Rhine-Palatinate District

coat of arms	Germany map
	Coordinates: 49 ° 25 '  N , 8 ° 22'  E
Basic data
State :	Rhineland-Palatinate
Administrative headquarters :	Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Area :	304.92 km 2
Residents:	154,609 (Dec. 31, 2019)
Population density :	507 inhabitants per km 2
License plate :	RP
Circle key :	07 3 38
Circle structure:	25 municipalities
Address of the district administration:	Europaplatz 5 67063 Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Website :	www.rhein-pfalz-kreis.de
District Administrator :	Clemens Körner ( CDU )
Location of the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate

The Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis (until December 31, 2003, Ludwigshafen district ) is a regional authority in the south-east of Rhineland-Palatinate in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region . The seat of the district administration is the independent city of Ludwigshafen am Rhein , which is not part of the district. The most populous municipality is the association-free city of Schifferstadt .

geography

Geographical location

The Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis lies in the Rheingraben ( Upper Rhine Plain ).

Neighboring areas

Due to its location within the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region with many neighboring independent cities and the adjacent location on the Rhine, the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis is surrounded by many different regional authorities that also belong to three federal states.

Within the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the district borders the following local authorities (clockwise, starting in the north): District-free city of Worms , district-free city of Frankenthal (Pfalz) , district-free city of Ludwigshafen am Rhein , district-free city of Speyer , district of Germersheim , district of Südliche Weinstrasse , district-free City of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse , Bad Dürkheim district .

In the east, the Rhine forms the state border with the federal states of Hesse and Baden-Württemberg , with the exception of the Koller Island on the left bank of the Rhine , which belongs to Baden-Württemberg. Starting in the north, the district borders on the Bergstrasse district (in Hesse), the Mannheim district , the Rhein-Neckar district and the Karlsruhe district (all in Baden-Württemberg).

climate

The climate is very mild. The average annual precipitation is less than 500 mm. Summer is often hot and humid, and there are often strong thunderstorms. The region has little snow in winter.

history

In 1886 the Ludwigshafen district office was founded. This founding act was one of the last official acts of the Bavarian King Ludwig II. As the population in the Speyer district office at that time had grown significantly, this district office had to be divided. On March 1, 1920, the city of Ludwigshafen am Rhein was spun off from the Ludwigshafen district office and was given the status of a city immediately within the district, called Stadtkreis from 1935 onwards . In 1939 the district of the same name emerged from the district office of Ludwigshafen am Rhein .

The regional reforms in Rhineland-Palatinate on June 7, 1969 resulted in a completely new design of the district. The old county was with

• all municipalities of the dissolved Speyer district
• the communities of Beindersheim , Bobenheim am Rhein , Großniedesheim , Heßheim , Heuchelheim bei Frankenthal , Kleinniedesheim , Lambsheim , Maxdorf and Roxheim of the disbanded district of Frankenthal (Pfalz) as well
• the communities of Birkenheide and Rödersheim of the dissolved district of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse

merged to form a new district of Ludwigshafen, whereby Rödersheim was united with Alsheim-Gronau to form the local community Rödersheim-Gronau . The local community of Ruchheim left the district on March 16, 1974 and was incorporated into the independent city of Ludwigshafen am Rhein.

On May 19, 2003, the district council decided, with five votes against, to rename the district "Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis". According to a survey by the daily newspaper “ Die Rheinpfalz ”, 70 percent of citizens were against a change. The name change, promoted by District Administrator Werner Schröter, should bring about better marketing for agricultural products, more intensive advertising for gastronomic offers and a stronger identification of the district residents. On August 27, 2003, the name change was approved by the Mainz Ministry of the Interior. District Administrator Schröter received the corresponding document on October 28, 2003 in Mutterstadt from the hands of Interior Minister Walter Zuber . The change took effect on January 1, 2004.

Population statistics

year Residents source 1885 51,923 1900 90,474 1910 118.130 1925 40,346 1939 30,168 1950 35,365 1960 42,300

year Residents source 1970 117,400 1980 124,800 1990 135,200 2000 147,000 2010 148,475 2016 153.043 2020 164.038

The number of residents has increased in the observed period.

Denomination statistics

According to the 2011 census , 32.6% of the population in 2011 were Protestant, 36.9% were mostly Roman Catholic and 30.5% were non-denominational , belonged to another religious community or did not provide any information. Currently (as of February 29, 2020) 27.1% of the population are Protestant, 31.7% Roman Catholic and 41.2% are non-denominational or belong to another religious community. The number of Protestants and Catholics has therefore decreased in the observed period. In the Rhine-Palatinate district, the majority is the group of those who belong to any other or no public religious community.

politics

District administration

• 

  District building on Europaplatz in Ludwigshafen

• 

  West side of the district house

The administration of the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis is on Europaplatz in Ludwigshafen am Rhein.

District council

Election of the Rhine-Palatinate District Council in 2019

Turnout: 65.1% (2014: 57.5%)

 %

40

30th

20th

10

0

30.7%

21.4%

18.2%

11.5%

8.5%

6.8%

3.0%

CDU

SPD

Green

AfD

FWG ^e

FDP

left

Gains and losses

compared to 2014

 % p

   8th

   6th

   4th

   2

   0

  -2

  -4

  -6

  -8th

-10

-8.2  % p

-7.9  % p

+ 6.4  % p

+ 3.7  % p

+ 0.5  % p

+ 2.6  % p

+ 3.0  % p

CDU

SPD

Green

AfD

FWG ^e

FDP

left

Remarks:

^e District Association of Free Voting Groups in the Rhine-Palatinate District

The district council of the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis consists of 50 district council members elected in a personalized proportional representation and the district administrator as chairman.

The district council was last elected on May 26, 2019:

Parties and groups of voters	% 2019	Seats 2019	% 2014	Seats 2014
CDU	30.7	16	38.9	19th
SPD	21.4	11	29.3	15th
GREEN	18.2	9	11.8	6th
AfD	11.5	6th	7.8	4th
FWG	8.5	4th	8.0	4th
FDP	6.8	3	4.2	2
THE LEFT.	3.0	1	-	-
total	100.0	50	100.0	46
Voter turnout in%	65.1		57.5

Due to the increase in the population, the number of seats in the district council was increased from 46 to 50.

District administrators

• 1946–1948 Franz Theato (SPD) - only for partial areas00
• 1948–1956 Rudolf Hammer (SPD) - only for certain areas00
• 1956–1964 Kurt Becker-Marx (SPD) - only for partial areas00
• 1964–1969 Hermann Scherer (SPD) - only for partial areas00
• 1969–1983 Paul Schädler (CDU)00
• 1983-2001 00Ernst Bartholomé (CDU)
• 2001–2009 Werner Schröter (SPD)00
• 2009– Clemens Körner (CDU)000000

On March 5, 2017, Körner was re-elected for a second term with 68.9 percent of the vote; the turnout was 38.8 percent.

badges and flags

• 

  Hoist flag

• 

  Banner flag

The Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis has a coat of arms as well as a hoist and banner flag .

	Blazon : “In the shield on the left, divided diagonally by a silver wavy bar, a golden, red-armored lion striding to the left, up to the right, a silver floating cross down to the left, a red heart shield with two golden water lily leaves on stems that cross twice. "
	Justification of the coat of arms: The Palatinate lion stands for the Electoral Palatinate areas of the district and the cross stands for the areas of the former Hochstift Speyer . The water lily leaves symbolize the meadow landscape south of Ludwigshafen, the wavy bar the Rhine. The coat of arms was approved on January 18, 1971 and changed in color on October 28, 1977.

See also : List of coats of arms in the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis

District partnerships

1964 with Schnals and Naturns in South Tyrol , Italy . The Speyer district brought in the partnerships with Schlanders and Martell , also in South Tyrol.

1983 with Kinyami, Rwanda

After reunification, a partnership was established with the Saalkreis in Saxony-Anhalt

1991 with Radviliškis in Lithuania

2002 with the Opole County in Poland .

Economy and Infrastructure

economy

The purchasing power of the district population is 16 percent above the national average. Agriculture still accounts for only four percent of gross value added. Because of the above-average growing conditions, the district is of supraregional importance as "Germany's vegetable garden".

In the Future Atlas 2016 , the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis took 194th place out of 402 rural districts, municipal associations and independent cities in Germany, making it one of the regions with a “balanced risk-opportunity mix” for the future.

traffic

Network map of the RheinNeckar S-Bahn

Stop Schifferstadt Süd: The association-free city of Schifferstadt is the only municipality in the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis to have two train stations in the city

The federal motorways 6 (Saarbrücken-Mannheim), 61 (Speyer-Koblenz), 65 (Karlsruhe-Ludwigshafen) and 650 (Bad Dürkheim-Ludwigshafen) run through the district . Furthermore, several federal highways and district roads run through the district area, including the B 9 ( Wörth am Rhein –Kleve), as well as the Rhine as a shipping route.

The area of ​​the district is also relatively well developed by rail lines. There are six stations of the RheinNeckar S-Bahn in the district .

education

The district is home to the largest community college in Rhineland-Palatinate. There is also a district music school, two grammar schools, an integrated comprehensive school and three secondary schools.

Culture and leisure

Sacred buildings

→ Main article : List of sacred buildings in the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis

Sports

There are four indoor swimming pools , bathing lakes and other sports facilities up to the Kurpfalz Golf Park (near Limburgerhof ) for popular sports.

The wrestlers from VfK Schifferstadt and the weightlifters from AC Mutterstadt are among the outstanding sports clubs .

camping

The most extensive camping area in Germany is located in the Rheinaue with 123 hectares. Almost 5000 parking spaces for caravans are permanently rented.

cities and communes

(Residents on December 31, 2019)

Association-free municipalities / cities

Bobenheim-Roxheim	10.096 inhabitants	20.5 km²
Böhl-Iggelheim	10,394 inhabitants	32.8 km²
Limburgerhof	11,461 inhabitants	09.0 km²
Mother city	12,844 inhabitants	20.5 km²
Schifferstadt , city	20,412 inhabitants	28.0 km²

Association communities with their association members

(The seats of the association communities are marked with *)

Verbandsgemeinde Dannstadt-Schauernheim	13,573 inhabitants	33.2 km²
Dannstadt-Schauernheim *	7448 inhabitants	15.3 km²
Hochdorf-Assenheim	3212 inhabitants	9.7 km²
Rödersheim-Gronau	2913 inhabitants	8.2 km²
Verbandsgemeinde Lambsheim- Heßheim	17,000 inhabitants	37.7 km²
Beindersheim	3335 inhabitants	5.7 km²
Großniedesheim	1309 inhabitants	3.8 km²
Hessheim	3147 inhabitants	5.8 km²
Heuchelheim near Frankenthal	1281 inhabitants	5.8 km²
Kleinniedesheim	0946 inhabitants	3.9 km²
Lambsheim *	6982 inhabitants	12.8 km²
Association municipality of Maxdorf	12,935 inhabitants	16.9 km²
Birch heather	3192 inhabitants	2.9 km²
Fußgönheim	2593 inhabitants	6.7 km²
Maxdorf *	7150 inhabitants	7.4 km²
Association municipality Rheinauen	24,263 inhabitants	51.3 km²
Altrip	7709 inhabitants	10.5 km²
Neuhofen	7194 inhabitants	12.3 km²
Otterstadt	3475 inhabitants	15.6 km²
Forest lake *	5885 inhabitants	12.9 km²
Association municipality Römerberg-Dudenhofen	21,631 inhabitants	55 km²
Dudenhofen *	6061 inhabitants	13 km²
Hanhofen	2576 inhabitants	5.8 km²
Harthausen	3118 inhabitants	8.4 km²
Römerberg	9876 inhabitants	27.9 km²

Former parishes

• Alsheim-Gronau , on June 7, 1969 in Rödersheim-Gronau
• Assenheim , on June 7, 1969 in Hochdorf-Assenheim
• Böhl , on June 7, 1969 in Böhl-Iggelheim
• Dannstadt , on June 7, 1969 in Dannstadt-Schauernheim
• Hochdorf , on June 7, 1969 in Hochdorf-Assenheim
• Iggelheim , on June 7, 1969 in Böhl-Iggelheim
• Maudach , in Ludwigshafen on April 1, 1938
• Oggersheim , in Ludwigshafen on April 1, 1938
• Rheingönheim , on April 1, 1938 in Ludwigshafen
• Ruchheim , on March 16, 1974 in Ludwigshafen
• Schauernheim , on June 7, 1969 in Dannstadt-Schauernheim

For lists of the term “territorial changes” see the article Territorial reforms in Rhineland-Palatinate .

License Plate

On July 1, 1956, the Ludwigshafen am Rhein district was assigned the distinguishing mark LU when the license plates that are still valid today were introduced . It is still issued in the independent city of Ludwigshafen am Rhein to this day. For the district, however, the new distinguishing sign RP has been in effect since July 27, 2005 .

literature

• Home calendar of the district of Ludwigshafen am Rhein. Edited by the district administration. Schiffer, Rheinberg (Rhld.) Born 1960 (1959).
• Hans-Einhart Springmann (Red.): Ludwigshafen district 1970/71. Ed .: District of Ludwigshafen. Geier, Schifferstadt 1971.
• Homeland yearbook. Rhine-Palatinate District. (initially: Ludwigshafen district ). Ed .: District administration. Vol. 1, 1985-. ISSN  0939-0103 . (Index in Vol. 21. 2005, pp. 81–157.)
• Gerhard Sellinger: At home in the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis. Sellinger, Schifferstadt 2010 (contains biographies of well-known district citizens).

Web links

Commons : Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Website of the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis
• Literature on Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis in the catalog of the German National Library
• Literature about Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis in the Rhineland-Palatinate state bibliography
• Museums in the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} State Statistical Office of Rhineland-Palatinate - population status 2019, districts, municipalities, association communities ( help on this ).
2. ↑ territorial.de
3. ↑ territorial.de
4. ↑ Official municipality directory 2006 ( Memento from December 22, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) (= State Statistical Office Rhineland-Palatinate [Hrsg.]: Statistical volumes . Volume 393 ). Bad Ems March 2006, p. 165 (PDF; 2.6 MB). Info: An up-to-date directory ( 2016 ) is available, but in the section "Territorial changes - Territorial administrative reform" it does not give any population figures.  
5. ↑ Jörg Schmihing: Anniversary without jubilation and chronicle . In: Die Rheinpfalz / Ludwigshafener Rundschau No. 18 of January 22, 2009, p. 18. ZDB -ID 209783-7
6. ↑ Royal Bavarian Statistical Bureau (ed.): Localities directory of the Kingdom of Bavaria . Munich 1888, population of the district offices 1885, p. VI ( digitized version ).
7. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Michael Rademacher: German administrative history from the unification of the empire in 1871 to the reunification in 1990. kusel.html. (Online material for the dissertation, Osnabrück 2006). 
8. ↑ Statistical Yearbook for the Federal Republic of Germany 1961
9. ↑ Statistical Yearbook for the Federal Republic of Germany 1972
10. ↑ Statistical Yearbook for the Federal Republic of Germany 1981
11. ↑ Statistical Yearbook for the Federal Republic of Germany 1992
12. ↑ Statistical Yearbook for the Federal Republic of Germany 2002
13. ↑ District of Rhine-Palatinate Status: January 31, 2020 , accessed on March 5, 2020
14. ↑ District of Rhine-Palatinate Religion , 2011 census
15. ↑ District of Rhine-Palatinate Status: February 29, 2020 , accessed on March 5, 2020
16. ↑ Majorities of the population according to religious affiliation Slide 5
17. ^ Result of the election at the regional returning officer Rhineland-Palatinate
18. ↑ Rainer Rund: Dr. Kurt Becker-Marx (1921-2004). The third post-war district administrator in the former Ludwigshafen district. In: Heimat-Jahrbuch. Rhine-Palatinate District. Vol. 27 (2010), pp. 126-141.
19. ↑ Dr. Ernst Bartolomé . In: Gerhard Sellinger: At home in the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis . Sellinger, Schifferstadt 2010, p. 19.
20. ↑ RHEIN-PFALZ-KREIS: LANDRATK KÖRNER REMAINS IN OFFICE (March 5, 2017)
21. ^ Website of the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis
22. ↑ Zukunftsatlas 2016. Archived from the original ; accessed on March 23, 2018 .