Kandern

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Kandern


Country	Germany
State	Baden-Württemberg
Administrative region	Freiburg
District	Lörrach
Population	8,065 (2005)
Area	62.27 km²
Population density	130 /km²
Elevation	350 m
Coordinates	47°43′ N 7°40′ E
Postal code	79396-79400
Area code	07626
Licence plate code	LÖ
Mayor	Bernhard Winterhalter
Website	kandern.de

Kandern is a town in southwestern Germany in the state of Baden-Württemberg, in the Kreis (district) of Lörrach. During the Battle of Schliengen, in which Napoleon's army fought the forces of Austria, the battle lines of both armies terminated in Kandern. It is near a landmark called the "Three-Country Corner" (Drei Länder Ecke in German) from which one can see parts of Germany, France, and Switzerland.

The birthplace of John Sutter in Kandern.

To many in North America, Kandern is best known as the birthplace of John Sutter. It was on Sutter's land that gold was discovered in 1848, marking the beginning of intensive settlement in California.

Today, Kandern has a large community of English-speaking residents as a result of the presence of Black Forest Academy. This is an English-language institution founded in 1956. Most of the students are children of Christian missionaries from around the world, mainly from the United States, Canada, and South Korea.

The coat of arms of Kandern was granted on 11 November 1975. The blazon is Or a covered Jug Gules. The jug, or kanne, alludes to the town's name, and was first used on border stones as a village sign in the 18th century. There are no old seals known from the village. The oldest seals date from the early 19th century and show the shield bearing the jug. Since that time, all seals and images of the arms have shown this symbol, though its size and shape have changed considerably.