Bretzfeld is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
in the
Hohenlohe district, in
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg ( ; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a states of Germany, 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 i ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. It is located east of
Heilbronn
Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District.
From the late Middle Ages on, it developed into an important trading centre. At the begi ...
. There is an exit (Nr. 39) with the same name at the
A6 motorway.
Today's Bretzfeld is a sort of ''collective municipality'' or ''merger'' as the following 11 villages (''
Ortsteile
A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban village ...
''), that each have their own history and previously were independent, were incorporated into the ''original'' village of Bretzfeld throughout 1972 and 1975: Adolzfurt, Bitzfeld, Brettach, Dimbach, Geddelsbach, Rappach, Scheppach, Schwabbach, Siebeneich, Unterheimbach, Waldbach
History
In 1973, the districts of Heilbronn and Hohenlohe of today were established. All villages, except for Brettach, were included in the Hohenlohe district and were later merged into Bretzfeld in 1975, thus losing their status as completely independent municipalities. The exception Brettach was part of the Heilbronn district until 1977 but became part of the Heilbronn district when it was - for histocultural connections - also incorporated into Bretzfeld.
Adolzfurt
Adolzfurt was first historically mentioned in 1327 as "Adelhardtsfurth". The name probably comes from the male name "Adelhard". In the 13th century it was under the rule of
Weinsberg
Weinsberg (South Franconian: ''Weischberg'') is a town in the north of the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It was founded around 1200 and is situated in the Heilbronn district. The town has about 13,000 inhabitants. It is noted for its win ...
until it was given to the
Princes of Hohenlohe in 1336. In the same year, it was granted full city rights by
Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis IV (; 1 April 1282 – 11 October 1347), called the Bavarian (, ), was King of the Romans from 1314, King of Italy from 1327, and Holy Roman Emperor from 1328 until his death in 1347.
20 October 1314 imperial election, Louis' election a ...
. However, it never attained great importance, and in a document from 1350 it is again referred to as a village. From 1806 to 1812 the village was administered by
Neuenstein. In 1812, Adolzburg became part of the
Oberamt of , an administrative region of Württemberg, which later became the in 1938. Today it is the only village in Bretzfeld that has never been part of the Weinsberg Oberamt.
Bitzfeld (and Weißlensburg)
Weißlensburg
A legend and the name of the hamlet (the ending -burg) indicate that a castle once stood at its south-eastern end. Weißlensburg has been connected to Bitzfeld due to a law passed in 1837.
Brettach
Originally documented as divided into Upper-Brettach and Lower-Brettach since 1376, the whole of Brettach is historically connected to the that is today in the eponymous village in
Wüstenrot
Wüstenrot is a municipality in the Mainhardt Forest with about 6,800 inhabitants, more than half of them in small incorporated villages. The village is the birthplace of the Wüstenrot Bausparkasse (Wüstenrot Building Society).
Geography
...
. Interestingly, the hamlets of Kreuzle und Busch, also part of Wüstenrot today, grew out of Brettach. Brettach was owned by the noble house of
Weinsberg
Weinsberg (South Franconian: ''Weischberg'') is a town in the north of the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It was founded around 1200 and is situated in the Heilbronn district. The town has about 13,000 inhabitants. It is noted for its win ...
until they sold it to the
Electoral Palatinate
The Electoral Palatinate was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire until it was annexed by the Electorate of Baden in 1803. From the end of the 13th century, its ruler was one of the Prince-electors who elected the Holy Roman Empero ...
in 1423. Under Napoleon, the village became part 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 Province of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern, two other histo ...
in 1805. After that, Brettach was part of the following historical administrative divisions:
Oberamt of Weinsberg (1809-1926), Oberamt of Öhringen (1926-1938), District of Öhringen (1938-1972), District of Heilbronn (1972-1977). It was incorporated into Bretzfeld on 1 January 1977, hence being the last village to "join" Bretzfeld.
File:Burg Maienfels gesamt 20060916.jpg, The Maienfels Castle
File:Maienfels-Burg-05.jpg, Brettach, as seen from the castle
File:Wappen Brettach (Bretzfeld).png
Dimbach
Dimbach was first mentioned in 1289 as "Tindebach". It was under the rule of Weinsberg until 1311. It was then under the administration of Lichtenstern Monastery until Würtemmberg took over the region shortly after the
Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
. The church in Dimbach was also built around this time.
Gedelsbach
First documented as ''Geydelsbach'' in 1337, it is uncertain whether the village belonged to the manor of either Heimberg or Maienfels. In the 15th century, the hamlet was owned by the Berlers, a family of
Patricians
The patricians (from ) were originally a group of ruling class families in ancient Rome. The distinction was highly significant in the Roman Kingdom and the early Republic, but its relevance waned after the Conflict of the Orders (494 BC to 287 B ...
, of which Heinrich Berler sold it to the noblemen of Hohenlohe in 1482. It stayed in their possession until it was taken by
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 Province of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern, two other histo ...
in 1806. It was later part of the following historical administrative divisions: Oberamt of Öhringen (1809-12), Oberamt of Weinsberg (1812-26), Oberamt of Öhringen (1938-92), District of Öhringen (1972-1975). Gedelsbach joined the Hohenlohe district and was incorporated into Bretzfeld in 1975, by ''un-incorporating'' from Maienfels. Viticulture in Gedelsbach is attested since 1573, although it suffered under the
Grape Phylloxera and was temporarily completely abolished in the 1960s. Today, predominantly
white wine
White wine is a wine that is Fermentation in winemaking, fermented without undergoing the process of Maceration (wine), maceration, which involves prolonged contact between the juice with the grape skins, seeds, and pulp. The wine color, colou ...
is grown, and the ''Geddelsbacher Schneckenhof'' has attained regional significance.
Rappach
Rappach, first documented in 1215 as ''Rohbach'', in 1253 as ''Rotbach'' and in 1277 as ''Rotpach'', is known under its current form since the 16th century and is thought to have originated a lot earlier, in the ninth or tenth century. As most clearly recognizable in the 1253 version, the village was probably named after a red river or stream, as ''rot'' means ''red'' and ''Bach'' means ''River/Stream'' in German. The reason for the settlement might have been a castle that is said to have been located at the so-called ''Edelmannhof'' (), although no trace of the former has been found. Until 1450, Rappach is thought to have been under rule of the noblemen of Weinsberg, before it was taken by
Electoral Palatinate
The Electoral Palatinate was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire until it was annexed by the Electorate of Baden in 1803. From the end of the 13th century, its ruler was one of the Prince-electors who elected the Holy Roman Empero ...
and later by Württemberg in 1504.
It became part of the Oberamt Weinsberg in the Heilbronn district by 1806. After the abolition of that Oberamt, Rappach was in the Öhringen Oberamt, which was renamed to district of Öhringen in 1938. In a territorial reform in 1972, Rappach became part of the then newly created Hohenlohe district and was from then on administered collectively with Bretzfeld on a voluntary basis. The de-jure incorporation of Rappach happened in 1975.
The village underwent a major expansion at the beginning of the 1980s when the "Steinsfeld" (translatable to ''Rockfield'') development area was established. Interestingly it was built were a former hamlet - a ghost town of the 16th century - Steinfurt (translatable to "Rockford" in english, like
in Illinois) once stood.
The church of Rappach dates back to at least the 15th century, thus being one of the oldest in the region. It is dedicated to st. Jacob and st. John.
Scheppach
Scheppach is one of the oldest villages in Bretzfeld. "Schepach" was first mentioned in a document from 1257 but has a history going back to the 12th century. In its early history it was located roughly at the border of the spheres of influence of Löwenstein and Weinsberg. In 1407, the conflict was resolved as the village came under protection of Konrad of Weinsberg. In 1423, Scheppach was sold to
Electoral Palatinate
The Electoral Palatinate was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire until it was annexed by the Electorate of Baden in 1803. From the end of the 13th century, its ruler was one of the Prince-electors who elected the Holy Roman Empero ...
and later was taken by
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 Province of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern, two other histo ...
.
When the Oberämter were created, Scheppach became part of the Weinsberg Oberamt and - after the latter was abolished - came under administration of the Oberamt (and after 1936 as district) of Öhringen which itself was abolished in a territorial reform in 1972. From then on, the village was part of the Hohenlohe district and became part of Bretzfeld in 1975.
Viticulture is confirmed to take place in Scheppach since at least 1528 but has declinced since then. In the 1950's the activity completely ended.
Schwabbach
The village of Schabbach is at least a thousand years old as it was first historically mentioned in document of 1037 as "Suabbach". It belonged to the noblemen of Weinsberg until it was sold to the electoral palatinate in 1446 and was taken by Württemberg in 1504.
Siebeneich
Siebeneich was first historically documented in 1335. Throughout history, its spelling changed many times as - for example - by 1505 it was spelled "Sybenaych". The village had formed from a few individual farms that had grown together over time.
It became an independent municipality by 1836, previously being under administration of Schwabbach. In the 15th century it belonged to the noblemen of Weinsberg until it was sold to
Electoral Palatinate
The Electoral Palatinate was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire until it was annexed by the Electorate of Baden in 1803. From the end of the 13th century, its ruler was one of the Prince-electors who elected the Holy Roman Empero ...
in 1450. As a result of the
War of the Succession of Landshut
The War of the Succession of Landshut (''Landshuter Erbfolgekrieg'' in German) resulted from a dispute between the Duchies of Bavaria-Munich (''Bayern-München'' in German) and Bavaria-Landshut (''Bayern-Landshut'').
Background
George, Duk ...
in 1504 the village came under authority 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 Province of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern, two other histo ...
. There it was part of the Oberamt of Weinsberg in the district of Heilbronn from 1806. After the Weinsberg Oberamt was abolished in 1926, Siebeneich was placed into the Oberamt of Öhringen, which later became the Öhringen District. After a district reform in 1972, Siebeneich became part of the newly created
Hohenlohe district of today where it was incorporated into Bretzfeld in 1975, effectively losing its full autonomy after roughly 130 years of independence.
Today's Siebeneich is characterised by modern agriculture. Speciality crops are grown there on a large scale. The "Siebeneicher Himmelreich", a major vineyard in the south of the village, is a tourist attraction and is a popular location for hikes.
Unterheimbach
Unterheimbach, first mentioned in 1300 as ''Heinebach'', was taken by Württemberg in the early 19th century. It was previously ruled by various princes and noblemen, most notably the Lords of Heimberg. The ruins of the Heimberg Castle (today often erroneously called the ''Hellmath Ruin'') bear witness to them. Viticulture, as it is attested since at least 1537, still has major regional cultural significance.
Waldbach
''Waltbach'', was first documented in 1264 and belonged to the
Grafschaft of Löwenstein. After it was owned by the
House of Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...
for a short period of time, it was traded with the House of Hohenlohe for the village of Gerabronn in 1387. After it was taken by Württemberg, it was, like Dimberg, under administration of the Liechtenstern Monastery, after the reformation in 1534. It was later part of the following historical administrative divisions: District of Heilbronn (1806/7), Oberamt of Weinsberg (1807-?), Oberamt of Öhringen (?-1936), District of Öhringen (1938-1972). It was moved to the Hohenlohe District in 1972, where it was incorporated into Bretzfeld two years later. The village church is of cultural significance and local viticulture is attested since 1438
Waldbach is, after the ''main village'' Bretzfeld, the second biggest village of the Bretzfeld municipality.
Twin towns
* :
Budaörs
Budaörs (; ; , or ; ) is a town in Pest County, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary.
Location
A suburb of Budapest, the town lies among the Buda and Csiki hills and the Tétény plateau in the Budaörs-basin. The dramatic ''Törökugrató' ...
(since 1989)
* :
Pretzfeld
Pretzfeld is a municipality in the district of Forchheim in Bavaria in Germany.
Geography
Geographical location
The municipality is located in the south-western part of Upper Franconia, in Franconian Switzerland. The region is known for growing ...
, (since 1978, because of the similar name and a Mail-Delivery accident therefore)
References
{{Authority control
Hohenlohe (district)