Bensheim - WikiHQ

Bensheim () is a town in the Bergstraße district in southern Hessen, Germany. Bensheim lies on the Bergstraße and at the edge of the Odenwald mountains while at the same time having an open view over the Rhine plain. With about 40,000 inhabitants (2016), it is the district's biggest town.

Geography

Location

The town lies at the eastern edge of the Rhine rift on the slopes of the western Odenwald on the Bergstraße. The nearest major cities are Darmstadt (some to the north), Heidelberg (some to the south), Worms (some to the west) and Mannheim (some to the southwest). The district seat of Heppenheim lies roughly to the south.

The Lauter flows through Bensheim, coming from the Lauter valley from the east, which after it passes through Bensheim is known as the Winkelbach. In the south of town runs the Meerbach, also coming from the Odenwald (but from the Zell valley). Mostly channelled underground and only coming above ground at the western edge of town is the Neuer Graben, or “New Channel”, which branches off the Lauter.

right|thumb|The Winkelbach at the Mittelbrücke

Neighbouring communities

Bensheim borders in the north on the town of Zwingenberg and the communities of Alsbach-Hähnlein und Seeheim-Jugenheim (both in Darmstadt-Dieburg), in the east on the community of Lautertal, in the south on the town of Heppenheim and in the west on the town of Lorsch and the community of Einhausen.

Constituent communities

thumb|right|City limits of Bensheim

Bensheim is roughly subdivided thus:

The main town east of the railway line (old town and outskirts) with many modern town expansion developments (for example the neighbourhoods of Brunnenweg, Metzendorf, Griesel, Meerbach and Hemsberg);
The Weststadt (“West Town”) west of the railway line (for example the neighbourhoods of Port Arthur, Marokko, Leibweh and Kappesgärten);
The outlying centre of Auerbach to the north of the main town on the Bergstraße;
The outlying centres of Hochstädten, Schönberg, Wilmshausen, Gronau and Zell in the nearer Odenwald valleys;
The outlying centres of Langwaden, Fehlheim and Schwanheim in the Hessisches Ried (part of the Rhine rift in Hesse).

Climate

thumb|right|Blossoming almond trees on Wormser Straße on 16 March 2007

Bensheim is especially well known, like other places along the Bergstraße as well, for its particularly mild and sunny climate with roughly 2,000 hours of sunshine yearly and Germany's earliest onset of spring. Under the Odenwald's protection, kiwifruit, almonds, figs and peaches thrive here, giving the Bergstraße the nickname “Germany’s Riviera”.

The town of Bensheim fosters almond tree cultivation, to name one example, in people's front gardens. Each year in Bensheim, there is even a Blütenkönigin (“Blossom Queen”). She is put forth every year by the Bensheim Automobile Club and for decades has been Bensheim's hallmark both within the country and abroad.

History

Bensheim has grown out of a village that had its first documentary mention in the 8th century. In the 14th century, Bensheim was granted town rights. On 26 March 1945, shortly before American forces entered, much of the Old Town was destroyed by incendiary bombs.

Settlement history

The South Hesse area was settled quite early on. The many finds from archaeological digs stretch back to the time of the Linear Pottery and Corded Ware cultures (roughly 2500 to 1500 BC), peoples who raised crops and livestock.

Middle Ages

thumb|[[Saint George's church]]

In 765, Basinsheim had its first documentary mention in the Lorsch Abbey’s Codex Laureshamensis. Its founding may go back to a knight named Basinus, who received the rights to found a settlement. the Vornerum Theater, the Varieté Pegasus and the Autorenkollektiv Laufkundschaft.

Museums

thumb|The former Synagogue in Auerbach which nowadays houses a museum

Besides the Museum der Stadt Bensheim (municipal museum), there is also the old synagogue in Auerbach which nowadays houses a museum.

Music

The Bensheim Music School was founded in 1979. By taking part in various contests, the students at this municipal music school regularly find themselves among the prizewinners at both the state and national level. Many ensembles promote the music school's community spirit.

Buildings (secular)

Bensheim, along with all its outlying centres has all together 557 cultural monuments. The following is a selection of the town's most important buildings:

Alte Faktorei, Mainz cathedral chapter's former factory (in the sense of “commercial outpost”)
Alte Gerberei (Old Tannery), from 1873
Bismarckturm (tower), from 1902, on the Hemsberg (262 m)
Dalberger Hof, former noble estate
“Luginsland” (Blaues Türmchen or Eckturm [tower]) on the Höhenweg above Baßmannpark, built in 1910
Hohenecker Hof, former noble estate from 1756
Kirchberghäuschen (220 m), built in 1849, dedicated in 1857
Metzendorf-Villen (villas)
Rinnentorturm (tower), from the 13th or 14th century
Rodensteiner Hof, stately home with park
Roter Turm, watchtower from the old town wall, from the 13th century
Walderdorffer Hof, southern Hesse's oldest timber-frame house, built in 1395
Wambolter Hof, former noble estate from about 1732/33

The Landgraves of Hesse once used the Fürstenlager near Bensheim-Auerbach as a spa. It is an artistic combination of simple buildings clustered like a village around the Good Well in the middle of a picturesque landscaped park. Like many territorial overlords of their day, its owners sought the peace of a rural idyll far removed from the pomp and circumstance of court.

Buildings (ecclesiastical)

Saint George's Parish Church (Pfarrkirche St. Georg), from 1830
Saint Joseph's Hospital Church (Hospitalkirche St. Joseph), from the 14th century
Saint Crescentius's Graveyard Church (Friedhofskirche St. Crescens), from 1618
Saint Michael's Church (Michaelskirche), from 1863
Saint Lawrence's Catholic Parish Church (Katholische Pfarrkirche St. Laurentius), from 1965

All the above churches are Catholic, except Saint Michael's, which is Evangelical.

All 557 cultural monuments are listed in the Liste der Kulturdenkmäler in Bensheim.

File:Dalberger Hof 02.jpg|Dalberger Hof

File:Walderdorffer Hof Bensheim.jpg|Walderdorffer Hof

File:Wambolter Hof.jpg|Wambolter Hof

File:Metzendorf Villa Ernst 1905.jpg|Villa Ernst (Ludwigstraße) by Heinrich Metzendorf, 1905

File:Haus Fleck Bensheim.jpg|Flecksches Haus

File:Roter Turm Bensheim2.jpg|Rote Turm from about 1300

File:Kirchberghaeuschen bensheim.jpg|Kirchberghäuschen

File:Fürstenlager Bensheim.jpg|Fürstenlager near Bensheim

File:Schloss Auerbach.jpg|Auerbach Castle

</gallery>

Sport

Nationally known is the HSG Bensheim/Auerbach women's handball team, which plays in the 1. Handball-Bundesliga.

Bensheim and its outlying centres are also home to many other sport clubs.

Denominational Institute

Since 1947, Bensheim has been home to the Evangelical Federation's Konfessionskundliches Institut (“Denominational Institute”), Europe’s biggest ecumenical institute. It was housed at Wolfgang-Sucker-Haus from 1947 to 1967 and also has been once again since November 2007.

Youth culture

Bensheim has many offerings for children up to 14 years old, with, for example, a new youth centre, opened on 26 January 2006 offering ample possibilities, busying itself with this. The old, bigger youth centre on Wilhelmstraße was then closed. For youths, there is relatively little on offer. However, work has begun on the new Skate/BMX-park, on the same site where the old one was. The park was promoted and planned by youths themselves.

Bandsheim (“Band Home”) has afforded the youth music scene an outlet that regularly hosts “newcomer” concerts in Bensheim. Besides Bandsheim there is also an outlet in Party-Bensheim, which offers a venue for youths to get to know each other, have discussions and make arrangements. Both these outlets were founded by youths themselves.

Bensheim does host an “unofficial” youth club. Since the early 1980s there has been “McSlobos”, an inn that had its beginnings in the “Germania-Hof”, which has now been torn down. With many live concerts by famous local bands and the guests’ active engagement in political issues, this inn has grown into an attraction for many youths.

Nevertheless, many youths feel left out, as they must pay for all leisure activities. Hence there has also been for some time the will to create a self-administering youth centre. To this end, various action groups and campaigns have been started, such as, for example SKJuz, a “promotional club for a self-administering culture and youth centre in Bensheim”, and the action group BürgerMaiStar.

In 2010 about 50 young people from the region occupied a derelict army complex in order to establish a self-organised youth centre. However, the occupation was broken up by police several hours after it had begun.

As a follow-up to the SKJuz club the JUKUZ Bensheim e.V. was formed, which is still actively promoting the idea of a self-administered, self-organised youth centre.

Regular events

The nationally known Bergsträßer Winzerfest (“Bergstraße Vintners’ Festival”) is held every first week in September throughout the inner town. The festival, which begins on the Saturday, lasts nine days. On the first Sunday there is a great festive parade, and on the second Saturday, fireworks are lit on the Kirchberg. The first Bergsträßer Winzerfest was held from 19 to 22 October 1929. Even at this first festival there were a festive parade and fireworks on the Kirchberg. Bensheim is in an area where wine grapes are grown extensively.

The Bürgerfest (“Citizens’ Festival”), which was introduced on the occasion of the opening of the pedestrian precinct in 1975, has been regularly celebrated in early summer since 1977. Great popularity is enjoyed by the Auerbacher Bachgassenfest, an outdoor gastronomical event put on by those who live on the Bachgasse (“Brook Lane”) in Auerbach, first held in 1987. Since 1986, in memory of Gertrud Eysoldt, a German actress and director, the Gertrud-Eysoldt-Ring, one of Germany's most important theatrical prizes, has been awarded yearly.

Since 2003, the Maiway has been held every year. This is a gastronomical festival at which many pubs in Bensheim have musical groups perform.

Culinary specialities

Bensheim has Zwewwelkuche à la Fraa vun Bensem (“onion cake à la woman from Bensheim”). The first word is a local form of the German Zwiebelkuchen, and the woman is the one mentioned under History (see above).

Economy and infrastructure

Established businesses

Bensheim is part of the economically strong Rhine Neckar Area and is together with various neighbouring towns and communities (among others, Heppenheim, Lorsch and Lautertal) identified as a middle centre in South Hesse regional planning.

The town has in its favour good economic data – even in relation to the Rhine Neckar Area's as a whole – above-average employment figures and an especially high proportion of graduates in the resident population's above-average buying power.

Sirona Dental Systems GmbH has its head office in Bensheim. The enterprise is the district's biggest employer and produces goods and services for dentists. Kern GmbH manufactures enveloping systems for banks, insurance companies, telecommunications businesses and information technology service providers and is also headquartered in Bensheim. Offering services to pharmaceutical businesses is Cegedim Deutschland GmbH, which also has its head office in Bensheim. Furthermore, there are the electronics firm Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH, SAP AG, which is active in the information technology field, the Institut für Organisationskommunikation (IFOK) and HTV GmbH, which tests and programs semiconductors for manufacturers from almost all fields of electronics. Also, the auto manufacturer Suzuki International Europe GmbH is headquartered in Bensheim. The cars in the company's national television advertising bear registrations beginning with “HP” (Heppenheim/Kreis Bergstraße) for this reason, which is seldom otherwise seen in this context. Deutsche Papier Vertriebs GmbH, which belongs to PaperlinX, runs, as a nationally active paper wholesaler, one of Germany's most modern high-bay warehouses. GGEW, a service-providing business for electricity, natural gas and drinking water, has its head office in Bensheim.

Media

Local happenings are reported in Bensheim and the surrounding area are reported by the Bergsträßer Anzeiger, a newspaper belonging to the Mannheimer Morgen publishing group. The paper's address is Rodensteinstraße 6 and it is published from Monday to Saturday.

Transport

thumb|[[Bensheim station]]

thumb|Bensheim [[airport]]

Bensheim lies at the crossroads of federal highways B 3 and B 47. Through the town's west end runs Autobahn A 5, from which Bensheim can be reached by two exits: in the north the Zwingenberg – Bensheim-Auerbach exit, and in the south the Bensheim exit. A few kilometres farther west, running parallel to the A 5, is the A 67, when Bensheim can be reached through the Lorsch exit.

From Bensheim station, the town is linked to the German InterCity network by the Frankfurt am Main–Heidelberg line. The station is also the end of the Nibelungen Railway from Worms to Bensheim. The outlying centre of Auerbach has its own station, Bensheim-Auerbach, on the Frankfurt-Heidelberg line, but only Regionalbahn trains stop there.

Frankfurt Airport lies just under away by road, north of Bensheim. There is a gliderport at Bensheim for gliders, motor gliders and other, smaller aircraft, managed by a nonprofit gliding club (SFG Bensheim).

Education

Bensheim is a school town, with five Gymnasien: the Altes Kurfürstliches Gymnasium, the Geschwister-Scholl-Schule (coöperative comprehensive school with Gymnasium upper level), the Goethe-Gymnasium Bensheim (Gymnasium from class 5 with Gymnasium upper level), the Karl-Kübel-Schule (commercial schools with Gymnasium for economics, technology and health) and the Liebfrauenschule (private Catholic Gymnasium for girls). The town also has the Schillerschule, which is a primary school, Hauptschule and Realschule.

Offering adult education are the Volkshochschule Bensheim and the Frauen- und Familienzentrum Bensheim, with about 2,000 participants each year the biggest family meeting place in Kreis Bergstraße.

;Primary schools

Grundschule Kappesgärten
Hemsbergschule
Joseph-Heckler Schule
Kirchbergschule
Schloßbergschule

;Primary school/Hauptschule/Realschule

Schillerschule

;Cooperative comprehensive school

Geschwister Scholl Schule

;Vocational schools

Berufsbildungszentrum
Heinrich-Metzendorf-Schule

;Advisory and advocacy centres

Behindertenhilfe Bergstraße GmbH (help for the handicapped)
Schule für Lernhilfe (school for help with learning)
Seebergschule für praktisch Bildbare (practically educable)

Notable people

thumb|upright|Arthur von Oettingen

Sir William Curtius (1599–1678), 1st Curtius Baronet of Sweden, FRS, diplomat
Friedrich von Eichheimer (1764–1854), Bavarian military physician and Surgeon General of the Bavarian army
Elsa Fraenkel (1892–1975), sculptor
Heike B. Görtemaker (born 1964), historian
Heinz Jost (1904–1964), SS-Brigadeführer, major general of the police, Amtschef in the SD-Hauptamt Amt III (Abwehr), Chief of RSHA-Amt VI
Paul Kleinschmidt (1883–1949), painter
Josefine Koebe (born 1988), social democratic politician and economist
Matthias Lorenz (born 1964), classical cellist
Michael Meister (born 1961), Member of the Bundestag (CDU)
Norbert Müller-Everling (born 1953), sculptor
Arthur von Oettingen (1836–1920), Baltic-German physicist, musical theorist and biographer
Wilhelm Ringelband (1921–1981), theatre critic, endower of the Gertrud-Eysoldt-Ring
Bernhard Trares (born 1965), footballer and football trainer
Heinrich Werlé (1887–1955), choir director and music critic
Otto-Werner Mueller (born 1926), conductor and musical educator

Twin towns – sister cities

Bensheim is twinned with:

Amersham, England, United Kingdom
Beaune, France
Hostinné, Czech Republic
Kłodzko, Poland
Mohács, Hungary
Riva del Garda, Italy

References

External links

Hesse state castles and gardens
Fürstenlager Auerbach
Displaced persons camp in Bensheim after the Second World War