Untergruppenbach
Encyclopedia
Untergruppenbach is a municipality
near Heilbronn
, a city in the northern half of the German
state Baden-Württemberg
.
There are a total of 7,600 inhabitants living in six villages that form the municipality of Untergruppenbach. Approximately 5,100 live in Untergruppenbach, Donnbronn and Obergruppenbach. An additional 2,500 live in Unterheinriet, Oberheinriet and Vorhof.
Untergruppenbach's name roughly means "below the 'Groppe
' (a sort of small fish) stream", referring to a small stream that cuts across the valley in which Untergruppenbach and Obergruppenbach are located. The village is distinguished by Burg Stettenfels, a 16th century castle/manor that stands out above the valley, from its lofty position atop a hill.
in the 6th century. It was later named after a small fish, the Groppe or Koppe, which is mentioned as being present in a stream near the settlement. After some 700 years of independent rule, the village was sold to Ludwig II, Duke of Bavaria, from whence the orb in the village's coat of arms probably originates.
In 1356 Burg Stettenfels is first mentioned. After a series of wars, in 1504 the castle came into the possession of the Dukes of Württemberg. Some years later it was sold to Wolff Philipp of Huernheim, who restored it. In 1551 the famous renaissance merchant-banker Fugger
family, of Augsburg
, came to own the castle. It is under Count Fugger that the castle received its current appearance.
Although the area was unaffected by the Thirty Years' War
, during which it was an area under Catholic rule, the plague year of 1635 seriously affected the population, with a significant death toll. In the following decades there were tensions between the inhabitants of the village, who were predominantly Protestant, and the village lords, who were Catholic. When Count Xavier Fugger attempted to build a Catholic church and a Capuchin
monastery in 1735 the Duke of Wurttemberg
intervened and sent troops to destroy the buildings. The tensions continued and apparently reached a breaking point in 1737, when there was a conflict between the villagers and the castle lord, which ended with violence and the death of two men, with several wounded. The Count fled with his son, and in the proceedings that followed they eventually sold their title to the castle to Duke Karl Eugen
, and the village came under the jurisdiction of the Duchy of Wurttemberg.
From the 17th century up to World War II
the population of the municipality hardly changed, maintaining an average of 1,300. Only during the twentieth century did an immigration wave cause notable changes. The structure of the village has changed significantly. Up until the end of the 19th century the inhabitants were mainly farm workers or involved in craft making. In the late 1800s, with better roads, some of the inhabitants began to work in the quarries and factories of the nearby city of Heilbronn, at one point one of the leading paper manufacturers in Germany.
In 1971 the villages of Heinriet were added to the municipality of Untergruppenbach.
plays a major part in contemporary Untergruppenbach, with the hill upon which Burg Stettenfels stands itself serving as a sloping vineyard. In terms of education, the municipality of Untergruppenbach counts a Hauptschule
, two primary schools, two kindergartens, and a Volkshochschule amongst its educational institutions. There are four doctors and two dentists in the municipality, as well as a pharmacy.
Amongst the groups represented in the local politics one can find the CDU (Christian Democratic Union), the SPD
(German Socialist Party), the Green Party
, and the UWG (Independent Voter Community). In the last municipal elections voter turnout was of 58.06%, with the town turning out mainly in favor of the CDU and the independents. The current mayor of Untergruppenbach is Joachim Weller.
The municipality shares a strong sense of community, with a large number of leisure and sports associations, as well as a volunteer fire brigade. The municipality has a number of churches, amongst them the 100 year old Johanneskirche. Protestants and Catholics make up the bulk of the community. The village youth in Untergruppenbach can partake in their own Jugendhaus, or Youth House, a property located in the center of town where they can go to meet and spend time together. For local amusement, Untergruppenbach has a fine municipal swimming pool with heated facilities, as well as the TSV sports center, where any number of physical activities can be practiced, amongst them tennis and soccer. Hikers can find particular enjoyment in the surrounding Swabian-Frankish forest, and activities can be scheduled at the Lutz Siegel Hut, which is located within the forest at a short distance from Burg Stettenfels. The castle has a biergarten located on its foreground, open-air during the summer and enclosed in the colder months.
Access to the city of Heilbronn can be achieved easily by autobahn or regular roads. There is regular bus service to and from the city. Nearby villages include Flein
, Abstatt
, Ilsfeld
, Beilstein
, Löwenstein
, Talheim
, Brackenheim
and Auenstein.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
near Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
, a city in the northern half of the German
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...
state 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...
.
There are a total of 7,600 inhabitants living in six villages that form the municipality of Untergruppenbach. Approximately 5,100 live in Untergruppenbach, Donnbronn and Obergruppenbach. An additional 2,500 live in Unterheinriet, Oberheinriet and Vorhof.
Untergruppenbach's name roughly means "below the 'Groppe
European bullhead
The bullhead is a freshwater fish that is widely distributed in Europe, mainly in rivers. It is a member of the Cottidae family, a type of sculpin...
' (a sort of small fish) stream", referring to a small stream that cuts across the valley in which Untergruppenbach and Obergruppenbach are located. The village is distinguished by Burg Stettenfels, a 16th century castle/manor that stands out above the valley, from its lofty position atop a hill.
History
Untergruppenbach is first mentioned in the Monastery of Hirsau, where reference is made to a village settled by the FranconiansFranks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
in the 6th century. It was later named after a small fish, the Groppe or Koppe, which is mentioned as being present in a stream near the settlement. After some 700 years of independent rule, the village was sold to Ludwig II, Duke of Bavaria, from whence the orb in the village's coat of arms probably originates.
In 1356 Burg Stettenfels is first mentioned. After a series of wars, in 1504 the castle came into the possession of the Dukes of Württemberg. Some years later it was sold to Wolff Philipp of Huernheim, who restored it. In 1551 the famous renaissance merchant-banker Fugger
Fugger
The Fugger family was a historically prominent group of European bankers, members of the fifteenth and sixteenth-century mercantile patriciate of Augsburg, international mercantile bankers, and venture capitalists like the Welser and the Höchstetter families. This banking family replaced the de'...
family, of Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
, came to own the castle. It is under Count Fugger that the castle received its current appearance.
Although the area was unaffected by 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....
, during which it was an area under Catholic rule, the plague year of 1635 seriously affected the population, with a significant death toll. In the following decades there were tensions between the inhabitants of the village, who were predominantly Protestant, and the village lords, who were Catholic. When Count Xavier Fugger attempted to build a Catholic church and a Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
monastery in 1735 the Duke of Wurttemberg
Karl Eugen, Duke of Württemberg
Charles Eugene , Duke of Württemberg was the eldest son of Duke Karl I Alexander and Princess Maria Augusta of Thurn and Taxis .-Life:...
intervened and sent troops to destroy the buildings. The tensions continued and apparently reached a breaking point in 1737, when there was a conflict between the villagers and the castle lord, which ended with violence and the death of two men, with several wounded. The Count fled with his son, and in the proceedings that followed they eventually sold their title to the castle to Duke Karl Eugen
Karl Eugen, Duke of Württemberg
Charles Eugene , Duke of Württemberg was the eldest son of Duke Karl I Alexander and Princess Maria Augusta of Thurn and Taxis .-Life:...
, and the village came under the jurisdiction of the Duchy of Wurttemberg.
From the 17th century up to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the population of the municipality hardly changed, maintaining an average of 1,300. Only during the twentieth century did an immigration wave cause notable changes. The structure of the village has changed significantly. Up until the end of the 19th century the inhabitants were mainly farm workers or involved in craft making. In the late 1800s, with better roads, some of the inhabitants began to work in the quarries and factories of the nearby city of Heilbronn, at one point one of the leading paper manufacturers in Germany.
In 1971 the villages of Heinriet were added to the municipality of Untergruppenbach.
Untergruppenbach Today
Although the majority of Untergruppenbach's contemporary residents work in the district of Heilbronn, many are still employed within the municipality or in nearby villages. ViticultureViticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
plays a major part in contemporary Untergruppenbach, with the hill upon which Burg Stettenfels stands itself serving as a sloping vineyard. In terms of education, the municipality of Untergruppenbach counts a Hauptschule
Hauptschule
A Hauptschule is a secondary school in Germany and Austria, starting after 4 years of elementary schooling, which offers Lower Secondary Education according to the International Standard Classification of Education...
, two primary schools, two kindergartens, and a Volkshochschule amongst its educational institutions. There are four doctors and two dentists in the municipality, as well as a pharmacy.
Amongst the groups represented in the local politics one can find the CDU (Christian Democratic Union), the SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(German Socialist Party), the Green Party
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...
, and the UWG (Independent Voter Community). In the last municipal elections voter turnout was of 58.06%, with the town turning out mainly in favor of the CDU and the independents. The current mayor of Untergruppenbach is Joachim Weller.
The municipality shares a strong sense of community, with a large number of leisure and sports associations, as well as a volunteer fire brigade. The municipality has a number of churches, amongst them the 100 year old Johanneskirche. Protestants and Catholics make up the bulk of the community. The village youth in Untergruppenbach can partake in their own Jugendhaus, or Youth House, a property located in the center of town where they can go to meet and spend time together. For local amusement, Untergruppenbach has a fine municipal swimming pool with heated facilities, as well as the TSV sports center, where any number of physical activities can be practiced, amongst them tennis and soccer. Hikers can find particular enjoyment in the surrounding Swabian-Frankish forest, and activities can be scheduled at the Lutz Siegel Hut, which is located within the forest at a short distance from Burg Stettenfels. The castle has a biergarten located on its foreground, open-air during the summer and enclosed in the colder months.
Access to the city of Heilbronn can be achieved easily by autobahn or regular roads. There is regular bus service to and from the city. Nearby villages include Flein
Flein
Flein is a municipality in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.- Geography :Flein is situated in the south of the district of Heilbronn and directly borders on Heilbronn in the south.- Neighbouring municipalities :...
, Abstatt
Abstatt
Abstatt is a municipality in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.- Geography :Abstatt is situated in the south of the district of Heilbronn at the Schozach river...
, Ilsfeld
Ilsfeld
Ilsfeld is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Ilsfeld is twinned with Ottery St Mary , Auenstein and Moşna ....
, Beilstein
Beilstein
Beilstein may refer to:*places in Germany:**Beilstein, Württemberg, in Baden-Württemberg**Beilstein, Rhineland-Palatinate, in Rhineland-Palatinate**Beilstein, Hessen*a 2270-metre mountain of the Hochschwab Plateau, Northern Limestone Alps, Styria...
, Löwenstein
Löwenstein
Löwenstein is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was first mentioned in 1123. The castle of Löwenstein served as a residence for the counts of Löwenstein-Wertheim. In 1634 the castle was destroyed by the imperial forces....
, Talheim
Talheim, Neckar
Talheim is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is commonly known for its wine, the tennis tournament Heilbronn Open in its industrial park, and, additionally, for the Death Pit discovered in 1983....
, Brackenheim
Brackenheim
Brackenheim is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated 15 km southwest of Heilbronn.With an area of 826 hectare of vineyards, it's the biggest grape-growing municipality of Württemberg....
and Auenstein.
External links
- Official website of Untergruppenbach (German)