Göppingen

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The title of this article contains the character ö. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Goeppingen.

Coordinates: 48°42′N, 9°39′E

Göppingen


Country	Germany
State	Baden-Württemberg
Administrative region	Stuttgart
District	Göppingen
Population	57,912 (2005)
Area	59.22 km²
Population density	979 /km²
Elevation	384 m
Coordinates	48°42′ N 9°39′ E
Postal code	73001-73037
Area code	07161, 07165
Licence plate code	GP
Mayor	Guido Till (SPD)
Website	goeppingen.de

Göppingen is a town in southern Germany, part of the Stuttgart Region of Baden-Württemberg. Capital of the district Göppingen. It is situated at the bottom of the Hohenstaufen mountain, in the valley of the river Fils.

[edit] History

It is alleged that the city was founded by an Alemannic leader called Geppo sometime in the 3rd or 4th century. A disastrous fire on August 25, 1782 destroyed most of the town, but it was immediately rebuilt. Industrialisation during the 19th century made the area into a centre of industry. The importance of such industry is still seen in the town in the present day in companies such as Märklin and Schuler. The city also has its own sports club, Fa Frischauf Göppingen, who currently play in the German first handball-division (Handball-Bundesliga).

From 1964 to 1991, elements of the US Army's 56th Field Artillery, Pershing were stationed at Bismarck Kaserne.