Ringgau

Ringgau is a community in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis in Hesse, Germany.

Ringgau
Coat of arms
Location of Ringgau within Werra-Meißner-Kreis district
Ringgau
Ringgau
Coordinates: 51°05′N 10°04′E
CountryGermany
StateHesse
Admin. regionKassel
DistrictWerra-Meißner-Kreis
Subdivisions7 districts
Government
 • MayorKlaus Fissmann
Area
 • Total66.81 km2 (25.80 sq mi)
Elevation
379 m (1,243 ft)
Population
 (2019-12-31)[1]
 • Total2,871
 • Density43/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
37296
Dialling codes05658, 05659
Vehicle registrationESW
Websitewww.ringgau.de

Geography

Location

The community of Ringgau lies in the like-named low mountain range some 11 km (as the crow flies) south of Eschwege between the Hoher Meißner and the Thuringian Forest.

Neighbouring communities

Ringgau borders in the north on the communities of Wehretal und Weißenborn (both in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis), in the east on the Thuringian community of Ifta (Wartburgkreis), in the south on the community of Herleshausen and in the west on the town of Sontra (both in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis).

Constituent communities

The community’s Ortsteile are Datterode, Grandenborn, Lüderbach, Netra (administrative seat), Renda, Rittmannshausen and Röhrda.

History

Until the 13th century the area was Thuringian, but then changed hands several times in the Thuringian-Hessian War of Succession between Hesse and Thuringia before it ended up in Hesse’s hands permanently in 1436. The Boyneburg right nearby drew both emperors and kings as an Imperial castle, along with whom came many a knight and trooper over these fields. Not least of all, the road through the Netra valley afforded an important connection from Leipzig to Frankfurt, and was well known by the name of die langen Hessen.

Founding of the community

On 31 December 1971, the communities of Netra, Grandenborn, Lüderbach, Renda and Rittmannshausen merged into the greater community of Ringgau. Datterode and Röhrda, which had merged to form the greater community of Netratal in 1972, were integrated into Ringgau at the beginning of 1974.

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 23.3 5 23.5 5
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany 42.8 10 47.2 11
ÜWG Überparteiliche Wählergemeinschaft 33.9 8 29.4 7
Total 100.0 23 100.0 23
Voter turnout in % 65.2 73.4

Mayors
  • 1974–1995 Herbert Grüneberg
  • 1995–2006 Helmut Jakob
  • 2006–     Klaus Fissmann

Coat of arms

The community’s arms might be described thus: A bend wavy argent, above gules an oak twig with three acorns and two leaves Or, below azure three ears of grain on one stem of the last.[2]

The German blazon does not mention what kind of grain the latter charge represents.

The coat of arms was approved on 17 May 1977 by the Hessian Interior Minister.

Culture and sightseeing

Museums
  • Boyneburg- und Heimatstube des Heimatverein Datterode e. V. (Boyneburg castle and local history)

Buildings
  • Moated palace in the constituent community of Netra
  • Boyneburg castle ruins
  • Berliner Turm, lookout tower above Datterode
  • Acht-Mühlen-Brunnen (“Eight-Mill Spring”) and the eight mills (Röhrda)
  • Watchtower of the former Observation Post India near Lüderbach
  • Abandoned church near Harmutshausen (Datterode)
  • Schloss Lüderbach (Lüderbach)
  • Memorial (Datterode)
  • Schloss Röhrda (Röhrda)

Regular events

On Ascension Day, a folk festival with church service by the minister from Datterode and the traditional giving of bread by the Lords of Boyneburg take place at the Boyneburg (castle, now in ruins).

In Datterode at Whitsun, an outdoor team handball tournament has been held since 1992 by SG Datterode/Röhrda, in which more than 100 teams from across the country, of both sexes and all age groups, take part.

In all other constituent communities, a yearly tent kermis is staged.

Economy and infrastructure

Transport

Through Bundesstraße 7 (Kassel–Eisenach), which runs right through the community, Ringgau is linked to the highway network.

References
  1. "Bevölkerungsstand am 31.12.2019". Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt (in German). July 2020.
  2. „Das Wappen der Gemeinde Ringgau führt im durch einen silbernen schrägrechten Wellenbalken geteilten Schild oben in Rot einen goldenen Eichenbruch mit drei Eicheln und zwei Blättern, unten in Blau drei goldene Ähren auf einem Halm.“ Hessischer Staatsanzeiger Nr. 23/1977 S. 1147 auf heimatverein-datterode.de
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