Alheim

Alheim is a community in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany. It is named after nearby Alheimer Mountain. Alheim consist of 10 former souverain villages situated on both banks of the river Fulda.

Alheim
Coat of arms
Location of Alheim within Hersfeld-Rotenburg district
NentershausenPhilippsthalFriedewaldNeuensteinKirchheim
Alheim
Alheim
Coordinates: 51°2′54″N 09°40′1″E
CountryGermany
StateHesse
Admin. regionKassel
DistrictHersfeld-Rotenburg
Subdivisions10 districts
Government
  MayorGeorg Lüdtke (SPD)
Area
  Total63.83 km2 (24.64 sq mi)
Elevation
190 m (620 ft)
Population
 (2019-12-31)[1]
  Total4,922
  Density77/km2 (200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
36211
Dialling codes06623,
05664 (Heinebach)
Vehicle registrationHEF
Websitewww.alheim.de

Geography

Location

The community lies in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district some 35 km southeast of Kassel and a few kilometres northwest of Rotenburg an der Fulda. It stretches along both banks of the Fulda into the Knüllgebirge (range) and the Stölzinger Gebirge. In this latter range the community’s landmark can be found, the 549 m-high Alheimer.

Constituent communities

Alheim’s Ortsteile are Baumbach (founded before 1003), Erdpenhausen, Hergershausen, Licherode, Niederellenbach, Niedergude (founded before 960), Oberellenbach, Obergude (founded before 960), Sterkelshausen (founded before 1003) and Heinebach.

The population is some 5,300, of whom more than 2,500 live in Heinebach, the biggest of the ten constituent communities and Alheim’s economic hub.

Neighbouring communities

Alheim borders in the north on the community of Morschen and the town of Spangenberg (both in the Schwalm-Eder-Kreis), in the east on the town of Rotenburg an der Fulda, in the south on the community of Ludwigsau (both in Hersfeld-Rotenburg) and in the west on the community of Knüllwald (in the Schwalm-Eder-Kreis).

Politics

Community council

The municipal election held on 26 March 2006 yielded the following results:

Parties and voter communities %
2006
Seats
2006
%
2001
Seats
2001
CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany 46.6 13 42.3 13
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany 48.3 13 51.9 16
FDP Free Democratic Party 5.1 1 5.8 2
Total 100.0 27 100.0 31
Voter turnout in % 68.0 70.5

Mayor

The last mayoral elections yielded the following results:

Year Candidates Party %
Result
2008 Georg Lüdtke SPD 65.6
Michael Werner FDP 8.4
Lothar Schäfer 26.0
Voter turnout in % 70.2
2002(1) Georg Lüdtke SPD 52.1
Friedhelm Diegel CDU 47.9
Voter turnout in % 76.9
Year Candidates Party %
Result
2002 Georg Lüdtke SPD 45.6
Lothar Schäfer 21.8
Friedhelm Diegel CDU 32.6
Voter turnout in % 87.7
1996 Georg Lüdtke SPD 53.2
Reiner Baum CDU 46.8
Voter turnout in % 79.9

In the last mayoral election on 14 September 2008, the incumbent mayor Georg Lüdtke (SPD) was reëlected with 65.6% of the vote against independent Lothar Schäfer, who got 26.0%, and Michael Werner (FDP), who got 8.4%.

Town partnerships

The partnership actually began in 1971 when one came into being between Heinebach, now Alheim’s biggest centre, and Pulle, which has since become part of Zandhoven.

Municipal area’s development

Establishment

Within the framework of municipal reform, the villages named above were merged into the new community of Alheim on 1 August 1972.

Culture and sightseeing

Alheimer-Turm

Walking loops, each based on a theme, have been built. Foremost among these are the mining history learning and adventure path (Bergbauhistorischer Lern- und Erlebnispfad), the water adventure path (Wassererlebnispfad) and the cultural history hiking loop (kulturhistorischer Rundwanderweg)

A popular outing or hiking destination is the Alheimer-Turm (tower) on the like-named mountain in the Stölzinger Gebirge.

Buildings

  • The churches in some of the community’s centres have been preserved with their mediaeval defensive walls.
  • On the Heineberg, remains of a wall are preserved stemming from fortifications built in the 8th or 10th century. During digs in 1974, an early mediaeval church’s foundation was unearthed.

Famous people

  • Franz Christian Gundlach, fashion photographer and curator (b. 1926 in Heinebach)
  • Manfred Siebald, Christian songwriter (b. 1948 in Baumbach)

References

  1. "Bevölkerungsstand am 31.12.2019". Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt (in German). July 2020.
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