Ober-Olm

Ober-Olm
Municipality
Church of Saint Martin
Coat of arms
Location of Ober-Olm within Mainz-Bingen district <imagemap>File: Ober-Olm in MZ.svg | 240x240px poly 25 15 27 19 11 41 4 37 Breitscheid poly 25 15 36 9 50 4 53 7 52 14 53 21 57 25 47 33 39 31 29 36 29 42 19 45 15 41 11 40 28 19 Bacharach poly 19 45 19 51 27 51 31 46 49 39 47 33 39 31 29 36 29 42 Manubach poly 25 51 31 56 39 50 59 38 64 39 69 33 56 26 47 33 49 38 31 46 Oberdiebach poly 30 56 39 49 58 38 63 38 59 49 63 56 50 61 Oberheimbach poly 67 33 79 44 75 47 75 50 65 59 58 49 Niederheimbach poly 35 54 31 57 47 65 51 75 73 74 87 87 87 98 96 98 107 91 93 80 95 76 91 61 89 60 83 65 65 58 62 56 49 61 Weiler bei Bingen poly 77 41 74 50 64 59 82 66 92 57 87 49 Trechtingshausen poly 51 74 73 74 88 87 87 100 73 109 68 104 68 99 74 95 54 83 Waldalgesheim poly 87 97 87 99 95 106 99 106 110 112 112 102 108 90 97 97 Münster-Sarmsheim poly 95 75 93 79 109 92 111 117 132 117 130 122 135 123 140 119 143 120 155 117 157 114 157 111 153 113 149 107 137 108 135 95 148 92 148 69 138 75 124 75 107 79 Bingen am Rhein poly 147 72 148 83 160 80 169 86 173 100 180 109 190 109 210 92 223 89 220 74 227 73 226 68 231 63 224 42 213 42 209 47 186 57 173 57 Ingelheim am Rhein poly 219 40 231 61 235 61 244 51 243 48 247 44 242 38 Budenheim poly 110 116 133 117 131 121 121 126 117 130 Grolsheim poly 116 129 131 122 134 122 137 135 131 146 129 144 126 147 119 145 Gensingen poly 134 122 139 121 147 137 132 145 136 136 Horrweiler poly 137 122 141 119 145 119 154 117 159 120 159 124 152 131 154 134 151 138 147 137 146 131 Aspisheim poly 147 137 150 137 147 143 139 146 135 151 129 145 Welgesheim poly 149 137 153 138 145 153 139 157 134 150 139 147 147 144 Zotzenheim poly 143 164 148 169 153 171 153 177 138 177 138 173 136 171 Badenheim poly 152 137 156 133 167 140 160 144 160 157 164 161 164 164 153 172 143 165 139 156 145 153 153 140 Sprendlingen poly 170 138 173 146 168 150 171 159 170 164 164 164 164 162 161 158 159 144 Sankt Johann poly 170 139 180 139 179 141 186 149 171 161 168 150 173 146 Wolfsheim poly 134 95 148 92 155 102 149 107 137 109 Ockenheim poly 148 85 160 78 170 83 172 99 153 113 150 107 153 103 Gau-Algesheim poly 156 111 172 99 175 105 179 108 175 114 158 121 Appenheim poly 178 107 182 108 183 122 179 125 173 125 169 122 158 125 158 121 174 115 Nieder-Hilbersheim poly 182 109 181 122 191 123 201 115 195 113 194 110 187 111 Bubenheim poly 154 136 152 131 159 124 168 122 171 124 179 124 177 133 178 137 175 140 Ober-Hilbersheim poly 183 121 192 122 200 114 212 121 210 126 200 125 177 137 177 127 Engelstadt poly 183 109 185 111 193 110 194 112 203 116 211 109 216 100 219 99 219 89 210 92 192 107 Schwabenheim an der Selz poly 174 139 197 125 211 125 211 131 198 137 Jugenheim in Rheinhessen poly 220 96 203 115 211 121 210 130 213 135 226 135 237 131 235 120 221 121 Stadecken-Elsheim poly 218 88 225 88 230 96 237 119 221 121 Essenheim poly 224 89 239 87 241 97 251 93 250 98 246 100 263 112 262 114 242 121 236 117 Ober-Olm poly 251 93 265 99 267 104 263 112 247 100 250 98 Klein-Winternheim poly 235 118 242 120 262 114 259 133 254 135 251 140 242 140 236 131 Nieder-Olm poly 241 139 251 139 251 144 251 148 248 152 Sörgenloch poly 259 132 255 134 250 140 251 149 261 147 264 142 268 142 269 135 Zornheim poly 282 104 283 110 281 114 285 114 293 117 294 122 301 119 304 112 309 109 311 104 307 106 303 101 295 104 295 100 290 99 290 103 Bodenheim poly 282 113 292 117 293 121 283 127 279 125 Gau-Bischofsheim poly 279 114 279 123 283 127 281 133 270 134 Harxheim poly 311 108 304 111 302 119 294 123 299 137 305 132 313 132 317 119 314 108 Nackenheim poly 293 121 300 137 288 145 287 139 281 132 283 127 Lörzweiler poly 270 133 267 142 280 153 285 153 289 145 287 144 287 139 281 133 Mommenheim poly 248 152 252 148 260 146 263 153 270 159 263 165 253 165 253 160 250 158 Hahnheim poly 265 141 279 152 283 165 278 165 273 163 266 163 271 159 266 155 263 155 261 147 Selzen poly 313 131 307 131 287 145 287 151 280 156 283 167 286 168 302 161 305 165 322 154 313 145 Nierstein poly 323 153 305 164 304 169 318 169 329 179 332 161 327 156 Oppenheim poly 305 168 319 168 329 178 315 187 312 185 310 187 311 193 306 186 300 186 298 182 303 178 Dienheim poly 301 160 306 163 304 178 299 179 299 182 297 182 293 175 287 169 Dexheim poly 286 168 292 174 297 183 283 188 277 180 276 175 Dalheim poly 282 165 285 167 265 175 263 164 269 162 276 165 Köngernheim poly 284 167 285 169 276 173 277 180 267 185 265 174 Friesenheim poly 263 164 265 182 262 184 246 184 243 170 255 164 Undenheim poly 314 186 314 191 311 192 311 186 Uelversheim poly 297 182 299 185 300 199 289 199 279 203 279 196 282 187 Uelversheim poly 328 178 329 182 333 187 311 194 313 191 314 187 317 187 Ludwigshöhe poly 299 185 299 200 299 205 301 212 319 212 332 198 341 197 332 187 311 194 305 186 Guntersblum poly 262 182 263 189 271 196 279 197 283 187 277 180 268 185 Weinolsheim poly 264 191 269 196 279 196 282 210 276 211 273 209 264 209 261 201 Dolgesheim poly 279 203 288 199 299 199 300 212 289 210 284 212 Eimsheim poly 263 208 264 221 273 221 278 218 278 215 285 211 Hillesheim poly 285 210 300 211 297 216 294 221 287 220 285 218 279 217 Wintersheim poly 273 221 275 228 279 227 286 236 290 232 290 226 295 219 287 220 285 217 278 217 Dorn-Dürkheim poly 47 0 53 7 53 14 57 12 65 1 79 2 81 0 Rhein-Lahn-Kreis poly 81 0 79 2 65 2 59 13 53 13 53 21 68 33 78 44 90 51 92 71 98 79 138 75 175 56 179 57 217 41 232 38 255 40 264 42 283 63 303 82 310 96 311 108 315 107 317 119 312 135 314 147 321 154 331 158 329 180 341 200 347 0 Hesse poly 243 39 263 42 290 71 301 80 310 96 311 103 307 105 303 101 295 103 295 99 291 99 288 104 282 104 282 110 273 123 269 135 259 132 263 112 266 105 265 99 252 93 241 97 240 88 222 88 221 74 226 71 224 68 231 61 235 61 245 52 244 47 247 44 Mainz poly 47 0 49 4 35 9 19 19 4 37 15 41 21 52 27 52 34 61 24 61 12 57 11 61 20 74 5 81 6 89 1 95 2 103 0 0 Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis poly 0 107 0 240 49 240 66 227 89 229 92 227 99 233 109 230 114 235 118 233 116 229 125 225 125 204 122 201 123 194 131 187 131 185 139 179 139 174 135 171 143 164 129 145 117 129 113 121 110 116 110 111 86 100 73 109 67 104 68 98 74 94 54 82 47 67 36 60 23 61 13 58 11 60 14 64 21 74 5 82 5 89 1 95 1 102 0 107 Bad Kreuznach (district) poly 49 239 64 227 92 227 97 233 109 231 115 239 121 239 129 233 132 240 Donnersbergkreis poly 348 218 347 239 132 240 131 234 128 234 121 239 117 239 113 235 119 233 116 229 125 226 125 204 122 201 123 194 130 188 130 185 141 177 153 177 153 170 167 164 171 163 172 160 186 150 180 141 199 137 211 131 215 135 227 135 237 130 250 157 253 159 253 164 243 171 247 185 262 183 264 193 260 200 263 209 264 221 272 221 275 228 280 228 285 235 289 232 291 227 297 219 299 212 317 213 333 199 340 199 Alzey-Worms desc bottom-right </imagemap>
Ober-Olm Ober-Olm
Coordinates: 49°56′13″N 08°11′20″E
Country	Germany
State	Rhineland-Palatinate
District	Mainz-Bingen
Municipal assoc.	Nieder-Olm
Government
• Mayor (2024–29)	Matthias Becker (CDU)
Area
• Total	17.09 km2 (6.60 sq mi)
Elevation	151 m (495 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	4,505
• Density	260/km2 (680/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	55270
Dialling codes	06136
Vehicle registration	MZ
Website	www.ober-olm.de

Ober-Olm is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

Geography

Neighbouring municipalities

Ober-Olm's neighbours are Mainz-Layenhof, Mainz-Finthen, Mainz-Drais, Mainz-Lerchenberg, Mainz-Bretzenheim, Mainz-Marienborn, Klein-Winternheim, Mainz-Ebersheim, Nieder-Olm and Essenheim.

History

Finds in the municipal area have yielded the first clues to settlers here in the 4th century BC. In AD 97, the former consul Vejento had a temple built for the forest goddess Nemetona near his Klein-Winternheim landholding, a richly furnished Roman settlement in the Ober-Olm cadastral area of Villenkeller. Ober-Olm itself arose in the 6th century as a Frankish establishment and had its first documentary mention in 994. The name “Ulmena Superior” from 1190 was formerly associated with elm trees, Ulme being the Modern High German word for this tree; however, this word was not borrowed into German from Latin (ulmus) until the 12th century. The formation of the placename Ulm and an ending —ena is typical for a brook's name, and these were often also used as placenames. It can be assumed that Ulmena was the name that the Germanic settlers between Ober-Olm and Nieder-Olm gave the Selz. The few Roman people left still used the name Salusia for the brook, which was the name that eventually stuck to it. Ulmena, however, remained as well, and clove to both the centres now bearing Olm as part of their names.

In 1582, 1603 and 1857, Ober-Olm was destroyed by devastating fires.

Since 1972, Ober-Olm has belonged to the Verbandsgemeinde of Nieder-Olm, whose seat is in the like-named town.

Many ecclesiastical and monastic institutions had landholdings in the municipality, including, for example, Eberbach Abbey, the Maria Dalheim monasteries in Mainz, the Dominicans and the Carthusians, the White Ladies (an order of nuns devoted to Mary Magdalene) in Mainz and All Hallows’ Monastery in Wesel. Furthermore, the Cathedral Chapter in Mainz, the Ravengiersburg Monastery, Saint John's Church in Mainz, Saint Stephen's Church in Mainz, Mariengreden, Saint Victor's and Saint Peter's were all landholders.

In 2003, the German-Pennsylvanian Association was founded in Ober-Olm. It's also the village, where the German-Pennsylvanian newspaper Hiwwe wie Driwwe is published by the German-Pennsylvanian Archive in cooperation with the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University, Pennsylvania.

World War II

German antisemitism under the Nazis became increasingly difficult in the years prior to World War II. Jews had lived in Ober-olm and surrounding small towns for hundreds of years, from at least the time of the Middle Ages. Jewish residents were well-integrated into the life and commerce of these towns. For a brief time, antisemitic laws were less rigorously enforced in Obel-olm than in neighboring large cities such as Mainz and Frankfurt. During those years, a few Jewish residents of these cities sent their children to live with "country cousins" in Ober-olm, hoping that their children would be able to continue to attend school and live undisturbed. But as antisemitic laws became more harsh -- for example, when Jews were no longer permitted to have checking accounts to conduct business -- Jewish residents were not able to make a living and suffered greatly.

Some Jewish residents of Ober-olm were fortunate to be able to obtain visas for the United States and were able to emigrate to safety. Others were not so fortunate, and perished as a result.

During the Western Allied invasion of Germany in April 1945, the nearby Luftwaffe Mainz-Finthen airfield was seized by the United States Third Army, and used by the USAAF 354th Fighter Group which flew P-47 Thunderbolts from the aerodrome (designated ALG Y-64) from 8 to 30 April 1945. Acquired for use by the United States Army after the conclusion of the war, the former German Luftwaffe fighter base was named Finthen Army Airfield and has been used by Army aviation units ever since.

Politics

Town council

The council is made up of 20 elected council members, in addition to the unsalaried, directly elected mayor. The mayor has voting rights just like the other council members. The seats divided by party membership:

	SPD	CDU	FWG	FDP	Greens	Total
2019	4	8	3	1	4	20 seats

(as per municipal election held on 26 May 2019)

Town partnerships

• Ramonchamp, Vosges, France
• Schloßvippach, Sömmerda district, Thuringia

There are also friendship arrangements with the following places:

• Bobrowice, Lubusz Voivodeship, Poland
• Bruck in der Oberpfalz, Schwandorf district, Bavaria
• Seebach, Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg
• Seiffen, Erzgebirgskreis, Saxony
• Wolfsegg am Hausruck, Upper Austria, Austria

Sightseeing

• Saint Martin's Church (Martinskirche) with a tower from Carolingian times and a statue of Saint Urban from the 16th century.
• Hunting lodge of the Electors of Mainz (Altes Forsthaus) from 1764.
• Ober-Olmer Wald (forest), a 335-hectare recreation area.
• Saint Valentine's Chapel (Valentinskapelle) with its Rococo altar, which stands picturesquely on the edge of the vineyards.
• The 650-year-old elm tree had to be cut down in 1985 after it fell victim to Dutch elm disease.
• Renovated Town Hall from 1550, floors added in 1721-1722.

Economy and infrastructure

Transport

• The Autobahn A 63 lies approximately 3 km away.
• The Deutsche Bahn railway station Klein-Winternheim/Ober-Olm on the Alzey–Mainz railway is found in neighbouring Klein-Winternheim.
• City bus link to Mainz as far as Hochheim (route 68) and ORN bus links (regional route 650) to outlying areas in Rhenish Hesse as well as into the city of Mainz in the evening and back until after midnight.

Telecommunications

The Ober-Olm Transmission Tower (Fernmeldeturm Ober-Olm) was built as a 70.35 m-tall tower for Deutsche Telekom in 1966. Its nicknames include “Olmi”, “Ober-Olmer Spargel” (Spargel means “asparagus” in German) and “Fernsehturm” (“Television Tower”). It stands at 49°56′31″N 8°10′16″E. In 1990, the transmission tower had another 38 m built onto the top, bringing its current height to 108.35 m.

Public Institutions

• Ulmenhalle, a multi-purpose hall at Essenheimer Straße 17a
• Sport facility with artificial-turf football pitch and competition-standard athletic facility, Am Sportplatz (location)
• Kindergarten Abenteuerland (“Kindergarten Adventureland”), Pfannenstiel 36
• Kindertagesstätte St. Elisabeth (daycare centre), Essenheimer Straße 17

Education

• Grundschule Ober-Olm (primary school), Schulstraße, sponsor: Verbandsgemeinde Nieder-Olm
• Kreisvolkshochschule (KVHS, district folk high school), Ober-Olm branch, Schulstraße 2

People

• Margit Sponheimer
• Dr. Michael Werner (Publisher)

Honorary citizens

• Franz Nikolaus Becker
• Father Henri Thiebaut, Ramonchamp

Further reading

• Heribert Schmitt et al.: Das Dorf, in dem wir leben, Ober-Olm. Geiger-Verlag, Horb am Neckar 1994, ISBN 978-3-89264-913-7
• Maria Regina Kaiser: Die Trommeln der Freiheit novel, 1848 - Märzrevolution in Mainz, 1998, ISBN 3-00-003678-4
• Claudius Moseler: Der Ober-Olmer Wald - Raumnutzungsansprüche, Gefährdungspotentiale und Nutzungskonkurrenzen in einem rheinhessischen Waldareal Diplomarbeit Geographie, Uni Mainz, 1992

External links

• (in German)
• Hiwwe wie Driwwe – Pennsylvania German Newspaper published in Ober-Olm