Wörgl

Wörgl (German pronunciation: [ˈvœrɡəl]) is a city in the Austrian state of Tyrol, in the Kufstein district. It is 20 km (12 mi) from the international border with Bavaria, Germany.

Wörgl
Wörgl seen from the east (Grattenbergl)
Coat of arms
Location within Kufstein district
Wörgl
Location within Austria
Coordinates: 47°29′N 12°04′E
CountryAustria
StateTyrol
DistrictKufstein
Government
 • MayorHedwig Wechner
Area
 • Total19.74 km2 (7.62 sq mi)
Elevation
511 m (1,677 ft)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[2]
 • Total13,811
 • Density700/km2 (1,800/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
6300-6302
Area code043-5332
Vehicle registrationKU
Websitewww.woergl.at

Population
Historical population
YearPop.±%
18691,080—    
18801,485+37.5%
18902,319+56.2%
19003,126+34.8%
19104,232+35.4%
19234,155−1.8%
19344,196+1.0%
19394,689+11.7%
19516,247+33.2%
19616,828+9.3%
19717,937+16.2%
19818,598+8.3%
199110,041+16.8%
200110,885+8.4%
201112,645+16.2%

Transport

Wörgl is an important railway junction between the line from Innsbruck to Munich, and the inner-Austrian line to Salzburg. Its railway station has been designated as a Hauptbahnhof (German: main station) since 10 December 2006.

European route E641 connects Wörgl with Salzburg, the routes E45 and E60 (Austrian autobahn A12) pass through Wörgl.

  • Wörgl railway station in 1900
  • Wörgl railway station in 1965

History

World War II

Nearby Itter Castle was the site of one of the last European and most unusual battles of World War II. The Battle for Itter Castle was fought on 5 May 1945 by surrendered Wehrmacht troops, the United States Army, Austrian Resistance fighters and former French political prisoners against the 17th Waffen-SS Panzer Grenadier Division. The leader of the surrendered Wehrmacht troops, Major Josef Gangl, was killed during the battle and is buried in Wörgl's municipal cemetery. A street in the city is named for Gangl.

Twin cities

The Wörgl Experiment
One Schilling note with demurrage stamps from Wörgl

Wörgl was the site of the "Miracle of Wörgl" during the Great Depression. It was started on July 31, 1932, with the issuing of "Certified Compensation Bills", a form of local currency commonly known as Stamp Scrip, or Freigeld. This was an application of the monetary theories of the economist Silvio Gesell by the town's then-mayor, Michael Unterguggenberger.

The experiment resulted in a growth in employment and meant that local government projects such as new houses, a reservoir, a ski jump and a bridge could all be completed, seeming to defy the depression in the rest of the country. Inflation and deflation are also reputed to have been non-existent for the duration of the experiment.

Despite attracting great interest at the time, including from French Premier Edouard Daladier and the economist Irving Fisher,[3] the "experiment" was terminated by Austria's central bank Oesterreichische Nationalbank on September 1, 1933.[4][5]

In 2006 milestones were placed, beginning from the railroad station through the downtown, to show this history.[6]

Notable people
Wörgl, church: Stadtpfarrkriche Sankt Laurentius
Wörgl, panorama

See also

References
  1. "Dauersiedlungsraum der Gemeinden Politischen Bezirke und Bundesländer - Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. "Einwohnerzahl 1.1.2018 nach Gemeinden mit Status, Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  3. https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/serials/files/cato-journal/1991/1/cj10n3-13.pdf
  4. David Boyle, The Money Changers - Currency Reform from Aristotle to e-cash, Earthscan, 2002, ISBN 1-85383-895-0, p.237.
  5. Eric Helleiner, The Making of National Money - Territorial Currencies in Historical Perspective, Cornell University Press, 2003, ISBN 0-8014-4049-1, p.158-9.
  6. "Meilensteine - home". meilensteine.woergl.at.
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