Ellerstadt

Ellerstadt
Municipality
Coat of arms
Location of Ellerstadt within Bad Dürkheim district <imagemap>File: Ellerstadt in DÜW.svg | 240x240px poly 55 111 56 116 55 118 62 132 66 132 69 140 77 140 77 147 89 160 103 156 108 157 116 148 124 148 137 130 174 119 179 119 178 114 193 106 193 97 175 104 171 99 171 95 167 95 146 108 152 99 154 87 137 93 137 96 134 98 134 104 138 104 135 109 123 105 122 103 119 115 116 116 113 105 111 106 114 116 113 116 115 122 109 125 102 123 100 117 96 119 89 118 77 101 Bad Dürkheim poly 134 46 140 45 145 41 139 35 140 29 149 25 156 39 167 39 168 50 156 53 155 58 146 61 145 55 140 52 135 55 Grünstadt poly 96 96 100 97 101 101 96 101 Grünstadt poly 180 176 189 175 204 167 208 170 215 181 224 221 182 205 183 199 177 196 Haßloch poly 169 171 176 168 176 158 184 152 184 149 196 145 204 168 188 175 174 176 Meckenheim poly 185 139 188 147 184 148 184 152 176 158 173 149 183 144 181 140 Niederkirchen bei Deidesheim poly 141 160 176 157 177 168 163 172 161 167 140 162 Ruppertsberg poly 173 133 171 137 170 145 165 147 162 142 152 145 151 145 158 140 168 136 Forst an der Weinstraße poly 185 132 182 133 172 134 171 145 165 147 163 142 152 146 149 145 115 162 109 161 100 173 103 177 107 174 116 174 115 169 125 166 134 174 140 169 141 161 175 157 173 149 181 143 180 139 186 139 Deidesheim poly 111 81 102 80 79 95 79 98 77 102 54 111 55 99 69 97 88 81 107 71 115 68 119 70 120 71 Wattenheim poly 116 58 124 67 120 71 116 68 98 74 98 70 103 63 Hettenleidelheim poly 116 57 123 65 130 62 137 54 124 52 Tiefenthal poly 110 80 101 80 80 95 79 99 87 100 92 103 98 102 95 101 95 96 103 86 112 81 Carlsberg poly 99 101 101 106 108 105 111 107 115 104 116 95 122 85 126 82 126 76 124 75 116 80 114 77 102 86 97 96 Altleiningen poly 194 105 183 112 183 118 189 117 199 122 206 120 203 113 203 106 Ellerstadt poly 182 117 188 117 199 122 206 119 208 127 201 129 192 132 185 133 Gönnheim poly 182 113 179 114 178 119 173 119 173 134 186 133 183 130 Friedelsheim poly 173 119 137 130 124 148 116 148 107 156 109 160 114 162 150 145 157 140 173 134 Wachenheim poly 8 186 10 196 16 196 11 209 16 223 29 222 38 220 47 224 50 216 63 209 68 207 70 202 74 203 78 199 70 194 64 173 67 165 61 161 53 169 37 168 Elmstein poly 55 149 70 140 77 140 77 147 90 160 87 162 85 167 66 165 58 157 Weidenthal poly 110 161 107 155 102 155 87 161 84 166 101 172 Neidenfels poly 125 165 125 185 117 187 119 181 116 169 Lindenberg poly 116 173 120 178 117 187 102 193 91 193 90 190 96 181 108 173 Lambrecht poly 70 165 85 166 99 172 104 177 95 182 82 171 77 171 Frankeneck poly 67 165 71 165 75 170 81 170 97 181 82 202 70 194 64 174 Esthal poly 132 22 132 17 147 1 154 2 159 11 146 24 141 25 Kindenheim poly 141 27 158 11 155 2 163 0 172 6 173 10 179 17 163 25 152 24 142 28 Bockenheim an der Weinstraße poly 132 22 142 26 140 33 135 41 134 46 129 41 129 41 130 39 Quirnheim poly 140 33 144 40 141 46 134 46 Mertesheim poly 130 32 119 38 118 42 123 52 134 53 134 45 129 41 131 39 Ebertsheim poly 149 25 157 40 167 39 173 36 178 36 178 32 185 28 180 21 182 18 178 16 163 25 Obrigheim poly 167 39 172 36 178 36 178 47 174 52 168 50 Obersülzen poly 178 31 177 48 179 47 191 52 206 50 204 31 197 29 191 27 Dirmstein poly 205 49 191 51 192 61 195 65 197 63 204 61 207 55 Gerolsheim poly 174 50 175 54 183 58 187 67 195 66 195 64 193 64 191 51 183 47 177 47 Laumersheim poly 171 51 176 72 180 73 187 66 184 58 Großkarlbach poly 172 57 166 62 168 71 176 71 Bissersheim poly 168 49 171 51 173 56 167 63 167 69 158 70 155 70 156 60 155 53 Kirchheim an der Weinstraße poly 155 58 156 66 155 70 151 67 145 70 142 64 146 61 151 60 Kleinkarlbach poly 140 51 145 55 147 60 142 64 131 69 126 76 124 75 116 81 113 78 124 65 132 61 Neuleiningen poly 145 69 133 81 126 85 123 85 126 82 126 76 130 70 142 63 Battenberg poly 79 98 87 99 92 103 90 107 90 112 86 115 76 102 Neuleiningen poly 100 101 92 102 90 112 93 109 101 107 Kirchheim an der Weinstraße poly 182 70 186 85 186 95 204 90 200 67 195 69 195 65 186 66 Weisenheim am Sand poly 130 93 135 98 134 101 127 101 126 96 Weisenheim am Sand poly 111 109 114 116 112 117 114 123 108 125 109 121 104 116 107 110 Weisenheim am Sand poly 186 90 171 94 171 98 175 105 187 98 Erpolzheim poly 150 67 155 70 155 72 143 79 121 96 116 95 123 84 133 83 144 69 Bobenheim am Berg poly 95 108 91 117 88 117 86 115 Bobenheim am Berg poly 155 70 168 70 169 76 159 80 Dackenheim poly 98 108 107 105 112 107 106 110 99 110 Dackenheim poly 168 70 179 74 183 71 186 88 186 90 167 94 162 89 166 86 166 77 169 76 Freinsheim poly 114 104 116 115 119 115 122 103 136 109 138 105 135 105 134 101 127 101 126 96 Freinsheim poly 158 79 165 77 167 86 162 90 155 89 154 85 Herxheim am Berg poly 130 93 136 92 138 96 135 98 Herxheim am Berg poly 92 117 95 118 107 111 106 109 99 110 Herxheim am Berg poly 153 89 161 89 167 94 146 108 152 98 Kallstadt poly 102 114 100 116 101 122 109 124 109 119 Kallstadt poly 155 71 159 79 154 87 136 92 128 93 115 103 116 95 122 94 Weisenheim am Berg poly 98 108 95 108 91 116 91 117 Weisenheim am Berg poly 186 -1 186 4 188 4 188 8 191 8 194 27 190 26 184 28 179 21 181 17 172 9 172 7 162 0 154 1 151 3 147 0 148 -1 Alzey-Worms poly 186 -1 186 4 187 4 188 9 192 9 193 27 204 31 230 21 229 -1 Worms poly 230 99 214 106 214 110 217 111 224 121 229 118 Ludwigshafen poly 229 53 221 55 225 62 221 66 219 75 221 83 219 92 222 102 229 99 Frankenthal poly 229 20 204 30 207 55 204 61 195 63 195 68 200 68 204 90 186 94 187 98 193 97 194 106 201 105 208 128 185 134 187 147 196 146 204 166 209 170 216 181 225 221 223 226 226 229 230 229 229 118 224 121 217 111 214 111 214 106 222 102 218 92 221 83 218 73 221 65 226 62 222 55 230 53 Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis poly 226 230 223 226 218 226 214 230 Germersheim (district) poly 213 229 218 226 224 225 224 221 182 205 183 198 177 195 180 176 174 175 169 171 163 173 162 168 141 161 141 169 134 174 124 167 124 185 119 188 117 186 102 193 93 192 91 191 82 202 78 204 87 211 85 218 116 216 145 225 156 222 170 226 170 230 Neustadt an der Weinstraße poly 49 230 47 224 50 216 57 212 67 206 70 201 74 202 78 199 82 202 79 204 89 210 84 218 115 218 146 225 158 222 169 226 169 230 Südliche Weinstraße poly 47 230 46 224 37 219 29 223 16 223 19 229 Landau poly 0 119 6 118 13 127 12 133 14 134 18 154 17 157 -1 164 Kaiserslautern poly 0 71 48 70 60 98 54 99 55 118 61 132 66 132 70 141 55 149 58 158 61 160 53 169 38 168 8 187 -1 182 2 174 -1 175 0 164 17 157 19 154 13 127 6 117 -1 119 Kaiserslautern (district) poly 148 -1 131 18 130 22 129 25 130 32 119 38 118 42 124 52 104 62 98 69 98 76 89 81 82 88 70 97 60 97 49 71 -1 71 -1 -1 Donnersbergkreis poly -1 175 2 174 -1 180 9 186 8 189 -1 192 Kaiserslautern poly -1 194 8 190 10 197 17 197 10 210 20 229 -1 229 Südwestpfalz desc bottom-right </imagemap>
Ellerstadt Ellerstadt
Coordinates: 49°27′42″N 08°15′33″E
Country	Germany
State	Rhineland-Palatinate
District	Bad Dürkheim
Municipal assoc.	Wachenheim an der Weinstraße
Government
• Mayor (2019–24)	Elke Stachowiak (FW)
Area
• Total	6.34 km2 (2.45 sq mi)
Highest elevation	126 m (413 ft)
Lowest elevation	98 m (322 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	2,437
• Density	380/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	67158
Dialling codes	06237
Vehicle registration	DÜW
Website	www.ellerstadt.de

Ellerstadt is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

Geography

Location

The municipality lies on the Upper Rhine Plain in the Rhine-Neckar urban agglomeration. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Wachenheim, whose seat is in the like-named town. The Akaziensiedlung (“Acacia Housing Estate”), which belongs to Ellerstadt, lies in the north of the main centre right at the limit shared with Birkenheide's built-up area.

Neighbouring municipalities

These are Birkenheide, Fußgönheim and Gönnheim.

History

That the area was settled as early as Roman times is proved by three Roman stone coffins with glasses and urns that were found on the southern outskirts in 1822.

It is believed that by the 5th century, Ellerstadt was a Frankish settlement.

On 19 December 783, Ellerstadt had its first documentary mention: Documented is the donation of a part of the settlement of "Alaridestath" to Lorsch Abbey by the free Frank Hubertus. Further donations from Ellerstadt were mentioned in 863, 873 and 908 or 909 to Lorsch and in 985 to Weißenburg Monastery in Lower Alsace in what is now the French town of Wissembourg. For the year 1190, there is evidence through Lorsch Abbey of Comital-Palatine rights in Ellerstadt from the former Weißenburg Monastery estate's holdings and the "Vogtei". There was also still an Imperial estate, which was granted loyal followers, such as the Count of Hohenfels and the Knight of Bolanden.

Of great importance became the Lords of Flersheim, who beginning in 1482 acquired ownership of the Ellerstadt holdings. In 1548, the Flersheims owned two-thirds of the village and the Lords of Affenstein the other third. In 1570, Friedrich von Flersheim obtained from Emperor Maximilian II leave to hold yearly horse and livestock markets, always on 1 May and 19 November. These are no longer held. The Flersheims not only held control of the market (with all attendant rights) but also the blood court rights along with the court itself, thereby making them lords over the villagers’ very lives. Their Weistum of 1555, the municipality's oldest document dealing with its people's litigation and criminal cases (a Weistum – cognate with English wisdom – was a legal pronouncement issued by men learned in law in the Middle Ages and early modern times), was time and again publicly read out. After the Flersheims found themselves the only lordly fiefholders in the village after a settlement with the Affensteins in 1577, they held this status for only 78 years, dying out in 1655. In 1707, Ellerstadt belonged to Casimir Kolb von Wartenberg and was part of the Imperial county that was of an Imperially immediate nature. The impoverished Wartenbergs eventually sold their rights out in 1789 to the Counts of Sickingen.

In 1793 and 1794, French Revolutionary troops brought woe to the municipality. Houses were plundered and the inhabitants were forced to do labour. The seizure of all noble lands on the Rhine’s left bank also affected the Count of Sickingen. There were no longer any great landowners or free peasants. After Napoleon’s downfall and the Congress of Vienna, the Palatinate was incorporated into the Kingdom of Bavaria. It belonged to the Landeskommissariat of Neustadt, Court District of Frankenthal.

In 1939, the old Bezirksamt (“Regional Amt”) of Neustadt became the Neustadt district. Since administrative reform early in 1969, Ellerstadt has belonged to the Verbandsgemeinde of Wachenheim, and since the dissolution of the Neustadt district, it has belonged to the Bad Dürkheim district.

Winegrowing was playing a role in Ellerstadt as early as the 8th century, as told by the Lorsch donation document. Since 1886, it has been mainly Blauer Portugieser vines that have been planted. Gewürztraminer, which even Bismarck procured from Ellerstadt, has a mostly low yield and is only to be found in scattered spots, even though the soils in the municipality are especially well suited to it. In 1903, out of the municipality's area of 634 ha, 117 ha was given over to winegrowing, 357 to cropraising and gardening and 70 to “forests and woodlands”. Fruitgrowing played an important rôle until the last decade, with peach growing beginning in 1867. Known well beyond the region is the variety Ellerstadter Rote (“Ellerstadt Red”). Since 1925, however, more and more sour cherries have been being grown.

Whereas there might have been only a handful of people living here at the time of the first documentary mention, this had grown to 24 to 30 families by 1548, and by 1614 this had reached 60 to 70. In 1722, on the street where now runs the Rhein-Haardt railway, there was not a single house; in 1910, there were 767.

The sharp growth over the last few decades owes itself not least of all to the Rhein-Haardt railway. In the 1920s, the 1,000 mark was breached. By 1970, this had grown to a population of 1,400. In 1980, the figure had risen to 2,000, and come completion of the planned new development area, the population figure will rise to roughly 2,500.

Politics

Municipal council

The council is made up of 16 council members, who were elected at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.

The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:

	SPD	CDU	FDP	GRÜNE	FWG	Total
2009	6	3	0	1	6	16 seats
2004	7	3	1	1	4	16 seats

Mayor

The municipality's mayor (Ortsbürgermeister) is Elke Stachowiak, elected in 2019.

Coat of arms

The German blazon reads: In Silber auf grünem Grund ein bewurzelter grüner Eller- oder Erlenbaum mit stilisierten Blättern, dessen Stamm von zwei Wappenschildern beseitet wird, rechts von Blau und Silber und Rot geteilt, links in Silber ein roter Balken, begleitet oben von zwei, unten von einer roten Kugel.

The municipality's arms might in English heraldic language be described thus: Argent on a mount in base vert a rooted alder of the same, its stock flanked with two inescutcheons, the dexter tierced in fess azure, argent and gules, and the sinister argent a fess gules between three roundles of the same.

Economy and infrastructure

Ellerstadt

The municipality, whose economic base is agricultural, earns its livelihood mainly through winegrowing, and in a smaller measure through fruitgrowing. Some of the population is employed at BASF in nearby Ludwigshafen.

Transport

Ellerstadt lies on the Bad Dürkheim–Ludwigshafen railway line of the Rhein-Haardtbahn, line 9 (in the VRN, formerly RHB), a narrow-gauge line that runs on one track through Ellerstadt on one of the streets. There are two halts, Ellerstadt Ost and Ellerstadt West. The municipality belongs to the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar (VRN).

Between Ellerstadt and the Akaziensiedlung (“Acacia Housing Estate”) runs the Autobahn A 650 (Bad Dürkheim–Ludwigshafen).

Famous people

• Manfred Geis (b. 1949), politician

Further reading

Ellerstadt, einst und jetzt. Herausgeber: Ortsgemeinde Ellerstadt ISBN 3-934845-16-9

External links

• Municipality’s official webpage (in German)
• Brief portrait with film about Ellerstadt at SWR Fernsehen (in German)