Freiburg

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This article refers to the city in Baden-Württemberg. For the Swiss city see: Fribourg/Freiburg im Üechtland. For other uses see Freiburg (disambiguation)
Freiburg
Coat of arms Location
Coat of arms of Freiburg
Freiburg (Germany)
Freiburg
Administration
Country Flag of Germany Germany
State Baden-Württemberg
Admin. region Freiburg
District Urban district
City subdivisions 41 districts
Lord Mayor Dieter Salomon (Greens)
Basic statistics
Area 153.07 km² (59.1 sq mi)
Elevation 278 m  (912 ft)
Population  217,547  (31/12/2006)[1]
 - Density 1,421 /km² (3,681 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate FR
Postal codes 79098 - 79117
Area codes 0761, 07664, 07665
Website www.freiburg.de

Coordinates: 47°59′0″N 07°51′0″E / 47.98333, 7.85

Freiburg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany (where it is officially known by its full name, Freiburg im Breisgau), on the western edge of the southern Black Forest (German: Schwarzwald). Popular opinion has it that Freiburg is the warmest city in Germany. It straddles the Dreisam river, on the foothills of the Schlossberg. The city is surrounded by the Black Forest mountains Rosskopf and Bromberg in the east, and in the south and west by the Schönberg, Tuniberg and the Kaiserstuhl.

Contents

[edit] History

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Freiburg city from the Schlossberg
Freiburg city from the Schlossberg

Freiburg was founded in the 12th century (1120) by Duke Konrad of Zähringen as a free market town; hence its name, which translates to "free (or independent) town"--the word Burg, like the modern English word borough, was used in those days for an incorporated city or town, usually one with some degree of autonomy.[2] The town was strategically located at a junction of trade routes between the Mediterranean and North seas, and the Rhine and Danube rivers. In the year 1200, Freiburg's population numbered around 6,000 people. At about this time, under the rule of Bertold V, the last duke of Zähringen, the city began construction of its Minster (Münster in German) on the site of an older parish church. Begun in the Romanesque style, it was continued and completed 1513 for the most part as a Gothic cathedral. In 1218, when Bertold V died, the counts of Urach assumed the title of Freiburg's count.[3] The city council did not trust the new nobles and wrote down their established rights in a document. At the end of the 13th century there was a feud between the citizens of Freiburg and their lord, Count Egino II of Freiburg. Egino raised taxes and sought to limit the citizens' freedom, after which the Freiburgers used catapults to destroy the count's castle atop Schloßberg, a hill that overlooks the city center. The furious count called on his brother-in-law the bishop of Strasbourg, Konradius von Lichtenberg, for help. The bishop answered by marching with his army to Freiburg. An old legend in Freiburg tells that a butcher named Hauri stabbed the Bishop of Strasbourg to death on July 29, 1299. A Pyrrhic victory, since henceforth the citizens of Freiburg had to pay an annual expiation of 300 marks in silver to the count of Freiburg until 1368. In 1366 the counts of Freiburg made another failed attempt to occupy the city during a night raid. Eventually the citizens were fed up with their lords, and in 1368 Freiburg purchased its independence from them. The city turned itself over to the protection of the Habsburgs, who allowed the city to retain a large measure of freedom. Most of the nobles of the city died in the battle of Sempach (1386). The patrician family Schnewlin took control of the city until the guildsmen revolted. The guilds became more powerful than the patricians in 1389.

The silver mines in Mount Schauinsland (which means "look into the country") provided an important source of capital for Freiburg. This silver made Freiburg one of the richest cities in Europe, and in 1327 Freiburg minted its own coin, the Rappenpfennig. In 1377 the cities of Freiburg, Basel, Colmar, and Breisach entered into an alliance known as the Genossenschaft des Rappenpfennigs (Rappenpfennig Collective). This alliance facilitated commerce between the cities, and Freiburg's Rappenpfennig was in use from the upper Rhine region to northern Switzerland. The alliance lasted until the end of the 16th century. There were 8,000-9,000 people living in Freiburg between the 13th and 14th centuries, and 30 churches and monasteries. At the end of the 14th century, the veins of silver were dwindling and by 1460, only around 6,000 people still lived within Freiburg's city walls. A university city, Freiburg evolved from its focus on mining to become a cultural centre for the arts and sciences. It was also a commercial centre. The end of the Middle Ages and the dawn of the Renaissance was a time of both advances and tragedy for Freiburg.

Freiburg Münster medieval cathedral
Freiburg Münster medieval cathedral

In 1457, Duke Albrecht VI established Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, one of Germany's oldest universities. In 1498, Emperor Maximilian I held Reichstag in Freiburg. In 1520, the city ratified a set of legal reforms, widely considered the most progressive of the time. The aim was to find a balance between city traditions and old Roman Law. The reforms were well received, especially the sections dealing with civil process law, punishment and the city's constitution.

In 1520, Freiburg decided not to take part in the Reformation and became an important center for Catholicism on the Upper Rhine. In 1536, a strong and persistent belief in witchcraft led to the city's first witch-hunt. The need to find a scapegoat for calamities such as the Black Plague, which claimed 2,000 area residents (25% of the city population) in 1564, led to an escalation in witch-hunting that reached its peak in 1599. A plaque on the old city wall marks the spot where burnings were carried out.

The 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries were turbulent times for Freiburg. Through battles in the Thirty Years' War (at the beginning of this war there were 10,000-14,000 citizens in Freiburg; by its end only 2,000) and other conflicts, the city belonged at various times to the Austrians, the French, the Swedish, the Spanish, and various members of the German Confederacy. In the period between 1648 and 1805, it was the administrative headquarters of Further Austria, the Habsburg territories in the southwest of Germany, when the city was not under French occupation. In 1805, the city, together with the Breisgau and Ortenau areas, became part of Baden.

In 1827, when the Archdiocese of Freiburg was founded, Freiburg became the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop.

In 1889, the entire city had to be evacuated when the noxious compound thioacetone was produced in a laboratory.

The Martinstor, one of the original city gates in Freiburg
The Martinstor, one of the original city gates in Freiburg

On October 22, 1940, the Nazi Gauleiter of Baden ordered the deportation of all Baden's Jews, and 350 Jewish citizens of Freiburg were deported[4] to the southern French internment camp of Gurs in the Basses-Pyrénées. They remained there under poor conditions until the majority of the survivors were sent to their deaths at Auschwitz on July 18, 1942. The cemetery for German Jews who died at Gurs is maintained by the town of Freiburg and other cities of Baden. A memorial stands outside the modern synagogue in the town centre. The pavements of Freiburg carry memorials to individual victims in form of brass plates outside former residences, including that of Edith Stein.

The city was heavily bombed during World War II. In 1940 German planes mistakenly dropped approximately 60 bombs on Freiburg near the train station. A raid by more than 300 bombers of RAF Bomber Command on 27 November 1944 destroyed a large portion of the city centre, with the notable exception of the Münster, which was only lightly damaged. After the war, the city was rebuilt on its medieval plan. It became for a short time the site of government for the German state Badenia, which was merged into Baden-Württemberg soon after. It was occupied by the French Army in 1945. They maintained a presence in the city until 1991, when the last tank division left the city.

On the site of the former French army base, a new neighborhood for 5,000 people, Vauban, was begun in the late 1990s as a "sustainable model district". Solar power is used to power many of the households in this small community.

[edit] Culture

Because of its scenic beauty, relatively warm and sunny climate and easy access to the Black Forest, Freiburg is a hub for regional tourism. The longest cable car run in Germany, which is 3.6 km, or about 2.25 miles (3.62 km) long runs from Günterstal up to a nearby mountain called Schauinsland. The city has an unusual system of gutters (called Bächle) that run throughout its centre. These Bächle, once used to provide water to fight fires and feed livestock, are constantly flowing with water diverted from the Dreisam. These Bächle were never used for sewage, as such usage could lead to harsh penalties, even in the Middle Ages. During the summer, the running water provides natural cooling of the air, and offers a pleasant, gurgling sound. It is said that if you step in a Bächle, you will marry a Freiburger, or 'Bobbele'.

The Augustinerplatz is one of the central squares in the old city. Formerly the location of an Augustine monastery which became the Augustinermuseum in 1921, it is now a popular social space for Freiburg's younger residents. It has a number of restaurants and bars, including the local brewery 'Feierling', which has a Biergarten. On warm summer nights, hundreds of students gather here.

The Historisches Kaufhaus of 1532 in Freiburg's Cathedral Square or Münsterplatz.
The Historisches Kaufhaus of 1532 in Freiburg's Cathedral Square or Münsterplatz.

At the centre of the old city is the Münsterplatz, its largest square. A farmers' market takes place here every day except Sundays. This is the site of Freiburg's Münster, a gothic Minster Cathedral constructed of red sandstone, built between 1200 and 1530. The Freiburg Münster is noted for its towering spire.

The Historisches Kaufhaus, or historical marketplace, is a Renaissance building constructed between 1520 and 1530 which was once the center of the financial life of the region. Its façade is decorated with the coat of arms of the Habsburgs.

The Altes Rathaus, or old city hall, was completed in 1559 and has a painted façade.

The Platz der alten Synagoge "Old Synagogue Square" is one of the more important squares on the outskirts of the historic old city. The square was the location of a Synagogue until it was destroyed on the Night of Broken Glass in 1938.

St. George is the Patron Saint of Freiburg.

[edit] Government

Dr. Dieter Salomon
Dr. Dieter Salomon

Freiburg is known as an "eco-city". In recent years it has attracted solar industries and research; the Greens have a stronghold here (the strongest in any major German city; up to 25% of the votes city-wide, in some neighbourhoods reaching 40% or more in the 2002 national elections). The newly built neighbourhoods of Vauban and Rieselfeld were developed and built according to the idea of sustainability. The citizens of Freiburg are known in Germany for their love of cycling and recycling.[5]

The Oberbürgermeister, Dr. Dieter Salomon, (elected in 2002), is the only member of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen who holds such an office in a city with more than 100,000 inhabitants. However, his deputy, Otto Neideck, is a member of the conservative party, the CDU.

In June 1992, the Freiburg city council adopted a resolution that it would only permit construction of "low energy buildings" on municipal land, and all new buildings must comply with certain "low energy" specifications. Low energy housing uses solar power passively as well as actively. In addition to solar panels and collectors on the roof, providing electricity and hot water, many passive features use the sun’s energy to regulate the temperature of the rooms.[5]

Freiburg is host of a number of international organisations, in particular ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability and ISES - International Solar Energy Society.

See also: List of mayors of Freiburg

[edit] Education

Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg

Freiburg is a famous center of academics and research. Some of the greatest minds have lived and worked in Freiburg and the city houses one of the oldest and most renowned German universities, the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg, as well as its equally prestigious medical center. Freiburg is also home to various other institutes of education and research, among them are: the Freiburg University of Education, the Protestant University of Applied Sciences Freiburg, the Freiburg Music University, the Catholic University of Applied Sciences Freiburg, three Max Planck Institutes, and five Fraunhofer Institutes.

[edit] Transportation

Freiburg has an extensive pedestrian zone in the city centre where no automobiles are allowed. Freiburg also has an excellent public transit system, anchored by a continually expanding web of tram routes known as the Straßenbahn.

Freiburg is on the main Frankfurt am Main - Basel train line with frequent and fast long-distance train services to major German and other European cities. Other train lines run east into the Black Forest and west to Breisach.

The city is also served by the A5 Frankfurt am Main - Basel motorway.

Freiburg is served by Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg International Airport, actually located in France. This is now a base for the low-cost carrier, EasyJet. The airport Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden (Baden Airpark) is situated approximately 120 km north of Freiburg and is served by, inter alia, the low-cost carrier Ryanair.

[edit] Sports

Freiburg is home to football team SC Freiburg. Their home stadium is Badenova-Stadion. The home of the EHC Freiburg is the Franz-Siegel Halle. Freiburger FC are a club which had early success in the 20th century, but now compete in lower divisions.

[edit] Sister cities

Freiburg has several sister cities throughout the world:

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's controversial comments, which included questioning the dimension of the Holocaust, have sparked discussions concerning Freiburg's partnership with Isfahan. Immediately following the comments, Freiburg's mayor Salomon postponed a trip to Isfahan, but most people involved, especially those in the Alliance '90/The Greens party, were opposed to cancelling the partnership.[6]

[edit] Pop culture references

The title of the first track on the Hamburg based band Tocotronic's debut LP Digital ist Besser is Freiburg and seems to reflect the bands angst-driven dislike of the city.

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] Gallery

The Freiburger Münster

Inside the belfry of the Freiburger Münster

Landscape seen from the Schlossberg

The Martinstor

The Schwabentor

The Historic Marketplace (Historisches Kaufhaus) at the Münsterplatz

Observation tower on the Schlossberg

Freiburg's town-hall

Freiburg's main train station (Hauptbahnhof)

The Konzerthaus (concert hall)

Stadttheater

A Bächle in the centre of Freiburg

View of Freiburg

Haus zum Walfisch

Colombi Palace

Fischbrunnen or Fish Fountain

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

[edit] References

  1. ^ Statistisches Landesamt Baden-Württemberg. Population data.
  2. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition (2000)
  3. ^ German Wikipedia reference to the establishment of the title of Count of Freiburg
  4. ^ Spector, Shmuel and Wigoder, Geoffrey, The Encyclopedia of Jewish life Before and During the Holocaust, New York University Press 2001. See Die Synagoge in Freiburg im Breisgau.
  5. ^ a b Is this the greenest city in the world?
  6. ^ http://www.nouripour.de/presse/96815.html
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Urban and rural districts in the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany
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