Weibersbrunn
Encyclopedia
Weibersbrunn is a community in the Aschaffenburg district
in the Regierungsbezirk
of Lower Franconia
(Unterfranken) in Bavaria
, Germany
.
The community has the following Gemarkungen (traditional rural cadastral areas): Weibersbrunn, Rohrbrunner Forst.
mirror manufacturer, which already maintained glassworks in Lohr
and Rechtenbach
. In 1717 the Weibersbrunner Spiegelhütte (“Weibersbrunn Mirror Plant”) came into being. In 1746, the plant’s workers applied to their employer to build their own parish church or at least a chapel.
The Baroque glass cups and goblets being made in Weibersbrunn brought the community widespread fame, and the semicircular crown glass
sheets – called Mondglas or “Moon Glass” – that were also made here led to international fame for the community.
The Electoral Mainz area in the High Spessart was merged into the Principality of Aschaffenburg
in 1803 and in 1810 it became part of the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt, shortly thereafter, however, passing between 1814 and 1816 to Bavaria by way of Austria. In the course of administrative reform in Bavaria, the current community came into being with the Gemeindeedikt (“Municipal Edict”) of 1818.
In 2006, the community marked its 300th anniversary with a great festival.
, and also of the 1958 film based on the book
. Also standing here is the Jagdschloss Luitpoldhöhe which, built in 1889, was Prince Regent Luitpold’s
hunting seat. He resided here on hunting trips between 1886 and 1911.
The figures given for Weibersbrunn’s population in the 19th century are 721 in 1826, 960 in 1852 and 817 in 1859 (Klauprecht 1826, Virchow 1968, Hecht/Reder 2002).
(as at municipal election held on 2 March 2008)
might be described thus: Per fess, in chief per pale gules and sable, dexter a wheel spoked of six argent, sinister a mirror of the third framed Or, in base a spring walled of the third and masoned of the second with an open gate through which flows water azure.
The arms show above the fesswise (that is, horizontal) partition a six-spoked silver wheel – the Wheel of Mainz
– on the dexter (armsbearer’s right, viewer’s left) side. This was the heraldic
charge
borne by the Archbishopric of Mainz
, to which the community belonged until the Old Empire’s
downfall in 1803. It is also shown in Electoral Mainz’s tincture
s. On the sinister (armsbearer’s left, viewer’s right) side is a mirror symbolizing the glassworks established in the community in 1698 and in Rechtenbach and Lohr am Main. Archbishop Lothar Franz von Schönborn
hired French glassmakers for this enterprise. Their plants made plate glass for mirrors. Glassmaking was ended between 1801 and 1803 in Rechtenbach and Lohr am Main, but only in 1864 in Weibersbrunn. The spring is a canting
charge referring to the last syllable in the community’s name – “spring” is Brunnen in German
.
The community has borne the arms since 14 June 1971.
According to official statistics, there were 52 workers on the social welfare contribution rolls working in producing businesses in 1998. In trade and transport
this was 41. In other areas, 304 workers on the social welfare contribution rolls were employed, and 818 such workers worked from home. Nobody was employed in processing businesses. Two businesses were in construction, and furthermore, in 1999, there were as many agricultural operations.
Aschaffenburg (district)
Aschaffenburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Darmstadt-Dieburg, Offenbach, Main-Kinzig , the districts Main-Spessart and Miltenberg, and the town of Aschaffenburg....
in the Regierungsbezirk
Regierungsbezirk
In Germany, a Government District, in German: Regierungsbezirk – is a subdivision of certain federal states .They are above the Kreise, Landkreise, and kreisfreie Städte...
of Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia
Lower Franconia is one of the three administrative regions of Franconia in Bavaria , Germany ....
(Unterfranken) in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, 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...
.
Location
The community lies in the Bavarian Lower Main (Bayerischer Untermain).The community has the following Gemarkungen (traditional rural cadastral areas): Weibersbrunn, Rohrbrunner Forst.
History
Weibersbrunn was founded in 1706 as a location for a new centre of the Electoral MainzArchbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
mirror manufacturer, which already maintained glassworks in Lohr
Lohr
Lohr am Main is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and the seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Lohr am Main.- Location :The town lies on the Main in the Spessart about halfway between Würzburg and...
and Rechtenbach
Rechtenbach
Rechtenbach is a community in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany and a member of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of Lohr am Main.- Location :...
. In 1717 the Weibersbrunner Spiegelhütte (“Weibersbrunn Mirror Plant”) came into being. In 1746, the plant’s workers applied to their employer to build their own parish church or at least a chapel.
The Baroque glass cups and goblets being made in Weibersbrunn brought the community widespread fame, and the semicircular crown glass
Crown glass
Crown glass is either of two kinds of glass:*Crown glass was a type of hand-blown window glass.*Crown glass is a type of optical glass used in lenses....
sheets – called Mondglas or “Moon Glass” – that were also made here led to international fame for the community.
The Electoral Mainz area in the High Spessart was merged into the Principality of Aschaffenburg
Principality of Aschaffenburg
The Principality of Aschaffenburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and the Confederation of the Rhine from 1803–10. Its capital was Aschaffenburg....
in 1803 and in 1810 it became part of the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt, shortly thereafter, however, passing between 1814 and 1816 to Bavaria by way of Austria. In the course of administrative reform in Bavaria, the current community came into being with the Gemeindeedikt (“Municipal Edict”) of 1818.
In 2006, the community marked its 300th anniversary with a great festival.
Rohrbrunn
The once autonomous community of Rohrbrunn achieved a greater measure of fame from the so-called former Spessart Inn (Wirtshaus im Spessart), whose name was used as the title of a narrative by Wilhelm HauffWilhelm Hauff
Wilhelm Hauff was a German poet and novelist.-Early life:Hauff was born in Stuttgart, the son of August Friedrich Hauff, a secretary in the ministry of foreign affairs, and Hedwig Wilhelmine Elsaesser Hauff...
, and also of the 1958 film based on the book
The Spessart Inn
The Spessart Inn is a 1958 West German musical comedy film directed by Kurt Hoffmann. It was entered into the 1958 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Liselotte Pulver - Comtesse Franziska von Sandau* Carlos Thompson - Räuberhauptmann...
. Also standing here is the Jagdschloss Luitpoldhöhe which, built in 1889, was Prince Regent Luitpold’s
Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria
Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria , was the de facto ruler of Bavaria from 1886 to 1912, due to the incapacity of his nephews, King Ludwig II and King Otto.-Early life:...
hunting seat. He resided here on hunting trips between 1886 and 1911.
Population development
Within community limits in 1970, 1,817 inhabitants were counted, in 1987 1,934, in 2000 2,146 and in 2006 2,109.The figures given for Weibersbrunn’s population in the 19th century are 721 in 1826, 960 in 1852 and 817 in 1859 (Klauprecht 1826, Virchow 1968, Hecht/Reder 2002).
Community council
The Weibersbrunn council is made up of 15 council members, counting the fulltime mayor.| CSU Christian Social Union of Bavaria The Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany... |
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
Total | |
| 2002 | 7 | 8 | 15 seats |
| 2008 | 6 | 9 | 15 seats |
(as at municipal election held on 2 March 2008)
Coat of arms
The community’s armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
might be described thus: Per fess, in chief per pale gules and sable, dexter a wheel spoked of six argent, sinister a mirror of the third framed Or, in base a spring walled of the third and masoned of the second with an open gate through which flows water azure.
The arms show above the fesswise (that is, horizontal) partition a six-spoked silver wheel – the Wheel of Mainz
Wheel of Mainz
thumb|150px|version until 1992thumb|150px|version from 1992 - 2008thumb|150px|version from 2008The Wheel of Mainz or Mainzer Rad, in German, was the coat of arms of the Archbishopric of Mainz and thus also of the Electorate of Mainz , in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It consists of a silver wheel...
– on the dexter (armsbearer’s right, viewer’s left) side. This was the heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
charge
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
borne by the Archbishopric of Mainz
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
, to which the community belonged until the Old Empire’s
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...
downfall in 1803. It is also shown in Electoral Mainz’s tincture
Tincture (heraldry)
In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to emblazon a coat of arms. These can be divided into several categories including light tinctures called metals, dark tinctures called colours, nonstandard colours called stains, furs, and "proper". A charge tinctured proper is coloured as it would be...
s. On the sinister (armsbearer’s left, viewer’s right) side is a mirror symbolizing the glassworks established in the community in 1698 and in Rechtenbach and Lohr am Main. Archbishop Lothar Franz von Schönborn
Lothar Franz von Schönborn
Lothar Franz von Schönborn was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1694 until 1729, and the Bishop of Bamberg from 1693 until 1729.Lothar Franz was born in Steinheim am Main in 1655 to Count Philip Erwin of Schönborn...
hired French glassmakers for this enterprise. Their plants made plate glass for mirrors. Glassmaking was ended between 1801 and 1803 in Rechtenbach and Lohr am Main, but only in 1864 in Weibersbrunn. The spring is a canting
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
charge referring to the last syllable in the community’s name – “spring” is Brunnen in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
The community has borne the arms since 14 June 1971.
Economy and infrastructure
Municipal tax revenue amounted in 1999 to €975,000 (converted), of which net business taxes accounted for €144,000.According to official statistics, there were 52 workers on the social welfare contribution rolls working in producing businesses in 1998. In trade and transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
this was 41. In other areas, 304 workers on the social welfare contribution rolls were employed, and 818 such workers worked from home. Nobody was employed in processing businesses. Two businesses were in construction, and furthermore, in 1999, there were as many agricultural operations.
Education
As of 1999 the following institutions existed in Weibersbrunn:- KindergartenKindergartenA 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...
s: 100 places with 72 children - Primary school with 9 teachers and 166 pupils
Further reading
- Julia Hecht, Klaus Reder: Die Landgerichte Aschaffenburg und Rothenbuch um 1860. Würzburg 2002.
- Johann Ludwig Klauprecht: Forstliche Statistik des Spessarts. Aschaffenburg 1826.
- Rudolf Virchow (1852): Die Not im Spessart. Neuauflage, Hildesheim 1968.