Roßdorf
Encyclopedia
Roßdorf is a municipality in the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg
, in Hesse
, Germany. It has a population of 12,169 (as of 2007). It is situated 8 km east of Darmstadt
.
, in the southeast on the town of Reinheim, in the south on the town of Ober-Ramstadt
, and in the west on the city of Darmstadt
.
Counts Diether and Eberhardt I of Katzenelnbogen
with the villages of Roßdorf and Gundernhausen. In 1479, the family line died out and the inheritance went to Landgrave
Heinrich III of Hesse.
In 1621, Bavarian soldiers took up quarters in Roßdorf and plundered the town. In addition, witch-hunt
s took place, during which the inhabitants were accused of witchcraft. The worst period for Roßdorf was in the years 1634/35, during the Thirty Years' War
. The forces of the Holy Roman Empire
and Sweden opposed each other in the region, each in turn laying waste to and scavenging the entire countryside and heavily decimating the population. In the summer of 1635, the plague broke out, reducing the number of inhabitants to 50. In 1672, during the Franco-Dutch War
, Louis XIV
's troops took up quarters. In 1814, Russian soldiers passed through on their way to France
.
In 1852, Roßdorf was incorporated into the district of Darmstadt. Since 1977, amalgamated with its neighbour Gundernhausen, it has belonged to the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg.
The coat of arms is based on the seal of the combined village court of Roßdorf and Gundernhausen. An imprint of this seal can be found on the so called "Mansfeld Catalogue of Damages" from 1625, which is kept in the National Archive in Darmstadt. This Catalogue lists the losses suffered by the subjects of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen
during the Thirty Years' War
. In the 1950s, a face was added to the moon on the coat of arms, a move which has been criticised by many of Roßdorf's inhabitants.
Roßdorf is famous for horse breeding and in recent years has produced several prize-winning riders.
Roßdorf is also the headquarters of the Society for the Scientific Investigation of Para-Science (Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften - GWUP).
B 26 by three slip roads. (The B 26 has interchanges in Darmstadt with the Autobahns A 5 and A 67 and in Aschaffenburg with the A 3). Roßdorf is also the starting point of the B 38.
In addition, a number of bus routes serve Roßdorf:
The rail line between the "Darmstadt Ost" and "Bessunger Forsthaus" halts is still occasionally used for historical train rides. The rest of the line between Darmstadt and Groß Zimmern has been dismantled.
Darmstadt-Dieburg
Darmstadt-Dieburg is a Kreis in the south of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Offenbach, Aschaffenburg, Miltenberg, Odenwaldkreis, Bergstraße, Groß-Gerau, and the district-free city of Darmstadt, which it surrounds.-History:...
, in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, Germany. It has a population of 12,169 (as of 2007). It is situated 8 km east of Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
.
Neighbouring Towns and Municipalities
Roßdorf borders in the north and east on the municipality of Groß-ZimmernGroß-Zimmern
Groß-Zimmern is a municipality in the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg, in Hessen, Germany. It is situated 10 km east of Darmstadt and right next to Dieburg....
, in the southeast on the town of Reinheim, in the south on the town of Ober-Ramstadt
Ober-Ramstadt
Ober-Ramstadt is a town in the Darmstadt-Dieburg district, in Hesse, Germany. It is situated 9 km southeast of Darmstadt. As of 2006, its population was 15,196.-Location:...
, and in the west on the city of Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
.
Structure of the Municipality
The Municipality of Roßdorf is divided into two parts: Gundernhausen and Roßdorf.Demographic Development
Inhabitants:- 1575: 500
- 1635: 50
- 1814: 200
- 2003: 12,114
- 2005: 12,434
- 2007: 12,169
History
The first official mention of Roßdorf is in the year 1250. At this time, Abbot Heinrich vestedVesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
Counts Diether and Eberhardt I of Katzenelnbogen
Katzenelnbogen
Katzenelnbogen is the name of a castle and small city in the district of Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Katzenelnbogen is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Katzenelnbogen.-History:...
with the villages of Roßdorf and Gundernhausen. In 1479, the family line died out and the inheritance went to Landgrave
Landgrave
Landgrave was a title used in the Holy Roman Empire and later on by its former territories. The title refers to a count who had feudal duty directly to the Holy Roman Emperor...
Heinrich III of Hesse.
In 1621, Bavarian soldiers took up quarters in Roßdorf and plundered the town. In addition, witch-hunt
Witch-hunt
A witch-hunt is a search for witches or evidence of witchcraft, often involving moral panic, mass hysteria and lynching, but in historical instances also legally sanctioned and involving official witchcraft trials...
s took place, during which the inhabitants were accused of witchcraft. The worst period for Roßdorf was in the years 1634/35, during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
. The forces of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and Sweden opposed each other in the region, each in turn laying waste to and scavenging the entire countryside and heavily decimating the population. In the summer of 1635, the plague broke out, reducing the number of inhabitants to 50. In 1672, during the Franco-Dutch War
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, often called simply the Dutch War was a war fought by France, Sweden, the Bishopric of Münster, the Archbishopric of Cologne and England against the United Netherlands, which were later joined by the Austrian Habsburg lands, Brandenburg and Spain to form a quadruple alliance...
, Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
's troops took up quarters. In 1814, Russian soldiers passed through on their way to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In 1852, Roßdorf was incorporated into the district of Darmstadt. Since 1977, amalgamated with its neighbour Gundernhausen, it has belonged to the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg.
Municipal Council
The communal election of 26 March 2006 returned the following result (compared to the result from 2001):| Parties and groups of independent candidates | % 2006 |
Seats 2006 |
% 2001 |
Seats 2001 |
|
| SPD | Social Democratic Party of Germany Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
51.8 | 16 | 55.6 | 17 |
| CDU | Christian Democratic Union (Germany) Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
26.6 | 8 | 30.2 | 9 |
| GRÜNE | Alliance '90/The Greens Alliance '90/The Greens Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir... |
13.7 | 4 | 14.3 | 5 |
| FDP | Free Democratic Party (Germany) Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
7.9 | 3 | – | – |
| Total | 100.0 | 31 | 100.0 | 31 | |
| Voter turnout in % | 51.9 | 56.4 | |||
Mayor
- Heinrich Kloß (SPD, 1954–1982)
- Alfred Jakoubek (SPD, 1982–1997)
- Manfred Pfeiffer (SPD, 1997–2003)
- Christel Sprößler (SPD, since 2003)
Coat of Arms
The coat of arms consists of a shield with blue background. At the centre is a silver moon, over which a golden horseshoe hangs. Underneath these, there is a silver rose, the centre of which is blue. The remaining free space is taken up by seven golden stars (five in the upper area, two in the lower area). The coat of arms was approved by the president of the regional government in 1952.The coat of arms is based on the seal of the combined village court of Roßdorf and Gundernhausen. An imprint of this seal can be found on the so called "Mansfeld Catalogue of Damages" from 1625, which is kept in the National Archive in Darmstadt. This Catalogue lists the losses suffered by the subjects of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen
Katzenelnbogen
Katzenelnbogen is the name of a castle and small city in the district of Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Katzenelnbogen is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Katzenelnbogen.-History:...
during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
. In the 1950s, a face was added to the moon on the coat of arms, a move which has been criticised by many of Roßdorf's inhabitants.
Twinnings
- VösendorfVösendorfVösendorf is a town in the district of Mödling in the Austrian state of Lower Austria....
in Austria - ReggelloReggelloReggello is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany, located about 25 km southeast of Florence....
in Italy - KindbergKindbergKindberg is a municipality in the district of Mürzzuschlag in Styria, Austria....
in Austria - Benátky nad JizerouBenátky nad JizerouBenátky nad Jizerou is a town on the Jizera river in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, between the cities Stará Boleslav and Mladá Boleslav.The city was the site of a castle and observatory built by astronomer Tycho Brahe.-External links:...
in the Czech Republic - Roßdorf in the Rhön region of Thuringia, Germany
- LichtentanneLichtentanneLichtentanne is a municipality in the district Zwickau, in Saxony, Germany.-Famous people:*Ludwig Greiner, identified Gerlachovský Peak as the summit of the Carpathians...
in the district of Zwickau, in Saxony, Germany
Culture and Tourist Attractions
- In Roßdorf, there is a catholic and a Protestant church; in Gundernhausen there is a Protestant church
- The historic town hall (Rathaus) dates from the year 1575
- The Museum of Skilled Trades in Southern Hesse (Südhessische Handwerksmuseum) is located in the old train station (Alter Bahnhof)
- From the summit crossSummit crossA summit cross is a cross on the summit of a mountain or hill that marks the top. Often there will be a "summit register" at the cross, either in a container or at least a weatherproof case....
of the "Rehberg", one can take in the view for a great distance in the directions of Aschaffenburg and Frankfurt - Roßdorf has a large heated outdoor swimming pool
- Adjoining the outdoor swimming pool, there is a roller skating rink, which is used in winter as an ice rink
Roßdorf is famous for horse breeding and in recent years has produced several prize-winning riders.
Clubs and Associations
The largest club in Roßdorf is the Sport and Cultural Association (Sport- und Kulturgemeinde - SKG - Roßdorf 1877 e.V.)Roßdorf is also the headquarters of the Society for the Scientific Investigation of Para-Science (Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften - GWUP).
Transport Infrastructure
Roßdorf is connected to the BundesstraßeBundesstraße
Bundesstraße , abbreviated B, is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.-Germany:...
B 26 by three slip roads. (The B 26 has interchanges in Darmstadt with the Autobahns A 5 and A 67 and in Aschaffenburg with the A 3). Roßdorf is also the starting point of the B 38.
In addition, a number of bus routes serve Roßdorf:
- K 55: Darmstadt - Roßdorf - Reinheim - Ueberau/Groß-Bieberau - Niedernhausen
- K 56: Darmstadt - Roßdorf - Ober-Ramstadt - Rohrbach - Asbach/Lichtenberg
- 672: Darmstadt - Roßdorf - Gundernhausen - Groß-Zimmern - Dieburg
- 673: Darmstadt - Roßdorf - Gundernhausen Stetteritz
- 693: Darmstadt - Roßdorf - Reinheim - Gr.-Bieberau - Brensbach - Reichelsheim - Fürth (not all buses serve Fürth)
The rail line between the "Darmstadt Ost" and "Bessunger Forsthaus" halts is still occasionally used for historical train rides. The rest of the line between Darmstadt and Groß Zimmern has been dismantled.
Notable people
- Georg Christian Bonhard (1770 in Gundernhausen - 1836), physician
- Christian Sartorius (1796 in Gundernhausen - 1872 in Mirador, Mexico), theologist, pedagogue and author, as well as sugar cane plantation owner in Mexico
- Heinz Friedrich (1922–2004), journalist, publisher and author
- Klaus TeuberKlaus TeuberKlaus Teuber is a German designer of board games. He won the Spiel des Jahres award four times, for The Settlers of Catan, Barbarossa, Drunter und Drüber and Adel Verpflichtet. He retired from his profession as a dental technician to become a full-time game designer in 1999. , he lives in ...
(born 1952), inventor of The Settlers of CatanThe Settlers of CatanThe Settlers of Catan is a multiplayer board game designed by Klaus Teuber and first published in 1995 in Germany by Franckh-Kosmos Verlag as Die Siedler von Catan. Players assume the roles of settlers, each attempting to build and develop their settlement while trading and acquiring resources...
; probably the best known German board game designer - Lisa Edling (born 1980), "Wine Queen" of the BergstraßeHessische BergstraßeThe Hessische Bergstraße is a defined region for wine in Germany located in the state of Hesse among the northern and western slopes of the Odenwald mountain chain. With only of vineyards it is the smallest of the 13 German quality wine regions...
Region 2002/2003, "German Wine Princess" 2003 - Flix (Felix Görmann, born 1976), comic book artist
- Yannick Lebherz (born 1989), swimmer