Wald-Michelbach

Infobox Ort in Deutschland
image_photo =
Wappen = Wappen Wald-Michelbach.pnglat_deg = 49 |lat_min = 34 |lat_sec = 0
lon_deg = 8 |lon_min = 50 |lon_sec = 0
Lageplan =
Bundesland = Hessen
Regierungsbezirk = Darmstadt
Kreis = Bergstraße
Höhe = 343
Fläche = 74.36
Einwohner = 11426
Stand = 2006-12-31
PLZ = 69479–69483
PLZ-alt = 6948
Vorwahl = 06207
Kfz = HP
Gemeindeschlüssel = 06 4 31 021
LOCODE = DE WMI
Adresse = In der Gass 17
69483 Wald-Michelbach
Website = [http://www.wald-michelbach.de/ www.wald-michelbach.de]
Bürgermeister = Joachim Kunkel

Wald-Michelbach is a community in the Bergstraße district in Hesse, Germany.

Through Wald-Michelbach runs the now disused "Überwaldbahn" (railway).

Geography

Location

The community lies in the Odenwald, 12 km east of Weinheim.

Hardberg

In the area of Wald-Michelbach’s outlying centre of Siedelsbrunn is found the Hardberg, at 593 m above sea level the Odenwald’s third highest mountain. On the Hardberg’s peak is a 135 m-tall Hessischer Rundfunk radio and television transmission mast. From each side of the Hardberg there is a unique view over the Odenwald and the Rhine valley.

Neighbouring communities

Wald-Michelbach borders in the north on the community of Grasellenbach, in the east on the community of Mossautal, the town of Beerfelden and the community of Rothenberg (all three in the Odenwaldkreis), in the south on the town of Eberbach (outlying centre of Brombach) and the communities of Heddesbach and Heiligkreuzsteinach (all three in the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis in Baden-Württemberg) and in the west on the communities of Abtsteinach, Mörlenbach and Rimbach.

Constituent communities

Wald-Michelbach’s "Ortsteile" are Siedelsbrunn, Gadern, Affolterbach, Kreidach, Aschbach, Ober-Schönmattenwag, Unter-Schönmattenwag, Hartenrod, Kocherbach, Ober-Mengelbach, Stallenkandel and Wald-Michelbach

Development of municipal area

Amalgamations

On 1 December 1970, Hartenrod was amalgamated with Wald-Michelbach. Gadern and Kreidach followed on 1 January 1971 and Aschbach on 1 October of the same year. On 1 January 1972, Siedelsbrunn, Ober-Schönmattenwag and Unter-Schönmattenwag became parts of Wald-Michelbach, with Affolterbach and Kocherbach joining them on 1 August 1972.

Politics

Community council

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

Mayor

Since 2000, the community’s mayor has been Joachim Kunkel.

Town partnerships

*flagicon|France Montmirail, Marne, France
*flagicon|United Kingdom Hassocks, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom

Economy

The community’s and surrounding area’s biggest employer is the firm Coronet (household appliances).

Education

Wald-Michelbach has at its disposal two primary schools, one special school, one Hauptschule-Realschule and one Gymnasium. Since 2007 there has also been an open private school based on Maria Montessori’s methodology.

Main community

*Adam-Karrillon-Schule (primary school)
*Mary-Anne-Kübel-Schule (school for pupils with learning difficulties)
*Eugen-Bachmann-Schule (Haupt- und Realschule)
*Überwald-Gymnasium
*Drachenschule Odenwald - open school (1st to 6th class)

Outlying centres

*Grundschule Unter-Schönmattenwag (primary school)

Leisure and sport facilities

Wald-Michelbach has an outdoor swimming pool that was renovated in 2003. Furthermore, the community has at its disposal an artificial-turf football pitch, which in 2000 replaced the former cinder pitch. It is used by SG Wald-Michelbach and SV Eintracht Wald-Michelbach. There is also a sport hall used by both men and women team handball players from SG Wald-Michelbach and TV 02 Siedelsbrunn as well as the ÜSC Wald-Michelbach women volleyball players.

Culture and sightseeing

Libraries

Library at the Überwald-Gymnasium

In autumn 2007, the Überwald-Gymnasium opened its new library MIZ ("Medien- und Infozentrum" – “Media and Infocentre”). This may be used not only by students, but as of April 2008 also by all citizens of the surrounding municipalities.

Museums

"Heimatmuseum"

The "Heimatmuseum" (local history museum) has been housed since 1988 at the old town hall ("Altes Rathaus") right in the heart of the community. The building was built in 1594. On display here are not only items from Wald-Michelbach’s historical development but sometimes also special exhibits.

"Stoewermuseum"

The "Stoewermuseum" was opened in 2002 and is housed in the building that formerly housed the old savings bank, near the heart of the community. On show here is a collection of products from the Stoewer works in Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland). The museum’s centrepiece is the array of cars on display on the ground floor. Most have been restored and are in operating condition. Furthermore, more of the Stoewer company’s products, such as sewing machines, typewriters and bicycles, can also be seen. The museum is run privately by a collector who was born in Stettin. In 2005, in honour of the owner and his dedication, a street in the main community was christened "Stoewerstraße".

Buildings

The "Überwälder Einhaus" was completed in 2005 by the "Überwälder Museums- und Kulturverein" (“Überwald Museum and Culture Club”) and unpaid help. The name "Einhaus" {“Onehouse”) refers to how such buildings were formerly used: a single building contained a dwelling, a storage cellar, a stable and a barn. Today, though, this one houses a civil wedding venue and a sizeable multipurpose room used by the community’s clubs for social occasions. In 2006, the "Bücherbrunnen" (“Book Fountain”) was also built before the "Einhaus". On that spot, until the 19th century, when it was torn down, once stood a town tower in which, in Adam Karrillon’s novel "Michael Hely" was the hero’s home. The books displayed at the fountain are meant to remind one of the spot’s literary importance.

Regular events

*Heimatfest (“Homeland Festival”, first weekend in July)
*Fumaba
*Gassenmarkt (“Lane Market”)
*Kerwe (church consecration festival, next to last Sunday in August)
*Weihnachtsmarkt (“Christmas Market”)
*Kommunales Kino (“Municipal Cinema”, second Saturday each month)

Healthcare

On the Hardberg’s slope in outlying centre of Siedelsbrunn is the "Fachklinik am Hardberg", a health clinic for psychotherapy and addiction medicine with a systemic-hypnotherapeutic orientation for 160 patients.

Famous people

Sons and daughters of the town

* Adam Karrillon (1853-1938), writer and physician (honourary citizen 1921)
* Lothar Mark (1945– ), SPD politician
* Heinrich Schlerf (1890-1970), founder of the Coronet works
* Dr. Rudolf Wünzer (1862-1929), honourary citizen: 16 September 1913
* Karl Kübel (1909-2006), founder of the "Karl Kübel-Stiftung".
* Eugen Bachmann (1913-1975), Member of the Landtag (CDU) and former mayor of Wald-Michelbach (1948-1975)

Others

* Jürgen Gerlach, National Chairman of The Animal Welfare Party

Further reading

* Peter W. Sattler: "Festschrift zur 750-Jahrfeier der Gemeinde Wald-Michelbach am 28. Mai 1988". Gemeindevorstand Wald-Michelbach, Wald-Michelbach 1988.

External links

* [http://www.wald-michelbach.de/ Community’s official webpage] de icon
* de icon