Wolfach () is a town in the Black Forest and part of the Ortenaukreis in Baden-Württemberg (Germany). It is a well-known spa town.
Geography
Geographical position
Wolfach lies where the two rivers Wolf and Kinzig meet in the Kinzig valley. The mixture of valleys and mountains is a characteristic of the town, which stretches between 250 and 880 m above sea level.
District villages within the borough of Wolfach include Kirnbach, Halbmeil, Kinzigtal, and St. Roman.
History
The exact foundation year of Wolfach is not known. The history of the town Wolfach can be traced back to the year 1084, although some finding even point back to the Roman times.
On April 21, 1945, before fleeing the city, the Gestapo took the French resistants and political prisoners held in the prison of Wolfach to a forest outside of the town, forced them to dig their own graves, and shot them on the spot, just three hours before the arrival of the French 2nd Armored Division commanded by General Leclerc.
Tourism
Wolfach hotels and bed & breakfast places have an occupancy rate of 128,000 nights each year (year 2000).
Government
City council
In the past years the city council consisted of:
Mayors
1811–1820: Johann Georg Neef
1820–1829: Xavery Duppele
1829–1834: Dr. Duttlinger
1834–1839: Johann Baptist Baur
1839–1861: Joseph Bührer
1861–1874: Johann Georg Armbruster
1874–1880: Hermann Vogt
1880–1900: Friedrich Armbruster, (son of J. G. Armbruster) 1900–1909: Bruno Burger 1909–1918: Karl Friedrich Armbruster, (son of F. Armbruster) 1918–1925: Gustav Bulacher 1925–1936: August Hämmerle, (from 1933 NSDAP) 1937–1941: Adolf Oehler (NSDAP), Oehler was since 1929 NSDAP-member, joined in 1940 the Waffen-SS and died in 1941 as a soldier 1941–1945: Alfred Albanus 1945: Max Vivell, (gave the town to the commander of the marching in French troops) 1945–1946: Johannes Faißt (temporarily) 1946–1951: Hans Allgeier (1891–1951) 1951–1978: Arthur Martin (1911–1999) 1978–1991: Hans-Peter Züfle 1992–2014: Gottfried Moser since 2015: Thomas Geppert
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of the town of Wolfach displays a golden wolf's hook rod on a blue background and is based on the "Wolfsangel" banner from the "Herren von Wolfach" (Lords of Wolfach) who established their control on the town in 1260. It is believed that they adopted the wolf trap sign as their banner having cleared the area of wolves to establish the town.
International relations
Wolfach is twinned with: Cavalaire-sur-Mer, France Richfield, Ohio Kreuzlingen, Switzerland
Culture and sights
Swabian-Alemannic Carnival
Wolfach is said to be one of the towns rich in tradition of the Swabian-Alemannic Fastnacht.
Buildings
Fürstenberg castle
Fortress ruin Alt-Wolfach
Town Hall
St. Laurentius Roman Catholic Church
Parks
Kurgarten
Flößerpark
Kinziganlagen
Regular events
Swabian-Alemannic Carnival (Fastnacht) City Fountain Festival (Stadtbrunnenfest) Biker-Weekend Long Table (Lange Tafel) Flößerfest Open-Air Rockfest Moosenmättle Butchers Festival of the Fire Department (Schlachtfest der Freiwilligen Feuerwehr) Wolfach Autumn (Wolfacher Herbst)
Past events
From 2 September 1968 to 12 September 1968, World Constitutional Convention sessions were held at Wolfach after six days of sessions at Interlaken.
Glass blowing
The Dorotheenhütte glass blowing workshop is the last active glassworks using traditional methods in the Black Forest. The glasses are manufactured, i.e. they are blown, cut and engraved, in front of the visitors.
Notable people
Natives
Ernst Bassermann (1854-1917), lawyer and politician, member of Reichstag
Hans Klumbach (1904–1992), archaeologist and scholar of classical and provincial Roman studies Sylvia Wetzel (born 1949), Buddhist feminist Marco Horácio (born 1974), popular comedian on Portuguese television Thomas Dold (born 1984), athlete Markus Steuerwald (born 1989), volleyball player
People who are connected to the town
Gustav Trunk (1871–1936), politician, member of the German Centre Party; lived in Wolfach from 1897 to 1900 as beadle Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer (1896–1969), racial hygienist in the Third Reich; lived in Wolfach between 1898 and 1909, where he visited school