Kellmünz ''(official: Kellmünz a.d.Iller)'' 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 ...
in the district of
Neu-Ulm
Neu-Ulm (Swabian: ''Nej-Ulm'') is the capital of the Neu-Ulm district and a town in Swabia, Bavaria. Neighbouring towns include Ulm, Senden, Pfaffenhofen an der Roth, Holzheim, Nersingen and Elchingen. The population is 58,978 (31 December ...
in
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total l ...
in
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 betwee ...
.
Geographic location
Kellmünz is located in Upper Swabia at the river
Iller
The Iller (; ancient name Ilargus) is a river of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube, long.
It is formed at the confluence of the rivers Breitach, Stillach and Trettach near Oberstdorf in the Allg ...
, approximately 30 km south of
Ulm
Ulm () is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Danube on the border with Bavaria. The city, which has an estimated population of more than 126,000 (2018), forms an urban district of its own (german: link=no, ...
and 15 km north of
Memmingen
Memmingen (; Swabian: ''Memmenge'') is a town in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is the economic, educational and administrative centre of the Danube-Iller region. To the west the town is flanked by the Iller, the river that marks the Baden-WÃ ...
.
History
Kellmünz gets attention among the many settlements in the Iller valley due to its uncommon name, which points to a pre-Germanic past. The name derivates from "Caelius Mons" (engl. Heaven's Mountain). In 15 B.C. the Romans occupied the land between the Alps and the Danube and the province of Raetia was established. The legionaries renamed an initially Celtic settlement to Caelius Mons, probably referring to the
Caelian Hill
The Caelian Hill (; la, Collis Caelius; it, Celio ) is one of the famous seven hills of Rome.
Geography
The Caelian Hill is a sort of long promontory about long, to wide, and tall in the park near the Temple of Claudius. The hill ov ...
in Rome. After the
fall of the Limes in the face of Alemannic pressure, the Romans changed their strategy to protect the Alpine foothills. Instead of a rampage at the border they built forts in the back-up area, so called "castellums". One of the most famous stood around 300 AD on the Caelius Mons. It was surrounded by a massive stonewall in the fourfold, 100 m long and 100 m wide with many towers. The castellum could accommodate 300 men. At the place, where the church stands today, was an equally large hall with an apse and a portico. That building was oriented to the south, while the church points to the east. The hall served mainly the administration, the jurisdiction and the cult.
World War II
Near the end of the war, on 25 April 1945, the bridge over the Iller was destroyed by the Wehrmacht, in order to prevent the allied troops the passing to Bavaria. After that combat actions took place, in which tanks of the U.S. Army shot into the village. Thirty-three estates were destroyed.
Politics
Local council
The local council consists of twelve members. All mandates are held by the
Free Voters
Free Voters (german: Freie Wähler, FW or FWG) in Germany may belong to an association of people which participates in an election without having the status of a registered political party. Usually it involves a locally organized group of voters ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kellmunz
Neu-Ulm (district)