Birkenau in the Odenwald is a municipality in the Bergstraße district in southern Hesse, Germany. Its nickname is Das Dorf der Sonnenuhren – “The Sundial Village”.
The community lies in the Weschnitz valley in the Odenwald some 25 km north of Heidelberg and about 20 km northeast of Mannheim. It is on Bundesstraße 38, and the river Weschnitz flows through it. The land is hilly, green and dotted with horse farms and forests.
Birkenau's Ortsteile are Birkenau, Buchklingen, Hornbach, Kallstadt, Löhrbach, Nieder-Liebersbach, Reisen and Schnorrenbach.
Climate
Owing to its location near the Bergstraße, a mild climate prevails in Birkenau, which can often be seen in what for Germany is a very early blossoming of almond trees.
History
Schloss Birkenau
Birkenau had its first documentary mention in 795 in the Lorsch Codex as a cell of the Lorsch Abbey. As one of the Abbey's holdings, it passed into the ownership of the Archbishopric of Mainz in 1232. The centres of Hornbach and Balzenbach, on the other hand, belonged to the Electorate of the Palatinate, meaning that after the Reformation, they belonged to different denominations. In 1532 the town hall was built, and in 1771 the palace, Schloss Birkenau, of the Lords of Wambolt von Umstadt. By 1964, the population had grown to more than 5,000. In 1967 the community was recognized as a recreational resort (Erholungsort) and in 1979 as an open-air resort (Luftkurort). Owing to the only slight tourism, however, it has not reapplied for this designation. In 1995, Birkenau celebrated its 1,200-year jubilee.
Politics
Old Town Hall
Community council
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (July 2021)
The municipal election held on 26 March 2006 yielded the following results:
The community's arms might be described thus: Gules an uprooted birch tree overlaid with a wall anchor argent.
What the arms, whose charges can be partly traced in tithing seals and boundary stones back to the 16th century, mean is unclear. The charge that the German blazon describes as a “wall anchor” (Maueranker) is not accepted as such by everyone, with some saying it could have been meant to be taken as a weaver's reel. With a document from 22 July 1926, the interior minister of the People's State of Hesse granted the community the right to bear these arms.
Economy and infrastructure
Tourism
In the Birkenau constituent community of Schnorrenbach there used to be a winter sport area with a 450 m-long downhillskiing slope and a ski lift. In summer, grass skiing was possible. Floodlights have also been installed. The ski lift has stopped operating in 2020.[3]
Until 1999, Bundesstraße 38 ran through Birkenau. With the opening of the Saukopftunnel, this road's route has been effectively shifted out of the community; the “old B 38” is now the Landesstraße 3408.
Historic town hall (1552 – the oldest in Kreis Bergstraße) with pillory and ellwand
Schloss Birkenau, a Baroque palatial residence with the palace park of the Baron of Wamboldt
Dorf der Sonnenuhren, the “Sundial Village”, with more than 100 sundials
Sonnenuhrenschule Birkenau, a primary school
Nature
Around Birkenau are several nature conservation areas and a considerable number of hiking paths. These are found on the one hand in the woods around Birkenau, but on the other hand, the Höhenweg (“Height Way”, European walking route E1, plateau path between Birkenau and Reisen), for example, is also worth visiting, as there is a striking view over Birkenau and Nieder-Liebersbach.
In Birkenau's woods it is not uncommon to see local wildlife, such as deer, various birds, hares, and so on. Here and there, foxholes are also to be found.
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