Waiblingen

Waiblingen (German pronunciation: [ˈvaɪblɪŋən]) is a town in the southwest of Germany, located in the center of the densely populated Stuttgart region, directly neighboring Stuttgart. It is the capital and largest city of the Rems-Murr district. As of 31 December 2018, Waiblingen had 55,449 inhabitants (27,334 men and 28,115 women).

Waiblingen
Waiblingen
Coat of arms
Location of Waiblingen
Waiblingen
Waiblingen
Coordinates: 48°49′49″N 09°19′01″E
CountryGermany
StateBaden-Württemberg
Admin. regionStuttgart
DistrictRems-Murr-Kreis
Government
 • MayorAndreas Hesky (Ind.)
Area
 • Total42.76 km2 (16.51 sq mi)
Elevation
230 m (750 ft)
Population
 (2019-12-31)[1]
 • Total55,604
 • Density1,300/km2 (3,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
71331–71336
Dialling codes07151, 07146
Vehicle registrationWN, BK
Websitewww.waiblingen.de

As of December 31, 2004, the area of the town (including all external properties, such as forests) was 42.76 km2 (16.51 sq mi).

History

Waiblingen was first mentioned in Carolingian documents in 885 at the time of Charles the Fat. It received its town charter in 1250.

Waiblingen was the property of the Salian kings, from whom the Hohenstaufen dukes and kings inherited it. It is intimately tied to the conflict between Guelphs and Ghibellines in the 12th and 13th century. During the Siege of Weinsberg in 1140, the Hohenstaufens of Swabia (led by Conrad III of Germany) used "Wibellingen" - a version of the town name - as their rallying cry; "Wibellingen" subsequently became Ghibellino in Italian.[2]

The town was almost completely destroyed in 1634 during the Thirty Years' War, when Imperial and Spanish troops sacked the city after the Battle of Nördlingen. Fires raged for more than a week, and most of Waiblingen's citizens were killed or had to flee. Rebuilding only began four years after this catastrophe; the existing old central part of the town dates back to the years between 1640 and 1700. Its fortifications are now well restored.

Incorporation

The following towns were incorporated into Waiblingen:

Economy

Waiblingen houses the principal office of the world's biggest chainsaw manufacturer, Stihl. Engineering and technology multinational Robert Bosch GmbH has two factories in the city producing polymer and packaging technology.

It is also the location for the letter processing center for the Stuttgart region of the Deutsche Post.

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Waiblingen is twinned with:[3]

Notable people
  • Winfried Walz
  • Manfred Wundram

Honorary citizens
  • 1883: Dr. med. Gustav Pfeilsticker
  • 1907: Ferdinand Küderli
  • 1930: Theodor Kaiser
  • 1932: Friedrich Schofer
  • 1934: Albert Roller
  • 1953: Emil Münz
  • 1967: Alfred Diebold
  • 1968: Adolf Bauer
  • 1997: Dr. Ulrich Gauß
  • 1997: Hans Peter Stihl (*1932, Stuttgart), a German industrialist (Stihl)
  • 1997: Albrecht Villinger

References
  1. "Bevölkerung nach Nationalität und Geschlecht am 31. Dezember 2019". Statistisches Landesamt Baden-Württemberg (in German). September 2020.
  2. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Guelphs and Ghibellines" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 668–669.
  3. "Städtepartnerschaften". waiblingen.de (in German). Waiblingen. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  4. official site

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