Heiningen
Encyclopedia
Heiningen is a municipality in the Göppingen district
in Baden-Württemberg
in southern Germany
at the base of the Swabia
n Alps.
on parchment dated 29 March 1228, in which a "F. Plebanus de Huningen," the priest of Huningen, is mentioned.
The most important document of the history of Heiningen, however, is the 27 Aug 1284 "Freedom Letter", to the King Rudolph von Habsburg
at the request of Duke Konrad von Teck
, to whose sovereignty Heiningen belonged and who was a solid supporter of the King Rudolph. The letter bestowed to the town of Heiningen the same rights of Freiburg in Briesgau
.
In possessing the same city rights as Freiburg, Heiningen had in principle all the privileges of a medieval town: city walls, moat
, free citizens, market rights, jurisdiction over its laws, and coat of arms and official seal. Unfortunately, Heiningen's legal status as a city was fleeting, although its city rights were never technically revoked. Duke Konrad Von Teck, as a result of hostilities with his neighbors, was not in the position to expand and complete his young city plans. In 1291 King Rudolf died and in 1292 Duke Konrad died. The Teck sovereignty decayed appreciably, and Heiningen lost its claim. In 1321 the impoverished sons of Konrad sold their holdings "below the Egge" (Fuchseck Mountain
), to which Heiningen and Boll belonged, to Count Eberhard I von Württemberg
.
The counts of Württemberg understandably gave precedence to their city of Göppingen, which was more geographically and politically convenient. Heiningen was absorbed into the Göppingen district and was reduced to the rank of a small marketplace. In a document from Feb 10, 1489, on which appears the oldest exhibit of the Heinginen Coat of Arms, Heiningen is noted as a "market town
".
The people of Heiningen honorably sought from then on to gain strength, to preserve a maximum of freedom, and always to let themselves renew and affirm these values. With these values Heiningen carried on for a long time within their jurisdiction, and there was no serfdom. But only the Heiningen Market became an anchored tradition which reached the present time.
In 1284 a royal document records the establishment of the Heiningen weekly market, which remained for many years, but ended sometime in the 18th century. Since May 24, 1985 it restarted and since then has enjoyed great popularity in the community.
Heiningen's market was quite successful. Probably because of this, under the administration of the Counts of Württemberg, a reconstruction and fortification of gothic Michael's Church began. The counts endeavored to build up and secure towns on the border areas of their territory.
The late gothic Funfachtel choir building with its beautiful vaulted arches the ornamentation of the Michaels Church and also the sacristy originated without a doubt due to the Cloister Adelberg, which was quite well off and in 1393 through exchange with Wurttemberg had acquired authority over the church matters of Heiningen, such as the right to assign priests. Likewise the cloister had the responsibility to provide the church and priests' salary as public services. The priest house had the same builder from 1493. It may also be credited to the Cloister that Heiningen had a school already by 1466.
Like one can imagine, the town had its share of war and calamity. The worst disaster came during the 30 Years War, after the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634
, when the emperor's troops swept through the city like a roaring flood. The troops completely plundered the town and perpetrated horrible atrocities on the inhabitants. Due to famine and horrible plague, the population sank from about 1000 before the war to about a fifth of that after. At the end of the war houses stood empty and abandoned.
Since World War II many "Heimatvertriebene" refugees moved to Heiningen. These refugees were ethnic Germans that lived in an area, such as Bohemia, that fell under new government after the war.
, Heiningen has been mostly Protestant. The immigration of Heimatvertriebene after the war did lead to a founding of a Roman Catholic Parish, which also serves nearby Eschenbach
.
Göppingen (district)
Göppingen is a Kreis in the middle of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Rems-Murr, Ostalbkreis, Heidenheim, Alb-Donau, Reutlingen and Esslingen.-History:...
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...
at the base of the Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
n Alps.
History
The town first emerges in an archive of the Abbey of St. GallAbbey of St. Gall
The Abbey of Saint Gall is a religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in present-day Switzerland. The Carolingian-era Abbey has existed since 719 and became an independent principality during the 13th century, and was for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe. It was...
on parchment dated 29 March 1228, in which a "F. Plebanus de Huningen," the priest of Huningen, is mentioned.
The most important document of the history of Heiningen, however, is the 27 Aug 1284 "Freedom Letter", to the King Rudolph von Habsburg
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
at the request of Duke Konrad von Teck
Duke of Teck
Duke of Teck was, in medieval times, a title borne by the head of a principality named Teck in the Holy Roman Empire, centered around Teck castle in Germany. That territory was held by a branch line of the Zähringen dynasty from 1187 to 1439, known historically as the first House of Teck...
, to whose sovereignty Heiningen belonged and who was a solid supporter of the King Rudolph. The letter bestowed to the town of Heiningen the same rights of Freiburg in Briesgau
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
.
In possessing the same city rights as Freiburg, Heiningen had in principle all the privileges of a medieval town: city walls, moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
, free citizens, market rights, jurisdiction over its laws, and coat of arms and official seal. Unfortunately, Heiningen's legal status as a city was fleeting, although its city rights were never technically revoked. Duke Konrad Von Teck, as a result of hostilities with his neighbors, was not in the position to expand and complete his young city plans. In 1291 King Rudolf died and in 1292 Duke Konrad died. The Teck sovereignty decayed appreciably, and Heiningen lost its claim. In 1321 the impoverished sons of Konrad sold their holdings "below the Egge" (Fuchseck Mountain
Fuchseck
The Fuchseck is a 762m high mountain on the northern edge of the Swabian Alb in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The mountain is surrounded by the towns of Gammelshausen, Eschenbach, Schlat and Bad Ditzenbach. The summit is on the municipal border of Schlat in the Göppingen District...
), to which Heiningen and Boll belonged, to Count Eberhard I von Württemberg
Rulers of Württemberg
This is a list of the rulers of the German state of Württemberg, originally a county and eventually a kingdom until the ruling dynasty was overthrown in 1918.- Counts of Württemberg to 1495 :* Konrad I 1089–1122...
.
The counts of Württemberg understandably gave precedence to their city of Göppingen, which was more geographically and politically convenient. Heiningen was absorbed into the Göppingen district and was reduced to the rank of a small marketplace. In a document from Feb 10, 1489, on which appears the oldest exhibit of the Heinginen Coat of Arms, Heiningen is noted as a "market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
".
The people of Heiningen honorably sought from then on to gain strength, to preserve a maximum of freedom, and always to let themselves renew and affirm these values. With these values Heiningen carried on for a long time within their jurisdiction, and there was no serfdom. But only the Heiningen Market became an anchored tradition which reached the present time.
In 1284 a royal document records the establishment of the Heiningen weekly market, which remained for many years, but ended sometime in the 18th century. Since May 24, 1985 it restarted and since then has enjoyed great popularity in the community.
Heiningen's market was quite successful. Probably because of this, under the administration of the Counts of Württemberg, a reconstruction and fortification of gothic Michael's Church began. The counts endeavored to build up and secure towns on the border areas of their territory.
The late gothic Funfachtel choir building with its beautiful vaulted arches the ornamentation of the Michaels Church and also the sacristy originated without a doubt due to the Cloister Adelberg, which was quite well off and in 1393 through exchange with Wurttemberg had acquired authority over the church matters of Heiningen, such as the right to assign priests. Likewise the cloister had the responsibility to provide the church and priests' salary as public services. The priest house had the same builder from 1493. It may also be credited to the Cloister that Heiningen had a school already by 1466.
Like one can imagine, the town had its share of war and calamity. The worst disaster came during the 30 Years War, after the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634
Battle of Nördlingen (1634)
The Battle of Nördlingen was fought on 27 August or 6 September , 1634 during the Thirty Years' War. The Roman Catholic Imperial army, bolstered by 18,000 Spanish and Italian soldiers, won a crushing victory over the combined Protestant armies of Sweden and their German-Protestant allies .After...
, when the emperor's troops swept through the city like a roaring flood. The troops completely plundered the town and perpetrated horrible atrocities on the inhabitants. Due to famine and horrible plague, the population sank from about 1000 before the war to about a fifth of that after. At the end of the war houses stood empty and abandoned.
Since World War II many "Heimatvertriebene" refugees moved to Heiningen. These refugees were ethnic Germans that lived in an area, such as Bohemia, that fell under new government after the war.
Religion
Since the ReformationProtestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, Heiningen has been mostly Protestant. The immigration of Heimatvertriebene after the war did lead to a founding of a Roman Catholic Parish, which also serves nearby Eschenbach
Ebersbach an der Fils
Ebersbach is a town in the district of Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg, in southern Germany. It is located on the river Fils, 10 km west of Göppingen, and 26 km east of Stuttgart. Stuttgart is a hub of industrial activity and is surrounded by dozens of smaller towns and cities.The name...
.
Census
The population of the community between 1837 and 2005.| Date | Inhabitants |
|---|---|
| 1837 | 1130 |
| 1907 | 1185 |
| 1939 | 1309 |
| 1950 | 1980 |
| 1970 | 3422 |
| 1983 | 4877 |
| 2005 | 5480 |