Waltershausen 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 south-western part of the
district of Gotha in the state of
Thuringia
Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million.
Erfurt is the capital and larg ...
,
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 ...
.
Geography
Geographic location
Located on the verge of the
Thuringian Basin
The Thuringian Basin (german: Thüringer Becken) is a depression in the central and northwest part of Thuringia in Germany which is crossed by several rivers, the longest of which is the Unstrut. It stretches about from north to south and around ...
just before the
Thuringian Forest
The Thuringian Forest (''Thüringer Wald'' in German), is a mountain range in the southern parts of the German state of Thuringia, running northwest to southeast. Skirting from its southerly source in foothills to a gorge on its north-west side i ...
, Waltershausen is sometimes referred to as the "gate to the Thuringian Forest".
It is close to the
Großer Inselsberg
Großer Inselsberg is a mountain in the Thuringian Forest with a height of above sea level, located on Rennsteig in the districts of Gotha and Schmalkalden-Meiningen. It is the fourth-highest distinct mountain of Thuringia, after Großer Beer ...
, the fourth-highest mountain in the state.
Town structure
The town is divided into the seven districts of Fischbach, Schmerbach,
Schwarzhausen, Winterstein, Wahlwinkel, Schnepfenthal and Langenhain.
Incorporations
On July 1 in 1950, Langenhain, Schnepfenthal-Rödichen as well as Wahlwinkel became parts of Waltershausen. 63 years later, on December 31 in 2013, the district of Emsetal (consisting of Fischbach, Schmerbach,
Schwarzhausen and Winterstein) was incorporated into the town.
History
The origin of the town's name can be traced back to the 8th-9th century when, during
Franconian times, a settlement called Waltershausen existed. In 1167, the town's landmark Tenneberg Castle was first mentioned in a document.
The first documentary mention of Waltershausen itself dates back to 1209, precisely under the name of ''„Ulricus, villicius de Waltherißhusin“''. It was then a part of the county of Mühlburg under the
electorate of Mainz
The Electorate of Mainz (german: Kurfürstentum Mainz or ', la, Electoratus Moguntinus), previously known in English as Mentz and by its French name Mayence, was one of the most prestigious and influential states of the Holy Roman Empire. In the ...
. From 1640 onwards, Waltershausen, then a subordinate to the Amt Tenneberg, became a part of the
duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
In the early nineteenth century, Waltershausen established its tradition of being a "city of dolls" due to the high number of toy and specifically doll factories in the area. In 1990, however, the industrial production of dolls came to an end.
In 1929, the Thuringian forest railway was extended to Waltershausen, thus providing a direct connection to
Bad Tabarz and
Gotha
Gotha () is the fifth-largest city in Thuringia, Germany, west of Erfurt and east of Eisenach with a population of 44,000. The city is the capital of the district of Gotha and was also a residence of the Ernestine Wettins from 1640 until the ...
.
During
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 ...
, on February 6 in 1945, Waltershausen was among several regional towns to be hit by an attack of
U.S. Forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
. 12 bombers dropped a total of 120 bombs on the town, causing the destruction of 21 buildings as well as 20 casualties.
Culture
Landmarks and sights
* , a baroque castle along with a local history museum.
* Klaustor, the main gate of the former city wall.
* Töpfersturm (German for ''pottery tower''), the former workplace of medieval potters outside of the town's center.
* historic Townhall, built in 1441 and fundamentally restored in 1990, the second oldest half-timbered town hall in central Germany.
*
Schnepfenthal Salzmann School
The Schnepfenthal Institution (Salzmannschule Schnepfenthal) is a boarding school in the district of Gotha, Germany, founded in 1784.
In addition to compulsory education in English and German, students in 6th grade choose from Arabic, Chinese an ...
(Salzmannschule Schnepfenthal), a boarding school specializing in foreign language education.
* the first outdoor gymnastic ground of Germany, founded by
Johann Christoph Friedrich GutsMuths
Johann Christoph Friedrich GutsMuths, also called Guts Muth or Gutsmuths (9 August 1759 – 21 May 1839), was a teacher and educator in Germany, and is especially known for his role in the development of physical education. He is thought of a ...
.
* town church (1719–23), including the largest baroque organ in the state of Thuringia.
Sports
Waltershausen offers a variety of sports clubs competing on high levels. Karate athletes of Bushido Waltershausen regularly compete on the national and international stage and have won numerous titles over the years. The town is also a well-known host of regional as well as national table tennis competitions. Its central sports club, ZSG Waltershausen consists of 12 different sports departments.
Media
There are two renowned radio stations in Waltershausen. In 2009, the online radio channel ''0800 Radio Tenneberg'' went on air with daily coverage. Four years later, ''TMR-radio.de'' launched, providing recent news and a variety of music.
Recurring events
The town's biggest event is the annual town fair, taking place in mid-July under a different motto each year. Another recurring event is the medieval castle fair at the beginning of each September.
In December, usually on the weekend of second advent, the annual Christmas market takes place in front of the town hall. A day before Carnival's Monday, a traditional Carnival's parade has been held in Waltershausen for over 25 years.
Religion
There are a total of seven churches and chapels in Waltershausen and its surrounding districts. With the exception of a Catholic chapel established during the 20th century in the town, all of the religious institutions are of Protestant Christianity.
In 1993, Waltershausen became an ecclesiastical administrative center as chair of the Protestant-Lutheran church association of Waltershausen-Ohrdruf.
Infrastructure
Industry
The local economy is highly dependent on its industrial institutions. There are several companies located in or around Waltershausen. One of the most significant examples is a factory by
Hako GmbH
Hako GmbH is a manufacturer of street sweeping equipment and ultra-light commercial vehicles, headquartered in Bad Oldesloe, Germany with customers in about sixty countries. The company was founded on 24 December 1948; its name derives fr ...
, where multifunctional equipment transporters called Multicars are being produced.
Rockinger, a trailer hitch producing company, has a factory as well as its headquarters in the town. ContiTech, a subsidiary of
Continental
Continental may refer to:
Places
* Continent, the major landmasses of Earth
* Continental, Arizona, a small community in Pima County, Arizona, US
* Continental, Ohio, a small town in Putnam County, US
Arts and entertainment
* ''Continental'' ( ...
, also settled in Waltershausen with one of its factories.
Public transport
Due to its proximity to the highway A4 and its own entry to one of Germany's most significant highways connecting Frankfurt and Dresden, Waltershausen is well-connected to the surrounding cities of Eisenach, Gotha as well as Erfurt. The highway is also the gateway to various other parts of Germany, making Waltershausen a very central and easily accessible place from a national perspective.
One of the best-known public transport mediums in the area is the ', connecting Waltershausen to Gotha and Bad Tabarz. Its traditional and nostalgic concept have made it popular beyond the town's border, attracting even non-local tourists.
There are buses and a train line operating in Waltershausen as well.
Education
Waltershausen currently has two primary schools, a secondary school as well as the
Salzmannschule Schnepfenthal
The Schnepfenthal Institution (Salzmannschule Schnepfenthal) is a boarding school in the district of Gotha, Germany, founded in 1784.
In addition to compulsory education in English and German, students in 6th grade choose from Arabic, Chinese an ...
, a high school focussing on foreign language education.
External relations
Sister cities
International:
*
Bruay-sur-l'Escaut
Bruay-sur-l'Escaut (, literally ''Bruay on the Escaut'') is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
Geography
Bruay-sur-l'Escaut is 6 km north of Valenciennes on the left bank of the river Scheldt (french: Escaut): Bruay-sur ...
,
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 ...
(
Département
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level ("territorial collectivity, territorial collectivities"), between the regions of France, admin ...
Nord) (since 1965)
*
Wolbrom
Wolbrom (german: Wolfram) Wojciech Blajer: ''Bemerkungen zum Stand der Forschungen uber die Enklawen der mittelalterlichen deutschen Besiedlung zwischen Wisłoka und San''. n:Późne średniowiecze w Karpatach polskich. red. Prof. Jan Gancarski. ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
(
Voivodship
A voivodeship is the area administered by a voivode (Governor) in several countries of central and eastern Europe. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times and the area of extent of voivodeship resembles that of a duchy in western medieva ...
Małopolskie
Lesser Poland Voivodeship or Lesser Poland Province (in pl, województwo małopolskie ), also known as Małopolska, is a voivodeship (province), in southern Poland. It has an area of , and a population of
3,404,863 (2019).
It was created on 1 ...
) (since 2000)
National:
*
Korbach
Korbach (pronunciation: ˈkoːɐˌbax), officially the Hanseatic City of Korbach (German: Hansestadt Korbach), is the district seat of Waldeck-Frankenberg in northern Hesse, Germany. It is over a thousand years old and is located on the German Tim ...
,
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 ...
(
Hesse
Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major histor ...
) (since 1990)
*
Hanau
Hanau () is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main and is part of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Frankfurt Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region. Its Hanau Hauptbahnhof, station is 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 ...
(
Hesse
Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major histor ...
) (since 1990)
Notable people
*
Johann Matthäus Bechstein
Johann Matthäus Bechstein (11 July 1757 – 23 February 1822) was a German naturalist, forester, ornithologist, entomologist, and herpetologist. In Great Britain, he was known for his treatise on singing birds (''Naturgeschichte der Stubenvög ...
(1757-1822), naturalist, forestry scientist and ornithologist
*
Heinrich Credner (1809-1876), geologist
*
Eduard Ausfeld
Heinrich Eduard Ausfeld (27 May 1850, Schnepfenthal bei Gotha – 4 April 1906, Magdeburg) was a German archivist and historian.
Following studies at several German universities, he obtained his doctorate in 1880 at the University of Marburg. Su ...
(1850-1906), historian
*
Paul Fridolin Kehr (1860-1944), historian and diplomatist, brother of Hans Kehr
*
Hans Kehr (1862-1916), founder of the German bile duct surgery, brother of Paul Fridolin Kehr
*
Jannes Fittje
Jannes Fittje (born 22 July 1999) is a German racing driver from Waltershausen and is currently driving in the 2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup for Team Project 1 - Fach.
Career
Karting
Fittje enjoyed a successful karting career, winning in G ...
(born 1999), racing driver
References
External links
Waltershausen official web page (German)
{{Authority control
Towns in Thuringia
Gotha (district)
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha