Neuhofen

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Neuhofen is a municipality in the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated approx. 7 km south of Ludwigshafen.

[edit] History

Starting point of Neuhofen was the declined village Medenheim, east of Neuhofen. Beeing Property of the cloister Wissembourg since the 10th century, 1194 Medenheim was sold to the cistercian cloister Himmerod. The Cistercians founded the Farm Nova Curia („New Farm“ or „Neuer Hof“ in german) near Medenheim. More and more people from Medenheim moved to the new Farm, and Medenheim declined.

[edit] Timeline

9. Mai 1194 The area of Neuhofen became property of the Cistercians of Himmerod. The document stating this was testified by Henry VI, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. („Kaiser Heinrich VI. bekundet, dass durch seine Hände, Abt Gottfried von Weißenburg mit seinen Mitbrüdern und Ministerialie das Hofgut in Medenheim und Rechholz, das Eberhard von Ried vom Kloster Weißenburg zu Lehen trug, an Abt Herman von Himmerod und sein Kloster zu Eigentum übertragen hat.“)
1194 The Cistercians don't settle in the village Medenheim, but at a Mill at the "Rehbach" creek.
1209 Neuhofen's name (in latin Nova Curia) was first mentioned in a document of the Bishop of Speyer about a conflict between the cloister Himmerod and the farmers of Mutterstadt.
1220 The old church of Medenheim was torn down
1318 Bishop Emich of Speyer permits the construction of a new church in Neuhofen. Patron saint of the new church is Michael.
1318 The cloister Himmerod sells Neuhofen, but keeps the right to levy tax.
1349 Destruction of the castle of Neuhofen
1449 Destruction of Neuhofen in the war about the succession of Louis IV, Count Palatine of the Rhine
1543 In the Protestant Reformation Neuhofen changes denomination.
1584 The River Rhine changes its course, this is the origin of the Neuhöfer Altrhein (a lake marking the earlier course of the river)
1618 - 1648 In the Thirty Years' War Neuhofen gets looted and destroyed many times. Its Inhabitants move to the surrounding cities. Only few families return after the war, Huguenots settle in Neuhofen.
1637 Plague
between 1688 and 1697 destructions in the Palatine Succession War
1797 - 1815 Neuhofen and the Palatine western of the River Rhine are part of the French Republic (Départements Mont-Tonnerre)

[edit] Inhabitants

1585: 200 Persons (according to a taxlist, 53 families)
1655: 28 Persons (after the Thirty Years' War)
1700: 90 Persons
1802: 502 Persons (333 reformed, 87 lutheranies, 93 katholics)
1835: 1015 Persons (826 evangelic, 186 katholic, 4 jewish)
1867: 1453 Persons (1166 evangelic, 202 katholic, 18 jewish)
1905: 2464 Persons (2022 evangelic, 396 katholic, 33 jewish, 13 of other religion according to a census)
In World War I 87 soldiers from Neuhofen are killed in action
1930: 3060 Persons
In World War II soldiers from Neuhofen are killed in action, 67 are missing till today, 13 people from Neuhofen get killed because of their „race“ or political beliefs.
1950: 3641 Persons (according to a census)
1970: 5291 Persons (according to a census)
1995: 7262 Persons
2006: 7297 Persons