Bad Camberg

Infobox German Location
Art = Stadt
Wappen = Wappen Bad Camberg.pnglat_deg = 50 |lat_min = 18
lon_deg = 8 |lon_min = 16
Lageplan = Limburg-Weilburg Bad Camber.pngBundesland = Hesse
Regierungsbezirk = Gießen
Landkreis = Limburg-Weilburg
Höhe = 209
Fläche = 54.64
Einwohner = 14378
Stand = 2006-12-31
PLZ = 65520
PLZ-alt = 6277
Vorwahl = 06434
Kfz = LM
Website = [http://www.bad-camberg.de/ www.bad-camberg.de]
Bürgermeister = Wolfgang Erk
Partei = SPD

Bad Camberg is, with 15,000 inhabitants, the second biggest town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany, as well as the southernmost town in the "Regierungsbezirk" of Gießen. It lies in the eastern Hintertaunus in the "Goldener Grund" (“Golden Ground”) some 30 km north of Wiesbaden, 18 km southeast of Limburg an der Lahn, and 44 km northwest of Frankfurt. Bad Camberg is the central community of the "Goldener Grund" with good infrastructure, and a lower centre partly with a middle centre’s function.

The recognized Kneipp resort is Hesse’s oldest and Germany’s third oldest. In the outlying centre of Oberselters is found a mineral spring that gives forth the well known "Selterswasser", often known in English as “seltzer”. The town’s landmark is the "Kreuzkapelle" (“Cross Chapel”).

Geography

Location

Bad Camberg lies north of the Taunus’s main ridge, known as the "Hintertaunus", 18 km southeast of Limburg an der Lahn, making it Middle Hesse’s southernmost town. The nearest cities are (distances given here are by road) Wiesbaden (31 km south), Frankfurt am Main (48 km southeast, 59 km by Autobahn), Koblenz (72 km) and Gießen (75 km).

Heights

The town’s elevation is 209 m. The Limburg-Weilburg district’s highest elevation, the Kuhbett (“Cow’s Bed”; 526 m), lies within the limits of the outlying centre of Erbach on the boundary with the community of Weilrod in the Hochtaunuskreis. The greatest elevation in the central community – also called Bad Camberg – is the Kapellenhügel (“Chapel Hill”), which is somewhat more than 300 m high.

Neighbouring communities

Bad Camberg’s neighbours are, clockwise from the north, Selters (Limburg-Weilburg), Weilrod (Hochtaunuskreis), Waldems (Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis), Idstein (Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis), Hünstetten (Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis) and Hünfelden (Limburg-Weilburg). All but the two lying within Limburg-Weilburg lie not in the "Regierungsbezirk" of Gießen, but rather in the "Regierungsbezirk" of Darmstadt.

Constituent communities

The town comprises six "Stadtteile".

[up to 2002: Statistisches Landesamts, from 2004: extrapolation]

Population development by centre

Third round

These are the results by centre:

Town council

The municipal election on 26 March 2006 yielded the following results:

The next municipal election will be held in 2011.

Coat of arms

The town’s arms show the "Obertorturm" (“Upper Gate Tower”), Camberg’s eastern town gate tower, with its gate. On the tower are two golden lions on a red field. The roof is blue. The golden lions on the red field stem from the arms borne by the County of Diez, to which Bad Camberg belonged. The background in the arms is red.

Town partnerships

Bad Camberg maintains partnership arrangements with the following places:
*flagicon|France Chambray-lès-Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France
*flagicon|Germany Bad Sulza, Thuringia, Germany.On 9 January 1991 the town friendship agreement between Bad Sulza and Bad Camberg was ceremonially signed.

Culture and sightseeing

Buildings

The "Kreuzkapelle" is the town’s landmark. Today’s chapel was built east of the town on a mountain in 1725 and can be seen from far away.

In the Old Town quite a number of timber-frame houses are still to be found, some very elaborately decorated. The houses were mostly built between the 15th and 18th century. Many houses are grouped around the marketplace, which was a trading station on the High Road ("Hohe Straße") from Cologne to Frankfurt.

The town’s most popular sightseeing spot is the row of timber-frame houses that together make up the "Amthof", the seat of the long defunct "Amt". It stretches over a frontage of 155 m [Highlights in Mittelhessen. p. 8] , making it one of Hesse’s biggest timber-frame structures. The representative building was built in 1605 on a former building’s foundations. In the years that followed, up until 1669, it was further expanded and the three formerly separate buildings were melded into one great structure.

The "Amthof" was seat and home to the "Oberamtmänner" (high "Amt" officials) of the "Amt" of Camberg in the Electorate of Trier. Once the "Amt" was dissolved in 1815, it lost its importance. In 1942 the town acquired the "Amthof" and had it thoroughly restored in 1989. Today it is the town administration’s seat.

Another important timber-frame building is the old "Amt" apothecary’s shop, whose foundations go back to 1330, and which was newly built in 1492 as a "Burgmannenhaus" for the Hattsteins. From 1663 the house harboured an apothecary’s shop. Today’s "Guttenberger Hof" was first mentioned in 1336 as the family von Hattstein’s seat. It was overhauled and built into its current form in 1526. In 1767 ownership passed to the family von Guttenberg and in 1820 to common (that is to say, not noble) ownership. As of October 2007, the "Guttenberger Hof" is being restored.

Of the town’s old fortifications, only remnants are left. The "Obertorturm" (32 m tall, built about 1380) and the "Untertorturm", the town’s two gate towers, are all that is left of the 13 towers that once girded the town.

Abutting the "Amthof" is the "Obertorturm", likewise one of the town’s landmarks, which also appears in the town’s arms. Right next to it stands the "Hohenfeldkapelle" (chapel). The chapel is decorated with many fixtures from various centuries, among them plaques with grave inscriptions from the von Metternich und Hohenfeld, von Schütz zu Holzhausen, von Bechtolsheim and von Spies-Büllesheim families, who were of importance in the town. Today, the "Obertorturm" and the "Hohenfeldkapelle" serve as the Town and Tower Museum. The "Untertorturm" is known locally as the "Schiefer Turm von Bad Camberg" (“Leaning Tower of Bad Camberg”), a name that owes itself to a lean of 1.44 m over a height of 21 m. On its base once stood three gates in a row. Its old cupola was destroyed in 1945 as the Second World War neared its end.

"Katholische Kirche St. Peter und Paul"

St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Catholic Church stands in the Old Town’s northwest. A “Saint Peter’s Church” ("St. Peter Kirche") in Camberg had its first documentary mention in 1156. The oldest part of today’s church is the tower built in 1580. After the nave fell in in the 18th century, a new church had to be built. It was built by the Dillenburg building inspector Johann Friedrich Sckell in the "Zopfstil" (a late Rococo and early Classicism development), and is therefore one of the few examples of this building style in the region. The Electorate of Trier Auxiliary Bishop Johannes Maria von Herbain consecrated this church on 15 July 1781 in honour of the Apostles Peter and Paul. [ [http://www.region-online.de/kirchen/kathbc Kath. Pfarrgemeinde St. Peter und Paul Bad Camberg ] ]

"Evangelische Martinskirche"

Saint Martin’s Evangelical Church and the parish house were built under the Reverend Ernst in 1896-1897. The Wiesbaden government building adviser Eggert developed the plans. The architect L. Hofmann from Herborn took on the leadership of the building work under the royal government’s supervision.

"Kurpark"

The health resort park ("Kurpark") in Bad Camberg was laid out as far back as the 18th century by the family Schütz von Holzhausen. The park lies right at the Upper Gate at the edge of the Old Town. Besides a Kneipp water treading pool , the stand of old trees and the water games, the park also offers a miniature golf course and several tennis courts. In 2002, a herb garden exhibit of about 800 m² was laid out in the health resort park.

Regular events

Autumn market

In Bad Camberg the "Camberger Kerb", a church consecration festival or kermis, has been being held each year since 1781 at the same time as the autumn market ("Herbstmarkt"). It is always held on the second weekend in October, although the actual church consecration festival is celebrated on 29 June (St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s). Since 2004, this has been held under a marquee on the "Pfortenwiesen" (the old sporting ground). The "Kerb" is staged by the "Verein zur Förderung des Brauchtums Camberger Kerb e. V." and a yearly committee called the "Kerbejahrgang".

VW veteran rally

The Lottermann family’s "VW-Veteranen-Treffen", known worldwide on the Volkswagen scene, has been a tradition in Bad Camberg since 1979. Every four years, the oldest and rarest automobiles can be found here. The 8th rally was even held a second time, after the founder’s death, thanks to the family’s support, beginning 22 June 2007.

Economy and infrastructure

Businesses

In the outlying centre of Oberselters, the springwater business “Oberselters” is located. Here mineral water is bottled under various brand names such as "Nassauer Land", "Oberselters" and "Bad Camberger Taunusquelle".

Furthermore, the firm HACA Leitern (ladders), known Europe-wide, has its headquarters in Bad Camberg.

Resort business

Health resort offerings comprise the "Hohenfeldklinik" (psychosomatic medicine: 160 beds, internal medicine: 120 beds, orthopaedics: 87 beds) as a health clinic, a neurological rehabilitation clinic (150 beds), several sanatoria, the "Kur-und Gesundheitszentrum" (municipal bathing department with gymnastics for the sick) and several Kneipp water treading pools. In 2005, Bad Camberg recorded 176,663 overnight stays by resort guests. The average stay lasted 8.6 days.

Transport

Bad Camberg lies on the A 3 (Cologne–Frankfurt), which goes back to one of the world’s oldest trade roads, and on the Cologne-Frankfurt InterCityExpress line. Many inhabitants from the main town and the outlying centres commute to work in the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Region.

"Hohe Straße" - Autobahn

Already in the Bronze Age, which in Germany began about 1750 BC, the "Hohe Straße" (“High Road”) led through the Ems-Wörs watershed, running from Constantinople to Brussels. The feeder road from the town to the High Road was the "Limburger Weg" (first mentioned in 1355 as "Lympurger Weg"), whose name was changed in 1959 to "Taunusstraße" and in 1979 to "Lahnstraße" to avoid confusion with "Limburger Straße". By the 18th century, the High Road was no longer used.

In 1934, the town of Camberg joined the company for preparing the Frankfurt-Cologne Autobahn. This "Reichsautobahn" (now Bundesautobahn 3/Europastraße 35) was built between 1937 and 1939. In the "Goldener Grund", its route roughly follows the old High Road’s.

Bad Camberg is linked to the Autobahn through the like-named interchange. This interchange was not in the original plans but was built later to let the communities in the "Goldener Grund" share in the transport and economic development. In 1954, the "Bad Camberg-Ost" service centre was opened on the Cologne-bound side of the Autobahn; a year later followed "Bad Camberg-West" on the Frankfurt-bound side. [Camberg 700 Jahre Stadtrechte, p. 70/71]

Via Publica - Bundesstraße 8

In the 12th century, bit by bit, roads were also built in the valleys. This was due not only to the upswing in goods trading but also to the growing danger on the High Road. Thus came into being the "Emstalstraße" (“Ems Valley Road”), a part of the old "Via Publica" between Brussels and Prague.

In 1768, the Electorate of Trier began expanding highways into boulevardlike roads, and so it also was for the road from Limburg to the border between Würges and Walsdorf, which was finished in 1780. This work on the road, which ran by the "Untertortum" west of what was then town limits, was after two or three years, owing to the great volume of traffic, once again utterly destroyed. Given this, the town proposed to have the road run from Erbach to the "Obertorturm", then through the town to the "Untertortum" and thence on to Würges. The proposal was, however, turned down. Owing to the Electorate of Trier Road-Building Ordinance of 1753, the citizens of the "Amt" of Camberg were obliged to perform compulsory labour on the road early in the year and in autumn. Wages and material costs for the bridgebuilding were borne by the Electoral Court Chamber ("kurfürstliche Hofkammer"), while the communities and the "Amt" were expected to lay on the materials. Only after the Revolution of 1848 was all compulsory labour abolished.

Out of this road developed the Imperial Long-Distance Road ("Reichsfernstraße") 8 in the early 20th century, now "Bundesstraße" 8, which currently runs through Erbach, Bad Camberg and Würges and by Oberselters. For those first three places, a bypass road has been planned for more than thirty years. [Camberg 700 Jahre Stadtrechte, p. 71/72]

Bus and railway

In 1876, the Eschhofen-Niederselters railway line was lengthened by roughly 5 km to Bad Camberg. Later, the line was expanded so that through trains can nowadays use the whole Limburg-Bad Camberg-Niedernhausen-Frankfurt/Wiesbaden line. To Frankfurt runs RMV line 20 ("Main-Lahn-Bahn"), and to Wiesbaden runs line 21 ("Ländchesbahn").

Since December 2004, a town bus service has been running in Bad Camberg. There are two routes, LM-31 (railway station-inner town-Erbach) and LM-32 (railway station-inner town-Würges). Each takes a different route from the railway station to the inner town before running to Erbach or Würges.

Education

In Bad Camberg there are three primary schools, the "Regenbogenschule" (“Rainbow School”) in Erbach, the "Atzelschule" in Bad Camberg and the Würges Primary School ("Grundschule Würges") in Würges. The "Taunusschule Bad Camberg" is a comprehensive school at which a finishing certificate ("Hauptschulabschluss"), a lower secondary certificate ("Mittlere Reife") or an Abitur can be earned. The "Freiherr-vom-Schütz-Schule", which goes back to 1810 and now includes a boarding school, served seven Hessian districts as a school for the deaf.

Kindergartens

In Bad Camberg there are six kindergartens, three municipal and three sponsored by the Catholic Church. [ [http://www.region-online.de/ REGIONonline - Homepage ] ]

Famous people

Honorary citizens

* Caspar Hofmann (b. 29 October 1899 in Camberg, d. unknown), Catholic priest
* Gisbert Lieber (b. 1759, d. 1843), secret government adviser for the Count of Sternberg-Manderscheid
* Moritz Lieber (b. 1790 in Blankenheim, d. 29 December 1860), Gisbert Lieber’s son, hospital’s endower
* Ernst Lieber (b. 16 November 1838 in Camberg, d. 31 March 1902 in Camberg), Moritz Lieber’s son, Centre politician, Member of the Prussian "Landtag" and German Reichstag, Cofounder and for a time President of the German Katholikentag
* Johann Theodor Zöller (b. 1684, d. 1758), Catholic priest, later converted to Calvinist faith
* Anton Becker, doctor
* Anna Elisabeth Koch-Burdi, painter Joseph Anton Koch’s mother
* Heinrich Lauer (b. 26 October 1816 in Camberg, d. 12 June 1889 in Ober-Walluf am Rhein)
* Peter Cathrein (b. 8 June 1829, d. 17 August 1911), mayor
* Franz Alfred Muth (b. 1839 in Hadamar, d. 3 November 1890 in Dombach im Taunus), priest
* Christian Meurer (b. 20 January 1856 in Camberg, d. 6 March 1935 in Würzburg), expert in ecclesiastical and constitutional law
* Johannes Pipberger (b. 1876 in Dehrn/Lahn, d. unknown), mayor 1905-1933
* Heinrich Held (b. 6 June. 1868 in Erbach, d. 4 August 1938 in Regensburg) Bavarian politician and "Ministerpräsident"
* Friedrich Heil (b. 1877 in Dehrn/Lahn, d. 8 October 1954 in Camberg), occupied himself with Camberg history
* Franz Lawaczeck (b. 3 July 1880 in Camberg, d. 20 January 1969 in Pöcking on the Starnberger See), mayor and inventor-engineer

Famous citizens

*Ernst Lieber (see above)
*Heinrich Held (see above)
*Karlheinz Weimar (b. 30 January 1950 in Kirberg) Hessian finance minister, currently lives in Erbach
*Markus Mörl (b. 27 August 1959 in Camberg) German pop singer

Further reading

* Ulrich Lange, Walter Lottermann, Peter K Schmidt: "Camberg, 700 Jahre Stadtrechte. Beiträge zur Heimatkunde". Bad Camberg 1981. ISBN 978-3874600453

* Fügen, Randolf: Highlights in Mittelhessen. 1. Auflage. Wartenberg Verlag Gudersberg-Gleichen 2003 ISBN 3-8313-1044-0, S. 8

External links

* [http://www.bad-camberg.de/ Town’s official website]
*dmoz|World/Deutsch/Regional/Europa/Deutschland/Hessen/Landkreise/Limburg-Weilburg/Städte_und_Gemeinden/Bad_Camberg|Bad Camberg

References