Rotenburg an der Fulda

Rotenburg a. d. Fulda
Rotenburg a. d. Fulda
Town
	Old houses in Rotenburg, facing the Fulda River
	Coat of arms
	Location of Rotenburg a. d. Fulda within Hersfeld-Rotenburg district <imagemap>File: Rotenburg a.d. Fulda in HEF.svg \| 240x240px poly 546 105 540 104 535 106 529 102 521 105 516 102 510 103 503 108 504 117 499 128 499 131 500 137 500 140 498 144 502 151 506 152 515 161 509 172 517 175 518 184 517 186 522 189 533 187 534 191 531 195 525 197 519 199 507 200 505 194 503 192 500 196 496 197 496 201 493 204 486 197 482 201 475 193 472 196 467 199 461 194 456 196 450 191 442 192 442 198 446 204 446 210 441 216 443 220 446 220 455 212 452 209 455 205 459 208 470 207 474 205 467 223 457 235 461 241 467 243 471 239 472 233 484 222 494 223 494 226 497 227 508 236 511 236 517 247 524 247 524 251 518 259 523 263 527 259 530 261 531 267 530 273 517 282 513 288 503 291 500 298 499 305 501 317 514 309 515 321 506 325 507 333 502 338 498 335 491 334 487 331 484 343 480 347 478 342 473 343 471 338 466 337 464 337 456 346 444 353 442 360 449 361 449 369 439 383 442 396 448 399 444 405 447 408 445 416 439 417 441 409 439 408 433 415 428 410 422 413 426 419 423 422 421 434 424 438 429 435 436 437 437 450 435 454 437 458 434 465 435 470 431 479 416 497 413 500 546 501 546 369 546 237 546 105 Thuringia poly 0 501 0 397 8 398 14 397 19 397 23 395 23 395 30 408 25 412 20 413 20 419 31 423 38 416 41 419 37 430 40 431 51 428 56 434 62 441 67 441 70 443 71 459 80 469 88 463 93 463 112 440 115 440 121 434 125 430 132 428 139 429 144 434 147 436 159 439 161 450 165 454 164 466 168 469 164 478 164 490 166 497 167 500 83 501 0 501 Vogelsbergkreis poly 167 500 166 497 164 490 164 478 168 469 173 462 183 475 194 475 198 484 207 488 214 488 225 471 225 460 229 460 231 468 247 463 259 455 260 446 260 442 259 437 255 434 247 426 254 419 254 412 259 408 263 410 266 407 260 404 261 397 268 397 274 391 276 388 282 387 289 388 289 382 288 378 294 373 297 372 299 373 300 379 302 382 314 377 317 383 324 380 329 384 330 390 340 390 348 394 362 395 373 389 387 387 394 394 395 409 401 409 406 414 412 414 416 420 423 422 421 434 424 438 429 435 436 437 437 450 435 454 437 458 434 465 435 470 431 479 416 497 413 500 290 500 167 500 Fulda (district) poly 299 1 299 1 299 14 287 28 283 28 274 33 266 26 258 26 254 25 247 18 230 23 230 26 218 40 213 40 210 44 204 43 199 46 192 47 185 52 184 58 185 66 184 70 172 85 166 85 155 92 142 92 137 87 133 86 133 97 132 101 130 103 125 108 135 112 135 128 137 132 132 135 127 136 123 139 119 155 118 157 111 161 110 164 112 167 119 173 122 179 129 184 126 195 122 198 118 198 112 198 102 198 94 200 78 213 80 224 79 229 78 233 68 240 59 247 55 261 67 272 73 278 71 289 73 293 75 309 80 317 80 332 87 332 84 337 81 340 83 349 82 353 78 364 71 364 58 375 47 375 36 387 32 387 23 395 23 395 20 397 14 397 8 398 0 397 0 265 0 133 0 1 100 1 199 1 299 1 Schwalm-Eder-Kreis poly 299 1 299 14 302 13 308 13 311 13 314 14 317 17 325 15 332 11 336 11 337 14 338 24 342 28 350 31 358 34 372 43 374 57 383 57 391 60 393 57 397 58 397 62 416 63 422 54 430 54 434 59 444 61 459 76 469 76 474 83 484 83 484 87 477 94 478 99 472 104 473 111 466 117 467 121 470 121 473 122 475 129 486 132 493 129 499 128 504 117 503 108 510 103 516 102 521 105 529 102 535 106 540 104 546 105 546 1 422 1 299 1 Werra-Meißner-Kreis poly 138 132 135 128 135 112 125 108 130 103 132 101 133 97 133 86 137 87 142 92 155 92 166 85 172 85 184 70 185 66 184 58 185 52 192 47 199 46 204 43 210 44 213 40 218 40 230 26 230 23 247 18 254 25 258 26 266 26 274 33 283 28 280 40 282 43 280 48 274 48 269 55 257 56 251 59 257 63 257 67 249 70 248 74 251 75 249 82 241 91 239 96 236 102 234 98 224 103 218 108 223 113 219 119 221 122 225 121 226 130 222 132 217 131 212 133 204 140 200 141 195 148 185 147 182 142 176 138 162 139 159 141 145 139 147 135 137 132 Alheim poly 283 28 287 28 299 14 311 13 314 14 317 17 316 22 312 27 312 34 311 39 315 43 316 55 321 68 320 75 324 80 326 86 318 86 315 90 316 115 312 116 316 120 315 126 318 129 316 134 313 136 309 140 305 141 298 146 295 147 294 151 291 154 292 159 284 160 281 163 276 162 272 166 261 166 259 172 251 174 243 179 240 178 233 179 229 185 224 186 223 191 219 187 219 182 216 179 217 176 216 171 211 166 211 162 204 159 203 154 204 150 218 137 217 131 222 132 226 130 225 121 221 122 219 119 223 113 218 108 224 103 234 98 236 102 239 96 241 91 249 82 251 75 248 74 249 70 257 67 257 63 251 59 257 56 269 55 274 48 280 48 282 43 280 40 282 28 Rotenburg an der Fulda poly 381 84 377 82 376 74 382 68 388 67 390 65 391 60 383 57 374 57 372 43 358 34 350 31 342 28 338 24 337 14 336 11 332 11 325 15 317 17 316 22 312 27 312 34 311 39 315 43 316 55 321 68 335 76 343 76 347 73 351 73 351 77 355 84 360 80 366 81 373 91 381 86 381 84 Cornberg poly 381 84 377 82 376 74 382 68 388 67 390 65 391 60 393 57 397 58 397 62 416 63 422 54 430 54 434 59 444 61 459 76 469 76 474 83 484 83 484 87 477 94 478 99 472 104 473 111 466 117 467 121 470 121 473 122 475 129 479 142 475 142 473 147 476 149 475 155 471 160 473 163 473 167 465 167 463 173 463 177 459 178 457 176 459 171 458 163 452 163 446 167 436 172 429 165 427 159 425 152 413 155 407 153 405 150 405 147 397 143 398 138 396 134 398 132 417 132 418 129 413 126 414 123 410 119 410 115 406 114 405 111 408 109 406 106 392 100 388 94 387 85 381 84 Nentershausen poly 357 211 355 215 359 228 364 235 367 235 357 211 Bebra poly 243 179 251 174 259 172 261 166 272 166 276 162 281 163 284 160 292 159 291 154 294 151 295 147 298 146 305 141 309 140 313 136 316 134 318 129 315 126 316 120 312 116 316 115 315 90 318 86 326 86 324 80 320 75 321 68 335 76 343 76 347 73 351 73 351 77 355 84 360 80 366 81 373 91 381 86 381 84 387 85 388 94 392 100 406 106 408 109 405 111 406 114 410 115 410 119 414 123 413 126 418 129 417 132 398 132 396 134 398 138 397 143 405 147 405 150 401 150 398 155 389 163 385 163 384 168 371 166 360 168 357 171 353 171 349 175 352 178 349 187 352 187 354 193 347 196 346 208 349 214 353 214 353 219 348 230 343 228 343 224 340 222 339 217 333 214 320 201 314 207 308 209 299 217 294 215 280 216 269 224 262 220 259 224 255 219 250 218 255 213 257 206 252 199 252 195 245 190 243 179 Bebra poly 425 227 422 223 401 231 411 218 408 205 406 203 406 200 411 200 414 196 415 192 413 190 414 180 423 173 425 167 429 165 436 172 446 167 452 163 458 163 459 171 457 176 459 178 463 177 463 173 465 167 473 167 473 163 471 160 475 155 476 149 473 147 475 142 479 142 475 129 486 132 493 129 499 128 500 140 498 144 502 151 506 152 515 161 509 172 517 175 518 184 517 186 522 189 533 187 534 191 531 195 525 197 519 199 507 200 505 194 503 192 500 196 496 197 496 201 493 204 486 197 482 201 475 193 472 196 467 199 461 194 456 196 450 191 442 192 442 198 446 204 446 210 441 216 437 214 434 214 430 222 425 227 Wildeck poly 425 227 422 237 417 239 416 256 404 265 403 268 399 268 398 275 397 284 402 290 407 291 417 298 435 298 440 302 445 302 448 297 449 292 453 295 460 295 461 298 466 299 472 303 472 306 472 313 473 315 476 317 484 313 488 313 490 314 491 309 485 309 480 310 483 308 482 305 490 301 494 303 494 300 500 298 503 291 513 288 517 282 530 273 531 267 530 261 527 259 523 263 518 259 524 251 524 247 517 247 511 236 508 236 497 227 494 226 494 223 484 222 472 233 471 239 467 243 461 241 457 235 467 223 474 205 470 207 459 208 455 205 452 209 455 212 446 220 443 220 441 216 437 214 434 214 430 222 425 227 Heringen poly 402 290 403 298 408 304 415 305 417 309 421 309 423 315 433 317 436 321 434 325 433 333 438 330 440 326 442 323 446 323 446 326 451 333 456 331 460 333 464 331 467 332 466 337 471 338 473 343 478 342 480 347 484 343 487 331 491 334 498 335 502 338 507 333 506 325 515 321 514 309 501 317 499 305 500 298 494 300 494 303 490 301 482 305 483 308 480 310 485 309 491 309 490 314 488 313 484 313 476 317 473 315 472 313 472 306 472 303 466 299 461 298 460 295 453 295 449 292 448 297 445 302 440 302 435 298 417 298 407 291 402 290 Philippsthal poly 425 227 422 223 401 231 378 255 368 255 359 258 352 251 348 258 340 261 328 269 334 275 333 285 331 286 331 299 328 302 331 305 334 303 335 307 344 309 344 320 349 321 351 326 365 323 370 328 378 323 381 319 385 319 388 322 396 320 404 315 405 311 408 309 408 304 403 298 402 290 397 284 398 275 399 268 403 268 404 265 416 256 417 239 422 237 425 227 Friedewald poly 138 132 132 135 127 136 123 139 119 155 118 157 111 161 110 164 112 167 119 173 122 179 129 184 141 187 145 193 145 201 154 218 166 222 170 227 175 228 175 239 188 241 189 247 198 253 211 265 212 259 207 256 209 253 220 254 227 250 228 243 237 242 247 252 250 251 257 257 263 257 262 262 265 264 266 271 272 270 279 280 288 280 293 275 296 269 301 273 305 270 313 271 313 267 320 264 320 260 330 260 334 256 340 261 348 258 352 251 352 238 348 230 343 228 343 224 340 222 339 217 333 214 320 201 314 207 308 209 299 217 294 215 280 216 269 224 262 220 259 224 255 219 250 218 255 213 257 206 252 199 252 195 245 190 243 179 240 178 233 179 229 185 224 186 223 191 219 187 219 182 216 179 217 176 216 171 211 166 211 162 204 159 203 154 204 150 218 137 217 131 212 133 204 140 200 141 195 148 185 147 182 142 176 138 162 139 159 141 145 139 147 135 138 132 Ludwigsau poly 130 184 126 195 122 198 118 198 112 198 102 198 94 200 78 213 80 224 79 229 78 233 68 240 59 247 55 261 67 272 73 278 83 273 87 273 97 268 110 276 114 276 120 272 125 273 129 277 134 273 143 287 146 286 146 278 149 278 149 287 146 290 146 296 149 298 156 288 160 290 178 291 184 286 187 286 190 283 191 280 195 279 201 275 202 262 196 258 198 253 189 247 188 241 175 239 175 228 170 227 166 222 154 218 145 201 145 193 141 187 130 184 Neuenstein poly 394 394 402 395 402 392 399 389 402 376 397 372 400 367 399 365 399 357 400 355 398 348 400 343 400 339 409 339 411 336 408 336 404 329 408 322 408 317 404 315 405 311 408 309 408 304 415 305 417 309 421 309 423 315 433 317 436 321 434 325 433 333 438 330 440 326 442 323 446 323 446 326 451 333 456 331 460 333 464 331 467 332 466 337 464 337 456 346 444 353 442 360 449 361 449 369 439 383 442 396 448 399 444 405 447 408 445 416 439 417 441 409 439 408 433 415 428 410 422 413 426 419 423 422 416 420 412 414 406 414 401 409 395 409 394 394 Hohenroda poly 315 293 313 295 315 300 320 300 315 293 Schenklengsfeld poly 404 315 396 320 388 322 385 319 381 319 378 323 370 328 365 323 351 326 349 321 344 320 344 309 335 307 334 303 331 305 328 302 323 302 319 310 316 307 307 302 302 303 297 309 294 310 293 306 276 309 278 318 278 322 274 322 267 318 264 321 272 327 278 327 281 325 285 325 283 330 286 334 280 336 279 342 272 347 272 350 277 352 276 360 281 362 280 367 289 366 286 362 286 360 300 365 299 373 300 379 302 382 314 377 317 383 324 380 329 384 330 390 340 390 348 394 362 395 373 389 387 387 394 394 402 395 402 392 399 389 402 376 397 372 400 367 399 365 399 357 400 355 398 348 400 343 400 339 409 339 411 336 408 336 404 329 408 322 408 317 404 315 Schenklengsfeld poly 299 373 300 365 286 360 286 362 289 366 280 367 281 362 276 360 277 352 272 350 272 347 279 342 280 336 286 334 283 330 285 325 281 325 278 327 272 327 264 321 257 320 254 317 248 319 246 333 241 334 236 339 234 348 234 354 244 364 244 371 248 373 256 372 264 368 269 375 270 386 274 391 276 388 282 387 289 388 289 382 288 378 294 373 297 372 299 373 Hauneck poly 244 371 236 372 238 375 238 381 233 387 226 385 221 391 215 391 211 388 206 393 202 394 198 402 189 409 175 413 174 417 171 419 171 430 159 439 161 450 164 454 164 466 168 469 173 462 183 475 194 475 198 484 207 488 214 488 225 471 225 460 229 460 231 468 247 463 259 455 260 446 260 442 259 437 255 434 247 426 254 419 254 412 259 408 263 410 266 407 260 404 261 397 268 397 274 391 270 386 269 375 264 368 256 372 248 373 244 371 Haunetal poly 124 430 124 424 122 421 123 413 118 405 97 394 90 390 83 378 81 372 86 369 90 369 101 364 105 359 112 358 114 351 124 345 128 345 128 347 138 348 142 345 151 348 156 348 160 344 165 342 165 336 170 332 177 332 186 336 185 345 182 345 181 343 178 343 177 346 182 352 183 359 188 360 191 363 191 367 196 365 198 362 203 357 208 357 210 355 217 354 222 355 225 353 225 349 229 348 234 348 234 354 244 364 244 371 236 372 238 375 238 381 233 387 226 385 221 391 215 391 211 388 206 393 202 394 198 402 189 409 175 413 174 417 171 419 171 430 159 439 147 436 144 434 139 429 131 428 124 430 Niederaula poly 81 372 78 364 82 353 83 349 81 340 84 337 87 332 80 332 80 317 75 309 73 293 71 289 73 278 83 273 87 273 97 268 110 276 114 276 120 272 125 273 129 277 134 273 143 287 146 286 146 278 149 278 149 287 146 290 146 296 149 298 156 288 160 290 178 291 180 293 178 297 170 298 171 303 166 308 166 316 179 328 177 332 170 332 165 336 165 342 160 344 156 348 151 348 142 345 138 348 128 347 128 345 124 345 114 351 112 358 105 359 101 364 90 369 86 369 81 372 Kirchheim poly 78 364 71 364 58 375 47 375 36 387 32 387 23 395 30 408 25 412 20 413 20 419 31 423 38 416 41 419 37 430 40 431 51 428 56 434 62 441 67 441 70 443 71 459 80 469 88 463 92 463 112 440 115 440 121 434 124 430 124 424 122 421 123 413 118 405 97 394 90 390 83 378 81 372 78 364 Breitenbach am Herzberg rect 346 149 430 259 Ronshausen rect 165 241 342 368 Bad Hersfeld desc bottom-right </imagemap>
	Rotenburg a. d. Fulda Rotenburg a. d. Fulda
	Coordinates: 50°59′46″N 9°43′40″E / 50.99611°N 9.72778°E
Country	Germany
State	Hesse
Admin. region	Kassel
District	Hersfeld-Rotenburg
Subdivisions	8 districts
Government
• Mayor (2023–29)	Marcus Weber
Area
• Total	79.84 km2 (30.83 sq mi)
Elevation	183 m (600 ft)
Population (2022-12-31)
• Total	14,066
• Density	180/km2 (460/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	36199
Dialling codes	06623
Vehicle registration	HEF, ROF
Website	www.rotenburg.de

Rotenburg an der Fulda (officially Rotenburg a.d. Fulda) is a town in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, in central Germany, situated, as the name says, on the river Fulda.

Geography

Historic row of houses in Rotenburg (an der Fulda)

Location

The town lies south of the Stölzinger Gebirge (range) in the narrowest part of the Fulda valley. The town's lowest point lies at 180 m above sea level in the area near the two bridges across the Fulda linking Rotenburg's Old Town and New Town; these are the Alte Fuldabrücke (“Old Fulda Bridge”) and the Brücke der Städtepartnerschaften (“Bridge of Town Partnerships”). The town's highest point is the 548.7 m-high Alheimer, lying on the town limit between Rotenburg and the neighbouring community of Alheim.

The nearest major towns are Bebra (some 6 km to the southeast) and Bad Hersfeld (some 16 km to the south), The nearest cities are Kassel (some 50 km to the north) and Fulda (some 70 km to the south).

Neighbouring communities

Clockwise from the north, these are Alheim, Spangenberg, Cornberg, Bebra and Ludwigsau. On the so-called Stölzinger Höhe (heights) in the northeast, above the outlying centre of Dankerode, Rotenburg has a boundary with the town of Waldkappel.

Constituent communities

Besides the main town, Rotenburg a.d. Fulda is made up of the outlying Stadtteile of Lispenhausen, Braach, Schwarzenhasel, Erkshausen, Seifertshausen, Dankerode, Atzelrode (with Alte Teich Estate and Wüstefeld) and Mündershausen.

History

Landgrave's palace in Rotenburg, front view of main building

In 769, the outlying centres of Braach and Lispenhausen, along with the now vanished village of Breitingen (which lay somewhere near the Hochmahle) had their first documentary mentions in the Hersfeld Abbey’s directory of holdings. These consisted of six estates and 90 Morgen of land.

The Gisonen were the Abbey’s Vögte (singular: Vogt). They built the first security castle in the Fulda valley once they had come to hold the Vogtei (the right to be Vogt). Around this castle arose a settlement. The Landgraves of Thuringia, who inherited the Vogtei from the Gisonen, built on the Alter Turm (mountain) Rodenberg Castle, which today lies in ruins, but is believed to be the town’s namesake.

The settlement on the Fulda’s left bank, today’s Altstadt (“Old Town”), had its first documentary mention as a town in 1248, and after the Thuringian-Hessian War of Succession in 1264 the town belonged to the Landgraviate of Hesse. The old castle in the valley had supposedly been removed sometime after 1423. In 1470 arose the first Schloss Rotenburg. A great town fire destroyed the Old Town in 1478 along with the newly built Schloss. Between 1627 and 1834, Rotenburg was a residence town of the landgrave family of Hesse-Rotenburg, the so-called Rotenburger Quart.

Rotenburg in an engraving by Matthäus Merian from 1655

In 1615, 57 houses burnt down in Braach, and in the Thirty Years' War, in 1637, the town and the town hall burnt. The fire was set by soldiers from the Isolani Regiment. In March 1882, the volunteer fire brigade was started as a club. In 1900 it acquired an equipment shed with a drying tower near the Fulda.

Following the joint German-Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II in 1939, it was the location of the Oflag IX-C prisoner-of-war camp for Polish officers and orderlies, which in June 1940 was converted into a subcamp of the Oflag IX-A camp in Spangenberg, and then held Belgian officers.^[3] Rotenburg has belonged since 1972 to Hersfeld-Rotenburg district, before which it was the old Rotenburg district's seat. In 2003, the town earned unwanted fame through Armin Meiwes.

In 2004, the town earned a silver medal in the national contest Unsere Stadt blüht auf (“Our Town is Blossoming”), and in 2005 it earned a gold medal with a special prize for the landscaping design of the Fulda floodplain.

In August 2007, the volunteer fire brigade staged the 20th Hessian Fire Brigade Day with an extensive programme of events on the occasion of its 125 anniversary of founding.

Religion

There are ten Evangelical churches in town, two Catholic churches and one New Apostolic.

Amalgamations

Through municipal reform in 1972, the above-named formerly self-administering communities were integrated into the town of Rotenburg an der Fulda.

Politics

Rotenburg's Town Hall (built between 1597 and 1598)

Town council

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

Parties and voter communities		% 2006	Seats 2006	% 2001	Seats 2001
CDU	Christian Democratic Union of Germany	35.9	13	37.7	14
SPD	Social Democratic Party of Germany	51.8	19	50.4	19
FDP	Free Democratic Party	2.0	1	2.5	1
UBR	Unabhängige Bürger Rotenburgs	10.3	4	9.3	3
Total		100.0	37	100.0	37
Voter turnout in %		48.2		56.2

The town's executive (Magistrat) is made up of six councillors, including the mayor, with four seats allotted to the SPD and two to the CDU.

Mayor

The mayor is Marcus Weber, elected in 2023.

Coat of arms

Town's coat of arms on the Town Hall steps in Rotenburg

The town's arms might be described thus: Argent at the nombril point a mount of three gules surmounted by a bough vert in fess arising from the bottom of which and growing in pale a sprig of three linden leaves vert.

The German blazon describes the “mount” as a Dreiberg, even though in the artistic rendering seen here, it does not have the same shape that this charge usually has in German civic coats of arms. See, for instance, Nentershausen's, Neuenstein's or Philippsthal's coat of arms.

The arms come from the early 17th century. The mound stands for the Rotenberg, a mountain on which once stood a castle. From these, the town got its name. The linden sprig comes from old guild seals, which bore a cloverleaf and a star. From this arose the linden sprig, which was adopted as a charge in the town's arms, putting the coat of arms in the “North Hesse Cloverleaf Arms Family” along with Kassel and Felsberg. The first example of the arms now valid in the town was in the Knights’ Hall (Rittersaal), which was torn down in the late 18th century.^[4] The first examples on mediaeval town seals show a saint bearing a palm frond before a town gate. It most likely was meant to be the town's patron saint, James the Elder.

Town partnerships

New Town with Fulda weir at high water

Argentan, Orne, France since 1976
Gedling, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom since 1978
Rothenburg, Lucerne, Switzerland since 1988

There are friendship relations with the following towns:

Rotenburg an der Wümme, Lower Saxony
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria
Rothenburg, Saxony-Anhalt
Rothenburg, Saxony
Czerwieńsk, Lubusz Voivodeship, Poland (formerly Rothenburg an der Oder)

Culture and sightseeing

Museums

Kreisheimatmuseum Rotenburg (district history)
Puppen- und Spielzeugmuseum (puppets and toys)
Memorial and meeting place: the former mikvah

Buildings

The most important sights in the town are these following:

Schloss Rotenburg, built in Renaissance style between 1570 and 1607, remodelled about 1790, today houses the Hesse State Financial School, includes preserved side building and palace park.
Town Hall, built in 1597–1598 and remodelled in the Baroque period; on 23 September 1637 the town was burnt down by Colonel Isolani's people. The statue of Saint James at the Town Hall “fell crashing onto the marketplace and burst asunder” (according to the chronicler).
Saint James's Parish Church
Saint Elizabeth and Mary Monastery Church in the New Town, built beginning in 1370, crypt of the Landgraves of Hesse. Only Landgrave Moritz the Learned's son, Hermann, the first Quartfürst of Hesse-Rotenburg is buried here next to his consort Kunigunde Juliane of Anhalt-Zerbst. From this princely house also sprang Russian Tsaritsa Catherine the Great.
On the Alter Turm (mountain, 418.1 m above sea level) are hidden the ruins of Rodenberg Castle (from about 1150).
On the Fulda is found an old lock from the 17th century.
The mikvah, the former Jewish community's ritual bath, since 2006 a memorial and meeting place and Jewish Museum. There are two websites with extensive information, www.mikwe.de and www.hassia-Judaica.de.

Rotenburg further has other historic churches and interesting houses. Even parts of the mediaeval town wall from the 12th and 13th centuries with two round towers are preserved.

Historic row of houses in Rotenburg an der Fulda
St. Elisabeth und Marien Monastery Church
Jakobikirche (St. James's)
Stable
Lock from the 17th century
Memorial stone to the community of Breitingen

Regular events

Heimat- und Strandfest (“Homeland and Beach Festival”, every year on the first weekend in July)
Historic Christmas Market on Rotenburg's Marketplace and in adjoining lanes (from early December – 16 days) with Germany's tallest Christmas pyramid
Kuckucksmarkt (“Cuckoo’s Market”) in the outlying centre of Braach (North Hesse art, craft and farmers’ market held on the last weekend of each month from May to October)

Economy and infrastructure

Rotenburg Cardiovascular Centre

Especially important to the town and the whole area is the Herz-Kreislauf-Zentrum (HKZ – Cardiovascular Centre) on the south slope above the town.

As at January 2006, 4,188 workers are employed in town, of which 989 jobs are offered by producing businesses, 2,143 by service providers, 367 by trade, 80 by forestry and agriculture and 609 by other fields of endeavour. There are 1,325 beds dedicated to tourism.

Established businesses

RMW Rotenburger Metallwerke GmbH
C. Brühl Komplementär Textilwerk Rotenburg Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH (textile specialist in trousers, shirts and jackets)

Transport

Rotenburg lies on Bundesstraße 83 and on the so-called Friedrich-Wilhelms-Nordbahn (railway), which is nowadays part of the Mitte-Deutschland-Verbindung (“Middle Germany Connection”).

Media

Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine (daily newspaper) with its Lokalteil Rotenburg Bebra (local section) and the Kreisanzeiger published district-wide.

State institutions

Until it was disbanded early in 2006, the Panzergrenadierbataillon 52 (Armoured Grenadier Battalion 52) was stationed at the Alheimer-Kaserne (“Alheim Barracks”). Since July 2006, the newly deployed Führungsunterstützungsbataillon 286 (“Command Support Battalion 286”) have been there. Joining them is the 6th Company of the Feldjägerbataillon 251 (“Military Police Battalion 251”), which was formerly stationed in Schwalmstadt. The FüUstgBtl 286 belongs to the Command Support Regiment 28 in Mechernich and is part of the Bundeswehr’s Streitkräftebasis (SKB).
Rotenburg Study Centre: Hesse State Financial School, Professional Administration College of the State of Hesse.
Training and Continuing Education Centre of HSVV “Marstall”
BKK-Akademie – conference and seminar hotel

Education

Jakob-Grimm-Schule in Rotenburg

There are ten schools in town, among them the Jakob-Grimm-Schule, which acts as an ancillary comprehensive school with a Gymnasium upper level. There is also the BKK Akademie, where there is training in social insurance law and related themes for those employed in the field.

Famous people

Sons and daughters of the town

Bernhard Christoph Faust (born 23 May 1755 in Rotenburg, died 25 January 1842 in Bückeburg), physician and architectural theoretician
Chlodwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (born 31 March 1819 in Rotenburg, died 6 July 1901 in Ragaz); politician, Imperial chancellor and Prussian Prime Minister (1894–1900).
Gustav Adolf Hohenlohe (born 26 February 1823 in Rotenburg; died 30 October 1896 in Rome); German Cardinal.
Franz Vetter (born 1824 in Rotenburg, died 27 February 1896 in Potsdam); Electoral court gardener, from 1891 royal Prussian chief court gardener at Sanssouci.
Elise zu Salm-Horstmar (born 6 January 1831 in Rotenburg, died 29 June 1920); writer.
Dr. Leopold Neuhaus (born 1879 in Rotenburg, died 1954), rabbi in Frankfurt am Main.
Manfred Gruber (born 24 January 1951 in Erkshausen); artist (painting, graphic arts and scenic design).
Annette Kurschus (born 14 February 1963), Protestant bishop
Mareike Morr (born 1977), Operatic mezzo-soprano

People associated with the town

Jakob Wilhelm Georg Vilmar (born 4 June 1804 in Solz, died 7 December 1884 in Melsungen), clergyman of the Hessische Renitenz, clergyman in Rotenburg (1830–1851).
Walter Wallmann (born 24 September 1932 in Uelzen), Chief Mayor of Frankfurt am Main, Federal Minister for Environment, Conservation and Reactor Safety (1986–1987), Hessian premier (1987–1991), judge at the Amt court in Rotenburg (1966).
Günter Schabowski (born 4 January 1929 in Anklam), journalist and politician, member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany central committee and politburo, editor of the Heimatnachrichten (1993–1999) in Rotenburg.
Armin Meiwes (born 1 December 1961 in Essen), known as the Rotenburg Cannibal

Grave of WWII British military persons imprisoned at Rotenburg.

References

^ "Ergebnisse der jeweils letzten Direktwahl von Landrätinnen und Landräte sowie (Ober-)Bürgermeisterinnen und (Ober-)Bürgermeister in Hessen" (XLS) (in Deutsch). Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. 21 May 2024.
^ "Bevölkerung in Hessen am 31.12.2022 nach Gemeinden" (XLS) (in German). Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
^ Megargee, Geoffrey P.; Overmans, Rüdiger; Vogt, Wolfgang (2022). The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume IV. Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. pp. 259–261. ISBN 978-0-253-06089-1.
^ Wilhelm Wessel 1623: „Folgen die Wapen aller Städte in Fürstenthümern und Graffschaften dero Fürsten zu Hessen wie sie in Rotenbergk im Fürstlichen Schloß/ im großen Saal zu finden.“

External links

Official site (in German)
Flight around Rotenburg Videoclip (13 MB, 1:40 min) from the German site http://www.osthessen-news.de *Virtual town tour – traces of Jewish life (in German)

Rotenburg an der Fulda at Curlie (in German)

[1] "Ergebnisse der jeweils letzten Direktwahl von Landrätinnen und Landräte sowie (Ober-)Bürgermeisterinnen und (Ober-)Bürgermeister in Hessen" (XLS) (in Deutsch). Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. 21 May 2024.

[2] "Bevölkerung in Hessen am 31.12.2022 nach Gemeinden" (XLS) (in German). Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

[3] Megargee, Geoffrey P.; Overmans, Rüdiger; Vogt, Wolfgang (2022). The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume IV. Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. pp. 259–261. ISBN 978-0-253-06089-1.

[4] Wilhelm Wessel 1623: „Folgen die Wapen aller Städte in Fürstenthümern und Graffschaften dero Fürsten zu Hessen wie sie in Rotenbergk im Fürstlichen Schloß/ im großen Saal zu finden.“

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