Gailingen
Encyclopedia
Gailingen is a town in the district of Konstanz
in Baden-Württemberg
in southern Germany
.
It is situated in the southern part of the landscape called Hegau
in a unique location on the northern bank of the Rhine River (High Rhine
) just across from Switzerland
and close to the Lake of Constance. It is therefore also called Gailingen am Hochrhein ("G. on the Upper Rhine"). The population currently is 3070.
settled in the area. The name “Gailingen” literally refers to “the people of Geilo,” one of the Alamanni leaders.
In the 11th century, a family of noblemen owned the area and probably erected a castle on the Rauhenberg mountain. This castle is gone for long already but left its name on that part of the mountain. In the 14th century, ownership was transferred to the former noble family of Randegg, which left her sign of a lion’s head in the town’s shield.
The town changed hands numerous times in the course of the following centuries. In 1540, the neighbouring city of Schaffhausen
(in Switzerland) purchased one third of the domain; the other parts were owned by several families, with the Liebenfels family being responsible for the construction of a lovely small castle called “Liebenfelsisches Schloesschen” in 1750.
Beginning in the mid-17th century, Gailingen became the home of several Jewish families and gradually became one of the largest Jewish communities in the south of Germany. They built a synagogue
, school, hospital and old people’s home, and their population reached a number almost as high as that of the non-Jewish population. In 1870, the town elected its first Jewish mayor. Seven years later, both Jewish and non-Jewish children were attending the same school. Members of both faiths were living together peacefully until Hitler’s rise to power. In October 1940, over 200 Jews from Gailingen were rounded up from their homes to be deported to France.
Konstanz (district)
Konstanz is a district in the south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Schwarzwald-Baar, Tuttlingen, Sigmaringen and Bodenseekreis. To the south it borders the Swiss canton Thurgau and Schaffhausen...
in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
in southern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
It is situated in the southern part of the landscape called Hegau
Hegau
The Hegau is a formerly volcanic landscape in southern Germany extending around the industrial city of Singen , between Lake Constance in the east, the Rhine River in the south, the Danube River in the north and the Randen—as the southwestern mountains of the Swabian Alb are called—in the west.The...
in a unique location on the northern bank of the Rhine River (High Rhine
High Rhine
The High Rhine is the name used in Germany for the part of the Rhine River that flows westbound from Lake Constance to Basel.The High Rhine begins at the outflow of the Rhine from the Untersee in Stein am Rhein and turns into the Upper Rhine in Basel...
) just across from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and close to the Lake of Constance. It is therefore also called Gailingen am Hochrhein ("G. on the Upper Rhine"). The population currently is 3070.
History
Founded over 1,000 years ago, Gailingen was first mentioned in a document in 965 A.D However, the village probably dates back to the 5th century when the AlamanniAlamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
settled in the area. The name “Gailingen” literally refers to “the people of Geilo,” one of the Alamanni leaders.
In the 11th century, a family of noblemen owned the area and probably erected a castle on the Rauhenberg mountain. This castle is gone for long already but left its name on that part of the mountain. In the 14th century, ownership was transferred to the former noble family of Randegg, which left her sign of a lion’s head in the town’s shield.
The town changed hands numerous times in the course of the following centuries. In 1540, the neighbouring city of Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of the same name; it has an estimated population of 34,587 ....
(in Switzerland) purchased one third of the domain; the other parts were owned by several families, with the Liebenfels family being responsible for the construction of a lovely small castle called “Liebenfelsisches Schloesschen” in 1750.
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, school, hospital and old people’s home, and their population reached a number almost as high as that of the non-Jewish population. In 1870, the town elected its first Jewish mayor. Seven years later, both Jewish and non-Jewish children were attending the same school. Members of both faiths were living together peacefully until Hitler’s rise to power. In October 1940, over 200 Jews from Gailingen were rounded up from their homes to be deported to France.