Laupheim

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Coordinates: 48°14′N 9°53′E

Laupheim
Coat of arms of Laupheim Location of Laupheim in Germany
Country Germany
State Baden-Württemberg
Administrative region Tübingen
District Biberach
Population 19254 [1] (2006)
Area 61.80 km²
Population density 310 /km²
Elevation 528 m
Coordinates 48°14′ N 9°53′ E
Postal code 88461-88471
Area code 07392
Licence plate code BC
Mayor Monika Sitter
Website laupheim.de

Contents

[edit] Geography

Laupheim is a city in Germany in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is situated in the region of Upper Swabia, approximately 20 km north of Biberach and 20 km south of Ulm on the Bundesstraße 30. The river Rottum runs through Laupheim. It is the second largest city in the district of Biberach.

Apart from the city of Laupheim itself, administratively, the following once autonomous villages nowadays belong to Laupheim: Baustetten (population 2032), Bihlafingen (population 698), Obersulmetingen (population 1201), and Untersulmetingen (population 1788).

[edit] History

The area in and around Laupheim has been settled from very early times onwards. Archaeological evidence shows that 15000 years ago nomadic tribes roamed the countryside. From ca. 2000 BCE onwards, Celts inhabited this area. Until around the year 260 CE, it was part of the Roman province of Raetia, after which the Alamanni invaded the Agri Decumates, eventually also settling in what was to become Laupheim.

Laupheim was first mentioned as Louphaim in a charter dated 778. The charter is still kept in the archives of the monastery of St Gallen, Switzerland. This reference is the earliest of any city in Upper Swabia and any parish in the district of Biberach.

Situated in the vicinity of two major trade routes between the Lake of Constance and Ulm and the Swabian Alb and the valley of the river Iller respectively, Laupheim developed into a major settlement. In 853, it became a town with a court responsible for the Rammagau or Rammachgau in 853.

During the 9th century, Laupheim came into the possession of the monastery of Weißenburg and was afterwards passed on to successive minor Swabian aristocratic houses.

As early as the 10th century, Laupheim possessed a parish church with subsidiaries. In 926, Laupheim and its surroundings were destroyed by the Hungarians. A castle is mentioned around the year 1100.

After the collapse of the Empire of the Staufers during the 13th century, the castle and parish of Laupheim came into the possession of the Truchsessen von Waldburg who, in 1331, sold Laupheim together with their other possessions in Upper Swabia to the Austrian House of Habsburg.

The Habsburgs mortgaged Laupheim in 1362 to the Herren von Ellerbach, who originated from nearby Erbach, and enfeoffed this baronial family in 1407 with castle, town and patronage of the church.

Chapel St Leonard
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Chapel St Leonard

The Herren von Ellerbach had St Leonhard's Chapel built in 1448, which soon became a place of pilgrimage.

In 1484, Emperor Sigismund bestowed upon Burkhard von Ellerbach the right to hold regular markets, Laupheim thereby becoming a market town, and also the privilege of inflicting high justice, which gave him the right to hold a criminal court inflicting bodily punishment, including the death penalty. The local ruler was now master of life and death. Due to the weekly market and the annual Gallus-market, Laupheim quickly developed into a commercial centre.

During the course of the Peasants' War 1525, Laupheim Castle was destroyed by the Baltringer Haufe, an army of peasants named after the nearby village of Baltringen, where approximately 12000 farmers gathered to form an army. After the suppression of the revolt, the peasants were forced to rebuild the castle.

After the agnatic line of the Ellerbach dynasty became extinct in 1570, Laupheim passed through Hans Pankraz von Freyberg to the Herren von Welden in 1582. They turned Laupheim into their residence and established the first school in 1584. From 1582 until 1806, Laupheim was a Lordship (Reichsritterschaft) ruled by the heir of the Welden family, whose title was "Imperial Knight" (Reichsritter).

In 1596, the right to bear a coat of arms was given to Laupheim, showing the colours of green, white and red together with three leaves on a three hills, thereby incorparating the coat-of-arms of the family of Welden with the three leaves, referring to the name of the town on the hills of the valley of the river Rottum.

Former Hospital of the Holy Spirit
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Former Hospital of the Holy Spirit

The last member of the House of Ellerbach, Anna von Freyberg, founded the Hospital of the Holy Spirit in 1601, the building of which still exists and now functions as a retirement home.

Between 1623 and 1661, the church St Peter and Paul was built in the vicinity of the castle.

Due to the inheritance laws of the house of Welden, the market town was divided into two different territories, Großlaupheim and Kleinlaupheim (Great Laupheim and Little Laupheim), at the beginning of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), each territory being ruled by its own dynasty. As a consequence economic growth slowed down.

During the Thirty Years' War, Laupheim repeatedly fell victim to the ravages of war, mainly due to marauding troops, both imperial, that is Catholic, and Swedish, their Protestant opponents. One of the consequences was that the hamlet of Ringelhausen, situated between Laupheim and Bronnen, was deserted and consequently lost. Only the name of a street in the city of Laupheim nowadays hints at the existence of this hamlet. A massive outbreak of the bubonic plague in 1635 further decimated the population, so that towards the end of 17th century, Laupheim had sunk to the status of an unimportant village.

In order to stimulate the local economy and income generated by taxation, Carl Damian von Welden allowed the first Jewish families to settle in Großlaupheim in the 1720s. This which was made possible by a contract, protecting the Jews. The Jews were made to settle in an area of the town soon to be called Judenberg (literally Jews' mountain or Jews' hill). Subsequently, a Jewish quarter evolved, with a cemetery, synagogue, school and a Rabbi's office.

Main article: History of the Jews in Laupheim
Castle Großlaupheim, ca. 1907
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Castle Großlaupheim, ca. 1907

During the 18th century, the Welden dynasty had the old castle Schloss Großlaupheim restored, and subsequently renewed in Baroque-style in 1752. Between 1766 and 1769, the branch of the Welden dynasty that ruled Kleinlaupheim had their residence renewed in Baroque-style by architect Johann Georg Specht. This castle is now called Schloss Kleinlaupheim. This makes Laupheim unique in that it has two castles within its city boundaries, as a result of once having been two independent states.

Schranne (granary)
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Schranne (granary)

In 1778, a town hall and the granary were built in the Upper Market Square.

Following the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss, the mediatisation and secularisation of numerous secular and ecclesiastical principalities within the former Holy Roman Empire, both parts of Laupheim were annexed by the newly formed Kingdom of Württemberg in 1806. It was administratively part of the district of Wiblingen until 1845 when the administration was moved to Laupheim, creating the district of Laupheim, ultimately disbanded in 1938 when Laupheim became part of the district of Biberach.

Due to laws based on the ideas of the enlightenment, servitude in the Kingdom of Württemberg was abolished in 1836. During the same period, laws forcing Jews to live in separate quarters and excluding them from most business activities were revoked. This enabled them to contribute enormously to the economic upturn Laupheim was experiencing, even though complete civil rights were not granted until 1864.

In 1848, with the arrival of civil servants from the original Duchy of Württemberg (Altwürttemberg), a Protestant parish was founded.

In 1850, a train station opened two kilometers west of Laupheim, on the route of the main railway artery Ulm-Friedrichshafen, that passes Laupheim to the West, the station therefore being named as Laupheim-West.

In 1869, Laupheim was granted a city charter by King Karl I. of Württemberg. In the same year, the first institute of further education, a Lateinschule, was established in Laupheim. In 1871, Laupheim, being part of the Kingdom of Württemberg, was incorporated into the German Empire.

Laupheim, main train station ca. 1904
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Laupheim, main train station ca. 1904

At some point during the steep economic growth of the Gründerzeit, the period between 1871 and 1914, Laupheim had the highest density of public houses in the whole Kingdom of Württemberg.

In 1904, the city was connected to the railway line Ulm-Friedrichshafen by an extra route, linking the railway artery with the city istelf. At the same time a train station was built in the city. This extension of the railwyay line went on for a further 16 km, terminating at the village of Schwendi.

Main article: Railway Line Laupheim - Schwendi
Laupheim ca. 1915
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Laupheim ca. 1915

After World War I, Laupheim had one of the largest Jewish communities in Württemberg. However, the appointment of Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and the systematic deprivation and subsequent suppression of Jews in Germany, also had their effects on Laupheim, culminating in the destruction by fire of the synagogue during the so-called Kristallnacht 1938.

Due to the programme of aryanization, many businesses in Laupheim originally owned by Jews, were expropriated and transferred into German ownership.

126 of 312 Jewish inhabitants of Laupheim managed to flee abroad, most of them after the so-called Kristallnacht. In 1939, the remaining Jews in Laupheim were resettled within the city, only to be deported to concentration and extermination camps in 1941 and 1942. After the last of four transports, the Jewish community in Laupheim ceased to exist on 19 August 1942.

Sixty-two Jewish citizens of Laupheim perished in the Shoah, only two survived.

After World War II, in the 1960s, Laupheim began the to renew and modernize its appearance. New schools were built: a grammar school, a realschule and a new town hall. From the 1980s onwards, these projects were followed by a new district hospital, a public in-doors swimming pool, a renovated stadium, named after Gretel Bergmann who was born in Laupheim, and an omnibus interchange.

Additionally, several industrial estates on the outskirts of the city were established in order to attract trade and industry. As a consequence, companies from outside Laupheim established offices and production facilities there, as well as companies that formerly had been operating from the city centre.

[edit] Population

Year Population[1]
1871 6302
1900 7319
1925 8467
1933 8572
1939 8402
1950 10337
1961 11997
1971 14582
1981 15095
1991 16831
2001 18626
2006 19254

Having developed from a rural market town into a city, predominated by industry, trade and the service industries, the demographics of Laupheim have changed as well.

After growing continuously from 1871 until 1933, from the Gründerzeit until the Nazis came to power, this growth came to a halt. The stagnation and eventual decrease in population was due to increasing persecution of the Jews, as a result of which many Jewish inhabitants left Laupheim or, after 1940, were deported and subsequently murdered.

Since 1945, the population of Laupheim has almost doubled. This is due to the fact that a great number of refugees from formerly German territories east of the rivers Oder and Neiße were settled in Laupheim.

The establishment of a German Army Aviators Corps air base in 1964 further contributed to the growth in population.

After the end of the Soviet Union in 1991, an influx of ethnic Germans from the Commonwealth of Independent States added to the population growth.

[edit] Government and politics

[edit] Members of state and federal parliaments

Laupheim is part of the constituency of Biberach for elections to the Landtag of Baden-Württemberg as well as the Bundestag.

The following politicians were/are from Laupheim:

[edit] Mayors since 1948

[edit] City council

The city council consists of 30 members.
The local elections on 13 June 2004 all 30 seats on the city council were contested. The elections gave the following result:

Party Percentage Gains/Losses Seats Gains/Losses
CDU 37,2 - 5,0 12 0
FW 40,3 + 4,3 12 + 2
SPD 16,4 - 5,5 5 - 1
Open List 3,7 + 3,7 1 + 1
Others 2,4 + 2,4 0 0

[edit] International links

Laupheim is formally twinned with:

[edit] Economy, industry and infrastructure

[edit] Traffic

  • Road: the western borders of the city itself are marked by the Bundesstraße 30. Laupheim is connected by three junctions to this federal road. Plans exist to upgrade this federal road to autobahn status, turning it into the A89.
  • Railway: the railway line Ulm - Friedrichshafen passes Laupheim about 2 km from the built-up area. There is a train station, Laupheim-West on this line. From this train station another line branches off into Laupheim, terminating at the city train station. This line is part of a longer connection, originally leading to Schwendi. However, during the 1970s and 1980s, the whole extension was gradually closed down to be replaced by buses. Only the section leading from the city train station to Laupheim-West was later renovated to be re-opened again in 1999. There is a direct connection to Ulm whereas passengers travelling south to Biberach an der Riß still have to change at Laupheim-West station. Plans exist, however, to establish direct trains from Laupheim to Biberach an der Riß in the future.
Main article: Railway Line Laupheim - Schwendi
  • Bus: Laupheim, being part of the regional Danube-Iller Traffic Network, is at the centre of a network of local and regional buslines leading into all directions, serving the surrounding villages.

[edit] Industry

The following companies, some of them operating internationally, are based in Laupheim:

[edit] Education

The following educational establishments exist in Laupheim and its subordinate villages:

  • Primary schools
    • Anna-von-Freyberg-Grundschule (Grundschule: primary school)
    • Grundschule Bronner Berg (Grundschule: primary school)
    • Grundschule in Bihlafingen (Grundschule: primary school)
    • Grundschule in Untersulmetingen (Grundschule: primary school)
  • Primary and secondary schools
    • Ivo-Schaible-Grund- und Hauptschule in Baustetten (Grundschule: primary school, Hauptschule: secondary school for general studies)
    • Bischof-Ulrich Grund-, Haupt- und Werkrealschule in Obersulmetingen (Grundschule: primary school, Hauptschule: secondary school for general studies, Werkrealschule: offering additional year to obtain O-levels)
  • Secondary schools
    • Friedrich-Uhlmann-Schule (Hauptschule: secondary school for general studies)
    • Friedrich-Adler-Realschule (Realschule: secondary school leading up to O-levels)
    • Carl-Laemmle-Gymnasium (Gymnasium: secondary school leading up to A-levels)
  • Other
    • Wieland-Förderschule (Förderschule: school for children with special needs)
    • Staatlichen Seminars für Didaktik und Lehrerbildung Laupheim (teacher-training college)

[edit] Media

  • Schwäbische Zeitung (Swabian Newspaper) contains a local supplement for Laupheim and its surroundings.
  • Wochenblatt (Weekly Paper), free weekly newspaper.

[edit] Military

CH-53D at ILA 2002
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CH-53D at ILA 2002
Main article: History of Laupheim Air Base

Laupheim is home to Medium Transport Regiment 25 "Oberschwaben" (Upper Swabia) and Support Squadron 10 of the German Army Aviators Corps (Heeresflieger). The German Army Aviators Corps base was established in 1964 utilizing already existing facilities.

German Army Aviators Corps Medium Transport Regiment 25 Oberschwaben is equipped with transport helicopter CH-53. German Army Aviators Corps Support Squadron 10 is equipped with helicopters of the type Bo-105.

Until the beginning of the 1990s the regiment had only seen service in other NATO countries, mainly while on manoeuvre or on aid-missions after natural disasters. Since then, however, it has been sent abroad on various aid-missions and so far has seen service abroad on peace-keeping missions with the UN and NATO, first in Iraq after the 1st Gulf War, then on the Balkans with IFOR, KFOR, SFOR and EUFOR, and most recently in Afghanistan as part of ISAF.

With a workforce of more than 1600, the base is the largest, single employer in Laupheim.

[edit] Attractions

[edit] Castle Schloss Großlaupheim

Castle Großlaupheim
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Castle Großlaupheim

Castle Schloss Großlaupheim is situated on the verge of the city on a hill where there is also the local parish church. The existence of a castle in Laupheim was documented for the first time around the year 1100. There is no evidence that the castle originally consisted of more than a wooden structure. This castle existed until the Peasants' War in 1525, when rebellious peasants destroyed it. After end of hostilities, the peasants were forced to rebuilt the castle in stone. The structure as it stands today was erected in three different phases:

  • The so-called Feudal Castle (Lehenschloss), the oldest part, dates from the middle of the 16th century. It consists of a three storey, square edifice with two flanking round towers.
  • Adjoining it, the so-called New Castle (Neues Schloss) (built between 1660 and 1680 with an early Baroque square flanked by arcades and a gateway.
  • Somewhat removed but still part of the complex, the so-called Little Castle (Kleines Schössle) was built in the middle of the 17th century. It was used by the Freiherren von Welden as dwelling place for the widows of former rulers of Laupheim.

On a terrace below the castle buildings, a small rose garden was designed in Baroque-style.

[edit] Museum of the History of Christians and Jews

The Museum of the History of Christians and Jews is situated in the castle Schloss Großlaupheim. It is unique in Germany, in that its collection concentrates on the documentation of the relationship between Christians and Jews on a local level, using Laupheim, which once had the largest Jewish community in the Kingdom of Württemberg, as an example. The exhibition documents in chronological order all aspects of more than 200 years of Jewish life in Laupheim.

[edit] Castle Park

The park is situated at the bottom of the hill on top of which Schloss Großlaupheim lies. The castle park was designed in the English Style by Kilian von Steiner. A huge number of trees, meadows and lakes created an impressive appearance. Originally, it was well known for its exotic trees and plants. Formerly, there were five lakes, which, during winter, provided a brewery with ice. During summer, the lakes were used for raising trout. However, the maintenance of the ground and the lakes was neglected during the last couple of decades due to a lack of council funding and only recently efforts have been made to restore the park, at least in parts, to its former glory.

[edit] Castle Schloss Kleinlaupheim

Castle Kleinlaupheim
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Castle Kleinlaupheim

The castle Schloss Kleinlaupheim is situated on a hill south-west of the river Rottum within the city limits of Laupheim. In its present state it was built between 1766 and 1769 as a place of residence for the ruler of Kleinlaupheim at the time, the Freiherr Joseph Ignaz von Welden-Kleinlaupheim (1721-1802). It was designed by Johann Georg Specht of Lindenberg in Baroque-style. It consists of a three storey building with a curved mansard roof. Pilasters, cornices and gables enliven the facade of the builing. Inside there is a remarkable grand staircase in the vestibule.
It now houses the local police station and also an art gallery, Die Wache Gallerie, a pun on words in that Wache can mean police station as well as alert or awake.

Parish Church St Peter and Paul with rectory
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Parish Church St Peter and Paul with rectory

[edit] Parish Church St Peter and Paul

The Parish Church St Peter and Paul, built between 1623 and 1661, lies in close proximity of castle Schloss Großlaupheim. It was designed by Martino Barbieri from Roveredo in Baroque-style, showing influences of manierism. The interior of the church is decorated with sculptures by D. H. Herberger and paintings by Johann Georg Bergmüller.

[edit] Planetarium and Public Observatory

The Planetarium and Public Observatory of Laupheim counts about 40000 visitors each year. It is run on a mostly voluntary basis by the club Volkssternwarte Laupheim e.V. (founded 1975), providing high quality astronomical education. The work of the club has been recognized by astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker, who named the planetoid 7167 Laupheim in honour of the institution.

[edit] The Laupheimer Kinder- und Heimatfest

Every year, a historical festival, the Kinder- und Heimatfest, takes place during the last week of June, lasting five days. It consists of historical processions and parades, performed by many different groups, incorporating performances in historical costumes, concert bands and floats, referring to contemporary and historical events. There is also a funfair, accompanied by several beer tents, as well as much revelling in the bars, cafes and pubs of the city.

[edit] Brunnenfest

On the last Sunday of the summer holidays, the traditional Brunnenfest (fountain party) takes place in the city centre in the form of a huge street party, concentrated on the Upper Market Square and Lower Market Square. The name of the event derives from the Neptune-fountain, situated in the Upper Market Square. A great number of stalls serves Swabian and international cuisine as well as a large variety of beverages. The stalls are organized and manned by local clubs. Concert bands, Jazz bands and Volksmusik bands entertain the visitors. A stage is also provided where dance and sport performances are shown. Additionally, a flea market is held at the same time.

[edit] Other

[edit] Sport

[edit] Honorary citizens

[edit] Notable people from Laupheim

[edit] References

  • Adams, Myrah & Schönhagen, Benigna, Jüdisches laupheim. Ein Gang durch die Stadt, Haigerloch, 1998. ISBN 3-933231-01-9
  • Aich, Johann Albert, Geschichte des Marktdorfes Laupheim bis zum Aussterben derer von Ellerbach 1570, Blaubeuren, 1914
  • Aich, Johann Albert, Laupheim 1570 - 1870, 4th ed., Laupheim, 1921
  • Blümcke, Martin, Schlösser in Oberschwaben. Geschichte und Geschichten, Tübingen, 2006. ISBN 3-87407-692-X
  • Dreißig Jahre Heeresflieger Laupheim: Jubiläumsausgabe, Kissing, 1994
  • Gesellschaft für Geschichte und Gedenken e. V., Christen und Juden in Laupheim, Laupheim, 2001
  • Georg, Lutz, Historische Bauten der Stadt Laupheim: ihre bau- und kulturgeschichtliche Bedeutung im Wandel der Zeit, diss., Weingarten, 1967
  • Grees, Hermann, Ländliche Unterschichten und ländliche Siedlung in Ostschwaben, Tübingen, 1975
  • Grees, Hermann, Marktflecken in Württemberg: Festschrift des Instituts für Geographie zum 60. Geburtstag von Adolf Leidlmair, Innsbruck, 1979
  • Kohl, Waltraut, Die Geschichte der Judengemeinde in Laupheim, Laupheim, 1965
  • Kuhn, Elmar L. (ed.), Der Bauernkrieg in Oberschwaben, Tübingen, 2000. ISBN 3-928471-28-7
  • Liesch, Franz (ed.), Baltringer Haufen. Bauernkrieg in Oberschwaben, 2nd ed., Baltringen, 2004
  • Oswalt, Vadim, Staat und ländliche Lebenswelt in Oberschwaben 1810 - 1871. (K)ein Kapitel im Zivilisationsprozeß?, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, 2000. ISBN 978-3-7995-5229-5
  • Schäll, Ernst, "Friedrich Adler (1878-1942). Ein Künstler aus Laupheim“, in Schwäbische Heimat 32 (1981), p. 46ff
  • Schäll, Ernst, "Kilian von Steiner; Bankier und Industrieller, Mäzen und Humanist“, in Schwäbische Heimat 44 (1993), p. 4ff
  • Schäll, Ernst, "Der jüdische Friedhof in Laupheim“, in Schwäbische Heimat 47 (1996), p. 404ff
  • Schenk, Georg, Laupheim: Geschichte - Land und Leute, Weißenhorn, 1976. ISBN 3-87437-136-0

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Coat of arms
Cities and towns in Biberach (district)

Achstetten | Alleshausen | Allmannsweiler | Altheim | Attenweiler | Bad Buchau | Bad Schussenried | Berkheim | Betzenweiler | Biberach (Riß) | Burgrieden | Dettingen | Dürmentingen | Dürnau | Eberhardzell | Erlenmoos | Erolzheim | Ertingen | Gutenzell-Hürbel | Hochdorf | Ingoldingen | Kanzach | Kirchberg an der Iller | Kirchdorf | Langenenslingen | Laupheim | Maselheim | Mietingen | Mittelbiberach | Moosburg | Ochsenhausen | Oggelshausen | Riedlingen | Rot | Schemmerhofen | Schwendi | Seekirch | Steinhausen | Tannheim | Tiefenbach | Ummendorf | Unlingen | Uttenweiler | Wain | Warthausen |

 


Coordinates: 48°14′N 9°53′E

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