürgermeisterwahl Wolfach 2022, Staatsanzeiger.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerung nach Nationalität und Geschlecht am 31. Dezember 2022" [Population by nationality and sex as of December 31, 2022] (CSV) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Baden-Württemberg. June 2023.
  3. ^ "Rolf Pfefferle entziffert rätselhafte römische Inschrift". Nachrichten der Ortenau - Offenburger Tageblatt (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  4. ^ a b Disch, Franz (1920). Chronik Der Stadt Wolfach [Chronicle of the City of Wolfach] (in German). Wolfach. pp. 552–553.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ CRDP d'Alsace. "La Deuxième Guerre mondiale en Alsace" (PDF) (in French). Retrieved 2009-11-07.
  6. ^ "Gemeinderat / Stadt Wolfach". 2014-03-28. Archived from the original on 2014-03-28. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  7. ^ "Gemeinderat / Stadt Wolfach". 2015-04-26. Archived from the original on 2015-04-26. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  8. ^ "Gemeinderat / Stadt Wolfach". 2020-05-13. Archived from the original on 2020-05-13. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  9. ^ Zeitung, Eßlinger Zeitung ONLINE-Das Nachrichtenportal für die Region Esslingen- Eßlinger. "Ergebnisse der Gemeinderatswahl 2024 in Wolfach". www.esslinger-zeitung.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  10. ^ "Bürgermeisterwahl Wolfach 2022". Staatsanzeiger BW (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  11. ^ Disch, Franz (1920). Chronik Der Stadt Wolfach [Chronicle of the city of Wolfach] (in German). Wolfach. pp. 485–486.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ^ "Gerlinde Hämmerle: »Stolz auf Wolfe«". Nachrichten der Ortenau - Offenburger Tageblatt (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  13. ^ "Aus der badischen Heimat". Badische Presse. September 24, 1941.
  14. ^ Sadlier, Klemens (1971). German Coats-of-Arms. Federal Republic of Germany: Municipal Coats-of-Arms of the Federal State of Baden-Wurttemberg). Vol. 8. Angelsachsen-Verlag. p. 115.
  15. ^ "Partnerstädte / Stadt Wolfach". www.wolfach.de. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  16. ^ "Zahlen & Daten / Stadt Wolfach". www.wolfach.de. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  17. ^ Kinzigtal, Werbegemeinschaft. "Fürstenberger Schloss in Wolfach". Werbegemeinschaft Kinzigtal (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  18. ^ "Flößerpark Wolfach". www.schwarzwald-kinzigtal.info (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  19. ^ Dangel, Stefan (2017-02-17). "Wolfacher Fasnet mit zwölf Umzügen rund um die Stadt in einer Woche". Naturpark Schwarzwald Mitte/Nord (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  20. ^ "Das war auf dem Wolfacher Stadtbrunnenfest alles geboten". Nachrichten der Ortenau - Offenburger Tageblatt (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  21. ^ Bote, Schwarzwälder. "Biker-Weekend in Wolfach: Kurvenspaß und Geselligkeit am Abend". schwarzwaelder-bote.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  22. ^ "Wolfachs Flößer steuern aufs Jubiläumsfest im Juli zu". Nachrichten der Ortenau - Offenburger Tageblatt (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  23. ^ Bote, Schwarzwälder. "Wolfach: Feuerwehr tischt deftige Gerichte auf". schwarzwaelder-bote.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-14.

Administration and authorities

Associations

Places of interest, sights