Bönnigheim () is a town in the German administrative district (
Kreis) of
Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg (; Swabian German, Swabian: ''Ludisburg'') is a Cities of Germany, city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg (district), Lu ...
which lies at the edge of the areas known as ''Stromberg'' and ''Zabergäu''. The nearest large towns are
Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg (; Swabian German, Swabian: ''Ludisburg'') is a Cities of Germany, city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg (district), Lu ...
and
Heilbronn
Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District.
From the late Middle Ages on, it developed into an important trading centre. At the begi ...
.
Geography
Districts of the town
The town includes the previously separate parishes of Hofen and Hohenstein. The boundaries established on 31 December 1971, saw the inclusion of the property known as the Burgermühle and the lost village of Birlingen. The former parish of Hofen now comes under the village of Hofen. In the same way, the former parish of Hohenstein now comes under the village of that name.
History
Development of the town
The first documentary reference to Bönnigheim occurs in the
Lorsch codex
The Lorsch Codex (Chronicon Laureshamense, Lorscher Codex, Codex Laureshamensis) is an important historical document created between about 1175 to 1195 AD in the Lorsch Abbey, Monastery of Saint Nazarius in Lorsch, Germany. The codex is handwrit ...
. In a document dated 16 February 793, the nun Hiltburg bequeathed the parishes of Bönnigheim,
Erligheim and Alt-
Cleebronn to the abbey of
Lorsch, and it was due to this bequest that Bönnigheim fell to the
bishopric
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
of
Mainz
Mainz (; #Names and etymology, see below) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and with around 223,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 35th-largest city. It lies in ...
. The monastery of
Hirsau later bought the village as a
fief
A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
and sold it in 1284 to the monastery of Bebenhausen.
Ganerbentum
In the same year, Bönnigheim was granted the status of a so-called ''
Ganerbentum'' (community of joint owners), and in 1288 the
fief
A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
was passed to
Rudolf von Habsburg, who in turn granted it to his son, Albrecht von Löwenstein-Schenkenberg, in 1291. The estate that had emerged from the so-called ''Ganerbentum'', which lasted until 1750, became partitioned through inheritance, marriage and purchase.
During this time the ownership of the town, which still came under the rule of the
bishopric of Mainz, was subdivided between four noble families - the Lords of
Sachsenheim,
Liebenstein,
Gemmingen and
Neipperg. Each of the heirs became entitled to a quarter of the town. The same hereditary circumstances prevailed in nearby
Erligheim.
It is impossible for a town to be divided into four parts without this also impinging on the life of the community. Furthermore, it is hardly surprising that such a situation should also give rise to quarrels between the heirs themselves. Accordingly, a local
truce
A ceasefire (also known as a truce), also spelled cease-fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions often due to mediation by a third party. Ceasefires may b ...
was agreed in 1388, thus giving Bönnigheim its first
bylaws
A by-law (bye-law, by(e)law, by(e) law), is a set of rules or law established by an organization or community so as to regulate itself, as allowed or provided for by some higher authority. The higher authority, generally a legislature or some other ...
. Under the terms of this truce, the four heirs agreed that a so-called ‘Baumeister’ would be elected from their ranks every two years (later every three years) who would be responsible for the administration of the town. The ‘Baumeister’ took up residence in the castle. Also established as part of this agreement was the election of the town council and of the mayor, as well as the appointment of a
bailiff
A bailiff is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. There are different kinds, and their offices and scope of duties vary.
Another official sometimes referred to as a '' ...
. During the
Peasants Revolt, the castle was burnt down. It was rebuilt in 1546, only to be partially torn down again in 1697. The castle remains in this latter state today.
Modern era
In 1750, Earl Friedrich von Stadion purchased the town and so brought to an end the Garnerbentum era. In 1756, Bönnigheim passed to
Württemberg
Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart.
Together with Baden and Province of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern, two other histo ...
via its purchase by Duke Carl Eugen. Here it became part of the old administrative district of
Besigheim which, in turn, came under the administrative district (
Landkreis) of
Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg (; Swabian German, Swabian: ''Ludisburg'') is a Cities of Germany, city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg (district), Lu ...
in 1938.
Religion
Apart from the
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
and
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
congregations, the population also includes those of the
New Apostolic faith.
Incorporated parishes
* From 1 January 1972: Hohenstein
* From 1 January 1972: Hofen
Governance
Town council
The local election held on 7 June 2009 resulted in a Council consisting of 18 members. The turnout was 54.64%. The result of the election was as follows.
(FWV and UWG = independents)
The chairperson of the Council is the mayor.
Arms and flag
The arms display, in red, a silver wheel with six spokes below which is a silver moon showing a face. The arms thus mirror the history of the town showing, as they do, elements of the
Wheel of Mainz
The Wheel of Mainz or , in German language, German, was the coat of arms of the Archbishopric of Mainz and thus also of the Electorate of Mainz (Kurmainz), in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It consists of a silver wheel with six spokes on a red ...
. The moon forms part of the arms of the Lords of Magenheim, who are considered to be the founders of Bönnigheim.
The town's colours are white and red and have been thus since 1921 at least.
The arms of the incorporated parishes are:
* Hofen: In red, a silver church with a tower, above a silver double cross (two horizontal bars). The flag is white and red.
The arms and flag were approved on 7 October 1966.
* Hohenstein: In silver, a red crenellated castle with twin towers on a green hill formed by a row of five diamonds. The flag is red and white.
The arms and flag were approved on 19 August 1965.
Twin towns
Bönnigheim is twinned with the following towns:
*
Rouffach in
Alsace
Alsace (, ; ) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,9 ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
since 1964,
*
Neukirch/Lausitz,
Landkreis Bautzen,
Saxony
Saxony, officially the Free State of Saxony, is a landlocked state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, and ...
since 1992
*
Balatonboglár am
Plattensee,
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
since 2000
Notable buildings
The signposted tour of the town includes some 50
listed buildings
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...
.
* The ''
Ganerbenburg'' (jointly-owned castle) marks the north-western boundary of the town as it was in the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
. The castle was destroyed during the
Peasants Revolt but subsequently rebuilt, only to be largely torn down again in the 17th century. The remains consist of a tower and a solidly-built stone house. Vestiges of the old wall, which dates from the Middle Ages, can be seen to the west of the castle. The wall is 1150 metres long, up to 9.10 metres high and 1.40 metres thick.
* The ''Köllesturm'' is a gated tower, part of the 13th-century town wall. A bridge led across the dry moat to the Köllesturm; there was also a double gate and a drawbridge tower. The present roof dates back to renovation work carried out after a fire in the late 18th century.
* Der ''Diebsturm'' ('Thief's Tower') is a semi-circular tower built onto the town wall in 1458.
Image:Boennigheim-ganerbenburg2.jpg, The '' Ganerbenburg''
Image:Boennigheim-stadtmauer.jpg, Vestiges of the town wall
Image:Boennigheim-diebsturm.jpg, Diebsturm ('Thief's Tower)
* The ''Stadionsche Schloss'' was built in 1756 by the master builder Anton Haaf for Count Friedrich Stadion. It has fulfilled various functions over the years: from 1828 to 1888 it was a forestry office; later a royal institute for the deaf and mute; then the Schiller College for American students. Since 1996, it has been home to the collection of ''Naive Art'' belonging to the Museum Charlotte Zander.
* Der ''Kavaliersbau'' at the town wall with its striking stepped gable is the last vestige of the former small Liebensteiner castle. It was on this site that the Stadionsche Schloss was later built. The town's music school and the youth café are both located here.
* Das ''Forstgefängnis'' was built in the 19th century as a prison for poachers and others caught stealing in the woods and stands between the castle and the Kavaliersbau. Today it is home to the Museum
Sophie La Roche.
* Der ''Georgsbrunnen'' (St George's Fountain) with the figure of Saint George fighting a dragon was erected in 1549; the basin surrounding the spout dates from 1816 and is inscribed with the names of former town councillors. This fountain, which is situated in front of the Stadionsche Schloss, served for many years as a water supply for fire-fighting.
Image:Boennigheim-kavaliersbau.jpg, Kavaliersbau
Image:Boennigheim-forstgefaengnis.jpg, Forstgefängnis ('Forest prison')
Image:BoennigheimGeorgsbrunnen.jpg, Saint George's fountain
* The ''Cyriakuskirche'' dates from a Roman basilica; the first documentary evidence occurs in 1100.
* Also on the church square is the ''Cyriakuspfründehaus'', which, until 1869, was the residence of the first vicar. It subsequently became the local prison. Nearby is the so-called ''Stelzenhaus'', ('House on stilts') which has additional living accommodation in an overhanging upper floor supported on wooden posts.
* The ''Bebenhäuser Hof'' was a farm belonging to the Abbey of Bebenhausen, which was already established in Bönnigheim in 1103. The building dates from around 1620 and has a gargoyle on its roof. The paintings on its timber panelled walls show the words of contemporary songs. Renovated in 1983, the Bebenhäuser Hof is now a hotel.
* The ''Mainzer Hof'' (address Meierhof 7) is a two-storey early Gothic stone house dating from the end of the 13th century.
* The ''Maulbronner Hof'' was built in 1581 as the farm building of the Monastery of Maulbronn. It has since been converted to living accommodation and business premises.
Image:Boennigheim-kirchplatz-inst.jpg, Artwork on the church square
Image:Boennigheim-stelzenhaus.jpg, Stelzenhaus ('House on stilts') & Cyriakuspfründehaus
Image:Boennigheim-bebenhauserhof.jpg, Bebenhäuser Hof
Image:Boennigheim-maulbronnerhof.jpg, Maulbronner Hof
* The ''Neipperger Kelter'' and the ''Gemminger Kelter'' ('Neipperg and Gemmingen wine cellars') are stone buildings dating from the year 1600. As such, they trace their origins to the Earls of Neipperg and the Counts of
Gemmingen, both of whom owed a quarter of the town from the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
until the 18th century. The Gemminger Kelter was recently modernised and converted into business premises and living accommodation. The exterior of the Neipperger Kelter is yet to be restored and houses the social section of a local sports club. The two other wine cellars (Sachsenheim and Liebenstein) were demolished when the cellar of the local wine co-operative was built in 1949. The latter has a clock tower bearing the arms of the four former ruling families, but has since been converted into a supermarket.
* The former ''Gemminger Amtshaus'' ('court house') is situated near the church. Its ancient central section is now barely discernible due to the conversion of the "Amtshaus" into living accommodation and business premises.
* The ''Ganerbenbrunnen'' ('Ganerben Fountain') in the centre of the town displays the arms of the four noble 'Ganerben' families and is a reminder of its division of Bönnigheim into four sections.
Image:Boennigheim-genoss-kelter.jpg, Former wine cellar of the local co-operative
Image:Boennigheim-wg-uhrenturm.jpg, Clock tower on the former wine cellar of the co-operative
Image:Boennigheim-gem-amtshaus.jpg, Former Gemminger Amtshaus ('court house')
Image:Boennigheim-ganerbenbrunnen.jpg, 'Ganerben' fountain
* The former ''Stadtschreiberhaus'' ('Town Clerk's house') at Kirchstraße 22 still has vestiges of late Gothic paintwork dating from 1541/42. In its garden is one of the oldest apothecaries which now houses an apothecary museum, open to the public.
* The ''Stadtapotheke'' (chemist) at Kirchgasse 2 was built in 1764 in the late baroque style. It has been home to a chemist since 1848. The main part of the old structure is visible through new shop windows.
* The town also has numerous other historic timber-framed houses. These include the old inns such as the''Bären'', which dates from 1766. Also worthy of mention are the ''Weingärtnerhaus'' of 1810 and a private house in the Grabenstrasse, which dates from 1757; also the ''Ackerbürgerhaus'' of 1630 in the Schloßstrasse with its nine roof sections.
Image:Boennigheim-ackerbuerger.jpg, Ackerbürgerhaus 1630
Image:Boennigheim-handwhaus1757.jpg, Wohnhaus 1757
Image:Boennigheim-weing-haus.jpg, Weingärtnerhaus 1810
Image:BoennigheimGerbergasse.jpg, Gerbergasse
Economy and infrastructure
Viticulture
Wine has been produced in Bönningheim since written records began.
The ''Strombergkellerei'' is the wine-growing co-operative for Bönnigheim,
Kirchheim am Neckar, Hohenhaslach and
Erligheim.
The vineyard of Ernst Dautel is known outside the region for quality wine, in particular for
Spätburgunder und
Lemberger.
Industry
Amann
The industrial age did not reach Bönnigheim until 1 November 1854, when Alois Amann (1824 – 1892) and Immanuel Böhringer (1822 – 1906) established a firm for the production of twisted and dyed silk
yarn
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. '' Thread'' is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern ...
s in a house which had previously been a private school for boys.
By 1 December of the same year, two winding machines and a cleaning machine were in operation, as well as a twisting-machine. The firm's modest production together with some purchased yarn was dyed at the Rau
dyeing
Dyeing is the application of dyes or pigments on textile materials such as fibers, yarns, and fabrics with the goal of achieving color with desired color fastness. Dyeing is normally done in a special solution containing dyes and particular ...
works in Berg before being taken to Bönnigheim where it was wound onto a
bobbin
A bobbin or spool is a spindle or cylinder, with or without flanges, on which yarn, thread, wire, tape or film is wound. Bobbins are typically found in industrial textile machinery, as well as in sewing machines, fishing reels, tape measures ...
and finished by twelve women. Two men turning a wheel provided the
motive power. However, by 1855 manpower had proved insufficient and two donkeys (later two oxen) were used to drive a
horse mill. In the same year, the black
dyeing
Dyeing is the application of dyes or pigments on textile materials such as fibers, yarns, and fabrics with the goal of achieving color with desired color fastness. Dyeing is normally done in a special solution containing dyes and particular ...
process was transferred in-house and additional machinery of various kinds was acquired. The following year saw the arrival of four new twisting machines, six additional winders and more washing and bobbin machines: the power source for these was a four-
horsepower
Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are t ...
steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs Work (physics), mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a Cylinder (locomotive), cyl ...
which replaced the oxen. In 1857, between 90 and 100 females were employed each earning 20
Gulden per year, rising to 25 Gulden after six months.
The firm flourished and expanded after the
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...
(1870-1871) and a bigger steam engine was installed. When the firm celebrated its
silver jubilee
Silver Jubilee marks a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, the 25th year of a monarch's reign or anything that has completed or is entering a 25-year mark.
Royal Silver Jubilees since 1750
Note: This ...
in 1879 it had become the leading German manufacturer of silk sewing threads.
In 1880, a competitor, Payr and Mayer in
Augsburg
Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...
and its subsidiary in
Mössingen were bought and the top management transferred to Bönnigheim. In 1882, Immanuel Böhringer retired leaving Alois Amann as the sole proprietor until he was joined by his sons, Emil Amann (1862 – 1935) and Alfred Amann (1863 – 1942), at which point the firm became known as
Amann und Söhne. Emil's pioneering experiments with synthetic fibres were abandoned when he decided that there was no substitute for real silk. There was expansion abroad with the purchase of two factories at
Seriate and
Telgate in Northern Italy. Emil Amann travelled throughout Europe on sales missions while his father and brother concentrated on the running of the factory. Colour dyeing was transferred in-house in 1884 as there had been complaints about the single-colour dyed silk that had previously been contracted out. No river flows through Bönnigheim and so a bore hole was sunk within the factory complex in 1886 to provide water for dyeing. Alfred Amann followed apprenticeships in
Lyon
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
,
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
and
Krefeld
Krefeld ( , ; ), also spelled Crefeld until 1925 (though the spelling was still being used in British papers throughout the Second World War), is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its c ...
before returning to the firm in 1888 to take up the post of technical director. When Alois Amann died in 1892, the sons took over the business and continued in partnership until 1917 when Emil retired to
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden (; ) is the capital of the German state of Hesse, and the second-largest Hessian city after Frankfurt am Main. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 24th-largest city. Wiesbaden form ...
to live the life of a man of private means.
In 1893, the fusion with Payr and Mayer was completed. The
Zabergäu Railway provided good communications with
Güglingen and a branch was opened in that nearby town. This, however, did not prove a success and it was closed within a relatively short time. In 1900, a new 40 – 60 horsepower steam engine was installed at the Bönnigheim plant to generate electricity for lighting. Two years later, the factory was extended.
The early years of the 20th century saw the manufacture of surgical threads which were woven rather than twisted. In 1907 a new artificial silk was produced specifically for the manufacture of
Plauen
Plauen (; ; ) is a town in Saxony, Germany with a population of around 65,000. It is Saxony's 5th most populated city after Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz and Zwickau, the second-largest city of the Vogtland after Gera, as well as the largest cit ...
lace
Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is split into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...
. With the main factory unable to cope with demand, another was set up at
Mundelsheim in 1910. A new product was added to the Amann range in 1919 with the manufacture of schappe silk (
silk waste) and in 1921 an extension was built to house the colour dyeing plant. The latter was overseen by Johannes Mecheels, whose son, Otto Mecheels, went on to establish the
Hohenstein Institute, a textile research centre situated at the edge of Bönnigheim. In 1923,
mercerised cotton thread was produced, followed two years later by
crocheting thread made from artificial silk.
In 1931, Alfred Pielenz, the son-in-law of Alfred Amann, became a partner, finally taking sole control of the firm when his father-in-law retired in 1933. Production became difficult during the Second World War and was finally halted. However, within a few months of the end of hostilities, manufacturing restarted although full output was not attained until 1948 when the import of raw silk was again permitted. Alfred Pielenz was responsible for a major building extension programme during the post-war years. The German economic boom brought about a significant increase in the demand for sewing threads both at home and abroad and the firm was restructured accordingly. In 1959, 90% of the output consisted of thread made from natural sources, but by the end of the 1970s, the same percentage was being produced from synthetic fibres. Massive investment was required to bring the production up to date and ensure maximum rationalisation. A number of competitors were taken over and a central warehouse was established in the nearby village of
Erligheim. The 1970s also saw production transferred overseas with factories opened in South Africa, Mexico and Spain, the output of the various plants being geared to the requirements of the individual markets.
The production was transferred from Bönnigheim in recent years and most of the buildings have been demolished. The firm is now known as the Amann Group but its head office remains in the town.
Textiles, along with agriculture and printing, still form the main manufacturing base of Bönnigheim.
=Amann family – benevolence to the town
=
Alfred Amann was known locally as the ‘soul of the town’ and gave large sums of money for the benefit of the local community. Within a year of entering the firm, Alfred, together with his mother, and brother, Emil, provided funds for a new chapel at the local cemetery which is still in use to this day. In 1902, he donated a swimming pool, which was up-dated and enlarged in 1933. In 1912, it was the turn of his former local school to benefit: a new school building was funded, thus creating for Bönnigheim its first '
Realschule
Real school (, ) is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia (''realna gimnazija''), the Austrian Empire, the German Empire, Denmark and Norway (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), F ...
' (secondary school). This was followed by a donation of 2,000
marks (ℳ) towards the education of gifted children of modest means. During the period of hyper-
inflation in the Weimar Republic in 1921, Amann was the only firm in the area not to lay off workers: instead they built a track around the town's forest. More donations followed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the firm's creation, to commemorate the death of his mother in 1913, his
silver wedding in 1916 and his
golden wedding in 1941. The marriage of his daughter in 1930 was marked by the gift of a new school building for the
Volksschule (elementary school). An indoor sports centre was the gift of Alfred and his wife, Julie, on the occasion of his 70th birthday in 1933. It was his wish that workers be able to buy their own houses and, to this end, loans at low interest were granted to those able to prove that they had saved money. In 1933, 90 of his 128 married workers were house-owners; 16 of the 26 salaried technical staff were in the same position.
Hohenstein Institute
The Mecheels family run a worldwide textile research and training centre, the
Hohenstein Institute, at a nearby castle, Schloss Hohenstein. This organisation works for the clothing industry and in the fields of textile care and hospital hygiene.
Media
The ''Bönnigheimer Zeitung'', is the local newspaper produced by Südwest-Presse. An independent news sheet ''Nachrichtenblättle'' reporting from the town halls of Bönnigheim, Kirchheim und Erligheim is published once a week.
Public institutions
There is a
retirement home and a
care home, both run by Kleeblatt Pflegeheime.
Education
All three sectors of the three-branch school system (
Education in Germany
Education in Germany is primarily the responsibility of individual German States of Germany, states (), with the federal government only playing a minor role.
While kindergarten (nursery school) is optional, formal education is compulsory for a ...
) are present in Bönningheim: as its name implies, the Alfred Amann Gymnasium is a
gymnasium. The Sophie La Roche Realschule is, of course, a
realschule
Real school (, ) is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia (''realna gimnazija''), the Austrian Empire, the German Empire, Denmark and Norway (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), F ...
. The Ganerbenschule is both a
grundschule
Education in Germany is primarily the responsibility of individual German States of Germany, states (), with the federal government only playing a minor role.
While kindergarten (nursery school) is optional, formal education is compulsory for a ...
and a
hauptschule
A ''Hauptschule'' (, "general school") is a secondary school in Germany, starting after four years of elementary schooling (''Grundschule''), which offers Lower Secondary Education (Level 2) according to the International Standard Classification ...
werkrealschule. In addition, there are three
municipal
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the gov ...
nursery schools, two
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
nursery schools and one
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
nursery school. There is also a municipal music school.
Sons and daughters of the town

* Alfred Amann (1863-1942), textile manufacturer, benefactor and honorary citizen of Bönnigheim
*
Johann Jakob Erhardt (1823-1901), missionary in East Africa and India
References
External links
In German
Offizielle WebpräsenzMuseum Ch. Zander "Naive Kunst"Amann Group
'' Apart from the section about Amann, which is newly written, the above is a translation based on the article in the German Wikipedia at''
:de:Bönnigheim
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonnigheim
Ludwigsburg (district)