Ispringen
Encyclopedia
Ispringen is a town in the district of Enz
in Baden-Württemberg
in Germany
. The name of the town was first recorded in the early Middle Ages as 'Urspringen'. It refers to a natural spring which is the source of the Kämpfelbach
, a small stream that ultimately empties in to the Rhine. The town's coat-of-arms, yellow shears on a scarlet background, allude to the town's former main industry of raising sheep. The colours are common to communities in the area and derive from the coat-of-arms of the Grand Duchy of Baden.
friary at Pforzheim. This remained the structure of local affairs until the upheaval of the Reformation
. Following this the village came under the rule of the Duke of Baden, and would remain there until absorbed into the unified Germany
. Under the Duke of Baden the inhabitants changed to Lutheranism.
During the Napoleonic wars Ispringen suffered quartering by French, Prussian, Cossack and German troops. This was the first large scale exposure the town had experienced of outside influences.
Following the end of the Second World War Ispringen experienced something of a boom. Pforzheim had been reduced to rubble in an Allied bombing raid
late in war, and Ispringen had been largely unaffected. Some light industrial businesses started building along the south side of town. This was followed by young families in the fifties and sixties looking for both employment and space outside but still close to their old place of habitation.
to Pforzheim
rail link and the L570 road link. For most of the length of the town the valley floor is no wider than a hundred metres across, until the western boundary is reached and the valley opens out into fields more typical of Ispringen's downstream neighbours. As such most of the town is built on the relatively shallow but steep sides of the upper valley, and any short walk away from the centre of town will quickly allow a view of a majority of the locality.
To the south of the town is a thin isthmus of forest and the A8 Munich
to Karlsruhe autobahn that separates the town from Pforzheim's shopping district. These barriers are impassable by car. The result of which being that while Ispringen is close in physical proximity to its larger neighbour, it retains a distinct identity of its own and cannot be regarded at a suburb of that city. Beyond Pforzheim the Black Forest
begins.
Over the north side of the valley the countryside opens to a large plain of rolling hills and large commercial farms.
Ispringen has four establishments, two of each run by the Lutheran and Catholic churches, both denominations having one on either side of the valley.
Primary school level education was formerly provided at the old school house located on the corner of Schulstraße and Gartenstraße, now occupied by the local branch of the Sparkasse. Due to demographic pressure it was necessary to build a larger school and this now located on the southside of town on a wooded promontory between to industrial zone and the larger Ersingen town forest.
Secondary school education is also provided for at this facility, but is limited to Hauptschule and Werkrealschule levels. Those Isprigen residents who wish to take the more academic oriented gymnasium stream have the option of five such schools in Pforzheim or one further down the valley at Königsbach.
Enz (district)
Enzkreis is a district in the north-west of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Karlsruhe, Heilbronn,Ludwigsburg, Böblingen and Calw...
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 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...
. The name of the town was first recorded in the early Middle Ages as 'Urspringen'. It refers to a natural spring which is the source of the Kämpfelbach
Kämpfelbach
Kämpfelbach is a municipality in the district of Enz in Baden-Württemberg in Germany, 7 km away from the town of Pforzheim.- Geography :The municipality of Kämpfelbach is located in the transition area between the Kraichgau and the northern Black Forrest...
, a small stream that ultimately empties in to the Rhine. The town's coat-of-arms, yellow shears on a scarlet background, allude to the town's former main industry of raising sheep. The colours are common to communities in the area and derive from the coat-of-arms of the Grand Duchy of Baden.
History
Ispringen was first mentioned in 1272. For most of its history it remained a relatively small village dominated by small livestock farms and orchards. In the fourteenth century the spiritual welfare (and by extension the temporal government) came under the patronage of the DominicanDominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
friary at Pforzheim. This remained the structure of local affairs until the upheaval of the Reformation
Protestant 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...
. Following this the village came under the rule of the Duke of Baden, and would remain there until absorbed into the unified 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...
. Under the Duke of Baden the inhabitants changed to Lutheranism.
During the Napoleonic wars Ispringen suffered quartering by French, Prussian, Cossack and German troops. This was the first large scale exposure the town had experienced of outside influences.
Following the end of the Second World War Ispringen experienced something of a boom. Pforzheim had been reduced to rubble in an Allied bombing raid
Bombing of Pforzheim in World War II
During the latter stages of World War II, Pforzheim, a town in southwestern Germany, was bombed a number of times. The largest raid, and one of the most devastating area bombardments of the war was carried out by the Royal Air Force on the evening of February 23, 1945. As many as 17,600 people,...
late in war, and Ispringen had been largely unaffected. Some light industrial businesses started building along the south side of town. This was followed by young families in the fifties and sixties looking for both employment and space outside but still close to their old place of habitation.
Geography
As the source of the Kämpfelbach, Ispringen sits at the head of a shallow river valley. At the extreme eastern end of the town what flat land is available is monopolised by the KarlsruheKarlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
to Pforzheim
Pforzheim
Pforzheim is a town of nearly 119,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. It is world-famous for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Until 1565 it was the home to the Margraves of Baden. Because of that it gained the nickname...
rail link and the L570 road link. For most of the length of the town the valley floor is no wider than a hundred metres across, until the western boundary is reached and the valley opens out into fields more typical of Ispringen's downstream neighbours. As such most of the town is built on the relatively shallow but steep sides of the upper valley, and any short walk away from the centre of town will quickly allow a view of a majority of the locality.
To the south of the town is a thin isthmus of forest and the A8 Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
to Karlsruhe autobahn that separates the town from Pforzheim's shopping district. These barriers are impassable by car. The result of which being that while Ispringen is close in physical proximity to its larger neighbour, it retains a distinct identity of its own and cannot be regarded at a suburb of that city. Beyond Pforzheim the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
begins.
Over the north side of the valley the countryside opens to a large plain of rolling hills and large commercial farms.
Education
At kindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
Ispringen has four establishments, two of each run by the Lutheran and Catholic churches, both denominations having one on either side of the valley.
Primary school level education was formerly provided at the old school house located on the corner of Schulstraße and Gartenstraße, now occupied by the local branch of the Sparkasse. Due to demographic pressure it was necessary to build a larger school and this now located on the southside of town on a wooded promontory between to industrial zone and the larger Ersingen town forest.
Secondary school education is also provided for at this facility, but is limited to Hauptschule and Werkrealschule levels. Those Isprigen residents who wish to take the more academic oriented gymnasium stream have the option of five such schools in Pforzheim or one further down the valley at Königsbach.
Religion
Ispringen is serviced by four churches. The town's established Lutheran church, dating from the late eighteenth century, lies on the Hochstraße. On the south side of town the small Catholic and non-conformist Christian communities are served by the Maria Königen church on Höhenstraße and the Neueapostolik church respectively. Mass is not celebrated every Sunday at Maria Königen, but services are avialiable in the predominantly Catholic village of Ersingen a few kilometres to the west. There is a secondary smaller Lutheran church. No non-Christian religion has established a house of worship in the town.Notable people
- August KautzAugust KautzAugust Valentine Kautz was a German-American soldier and Union Army cavalry officer during the American Civil War. He was the author of several army manuals on duties and customs eventually adopted by the U.S. military.-Early life and career:Born in Ispringen, Baden, Germany, Kautz immigrated with...
, Union Army cavalry officer during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25... - Dieter KosslickDieter KosslickDieter Kosslick is the director of the Berlin International Film Festival . He has held this post since 1 May 2001 when he took over from Moritz de Hadeln....
, director of the Berlin International Film FestivalBerlin International Film FestivalThe Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...