Olching (
Central Bavarian
Central Bavarian form a subgroup of Bavarian dialects in large parts of Austria and the German state of Bavaria along the Danube river, on the northern side of the Eastern Alps. They are spoken in the ' Old Bavarian' regions of Upper Bavaria (wi ...
: ''Oiching'') is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in the
district of Fürstenfeldbruck, in
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
,
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 ...
. It is situated approximately 20 km (12 mi) northwest of
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
.
Geography
Olching lies approximately halfway between
Dachau and
Fürstenfeldbruck, and stretches along both sides of the River
Amper. There are two picturesque man-made lakes to the east of Olching, namely the ''Olchinger See'' (Lake Olching) and the eponymous ''Kleiner See'' (Small Lake), both of which border on the neighbouring community of
Gröbenzell
Gröbenzell is a municipality near Munich in the district Fürstenfeldbruck, in Bavaria, Germany. It was founded in 1952, and has a population of 19,202. Gröbenzell is often called a garden city, which is also illustrated by the two flowers in the ...
.
In recent years, Olching has expanded considerably through new building work to meet the demand for housing outside Munich while taking advantage of its good communications, which allow a reasonable commute for those still working in the city and its outskirts. These new developments, especially ''Schwaigfeld'', located north-east of the town centre — close to Olching's
motorway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
exit — have attracted controversy amongst some locals for their apparently inconsistent planning and sometimes eclectic architecture.
The ongoing influx of younger families into these new developments would appear to show that they have become a significant part of the modern Olching community, and the developments continue to grow and generate their own infrastructure improvements. A small shopping centre was opened in ''Schwaigfeld'' in January 2008.
Neighbouring communities
Olching is bordered to the west by ''Gernlinden'', and
Maisach
Maisach is a municipality in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck, in Bavaria, Germany.
Maisach is the largest municipality in the Fürstenfeldbruck district. It is situated north of Fürstenfeldbruck, and northwest of Munich. It is served by an ...
; in the north,
Bergkirchen
Bergkirchen is a municipality in the district of Dachau in Bavaria in 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 ...
; in the East from
Gröbenzell
Gröbenzell is a municipality near Munich in the district Fürstenfeldbruck, in Bavaria, Germany. It was founded in 1952, and has a population of 19,202. Gröbenzell is often called a garden city, which is also illustrated by the two flowers in the ...
and the outskirts of metropolitan
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
and to the south by
Puchheim,
Eichenau
Eichenau is a municipality in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck, in Bavaria, Germany. It is 20 km west of Munich (centre).
Eichenau was officially named in 1907 as a separate settlement to the community of Alling. Its location is due to ...
,
Emmering and
Fürstenfeldbruck. The municipality of Olching is now (since 1978) made up of three main municipalities, namely Olching, Esting (including Neu-Esting), and Geiselbullach (including Graßlfing).
Communications
Olching is located near the
Autobahn
The (; German plural ) is the federal controlled-access highway system in Germany. The official German term is (abbreviated ''BAB''), which translates as 'federal motorway'. The literal meaning of the word is 'Federal Auto(mobile) Track' ...
A8 exits ''Dachau/Fürstenfeldbruck'' and ''Lochhausen/Langwied'', as well as the
Autobahn
The (; German plural ) is the federal controlled-access highway system in Germany. The official German term is (abbreviated ''BAB''), which translates as 'federal motorway'. The literal meaning of the word is 'Federal Auto(mobile) Track' ...
A99 ''Lochhausen''. The
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
trunk ring road ''B471'' also has 2 exits for Olching.
The River
Amper is neither navigable to leisure craft nor to goods traffic. Smaller
watercraft
Any vehicle used in or on water as well as underwater, including boats, ships, hovercraft and submarines, is a watercraft, also known as a water vessel or waterborne vessel. A watercraft usually has a propulsive capability (whether by sail, ...
such as
dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed by a larger vessel for use as a tender. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor. Some are rigged for sailing but they differ from sailing dinghies, which ...
s and
kayaks are however frequently underway in the summer months.
Public transport
Olching is connected to the
Munich S-Bahn
The Munich S-Bahn (german: S-Bahn München) is an electric rail transit system in Munich, Germany. " S-Bahn" is the German abbreviation for ''Stadtschnellbahn'' (literally, "urban rapid rail"), and the Munich S-Bahn exhibits characteristics of b ...
network on the
line. It takes about 20 minutes to
München Hauptbahnhof (Munich Central Station). The
line is part of the
MVV
Maatschappelijke Voetbal Vereniging Maastricht (), commonly known as MVV Maastricht (, ) or simply as MVV, is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Maastricht. Founded on 2 April 1902, MVV Maastricht currently compete in the Eers ...
, or ''Münchener Verkerhrsverbund'', which is a unified
tariff
A tariff is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods. Besides being a source of revenue for the government, import duties can also be a form of regulation of foreign trade and pol ...
zone that includes local buses,
tram
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
s, and
underground train
Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...
s (
''U-Bahnen'') in the
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
area.
Olching station is located on—but not served by—the
DB Munich–Augsburg mainline which also carries significant goods traffic. For express train travel, residents of Olching may travel via
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
Pasing
Pasing is a district in the city of Munich, Germany, and part of the borough Pasing-Obermenzing.
Overview
Pasing is located west of the Munich city centre, at the north-western edge of the city's innermost traffic zone. The district is mainly res ...
and
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
Hauptbahnhof
Climate
Olching lies in the transitional zone between the humid Atlantic climate and the dry
continental climate
Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing som ...
s. Other significant factors affecting the weather are the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
, which act as south-central European border, and the
Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p ...
, which is a regional
meteorological divide. Due to this constellation, the weather in the region is quite changeable.
Foehn
The so-called
foehn
A Foehn or Föhn (, , ), is a type of dry, relatively warm, downslope wind that occurs in the lee (downwind side) of a mountain range.
It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of ...
is a weather phenomenon particular to the region near to the Alps that occasionally brings warmer and drier air from the south to Olching, potentially occurring at any time of year. This is accompanied by extremely good visibility, in particular the much-clichéd
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
n blue and white sky, and the
Bavarian Alps may be clearly visible, apparently close by, although they are approximately 100 kilometres (60 mi) away to the south. Some people suffer from headaches and circulatory problems as a result of the foehn.
History
Early records
Olching is an old
bavarii settlement and was first mentioned in the
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...
. In 740 the
Agilolfing
The Agilolfings were a noble family that ruled the Duchy of Bavaria on behalf of their Merovingian suzerains from about 550 until 788. A cadet branch of the Agilolfings also ruled the Kingdom of the Lombards intermittently from 616 to 712.
T ...
ian duke
Tassilo II of Bavaria Tassilo II (died c. 719) was a ruler in southern Germany.
He was the son, probably third, of Theodo of Bavaria and Folchaid. Sometime before 715, Theodo divided his duchy and associated with its rule the eldest two of his four sons. The eldest, Th ...
bestowed the town, together with its church and flour mill, to the
Benediktbeuern Abbey
Benediktbeuern Abbey (Kloster Benediktbeuern) is an institute of the Salesians of Don Bosco, originally a monastery of the Benedictine Order, in Benediktbeuern in Bavaria, near the Kochelsee, 64 km south-south-west of Munich. It is the oldes ...
(the authenticity of this document is contested). The early Gothic church was replaced by the Romanesque basilica ''St. Peter und Paul'' in 1903.
In 1258
Louis II, Duke of Bavaria
Louis the Strict (german: Ludwig der Strenge) (13 April 1229 – 2 February 1294) was Duke of Upper Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine from 1253. He is known as Louis II or Louis VI following an alternative numbering. Born in Heidelberg, h ...
founded a monastery as a form of
penance for the execution of his wife Maria von Brabant, who had wrongfully been convicted of
adultery
Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...
. This monastery was relocated from
Aibling
Bad Aibling () is a spa town and former district seat in Bavaria on the river Mangfall, located some southeast of Munich. It features a luxury health resort with a peat pulp bath and mineral spa.
History
Bad Aibling and its surroundings ...
to Olching in 1262. The monastery was relocated to
Fürstenfeldbruck only one year later, either due to flooding or structural problems. The
Fürstenfeld Abbey Fürstenfeld Abbey (german: Kloster Fürstenfeld, ) is a former Cistercian monastery in Fürstenfeldbruck (formerly known simply as Bruck), Bavaria, Germany.
It is situated about 25 km north-west of Munich. The abbey was one of the household ...
owned several estates in Olching until the period of
secularization
In sociology, secularization (or secularisation) is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions. The ''secularization thesis'' expresses the ...
in
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
in 1802/1803.
Olching suffered severely as a consequence of the
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle ...
, particularly after the city of
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
was taken by
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden in 1632. Only nine out of formerly 67 estates remained in Olching after 1648.
Developments in the 19th century
In 1821 Olching (which had until then been administered by
Dachau) was transferred to the newly founded ' of
Fürstenfeldbruck, and in 1823 it also came under the jurisdiction of
Fürstenfeldbruck.
In 1834 the first school was established in Olching.
Until 1839 Olching was still very rural with about 50 farms and approximately 300 inhabitants. This changed with the construction of the railway line between
Munich to Augsburg. The line between
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
and Olching was completed on 27 October 1839 and the rail service commenced the following year. At the same time a
wood pulp
Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibers from wood, fiber crops, waste paper, or rags. Mixed with water and other chemical or plant-based additives, pulp is the major raw mate ...
factory opened in Olching, which in turn led to a strong influx of workers.
The 20th century
The predominantly working class population had a large influence on the social and political culture of Olching during the 20th century. During the
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is al ...
the municipal council was solely dominated by left-wing parties. However, for some of these left-wing politicians, such as
SPD
The Social Democratic Party of Germany (german: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, ; SPD, ) is a centre-left social democratic political party in Germany. It is one of the major parties of contemporary Germany.
Saskia Esken has been t ...
-mayor Josef Tauscheck, their political beliefs had serious repercussions due to the rise of the right in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. Some experienced a great degree of harassment, for others it led to internment in the infamous
concentration camps
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simply ...
after 1933. Just as in the rest of
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 ...
the
National Socialists
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
also gained a large following in Olching in the run-up to and during the
Third Reich
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
.
During an allied
air raid on 22 February 1944, 22 people were killed, including two of the approximately 1000 forced laborers located in and around Olching during the war.
After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
about 5,000
Heimatvertriebene
The German Expellees or ''Heimatvertriebene'' (, "homeland expellees") are 12-16 million German citizens (regardless of ethnicity) and ethnic Germans (regardless of citizenship) who fled or were expelled after World War II from parts of Germ ...
(
expellees), mainly from
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
and
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
, arrived in Olching. In 1950 these new citizens made up 25% of the population of Olching and they contributed towards the dynamic development of Olching in the
post-war era
In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period c ...
.
The erstwhile rural appearance of Olching has changed over time, as the cityscape of Olching is becoming more and more dominated by businesses and blocks of flats. Many of Olching's citizens use the S-Bahn to commute to work in
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
, which was built for the
1972 Summer Olympics. In 1978 Esting, Geiselbullach, and Graßlfing were merged into the larger community of Olching and this has contributed towards a continuous population growth, especially since the development of the Schwaigfeld area in the early 2000s.
Olching was named a city on 19 June 2011.
[Awarding of city rights, 19 June 2011 (German)]
/ref>
Coat of Arms
Olching's coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
originates from the year 1951. The swept blue bar in the lower part symbolises the river Amper, which flows through Olching and is of major significance for the town. The reed in the middle reminds that Olching was once marshland; the head of wheat
Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
symbolises the agriculture and land cultivation. The upper part displays the chequered blue and white Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
n standard.
Population
The current figure (August 2009) for the population of Olching is 24,582. In the past ten years, the population has grown by 10% and is expected by local officials to rise to 25,750 by 2010. This development is mainly driven by the importance of Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
as a centre of employment and by a wish to avoid the higher urban property prices which have been driven by Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
's continuing economic success.
Demographics
At present approximately 9% of the current population are of non-German origin.
Politics
The Olching Gemeinderat
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
, or local council, has 30 seats. Since the latest local elections on 2 March 2008 it is made up as follows:
* CSU—12 seats (+2)
* SPD
The Social Democratic Party of Germany (german: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, ; SPD, ) is a centre-left social democratic political party in Germany. It is one of the major parties of contemporary Germany.
Saskia Esken has been t ...
—7 seats (+4)
* FWO—6 seats (-2)
* Grüne—3 seats (+1)
* FW-GEO—1 seat (-3)
* ÖDP—1 seat (-1)
The numbers in brackets indicate the gains and losses since the previous election in March 2002.
Religion and worship
Amongst the adult population, the declared religious affiliation (which has fiscal consequences in Germany) breaks down as follows:
* 12,772 are Roman Catholic,
* 3,975 are Protestant,
* 7,456 are of other religious (Hindu, Muslim etc.) denominations or of no religion.
Churches
In the centre of Olching, the skyline
A skyline is the outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city’s overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the land.
City skyline ...
and Haupstrasse are dominated by the catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship
* C ...
, there is a smaller protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
/Lutheran
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
church near to the station and a modern catholic church in New Esting:
*St. Peter und Paul (Olching)
*St. Elisabeth v. Thüringen (Olching New Esting)
*Evangelisch-Lutherische Johanneskirche (Olching)
St. Peter und Paul (Olching).jpg, St. Peter und Paul
St. Peter und Paul Olching.JPG, St Peter & Paul pictured in 2008 during renovation work.
Johanneskirche olching.JPG, Johanneskirche in Olching's Wolfstrasse.
Other religious groups and organisations
As well as groups such as kindergartens, attached to and or supported by the church community, other groups of various denominations are present and active in Olching:
*Brot des Lebens e.V. (Olching)
*Christliche Gemeinde Olching e. V. (Olching)
*CVJM Ortsgruppe Olching (Olching)
*Ev. Pfarramt I (Olching)
*Kath. Kindergarten St. Elisabeth (Olching)
*Kath. Pfarramt Esting (Olching)
*Kindergarten (Olching Wolfstrasse)
*Kloster der Franziskanerinnen (Olching)
*Kolpingfamilie (Olching)
*Missionskreis Maria Mater Dei e. V. (Olching)
*Pfarrgemeinderat St. Peter und Paul (Olching)
*Türkisch-Islamischer Verein Fürstenfeldbruck und Umgebung (Olching)
*Vincentiusverein (Olching)
Education
Primary and secondary education
The main schools in Olching are
*''Grundschule Olching'' (primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
),
*''Grundschule Graßlfing'' (primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
),
*''Grund- und Hauptschule Esting'' (primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
and secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
),
*''Montessori
The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...
Grund- und Hauptschule'' (primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
and secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
),
*''Gymnasium Olching'' (secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
), and the
*''Hauptschule an der Heckenstraße'' (secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
).
Others
Other educational establishments in Olching include
* ''Volkshochschule
Folk high schools (also ''Adult Education Center'', Danish: ''Folkehøjskole;'' Dutch: ''Volkshogeschool;'' Finnish: ''kansanopisto'' and ''työväenopisto'' or ''kansalaisopisto;'' German: ''Volkshochschule'' and (a few) ''Heimvolkshochschule; ...
Olching'', (mainly) adult education and evening classes in all fields
* ''Erwachsenenbildung der kath. Kirche'', ''Brucker Forum e.V.,'' Catholic Church adult education
* ''Ev. Bildungswerk im Landkreis'' (''Pfarramt Olching''), Evangelical Church education centre
* ''Musikschule Olching und Esting'', Music School
Leisure
Olching is well known for its motorcycle speedway club and track, the so-called ''Speedwaybahn''. It hosts a number of events, including international motorcycling events. Olching is also known for its attractive golf course which lies between Olching and ''Geiselbullach''. There are also championship—and leisure—minigolf courses located at separate, neighbouring clubs.
There are also a number of sports clubs, including ''SC Olching'',[SColching.de](_blank)
/ref> ''SV Esting'', and the ''TSV Geiselbullach''.
Furthermore, the river Amper, its backwater ''Mühlbach'' and the local bird-park Vogelpark Olching, open spring to autumn, offer idyllic walks and views to locals and visitors. Nearby is the ''Schuttberg''; (rubble-hill), a little hill between Olching and Esting (situated next to the ''Tony-März-Stadion'', the home ground of ''SC Olching''). Nowadays this mound is a popular spot for children, teenagers and adults alike for town-centre sledging during the winter.
Right next to the ''Schuttberg'' is the ''Volksfestplatz'', (a fairground), a site which acts in the off-season as a cycle practice range, incorporates a go-kart
A go-kart, also written as go-cart (often referred to as simply a kart), is a type of sports car, close wheeled car, open-wheel car or quadracycle. Go-karts come in all shapes and forms, from non-motorised models to high-performance racing ...
training area, has a small skate-park and hosts monthly flea-markets throughout the summer. It is most popular, however, when it is used for the ''Olchinger Volksfest'', which is Olching's very own Oktoberfest
The Oktoberfest (; bar, Wiesn, Oktobafest) is the world's largest Volksfest, featuring a beer festival and a travelling carnival. It is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is a 16- to 18-day folk festival running from mid- or ...
in May/June.
A further popular spot is the ''Olchinger See'', which is a picturesque lake that attracts plenty of visitors from the surrounding area.
KOM Kulturwerkstatt am Olchinger Mühlbach
A listed building originating from 1877 that was sympathetically renovated and opened in 2004 for cultural events of all sorts. Located at the western end of the ''Hauptstrasse'', its various intimate rooms are used for exhibitions, chamber and classical music performances, and seminars and meetings by various Olching clubs.
Events
Carnival Parade; ''Faschingsumzug''
The carnival parade (''Faschingsumzug'') takes place annually on Shrove Tuesday at 2:00 pm and has a long tradition in Olching. The first procession was organised by the so-called young farmers' club ( ''Burschenverein'') in 1923. Between 1938 and 1952, these parades were suspended due to the political environment and other factors such as World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. It was only in 1953 when six masked men—three of them musicians—took to the streets on ''Faschingsdienstag'' that this tradition was reinstated on a regular basis.
The procession grew ever bigger due to the involvement of local clubs and groups. Over the course of time, the procession in Olching has become the largest in Upper Bavaria
Upper Bavaria (german: Oberbayern, ; ) is one of the seven administrative districts of Bavaria, Germany.
Geography
Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered on the city of Munich, both state capital and seat o ...
. Since 1953 it has only been cancelled on three occasions: In 1962 as a mark of respect for the victims of the catastrophic surge-tide in Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
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, utc_offset1 = +1
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, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
; in 1990 due to a hurricane-force storm called ''Wiebke''; and in 1991 due to the first Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
.
Over the following years as many as 30,000–40,000 spectators have attended this spectacle
In general, spectacle refers to an event that is memorable for the appearance it creates. Derived in Middle English from c. 1340 as "specially prepared or arranged display" it was borrowed from Old French ''spectacle'', itself a reflection of the ...
regularly in the hope of catching a handful of sweets that are thrown from the floats for the children and to laugh at the politically and satirically themed floats as the procession moves down the High Street (''Hauptstrasse'') in Olching.
Easter Fire; ''Osterfeuer''
A tradition that is more widespread in northern and central parts of Germany, the Easter Fire, (Ger.), is also traditionally celebrated in Olching on the town's fairground (see below), the so-called ''Volksfestplatz''. A large bonfire is lit after dusk on Easter Saturday
Easter Saturday, on the Christian calendar, is the Saturday following the festival of Easter, the Saturday of Easter or Bright Week. In the liturgy of Western Christianity it is the last day of Easter Week, sometimes referred to as the Saturd ...
. Spectators of the event can also browse the numerous stalls while the Olching volunteer fire brigade
A volunteer fire department (VFD) is a fire department of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction. Volunteer and retained (on-call) firefighters are expected to be on call to respond t ...
''Freiwillige Feuerwehr'' manage the fire.
There is also an unofficial competition between neighboring communities and families, (typically in more rural areas) to see who can set up the largest fire. This is done to dispose of superfluous wood (including remaining Christmas trees
A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. The custom was further developed in early modern ...
) while earning donations for local charitable groups and organizations.
The origin of this festival in 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 ...
is a mixture of pagan
Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
celebrations intended to drive away the winter and its evils, and Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
beliefs (another name for this celebration in parts of Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
and Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
is '' Judasfeuer'' (literally: Judas fire)).
Fair; ''Volksfest''
The fair (''Volksfest'') in Olching takes place annually during the second holiday week of Whitsun
Whitsun (also Whitsunday or Whit Sunday) is the name used in Britain, and other countries among Anglicans and Methodists, for the Christian High Holy Day of Pentecost. It is the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the Ho ...
(''Pfingsten''). The fair consists of rides, stalls, food and entertainment, and a large beer tent, which are set up on the ''Volksfestplatz'' (fairground). There are various themed events in the beer tent, including a regional boxing ''fight night''. The community organises a broad range of events during the festival, including a popular large firework display
Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices in ...
, usually on the first Monday of the fair. The day of Corpus Christi is usually a raceday, which takes place at the ''Speedwaybahn'' as part of the festivities.
Notable people
*Roman Neumayer
Roman Neumayer (1930/1931 – 23/24 December 2015) was a German ice hockey executive, coach and player. He served as the sport director of the German Ice Hockey Federation from 1970 to 1986, and as technical director for the International Ice Ho ...
(c. 1930–2015), ice hockey executive, coach and player, lived and died here
*Martin Smolinski
Martin Smolinski (born 6 December 1984, in Munich, West Germany) is a former international motorcycle speedway and Grasstrack rider from Germany. He is eight times champion of Germany.
Career
Smolinksi began riding in his natiove Germany for MSC ...
, is a German international motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that use only ...
and Grasstrack
Motorcycle Grasstrack is a form of track racing which typically, in its current form, takes place on a flat track consisting of two straights and two bends usually constructed in a field. It is one of the oldest types of motorcycle sports in the ...
rider who has represented the German speedway team at senior level. He is a former World Long Track champion and European Grasstrack champion
Twin towns – sister cities
Olching is twinned with:
* Feurs
Feurs (; frp, Fuèrs) is a commune in the department of Loire, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
History
Antiquity
The city was founded by the Romans. The name Feurs is a contraction of ''Segusiavorum Forum''. With a forum the Gallo-Roman era, c ...
, France
* Tuchola
Tuchola (german: Tuchel; csb, Tëchòlô) is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship in northern Poland. The Pomeranian town, which is the seat of Tuchola County, had a population of 13,418 .
Geographical location
Tuchola lies about n ...
, Poland
References
The initial text content of this site is based upon the German language Wikipedia entry for Olching, Olching in German Wikipedia
External links
Homepage of the Gemeinde Olching
''Gymnasium Olching''
''Grundschule Graßlfing''
Olching''
Golfclub-olching.de
SC Olching
TSV Geiselbullach
SV Esting News
* Olching ("Oiching") in the Bavarian Wikipedia
{{Authority control
Fürstenfeldbruck (district)