Gengenbach (; gsw, label=
Low Alemannic
Low Alemannic German (german: Niederalemannisch) is a branch of Alemannic German, which is part of Upper German. Its varieties are only partly intelligible to non-Alemannic speakers.
Subdivisions
* Lake Constance Alemannic ( de)
**Northern Vor ...
, Gängäbach) is a town in the
district of Ortenau
Ortenaukreis ( gsw, label= Low Alemannic, Ortenaukrais; french: Arrondissement de l'Ortenau) is a ''Landkreis'' (district) in the west of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are (clockwise from north) Rastatt, Freudenstadt, Rottwe ...
,
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, and a popular tourist destination on the western edge of the
Black Forest
The Black Forest (german: Schwarzwald ) is a large forested mountain range in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, bounded by the Rhine Valley to the west and south and close to the borders with France and Switzerland. It is t ...
, with about 11,000 inhabitants.
Gengenbach is well known for its traditional Alemannic "fasnacht", ("Fasend"), a kind of historically influenced celebration of
carnival
Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...
, where tradition is followed, from wearing costumes with carved wooden masks to clapping with a "Ratsche" (a traditional-classic wooden "sound-producing" toy). Gengenbach also boasts a picturesque, traditional, medieval town centre ("Altstadt"). The traditional town Gengenbach is the proud owner of the world's biggest
advent calendar
An Advent calendar is used to count the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas. Since the date of the First Sunday of Advent varies, falling between November 27 and December 3 inclusive, many reusable Advent calendars made of paper or wood b ...
. The 24 windows of the 18th century
town hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
represent the 24 "windows" of an Advent calendar. The town also hosts a department of
, part of the
University of Applied Sciences Offenburg.
The nearest cities in the region are
Offenburg
Offenburg ("open borough" - coat of arms showing open gates; Low Alemannic German, Low Alemmanic: ''Offäburg'') is a city located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With nearly 60,000 inhabitants (2019), it is the largest city and the ad ...
,
Freiburg,
Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe ( , , ; South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the third-largest city of the German state (''Land'') of Baden-Württemberg after its capital of Stuttgart and Mannheim, and the 22nd-largest city in the nation, with 308,436 inhabitants. ...
,
Baden-Baden and
Strasbourg
Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
/
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. Gengenbach is twinned with the town of
Obernai
Obernai ( Alsatian: ''Owernah''; german: Oberehnheim) commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It lies on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains.
Obernai is a rapidly growing city, its number of inhabitants havin ...
,
Alsace
Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
.
In the 2005 film version of ''
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'', Gengenbach was inaccurately referred to as
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...
, the place where the character Augustus Gloop becomes the first finder of Wonka's Golden ticket.
History
Gengenbach was founded in the 13th century and was an
Imperial Free City from 1360 until the
Treaty of Lunéville
The Treaty of Lunéville (or Peace of Lunéville) was signed in the Treaty House of Lunéville on 9 February 1801. The signatory parties were the French Republic and Emperor Francis II, who signed on his own behalf as ruler of the hereditary doma ...
in 1801. During the closing stages of the 1672-1678
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, also known as the Dutch War (french: Guerre de Hollande; nl, Hollandse Oorlog), was fought between France and the Dutch Republic, supported by its allies the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Brandenburg-Prussia and Denmark-Nor ...
in July 1678, it was the site of a French victory over the Imperialists; it was badly damaged in 1689 by retreating French forces in the 1688-1697
Nine Years War
The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarch ...
.
File:Gengenbach 3.jpg,
File:Niggelturm.jpg
File:Gengenbach4.jpg
Culture and landmarks
![Stadtkirche Sankt Marien Gengenbach - panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Stadtkirche_Sankt_Marien_Gengenbach_-_panoramio.jpg)
Gengenbach is the start point of
Gengenbach–Alpirsbach Black Forest Trail
The Gengenbach–Alpirsbach Black Forest Trail (german: Schwarzwald-Querweg Gengenbach–Alpirsbach) is a long distance path through the Central Black Forest in Germany. The 51-kilometre-long east-west route is sponsored and maintained by the Bl ...
and situated at the Kinzigtäler Jakobusweg (a pilgrim route) as well as the Kandelhöhenweg (a hiking path), passing by many landmarks. Furthermore, the city is located at the German Fachwerkstraße.
The town was the location of
Gengenbach Abbey
Gengenbach Abbey (german: Kloster Gengenbach) was a Benedictine monastery in Gengenbach in the district of Ortenau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was an Imperial Abbey from the late Carolingian period to 1803.
History
It was founded by Saint Pi ...
, founded in the 8th century; its associated church, the Stadtkirche Sankt Marien, was rebuilt after 1689 and contains a number of 18th century frescoes.
Museums
* Flößerei- und Verkehrsmuseum
* Museum Haus Löwenberg
* Narrenmuseum im Niggelturm
* Kunst- und Paramentenmuseum im Mutterhaus der Franziskanerinnen
* Wehrgeschichtliches Museum im Kinzigtor
Sons and daughters of the town
*
Hermann Maas
Hermann Ludwig Maas (; 5 August 1877 – 27 September 1970) was a Protestant minister, a doctor of theology and named one of the ''Righteous Among the Nations'',Yad Vashem: "Hermann Maas"' a title given by the Israeli organization for study an ...
(1877-1970), evangelical pastor
*
Frieder Burda
Frieder Burda (29 April 1936 – 14 July 2019, in Baden-Baden) was a German art collector and Honorary Citizen of Baden-Baden.
Life
Born on 29 April 1936 in Gengenbach, Burda was the second son of publisher Franz Burda and his wife Aenne Burda ( ...
(1936-2019), publisher and art collector
*
Otto Lohmüller
Otto Lohmüller (born 4 February 1943 in Gengenbach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) is a German figurative painter, sculptor and book illustrator. His art typically features images of early adolescent males, both clothed and nude, although in his ...
(born 1943), painter, sculptor and author of scout adventure books
Further regular events
*Every year the city hall of Gengenbach is transformed in the world's largest "Advent calendar house"
*On the third September weekend the wine festival takes place – every year
* The "Martinimarkt" is a funfair which takes place in November – for two days
References
{{Authority control
Ortenaukreis
Free imperial cities
Baden