Wilhelmsfeld is a municipality in the

Rhein-Neckar-Kreis The Rhein-Neckar-Kreis is a district in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The administrative headquarters are based in the city Heidelberg, which is a district-free city. As of 2019, the district is the most populous in Baden-Württe ...

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 ...

in Germany.

Geography

Wilhelmsfeld is a state-certified climatic health resort in the hills of the southern

Odenwald The Odenwald () is a low mountain range in the German states of Hesse, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Location The Odenwald is located between the Upper Rhine Plain with the Bergstraße and the ''Hessisches Ried'' (the northeastern section ...

, between 260 and 533m above sea-level. The surrounding communities are

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...

Schriesheim Schriesheim (South Franconian: ''Schriese'') is a town located in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is part of the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis and the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region. Geography Schriesheim lies on the Bergstraße, at the western edge o ...

Heiligkreuzsteinach Heiligkreuzsteinach is a town in the district of Rhein-Neckar in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is located about 25 km North-East of Heidelberg. In 1293 the community was officially mentioned for the first time. Until 1525 the administr ...

, and Schönau.

History

Wilhelmsfeld was established in 1710, when Johann Wilhelm, prince-elector of the

Electorate of the Palatinate The Electoral Palatinate (german: Kurpfalz) or the Palatinate (), officially the Electorate of the Palatinate (), was a state that was part of the Holy Roman Empire. The electorate had its origins under the rulership of the Counts Palatine of ...

, granted five farmers from the Steinach river valley the right to settle there. The settlement was named after the prince-elector, but it belonged to Heiligkreuzsteinach administratively. Wilhelmsfeld became independent in 1810, after the region was annexed by

Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden is ...

Government

Municipal council

The municipal council includes 14 councilors excluding the mayor (''Bürgermeister'').

Coat of arms

The coat of arms is based on a seal from 1818. The coat of arms was created by the General State Archive in 1911 on basis of the seal. The sickle and the handaxe represent agriculture and forestry, the most important industries in Wilhelmsfeld in the 19th century. The flag is white and blue and was awarded by the Ministry of the State in 1956.

Culture and attractions

The Teltschik Tower is a 41-meter-tall lookout tower, which stands on the mountain, ''Schriesheimer Kopf'', at 530m above sea level. The tower was financed by a donation from the Teltschik family.

Notable natives

The doctor, poet, and

Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

national hero,

José Rizal José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is considered the national he ...

, spent an important part of his life in Wilhelmsfeld. He stayed several months in 1886 with the Protestant pastor Ullmer's family, while he practiced medicine at the university eye clinic in Heidelberg. He finished the last chapters of his novel ''Noli Me Tángere'' while living under the pastor.

Sister cities

Calamba City Calamba, officially the City of Calamba ( fil, Lungsod ng Calamba), is a 1st class component city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 539,671 people. Calamba is the regional center of th ...

, Philippines

References

External links

* {{Authority control Towns in Baden-Württemberg Rhein-Neckar-Kreis Populated places established in 1710 1710 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire