Baumholder

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coat of arms Germany map
Coat of arms of the city of Baumholder
Baumholder
Map of Germany, position of the city Baumholder highlighted

Coordinates: 49 ° 37 '  N , 7 ° 20'  E

Basic data
State : Rhineland-Palatinate
County : Birch field
Association municipality : Baumholder
Height : 488 m above sea level NHN
Area : 69.47 km 2
Residents: 4257 (Dec. 31, 2019)
Population density : 61 inhabitants per km 2
Postal code : 55774
Area code : 06783
License plate : BIR
Community key : 07 1 34 005
Association administration address: Am Weiherdamm 1
55774 Baumholder
Website : www.baumholder.de
City Mayor : Günther Jung
Location of the town of Baumholder in the Birkenfeld district
Horbruch Krummenau (Hunsrück) Weitersbach Gösenroth Schwerbach Oberkirn Hausen (Hunsrück) Rhaunen Stipshausen Hottenbach Hellertshausen Schauren Asbach Sulzbach (Hunsrück) Bollenbach Bundenbach Baumholder Frauenberg Reichenbach Heimbach Ruschberg Berglangenbach Fohren-Linden Berschweiler bei Baumholder Mettweiler Eckersweiler Rohrbach Rückweiler Hahnweiler Leitzweiler Sien Sienhachenbach Schmidthachenbach Oberreidenbach Mittelreidenbach Dickesbach Fischbach Bergen Berschweiler bei Kirn Hintertiefenbach Gerach Niederwörresbach Niederhosenbach Griebelschied Sonnschied Wickenrodt Herrstein Oberwörresbach Veitsrodt Herborn Mörschied Breitenthal Oberhosenbach Weiden Vollmersbach Kempfeld Kirschweiler Bruchweiler Allenbach Wirschweiler Langweiler (bei Idar-Oberstein) Idar-Oberstein Sensweiler Hettenrodt Mackenrodt Siesbach Leisel Schwollen Hattgenstein Oberhambach Rinzenberg Börfink Buhlenberg Abentheuer Brücken (bei Birkenfeld) Achtelsbach Meckenbach Ellweiler Dambach Gimbweiler Hoppstädten-Weiersbach Dienstweiler Nohen Birkenfeld (Nahe) Ellenberg Gollenberg Rimsberg Schmißberg Elchweiler Niederhambach Niederbrombach Kronweiler Sonnenberg-Winnenberg Oberbrombach Rötsweiler-Nockenthal Wilzenberg-Hußweiler Saarland Landkreis Trier-Saarburg Landkreis Bernkastel-Wittlich Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis Landkreis Bad Kreuznach Landkreis Kuselmap
About this picture

Baumholder is a town in the Birkenfeld district in Rhineland-Palatinate, in Westrich . It is the administrative seat of the association of the same name and is designated as a medium-sized center according to state planning .

General

The city of Baumholder is known as one of the largest US garrisons in Germany, which has developed since the 1950s on the site of the Baumholder military training area, which is directly adjacent to the city area .

Since then, the around 15,000 Americans living here have shaped the cityscape in terms of landscape, economy and society. Further articles: Baumholder Army Airfield , foreign military bases in Germany

population

The population of Baumholder is predominantly middle class . Agriculture today only plays a role in isolated cases and in some surrounding local communities and farms.

language

The regional dialect is similar to the Saarland dialect ( Rheinfränkischer dialect ) , which is mainly spoken in the east of Saarland .

In contact with people from other regions of Germany, the suspicion is often expressed that “one” is from the Saarland . Interestingly, the regional dialect is an "island dialect", as a distinctly different pronunciation can be seen in all neighboring local communities and towns ( Kusel , Idar-Oberstein , Freisen ), even in the closest local communities in Saarland.

Due to the close relationship with the Americans, the English language is also often used around Baumholder.

landscape

Baumholder is located between the Hunsrück in the north and the North Palatinate Bergland in the south, directly on a ridge that marks the northern border of the Nordpfälzer Bergland. This area is also called Westrich . The landscape around Baumholder is characterized by numerous meadows, fields as well as deciduous and mixed forests. A large part of the adjacent military training area serves as a retreat for numerous animal and plant species that have become rare, such as kingfisher , lynx and badger , some of which are on the “ Red List of Endangered Species ”.

climate

Precipitation diagram

The annual precipitation is 884 mm. The driest month is April. It rains most in December. 76% of the measuring locations of the German Weather Service show lower values; the precipitation is thus in the upper third. The seasonal fluctuations in precipitation are in the middle third. In 46% of all places, the monthly precipitation fluctuates less.

history

Middle Ages to the 19th century

Baumholder is first mentioned in documents in 1156 as the property of the Bishop of Verdun . In the 14th century it belonged to the Counts of Veldenz and became Palatinate-Zweibrück in 1444 . Baumholder received the right to have the patch fortified by the Duke of Zweibrücken in 1490. Its legal status was brought into line with that of a city through numerous privileges. Under French rule, Baumholder was the center of a canton in the Arrondissement de Birkenfeld . With the principality of Lichtenberg , Baumholder belonged as an exclave to Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld since 1816 ; after the sale, the principality became Prussian in 1834 and belonged to the new St. Wendel district in the Rhine province . Baumholder has had the right to call himself a city since 1835.

In 1880 major fires destroyed large parts of the old town, so that today there are hardly any remains of the late medieval buildings to be seen.

20th century

With the formation of the Saar area , Baumholder was separated from the St. Wendel district in 1919 and was henceforth the district town of the remaining Sankt Wendel-Baumholder district . When the Saar area returned to the German Reich in 1935, the two districts remained separate. On April 1, 1937, the remaining district was incorporated into the Birkenfeld district.

To “compensate” for the loss of the district town status, Baumholder became a garrison town , and the Wehrmacht built barracks and a military training area here . Several thousand residents were relocated for this purpose. From 1941 to 1945 there was a prison camp for Soviet, Polish and other prisoners on the military training area.

Baumholder, military training area (2005)

After the Second World War , after a short stay with the US Army, French soldiers were stationed in Baumholder for a few years . These left the garrison when the Americans returned.

The military training area was expanded by the US Army from 1951 into one of the largest US garrisons in Germany . As a result, Baumholder experienced a considerable economic boom in the 1950s: bars, dance halls (discos) and variety theaters emerged. Around 50 taxis drove in the small community. The city's “sinful” nightlife, financed by the purchasing power of the Americans at that time, led to nationwide press reports. In the vicinity of the city, countless prostitutes even offered their services in tents. At that time, the federal government described the region as a “moral emergency area”. From 1954 to 1967 the Evangelical Church Congregation therefore ran an open house for young girls in the Achtallee . From the summer of 1953, the Catholic parish built a four- story youth hostel for girls for 60 beds at the cemetery (Hinterm Turm 1) .

On January 1, 1978, the area of ​​the former municipality of Zaubach was incorporated into the municipality-free area of Guts Bezirk Baumholder .

On January 1, 1994, the Baumholder manor district , which included the military training area, was incorporated into the Baumholder community, with parts also being distributed to other neighboring communities in the Birkenfeld and Kusel districts.

Economic structural change

The attempt at structural change that has been initiated since the 1990s through, for example, the establishment of the recycling industry and promising research at the Birkenfeld Environmental Campus in Neubrücke has so far had little impact on the local economy and the labor market.

politics

City council

The city ​​council in Baumholder consists of 20 council members, who were elected in a personalized proportional representation in the local elections on May 26, 2019 , and the honorary city ​​mayor as chairman.

The distribution of seats in the city council:

choice SPD CDU FDP FWG LFB total
2019 6th - 2 8th 4th 20 seats
2014 7th 2 1 5 5 20 seats
2009 8th 2 2 4th 4th 20 seats
2004 8th 6th 2 4th - 20 seats
  • FWG = Free Voting Association Dr. Nail e. V.
  • LfB = list for tree holders

mayor

In the 2014 local elections, Günther Jung was directly elected mayor with 50.2 percent of the vote based on the nomination of the Free Voting Association. He replaced Peter Lang (SPD), who held the office for 10 years. In the local elections in 2019, Jung was re-elected with 80.1 percent of the votes cast.

Twin cities

Baumholder has been twinned with the French town of Warcq (Ardennes) since the 1960s and with the US city of Delaware (Ohio) since 2011 .

garrison

The American barracks are called Smith Barracks and Wetzel Barracks . Around 15,000 people live in the facilities of the US Army. There is also Baumholder Airfield , an airfield for military purposes. The Americans run their own police station (Military Police) , two churches and cinemas, a PX , a commissary, a hospital and their own schools. Many community businesses accept US dollars as currency and are highly dependent on Americans.

1979-81 the future serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was stationed in Baumholder as a soldier in the American medical service.

To date, the US armed forces and are Bundeswehr the largest employers of the local population.

The Baumholder military training area is under the administration of the Bundeswehr. Soldiers from the German Armed Forces, the USA and other NATO members practice on more than 35 firing ranges and firing positions for infantry, armored forces and artillery.

Since 2002 the US Army has increasingly relocated its exercises to the Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels training areas in Upper Palatinate , which are under its own control. Parts of the US troops stationed in the area were regularly used in the Iraq war and most of them returned to Baumholder.

On January 13, 2012, US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced a massive austerity program for the US armed forces. Among other things, two of the four US Army combat brigades stationed in Europe are to be withdrawn. The 170th US Infantry Brigade, which had previously been stationed in Baumholder, was disbanded in 2012.

The Baumholder Military Community from Kaiserslautern has been managed since 2012 . A logistics brigade (16th SB), air defense units (5-7 ADA), a communications battalion (44th ESB) and a medical brigade (30th MED) are stationed in Baumholder. In addition, some smaller units are stationed in Baumholder, these are subject to a larger unit of another garrison. Sub-units of units stationed in Baumholder are also based in other garrisons. B. in nearby Kaiserslautern, or in Grafenwöhr.

In April 2019, the 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion (44th ESB) with 500 soldiers and families was relocated from Grafenwöhr to Baumholder. In January 2019, 84 smaller "townhouses" were completed for the members of this unit for 48 million euros, with more to follow. In addition to the investments in the townhouses, the US Army plans to spend a further 100 million euros on the renovation of older barracks buildings. Multi-family houses, schools and an additional sports area are also planned.

Culture and leisure

Buildings

See the list of cultural monuments in Baumholder

Rally Germany

Baumholder is the venue for the Hunsrück rally and later the ADAC - Rally Germany , which has been part of the rally world championship since 2002, with the exception of 2009 . The old town festival, which takes place parallel to the rally, is one of the most important events in the area.

Triathlon

Since 2005, takes place annually OIE - Triathlon held in Baumholder. Both single starters and teams can take part.

Other annual events

  • Old town festival
  • Herb market
  • Fishing festival
  • Fair
  • Christmas Market
  • Rose Monday procession
  • State meetings of the BKG
  • Weiherfest of the DLRG

Transport links

Highway

Baumholder can be reached via the federal motorway 62 (exit 5 - Freisen). It is located about 50 km northeast of Saarbrücken , about 35 km northwest of Kaiserslautern and about 50 km southeast of Trier .

train

Passenger traffic on the nine-kilometer-long Heimbach – Baumholder railway was discontinued on May 31, 1981. There was only freight traffic, especially with military transport. On the occasion of the Rhineland-Palatinate Day 2007, regional trains ran temporarily on this route from June 2007 up to and including July 1, 2007 to Baumholder station . Based on this experience, it was decided to resume passenger traffic on the Baumholder – Idar-Oberstein – Kirn route from December 14, 2014. The route is operated by the railway company vlexx . The trains run every hour and have connections to Saarbrücken and Frankfurt.

There is a bus connection (as of 2012: line 322 in the Rhein-Nahe-Nahverkehrsverbund ), which is operated on weekdays with twelve connections (excluding school buses). The travel time to Neubrücke (Nahe) is around 30 minutes.

For goods traffic, especially for military traffic, the station has a head ramp and a side ramp, and in the US station section there are four more head ramps.

Airport

The nearest airport is Saarbrücken Airport . The airport Frankfurt-Hahn is within an hour by car in about. The Zweibrücken is about 80 kilometers away.

Personalities

Documentation

literature

  • Maria Höhn: Americans, Cadillacs and “Negerliebchen”. GIs in post-war Germany. Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-86650-264-2 . (with special reference to Baumholder and Kaiserslautern).
  • Herbert Grimm: 50 years / 50 Years American / Americans in Baumholder. Baumholder 1998, ISBN 3-87022-247-6 .
  • Albert Zink, edited by Klaus Böhmer: History of the City and Landscape Baumholder. In: Messages from the Association for Local Studies in the Birkenfeld district. Special issue 71, Association for local history in the Birkenfeld district, Birkenfeld 2006, ISSN  0341-6992 .
  • Fritz Licht, Horst Conrad: City of Baumholder - a photographic foray into the past. Baumholder 2007, ISBN 978-3-86595-211-0 .
  • Fritz Licht, Horst Conrad: House and family chronicle of the old town of Baumholder. In: Messages from the Association for Local Studies in the Birkenfeld district and the Oberstein Friends of Homeland. Special issue 70, Association for Local Lore in the Birkenfeld District, Birkenfeld 2006, ISSN  0341-6992 .
  • Fritz Baldes: Jakob Schug - painter and art teacher. Saarbrücken 2008, ISBN 978-3-935348-20-1 .
  • Walter Robert Loos: Family book of the Protestant parish Baumholder, together with the lost parishes of the military training area from 1790–1930. Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-941216-17-4 .

Web links

Commons : Baumholder  - Collection of Images

Individual evidence

  1. State Statistical Office of Rhineland-Palatinate - population status 2019, districts, communities, association communities ( help on this ).
  2. State Statistical Office Rhineland-Palatinate: My village, my city. Retrieved July 7, 2020 .
  3. ^ The history of the Baumholder community. Verbandsgemeinde Baumholder, accessed on February 6, 2018 (based on Albert Zink (2006), History of the City and Agriculture Baumholder, edited by Klaus Böhmer).
  4. ^ German Historical Museum, contemporary witness report: Red Army prisoners of war in Baumholder
  5. compare: Maria Höhn: Amis, Cadillacs and »Negerliebchen«. GIs in post-war Germany , 2008 and administrative report of the Birkenfeld / Nahe district administration 1950–1955.
  6. The history of the Evangelical Church Community Baumholder ( Memento from March 26, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
  7. Building description, checked by the district builder in Birkenfeld on July 14, 1953
  8. Official municipality directory (= State Statistical Office of Rhineland-Palatinate [Hrsg.]: Statistical volumes . Volume 407 ). Bad Ems February 2016, p. 189 (PDF; 2.8 MB; see footnote 5).
  9. State law on the dissolution of the Baumholder manor and its local reorganization ”of November 2, 1993 (GVBl. Rhineland-Palatinate p. 518)
  10. ^ The Regional Returning Officer Rhineland-Palatinate: Local elections 2019, city and municipal council elections
  11. ^ The State Returning Officer Rhineland-Palatinate: Local elections 2019, results of direct elections
  12. Joel Norris: Jeffery Dahmer: A Bizarre Journey into the Mind of America's Most Tormented Serial Killer. Pinnacle 1992, ISBN 978-0-09-472060-2 , p. 108.
  13. Does US withdrawal hit Baumholder and Grafenwöhr? ( Memento from January 13, 2012 in the Internet Archive ), www.tagesschau.de
  14. SWR Aktuell, SWR Aktuell: US Army is building townhouses for 48 million. Retrieved April 14, 2019 .