Miltenberg () is a town in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia (Unterfranken) in Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the eponymous district and has a population of over 9,000.

Geography

thumb|left|Historic old town and Mildenburg

Location

The old town lies on the Main’s left bank on the "left knee" of the Mainviereck ("Main Square") between the Spessart and Odenwald ranges. Since the Main riverbed in the Miltenberg area is relatively near the foot of the Odenwald, only a narrow strip of usable land is left, little over 150 meters in width, which in past centuries was time and again flooded by the Main. The historic centre, which stands on this land, often sustained considerable damage in these floods. Only in the 21st century efficient flood control measures, most of all a wall, have significantly reduced the adverse effects of these floods. Since about the beginning of the 20th century, after buying land from the neighbouring community of Großheubach, Miltenberg has been expanding on the right bank.

History

Pre-history and Antiquity

In pre-Roman times, circular ramparts were built on the Greinberg above Miltenberg and on the Bürgstadter Berg (also known as Wannenberg) northeast of Bürgstadt. These were in use as early as the Neolithic (Michelsberg culture) but mostly date from the late Bronze Age (Urnfield culture).

The Limes itself met the Main near the eastern castrum, Miltenberg-Ost which housed a Numerus, a smaller military unit. The exact line the wall followed for the first few kilometers near the Main is not known. This smaller fort was likely built in the 2nd century, probably soon after 150. It was in use at most until the middle of the 3rd century. Ulrich Boom later became Auxiliary Bishop.

Amalgamations

The following villages were amalgamated into Miltenberg:

  • 1 January 1971: Breitendiel
  • 1 January 1976: Mainbullau
  • 1 January 1976: Schippach (with Berndiel)
  • 1 January 1976: Wenschdorf (with Monbrunn)

Economy

Tourism is very important for the economy of Miltenberg. Visitors are mainly day trippers from the urban agglomerations in Hesse (Hanau, Offenbach am Main, Darmstadt, Frankfurt), but bunter sandstone, some small and medium enterprises and crafts and trade are also important.

Governance

Mayors

  • 1870-1905: Jakob Josef Schirmer
  • 1906-1924: Franz Breitenbach
  • 1925-1930: Roland Schmid
  • 1930-1933: Wilhelm Schwesinger
  • 1933-1935: Josef Funk
  • 1935-1945: Anton Burkart
  • 1945-1951: Oskar Sermersheim
  • 1952-1966: Anton Blatz
  • 1966-1978: Ludwig Büttner
  • 1978-1990: Anton Vogel
  • 1990-2014: Joachim Bieber
  • 2014-2020: Helmut Demel
  • since 2020: Bernd Kahlert

Town council

The council is made up of 20 council members with seats apportioned thus:

  • CSU: 5 seats
  • Liberale Miltenberger: 4 seats
  • SPD: 3 seats
  • B.90/Die Grünen: 2 seats
  • ÖDP: 2 seats
  • Miltenberger Wahlgemeinschaft e.V. MWG: 2 seats
  • Bürgerliste Miltenberg: 1 seat
  • FW: 1 seat

(as of the municipal election held in March 2020)

Town twinning

Miltenberg currently has two twin towns:

  • Arnouville-lès-Gonesse, Val-d'Oise, France since June 1982
  • Duchcov, Czech Republic since 2005

Sponsorship

In 1960, the sponsorship for the Sudeten Germans driven out of the town of Duchcov was undertaken, which eventually resulted in the town-twinning.

Coat of arms

The town’s arms might be described thus: Quartered, first and fourth squares are gules with a wheel of six spokes in argent, second and third squares are argent with the letter M in gules.

Miltenberg belonged from its founding in the 13th century until the Old Empire’s downfall in 1803 to Electoral Mainz which is the origin of the Wheel of Mainz. The M first appeared in a seal from the early 16th century that also included Saint Martin, as had earlier seals. The current arms are based on those that were once seen on the now vanished Schindtor, a town gate.

Arts and culture

thumb|Hotel [[Zum Riesen]]

Main sights

  • Historic town centre with the Schnatterloch, the historic market square which served as a location for some scenes of the film The Spessart Inn (1958). Nearby are the Hotel Zum Riesen (one of Germany’s oldest inns, if not the oldest) and the old town hall. Miltenberg still has a total of around 150 half-timbered houses. 700 buildings have already been scientifically catalogued, including Miltenberg’s old railway station.

<gallery>

St Jakobus Miltenberg.jpg|Stadtkirche/Church St. Jakobus

File:Miltenberg östl. Tor.jpg|The Würzburg Gate east of the town center

File:Miltenberg Schnatterloch.jpg|Schnatterlochtor

MIL141026-001.jpg|Market square Miltenberg

MIL141026-002.jpg|Market square Miltenberg

MIL141026-010.jpg|Main street Miltenberg

Torhaus der Mainbrücke in Miltenberg.jpg|Gatehouse on the bridge over the Main river

</gallery>

Regular events

  • On the first weekend in July, the Town Festival (Stadtfest) is held.
  • In late July, the Mildenburger Theatertage (“Theatre Days”) take place.
  • Beginning on the last weekend in August and for ten days, the Michaelismesse ("St Michael's Fair"), the biggest fair on the Bavarian Lower Main (Bayerischer Untermain), is held (despite the similarity in names, it is not Michaelmas, which falls on 29 September, a month later).

Infrastructure

Transport

Miltenberg lies on the railway line from Aschaffenburg to Wertheim (Main Valley Railway). Moreover, the ' branches off here towards Seckach. There are hourly connections to Aschaffenburg by day. In 1977, Deutsche Bundesbahn closed the terminus station right near the town (') and replaced it with ', a through station on the other side of the river.

Miltenberg is linked to the urban agglomerations in Hesse, where many inhabitants work. In 2008, the town bypass, which had been discussed and planned for more than 25 years was completed. The construction costs, a sum of €55,000,000, were for the first time ever in Bavaria financed by a public-private partnership scheme.

Education

In Miltenberg various kinds of schools are represented:

  • Grundschule Miltenberg (primary school)
  • Heinrich-Ernst-Stötzner-Schule (special school)
  • Mittelschule Miltenberg
  • Johannes-Hartung-Realschule
  • Johannes-Butzbach-Gymnasium
  • Berufsschule Miltenberg-Obernburg (vocational school)

Notable people

Honorary citizens

  • (b. 24 May 1833; d. 27 February 1916), he later changed his first name to Wilhelm or William, born in Miltenberg, tobacconist and importer of tobacco products in London, conferred 3 April 1911: Klingenstein's substantial donations enabled among others the funding of the new synagoge in Miltenberg
  • (b. 22 December 1861; d. 23 January 1943), Archbishop of Bamberg, conferred 2 May 1921: His birth town recognized von Hauck’s services to the Diocese of Würzburg, in which Miltenberg lies, by making him an honorary citizen.
  • (b. 3 August 1871; d. 30 May 1948), Bishop of Würzburg, conferred 19 April 1927: Ehrenfried was honoured for building an episcopal boys’ seminary, “Kilianeum” in Miltenberg.

Sons and daughters of the town

  • (1477 Miltenberg–1516 Maria Laach), humanist
  • (1505 Miltenberg–1579 Freiburg im Breisgau), Greek scholar and Hebraist
  • (1580 presumably in Miltenberg–1649 presumably in Cologne), Baroque architect
  • Joseph Martin Kraus (1756 Miltenberg–1792 Stockholm), composer
  • (1808 Miltenberg–1878 Miltenberg), painter
  • (1813 Miltenberg–1891 Regensburg), physician and founder of the Franconian Singing Association (Fränkischer Sängerbund)
  • Valentin Blatz (1825 Miltenberg–1894 Milwaukee), brewer and banker
  • Prince Miguel Januário (1853 Miltenberg-1927 Seebenstein), Duke of Bragança
  • (b. 1928), historian and publicist
  • Ernst Volland (b. 1946), artist
  • (b. 1957), jurist and writer
  • Björn Hertl (b. 1976), professional football player with Wacker Burghausen
  • (b. 1977), handball player with HSV Hamburg

People linked with the town

  • , Archbishop of Mainz and Imperial Archchancellor of the Holy Roman Empire, d. 9 September 1328 in Miltenberg
  • , also known as Johannes Drach or Trach(e), theologian and reformer, (1522 - 1523 clergyman in Miltenberg), d. 18 April 1566 in Wittenberg
  • Rudolf Hirth du Frênes, painter, b. 24 July 1846 in Gräfentonna near Gotha; d. 1 May 1916 in Miltenberg
  • , painter, b. 28 January 1888 in Düsseldorf; d. 28 October 1976 in Miltenberg
  • , Franciscan, (1920 - 1931 minister and people’s missionary at the Miltenberg Monastery), d. 18 July 1942 at Dachau concentration camp
  • Paul Briscoe, British child stranded there during the Second World War, b. 12 July 1930 in London, England; d. 12 August 2010
  • Werner Beierwaltes, philosophy professor, b. 8 May 1931 in Klingenberg am Main
  • Anton Schlembach, Bishop Emeritus of Speyer, b. 7 February 1932 in Großwenkheim

Further reading

  • Michael Josef Wirth: Chronik der Stadt Miltenberg, Miltenberg 1890; Reprint: Neustadt/ Aisch 1987,
  • Jakob Josef Schirmer: Chronik der Stadt Miltenberg, Miltenberg 2004,
  • 750 Jahre Stadt Miltenberg 1237 - 1987. Beiträge zur Geschichte, Wirtschaft und Kultur einer fränkischen Stadt, Miltenberg 1987
  • Bernhard Oswald (ed): Lebenswege. Miltenberger Abiturienten 1950, Miltenberg 2007,
  • Werner Reuling: "Miltenberg Anno dazumal" Die Stadt und ihre Geschichte. Miltenberg 2001. .
  • Bernhard Oswald: Das Limes-Kastell Miltenberg Altstadt, 2013, .
  • Wilhelm Otto Keller: 775 Jahre Stadt Miltenberg 1237-2012. Beiträge zur Stadtgeschichte von Wilhelm Otto Keller, Miltenberg 2012,
  • My Friend The Enemy by Paul Briscoe,

References

  • Town’s official webpage
  • Tourism Information's webpage
  • Mildenburg castle and museum
  • Fränkische Heunesäulen
  • Miltenberg Town Museum
  • Industrial culture in the Miltenberg district