Altdorf is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the district of Esslingen in

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...

in southern

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. It is away from the town of

Nürtingen Nürtingen () is a town on the river Neckar in the district of Esslingen in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. History The following events occurred, by year: *1046: First mention of ''Niuritingin'' in the document of Speyer ...

Geography

Altdorf lies two kilometres south of the river Neckar in the foothills of the Swabian Jura.

Neighbouring communities

Adjacent communities are Neckartailfingen to the north,

to the Northeast, Großbettlingen to the east, Bempflingen to the south and Neckartenzlingen in the West. All located in the district of Esslingen.

History

Altdorf was first mentioned in 1291. The name Altdorf probably derives from the Alemannic ''Allachdorf'', what a settlement was then called. From various findings it can be concluded that people have resided in Altdorf for four thousand years.

Population statistics

The population figures are census results (¹) or official extensions of the State Statistical Office of Baden-Württemberg, only including

Hauptwohnsitz In German-speaking countries, Hauptwohnsitz ( en, Main domicile) denotes the primary place of residence. In Germany and Austria, the concept of Hauptwohnsitz has special legal ramifications, primarily involving tax. In Austria the Hauptwohnsitz

e (main domicile). With around 1,500 inhabitants, Altdorf is the smallest Gemeinde (municipality) in the District of Esslingen.

Politics

Altdorf belongs to the Gemeindeverwaltungsverband Neckartenzlingen.

Council

The council has 10 members in Altdorf. The

local elections In many parts of the world, local elections take place to select office-holders in local government, such as mayors and councillors. Elections to positions within a city or town are often known as "municipal elections". Their form and conduct vary ...

on 25 May 2014 gave the following distribution of seats: The council consists of the elected honorary councilors and the mayor as chairman. The mayor is entitled to vote in the council.

Mayor

The independent Joachim Kälberer is mayor of Altdorf. He was elected for his first term of office with 90.3% of the vote in the 2004 mayoral election, which gained a 54.6% voter turnout. The first term ended in 2012, though on 29 January 2012 Joachim Kälberer was confirmed for a further eight years in office, following a 97.6% approval rate with a voter turnout of 49.9%.

Crest

Blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vi ...

: A black Hirschstange (literally 'deer post', and known as the symbol of

Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Württ ...

) on a golden chief, below which is a silver

ploughshare In agriculture, a plowshare ( US) or ploughshare ( UK; ) is a component of a plow (or plough). It is the cutting or leading edge of a moldboard which closely follows the coulter (one or more ground-breaking spikes) when plowing. The plowshar ...

on blue.

Economy and facilities

Public Institutions

In 2008 the Altdorf

built a Kneipp therapy pool.

Education

Altdorf has its own

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...

and a

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th ce ...

. Two kinds of secondary school, a

Realschule ''Realschule'' () is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia (''realna gimnazija''), the Austrian Empire, the German Empire, Denmark and Norway (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), ...

and a Gymnasium, are located in the neighbouring town Neckartenzlingen .

Hauptschule A ''Hauptschule'' (, "general school") is a secondary school in Germany, starting after four years of elementary schooling (''Grundschule''), which offers Lower Secondary Education (Level 2) according to the International Standard Classification ...

secondary school pupils attend the school in the community Neckartailfingen .

Notable people

Heinrich Vollmer Heinrich Vollmer (1885 in Altdorf, Esslingen–1961 in Tübingen) was a German small-arms designer. Vollmer began his manufacturing career by making parts for the German copies of the Maxim gun during the First World War. His first innovation wa ...

(1885–1961), one of Europe's most famous weapon designers, who developed the German submachine guns of the Second World War,

MP38 The MP 40 (''Maschinenpistole 40'') is a submachine gun chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge. It was developed in Nazi Germany and used extensively by the Axis powers during World War II. Designed in 1938 by Heinrich Vollmer with in ...

MP40 The MP 40 (''Maschinenpistole 40'') is a submachine gun chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge. It was developed in Nazi Germany and used extensively by the Axis powers during World War II. Designed in 1938 by Heinrich Vollmer with in ...

References

Esslingen (district) {{Esslingen-geo-stub