Penzberg

Penzberg is a town in the Weilheim-Schongau district, in Bavaria, Germany. It is located near Munich, and had a population of 16,262 in 2010. A historic coal mining town, Penzberg today is known for its pharmaceutical industries.

History

The settlement was first mentioned as Poennesperch in a 1275 contract, when it was sold to the Benediktbeuern Abbey. Surface coal mining had already started in the 16th century, though it was ended by the Thirty Years' War and the industrial exploitation of coal did not begin until 1800. In 1919 Penzberg received town privileges. An Allied air raid on November 16, 1944 did severely damage the town and the parish church, but did not affect the mine. Nevertheless the colliery was closed in 1966 for economic reasons, the adjacent power plant was shut down in 1971.

On April 28, 1945 Hans Rummer, the social democratic mayor of Penzberg until the Nazi takeover in 1933, deposed the Nazi mayor. In the evening of the same day, by order of the Gauleiter Paul Giesler, a Werwolf group stormed the town hall, arrested and shot Rummer and seven fellows. During the night a further eight suspected resistance fighters were hanged by a "drumhead court-martial" under SA brigade leader Hans Zöberlein. Among the victims were two women, one of them pregnant. The massacre is known as the Penzberger Mordnacht (Penzberg Murder Night).

Important buildings

• Post office by Robert Vorhoelzer in the then dominant "Heimatstil", 1922-1923

References

1. ^ "Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes" (in German). Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik und Datenverarbeitung. 31 December 2010. https://www.statistikdaten.bayern.de/genesis/online?language=de&sequenz=tabelleErgebnis&selectionname=12411-009r&sachmerkmal=QUASTI&sachschluessel=SQUART04&startjahr=2010&endjahr=2010.