Herbstein

Infobox Ort in Deutschland
Art = Stadt
Wappen = Wappen herbstein.pnglat_deg = 50 |lat_min = 33
lon_deg = 09 |lon_min = 21
Lageplan = Mittelhessen Vogelsberg Her.pngBundesland = Hessen
Regierungsbezirk = Gießen
Landkreis = Vogelsbergkreis
Höhe = 461
Fläche = 79.98
Einwohner = 5077
Stand = 2006-12-31
PLZ = 36358
Vorwahl = 06643, 06647
Kfz = VB
Gemeindeschlüssel = 06 5 35 008
Straße = Marktplatz 7
Website = [http://www.herbstein.de www.herbstein.de]
Bürgermeister = Bernhard Ziegler
Partei = parteilos

Herbstein is a small town in the Vogelsbergkreis in Hesse, Germany.

Geography

Location

The spa town of Herbstein lies on the eastern slope of the Vogelsberg Mountains.

Neighbouring communities

Herbstein borders in the north on the community of Lautertal and the community of Wartenberg, in the east on the communities of Großenlüder and Hosenfeld (both in Fulda district), in the south on the community of Grebenhain, and in the west on the town of Schotten.

Constituent communities

The town consists of the main town of Herbstein and also the outlying centres of Altenschlirf, Lanzenhain, Schlechtenwegen, Steinfurt, Rixfeld, Schadges and Stockhausen.

The last named community, Stockhausen, is particularly old, having had its first documentary mention in 882 when it was identified as a fief of the Fulda Abbey. It is believed, however, to date back much further than that.

History

Herbstein had its first documentary mention in 1011 in a donation document from the monastery at Fulda. In 1262, Herbstein was granted town rights. Until 1902 the town belonged to the Princely Abbey ("Fürstabtei") of Fulda. There followed a short time of changing leadership until the town passed to the Grand Duchy of Hesse in 1810.

As part of Hesse's municipal reforms, the formerly independent municipalities of Altenschlirf, Lanzenhain, Schlechtenwegen and Steinfurt were amalgamated into the town of Herbstein with effect on 31 December 1971. Rixfeld, Schadges and Stockhausen followed on 1 August 1972.

Politics

Town council

The municipal elections on 26 March 2006 yielded the following results:
* CDU 12 seats
* SPD 8 seats
* FW (citizens' coalition) 11 seats

Coat of arms

Herbstein's civic coat of arms in its present form seems to have originated in the 17th century. Before that, the arms were a simple cross from the arms of the Fulda Abbey. The figure in the arms is Saint James the Elder, and the two crossed staffs on the inescutcheon are symbols associated with him – he was beaten to death with clubs. The arms were conferred on Herbstein in 1952. [http://www.ngw.nl/int/dld/h/herbstei.htm]

Partnerships

The town of Herbstein maintains partnerships with the following places:
* Oelegem (part of Ranst) near Antwerp, Belgium, since 1968
* Hévíz, Hungary, since 1995.

Economy and infrastructure

Ever since a thermal spring was bored in 1976, the town has been increasingly gearing its activities towards running a spa. In 1980, a thermal orthopaedic bath (of a kind known in German as a "Bewegungsbad" – "movement bath") opened in Herbstein and in 1994 the "Kurmittelhaus" – a place offering treatments for various complaints – was dedicated. In 2000 these efforts were at last crowned when the town had the title "Heilbad" – "Healing Bath" – bestowed upon it.

Sundry

Within Herbstein's bounds lay the geographical centre point of the old West Germany.

References