Südwestpfalz is a district (Kreis) in the south of Rhineland-Palatinate

Rhineland-Palatinate

Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....

, 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...

. Neighboring districts are (from west clockwise) Saarpfalz

Saarpfalz

Saarpfalz is a Kreis in the south-east of the Saarland, Germany. Neighboring districts are Saarbrücken, Neunkirchen, Kusel, Kaiserslautern, Südwestpfalz, district-free Zweibrücken, and the French département Moselle.-History:After the Treaty of Versailles, the Saar basin was placed under the...

, the district-free city Zweibrücken

Zweibrücken

Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken...

, the districts Kaiserslautern

Kaiserslautern (district)

Kaiserslautern is a district in the south of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Neighboring districts are Kusel, Saarpfalz-Kreis, Donnersbergkreis, Bad Dürkheim and Südwestpfalz. The city of Kaiserslautern is almost fully enclosed by, but not belonging to the district.-History:The district of...

 and Bad Dürkheim

Bad Dürkheim (district)

Bad Dürkheim is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Kaiserslautern, Donnersbergkreis and Alzey-Worms, the city of Worms, the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis, the city of Neustadt/Weinstraße, the districts of Südliche Weinstraße, the city of Landau , the district...

, the district-free city Landau

Landau

Landau or Landau in der Pfalz is an autonomous city surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town , a long-standing cultural centre, and a market and shopping town, surrounded by vineyards and wine-growing villages of the...

  (the Taubensuhl/Fassendeich forest part of the city), Südliche Weinstraße

Südliche Weinstraße

Südliche Weinstraße is a district in the south of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Neighboring districts are Südwestpfalz, Bad Dürkheim, the district-free city Neustadt , Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis, Germersheim, and the French département Bas-Rhin...

, and the French

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...

 département Bas-Rhin

Bas-Rhin

Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...

. The district-free city Pirmasens

Pirmasens

Pirmasens is a district-free city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, near the border with France. It is famous for the manufacture of shoes. The surrounding rural district was called Pirmasens from 1818 until 1997, when it was renamed Südwestpfalz....

 is completely surrounded by the district.

History

The district was created 18 February 1818 as the Landkommisariat Pirmasens. During the communal reforms of 1968-72 several changes were made to the district. In 1969 the neighboring district Bad Bergzabern

Bad Bergzabern

Bad Bergzabern is a municipality in the Südliche Weinstraße district, on the German Wine Route in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated near the border with France, on the south-eastern edge of the Palatinate forest, approximately southwest of Landau....

 was dissolved and some part of it was added, while other municipalities were incorporated into the city Pirmasens

Pirmasens

Pirmasens is a district-free city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, near the border with France. It is famous for the manufacture of shoes. The surrounding rural district was called Pirmasens from 1818 until 1997, when it was renamed Südwestpfalz....

. In 1972 the district Zweibrücken

Zweibrücken

Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken...

 was dissolved and added into the district Pirmasens

Pirmasens

Pirmasens is a district-free city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, near the border with France. It is famous for the manufacture of shoes. The surrounding rural district was called Pirmasens from 1818 until 1997, when it was renamed Südwestpfalz....

, which on 1 January 1997 renamed itself to Südwestpfalz.

Geography

The district is located in the hills of the Palatinate, the Palatinate forest. The river Lauter

Lauter (Rhine)

The Lauter is a river in Germany and France, left tributary of the Rhine. Its length is 55 km. It is formed by the confluence of two headstreams north of Hinterweidenthal in the Pfälzerwald, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...

 has its spring near the city of Pirmasens

Pirmasens

Pirmasens is a district-free city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, near the border with France. It is famous for the manufacture of shoes. The surrounding rural district was called Pirmasens from 1818 until 1997, when it was renamed Südwestpfalz....

.

Coat of arms

The three red bars on golden ground in the left half is the coat of arms of Hanau-Lichtenberg, while the lion in the right half is the lion of Palatinate. These marks the two historic states which were located on the district's area until the end of the 18th century.

Towns and municipalities

Verbandsgemeinde Verbandsgemeinde A Verbandsgemeinde is an administrative unit in the German Bundesländer of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt.-Rhineland-Palatinate:... n
1. Dahner Felsenland Dahner Felsenland Dahner Felsenland is a Verbandsgemeinde in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate forest, approx. 15 km southeast of Pirmasens, and 25 km west of Landau. Its seat of administration is in its central town, Dahn... Bobenthal Bobenthal Bobenthal is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Bruchweiler-Bärenbach Bruchweiler-Bärenbach Bruchweiler-Bärenbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Bundenthal Bundenthal Bundenthal is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Busenberg Busenberg Busenberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Dahn Dahn ----Dahn is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate Forest, approximately 15 km southeast of Pirmasens, and 25 km west of Landau... 1, 2 Erfweiler Erfweiler Erfweiler is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Erlenbach bei Dahn Erlenbach bei Dahn Erlenbach bei Dahn is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Fischbach bei Dahn Fischbach bei Dahn Fischbach bei Dahn is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Hirschthal Hirschthal, Germany Hirschthal is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Ludwigswinkel Ludwigswinkel Ludwigswinkel is a municipality in the district of Südwestpfalz of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, very close to the French border. The nearest large town is Pirmasens.... Niederschlettenbach Niederschlettenbach Niederschlettenbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Nothweiler Nothweiler Nothweiler is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Rumbach Rumbach Rumbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Schindhard Schindhard Schindhard is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Schönau Schönau, Rhineland-Palatinate Schönau is a village in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany on the French border. It has a population of roughly 600.... 2. Hauenstein Hauenstein (Verbandsgemeinde) Hauenstein is a Verbandsgemeinde in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The seat of the municipality is in Hauenstein.... Darstein Darstein Darstein is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Dimbach Dimbach Dimbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Hauenstein Hauenstein Hauenstein is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate forest, approximately 20 km east of Pirmasens, and 20 km west of Landau.... 1 Hinterweidenthal Hinterweidenthal Hinterweidenthal is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Lug Lug, Germany Lug is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Schwanheim Schwanheim, Rhineland-Palatinate Schwanheim is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Spirkelbach Spirkelbach Spirkelbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.-Politics:The council consists of twelve in Spirkelbach Council members who worked for the local elections on 7 June 2009 in a majority vote were chosen, and the honorary mayor as chairman.... Wilgartswiesen Wilgartswiesen Wilgartswiesen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... 3. Pirmasens-Land Pirmasens-Land Pirmasens-Land is a Verbandsgemeinde in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the southwestern edge of the Palatinate forest, around Pirmasens... [seat: Pirmasens] Bottenbach Bottenbach Bottenbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Eppenbrunn Eppenbrunn Eppenbrunn is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Hilst Hilst Hilst is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Kröppen Kröppen Kröppen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Lemberg Lemberg, Germany Lemberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Obersimten Obersimten Obersimten is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Ruppertsweiler Ruppertsweiler Ruppertsweiler is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Schweix Schweix Schweix is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Trulben Trulben Trulben is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Vinningen Vinningen Vinningen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....	4. Rodalben Rodalben (Verbandsgemeinde) Rodalben is a Verbandsgemeinde in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The seat of the municipality is in Rodalben.... Clausen Clausen, Germany Clausen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Donsieders Donsieders Donsieders is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Leimen Leimen, Rhineland-Palatinate Leimen is a municipality in the district of Südwestpfalz in the German state of Rhineland-Pfalz. It is located between the cities of Kaiserslautern and Pirmasens, and is situated in the heart of the Pfaelzerwald .... Merzalben Merzalben Merzalben is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.Merzalben's earliest known records were dated back from 1237.-Religion:2007 was 66.3% of the inhabitants Catholic and 19.3% Protestant... Münchweiler an der Rodalb Münchweiler an der Rodalb Münchweiler an der Rodalb is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Rodalben Rodalben Rodalben is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate forest, approx. 5 km northeast of Pirmasens.Rodalben is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Rodalben.... 1, 2 5. Thaleischweiler-Fröschen Thaleischweiler-Fröschen (Verbandsgemeinde) Thaleischweiler-Fröschen is a Verbandsgemeinde in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The seat of the municipality is in Thaleischweiler-Fröschen.... Höheischweiler Höheischweiler Höheischweiler is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Höhfröschen Höhfröschen Höhfröschen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Maßweiler Maßweiler Maßweiler is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Nünschweiler Nünschweiler Nünschweiler is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Petersberg Petersberg, Rhineland-Palatinate Petersberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Reifenberg Reifenberg Reifenberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Rieschweiler-Mühlbach Rieschweiler-Mühlbach Rieschweiler-Mühlbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Thaleischweiler-Fröschen Thaleischweiler-Fröschen Thaleischweiler-Fröschen is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the western edge of the Palatinate forest, approx. 7 km north of Pirmasens.... 1 6. Waldfischbach-Burgalben Waldfischbach-Burgalben (Verbandsgemeinde) Waldfischbach-Burgalben is a Verbandsgemeinde in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The seat of the municipality is in Waldfischbach-Burgalben.... Geiselberg Geiselberg Geiselberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Heltersberg Heltersberg Heltersberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Hermersberg Hermersberg Hermersberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany. It is situated on the western edge of the Palatinate forest, approx. 15 km northeast of Pirmasens, on top of the Sickinger Höhe.-Inhabitants:... Höheinöd Höheinöd Höheinöd is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Horbach Horbach, Südwestpfalz Horbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Schmalenberg Schmalenberg Schmalenberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Steinalben Steinalben Steinalben is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Waldfischbach-Burgalben Waldfischbach-Burgalben Waldfischbach-Burgalben is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the western edge of the Palatinate forest, approx. 10 km northeast of Pirmasens... 1	7. Wallhalben Wallhalben (Verbandsgemeinde) Wallhalben is a Verbandsgemeinde in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The seat of the municipality is in Wallhalben.... Biedershausen Biedershausen Biedershausen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Herschberg Herschberg Herschberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Hettenhausen Hettenhausen Hettenhausen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Knopp-Labach Knopp-Labach Knopp-Labach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Krähenberg Krähenberg Krähenberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Obernheim-Kirchenarnbach Obernheim-Kirchenarnbach Obernheim-Kirchenarnbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Saalstadt Saalstadt Saalstadt is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Schauerberg Schauerberg Schauerberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Schmitshausen Schmitshausen Schmitshausen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Wallhalben Wallhalben Wallhalben is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated approximately 15 km northwest of Pirmasens, and 15 km northeast of Zweibrücken.... 1 Weselberg Weselberg Weselberg is a municipality in the Wallhalben municipality of the Südwestpfalz district of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. The sister portion of the town on the western outskirts is Zeselberg. The chief economic activity is agriculture.... Winterbach Winterbach, Südwestpfalz Winterbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... 8. Zweibrücken-Land Zweibrücken-Land Zweibrücken-Land is a Verbandsgemeinde in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the southwestern edge of the Palatinate forest, around Zweibrücken... [seat: Zweibrücken] Althornbach Althornbach Althornbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Battweiler Battweiler Battweiler is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Bechhofen Bechhofen, Rhineland-Palatinate Bechhofen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Contwig Contwig Contwig is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Dellfeld Dellfeld Dellfeld is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Dietrichingen Dietrichingen Dietrichingen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Großbundenbach Großbundenbach Großbundenbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Großsteinhausen Großsteinhausen Großsteinhausen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Hornbach Hornbach Hornbach is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated southwest of the Palatinate forest, on the border with France, south of Zweibrücken. It is part of the Verbandsgemeinde Zweibrücken-Land.The monastery was the most likely reason for the... 2 Käshofen Käshofen Käshofen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Kleinbundenbach Kleinbundenbach Kleinbundenbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Kleinsteinhausen Kleinsteinhausen Kleinsteinhausen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Mauschbach Mauschbach Mauschbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Riedelberg Riedelberg Riedelberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.... Rosenkopf Rosenkopf Rosenkopf is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.On June 12th, 2011, a that most likely points to Rosenkopf as the first German town to grant Adolf Hitler honorary citizenship , not Bad Doberan, which had been generally confirmed as the town with that... Walshausen Walshausen Walshausen is a German town in the Zweibrücken-Land municipality, in the Südwestpfalz district in the Rhineland-Palatinate. As of August 2004 it had 367 inhabitants. Walshausen is first mentioned in history in 1463.... Wiesbach Wiesbach Wiesbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....
1seat of the Verbandsgemeinde; 2town

External links

• Official website (German)