Bad Wörishofen

Bad Wörishofen

Coat of arms
Bad Wörishofen

Coordinates: 48°00′21″N 10°35′49″E / 48.00583°N 10.59694°E / 48.00583; 10.59694Coordinates: 48°00′21″N 10°35′49″E / 48.00583°N 10.59694°E / 48.00583; 10.59694
Country Germany
State Bavaria
Admin. region Schwaben
District Unterallgäu
Government
  Mayor Klaus Holetschek (CSU)
Area
  Total 57.80 km2 (22.32 sq mi)
Population (2013-12-31)[1]
  Total 14,739
  Density 260/km2 (660/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 86825
Dialling codes 08247
Vehicle registration MN
Website www.bad-woerishofen.de
Kurhaus of Bad Wörishofen
St. Justina at Bad Wörishofen

Bad Wörishofen (German pronunciation: [ˈvøːʁɪsˌhoːfə̆n]) is a spa town in the district Unterallgäu, Bavaria, Germany, known for the water-cure (hydrotherapy) developed by Sebastian Kneipp (* 1821, † 1897), a Catholic priest, who lived there for 42 years. Many of the resort hotels and boarding-houses in Bad Wörishofen offer their guests treatment using Kneipp's methods.

The new spa complex out of town is called Therme Bad Wörishofen. Time Magazine called the city "The secret capital of health".[2]

Geography

The town is located on the Wörthbach, a tributary of the Mindel River, in Donau-Iller which is a frontier region straddling Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. It is approximately 80 km / 50 miles west of Munich and 35 km / 22 miles east of Memmingen.

History

The first known reference to the place dates from 1067, where it is described as the lordship "Werenshova". The name is thought to mean "Homestead of Werin". For centuries Wörishofen was an agricultural settlement. Between 1719 and 1721 the Dominican Wörishofen Monastery was built under the direction of Dominikus Zimmermann.

After World War II, with south-western Germany belonging to the American occupation zone, Bad Wörishofen was the site of a displaced persons camp.[3] Most of the displaced people in question were of Lithuanian provenance. The camp enjoyed the confidence and support of the UNRRA, and was accordingly permitted to print its own bank notes.

Celebrity connections

Film director Rainer Werner Fassbinder and actor Yank Azman were born in Bad Wörishofen.

Economy

Wörishofer sandals are made here.[4]

Notes and references

  1. "Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes". Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik und Datenverarbeitung (in German). 31 December 2013.
  2. DP Camp Bad Wörishofen
  3. Imogen Fox (23 July 2010), "Ooh, but they are comfy . . .", The Guardian: 13
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