Eppelheim 5497980 207196991 2008-04-21T20:19:05Z Liftarn 5861 png -> svg {{Infobox German Location |Name = <!-- Only when different from the article name --> |German_name = <!-- Only when different from the English name --> |Art = <!-- Location type: Stadt, Amt, Samtgemeinde, city... --> |image_photo = Mh HSB MGT6D 272 in eppelheim.jpg |imagesize = <!-- Photo size. Default is 250px --> |image_caption = Streetcar in Eppelheim |Wappen = Eppelheim Wappen.svg |Wappengröße = <!-- Size of COA imageOnly if smaller than 140 --> |lat_deg = 49 | lat_min = 24 | lat_sec = 0 |lon_deg = 8 | lon_min = 38 | lon_sec = 0 |Karte = <!-- Only when the automatic locator (needs co-ordinates) does not work --> |Lageplan = <!-- Image displaying location in more detail (eg. location within state or district --> |Lageplanbeschreibung = <!-- Description of image "Lageplan" Default: "Location of XX" --> |Bundesland = Baden-Württemberg |Regierungsbezirk = Karlsruhe |Landkreis = Rhein-Neckar-Kreis |Kreis = <!-- Only in NRW und SH or "urban" if a Kreisfreie Stadt --> |Amt = <!-- Only for Gemeinden that belong to a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft --> |Gemeindeverwaltungsverband = |Samtgemeinde = |Verbandsgemeinde = |Verwaltungsgemeinschaft = |Verwaltungsverband = |Höhe = 110 |Fläche = 5.7 |Einwohner = 14357 |Stand = 2005-12-31 |pop_source = <!-- Weblink for population source, just the web address (no wikiformatting) --> |PLZ = 69208–69214 |PLZ-alt = 6904 |Vorwahl = 06221 |Kfz = HD |Gemeindeschlüssel = 08 2 26 018 |NUTS = <!-- NUTS value: DEXXX - WILL NOT BE DISPLAYED --> |LOCODE = <!-- UN/LOCODE value: "DE XXX" - WILL NOT BE DISPLAYED --> |Gliederung = <!-- Subdivisions within location (e.g. "XX [[Ortsteil]]e" or "[[Stadtbezirk]]e") --> |Straße = <!-- Street and house number of the local administration - WILL NOT BE DISPLAYED --> |Adresse = Schulstraße 2<br />69214 Eppelheim |Adresse-Verband = <!-- Only for Gemeinden that belong to a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft - WILL NOT BE DISPLAYED --> |Website = [http://www.eppelheim.de/ www.eppelheim.de] |Bürgermeister = Dieter Mörlein |Bürgermeistertitel = <!-- Only when different from [[Bürgermeister]] --> |Partei = no party |ruling_party1 = <!-- Leading political party currently in power - give abbreviations --> |ruling_party2 = <!-- 2nd ruling political party - give abbreviations --> |ruling_party3 = <!-- 3rd ruling political party - give abbreviations --> |year = <!-- Year founded (not "year of first recorded mention"), no wikilinking. Give a year, a decade or a century. Places article in "Category: XXXX establishments" --> |_noautocat = no }} '''Eppelheim''' is a city in northern [[Baden-Württemberg]] bordering to [[Heidelberg]]. It belongs to the district [[Rhein-Neckar-Kreis]]. ==Geography== ===Location and neighboring communities=== Eppelheim is situated in the valley of the [[Upper Rhine]] southwest of the hills of the [[Odenwald]] and directly on the [[Bundesautobahn 5]]. The location of the city within the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis is almost completely surrounded by the urban district of Heidelberg. Eppelheim borders the Heidelberg boroughs of Wieblingen in the North, Pfaffengrund in the East, and Kirchheim in the South. To the West lies the municipality of [[Plankstadt]], also within the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis. Another center in the Rhein-Neckar metropolitan region is Mannheim, about 20 km northwest of Eppelheim. ===Boroughs=== Eppelheim does not have any boroughs, but locals orient on the directions of the compass and refer to the parts of the city that way. For example, northeast Eppelheim. However, there are no exact demarkations. ==History== Archaeological finds from the [[neolithic]], the [[bronze age]], the [[iron age]], and the early [[middle ages]] indicate that the area where the city is located was inhabited by people for a long time. Eppelheim was first mentioned in historical documents pertaining to a grant in the year 770 in the [[Lorsch codex]] under the name ''Ebbelenheim''. From the 11th century Eppelheim was a typical small village of the [[Electoral Palatinate]]. The number of inhabitants remained continuously under 150 up until the 18th century. Among the reasons for this was the destruction of Eppelheim in 1689. The village, like so many others in the area, was burned down by [[France|French]] troops on 28 January during the [[War of the Grand Alliance]]. Eppelheim was rebuilt and experienced a steady increase in population. In the 20th century the population boomed. The population went from 2644 in 1905 to 13,904 in 1997. The people of Eppelheim chose masonry as a career more than the average German in the 20th century. In 1908 there were over 400. Eppelheim is known in the region as a mason community. In 1998 Eppelheim was elevated to city status by the State of Baden-Württemberg. ==Government== ===Municipal council=== The municipal council of the city of Eppelheim has 22 members. They carry the title ''Stadträtin/Stadtrat'' (city councilor ''female/male''). {| border=0 |- bgcolor=#FFFFFF |- bgcolor=#CCDDEE | colspan=6 align=center | Municipal Council 13 June 2004 |- bgcolor=#CCDDEE |Party||Votes||Seats |- bgcolor=#DDEEFF |[[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|CDU]] ||align=right | %||align=right | 10 |- bgcolor=#DDEEFF |[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]] ||align=right | %||align=right | 6 |- bgcolor=#DDEEFF |[[Alliance '90/The Greens|Green]] ||align=right | %||align=right | 4 |- bgcolor=#DDEEFF |[[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]]||align=right | %||align=right | 1 |- bgcolor=#DDEEFF |FWG (''Freie Wähler Gemeinschaft'')||align=right | %||align=right | 1 |- bgcolor=#CCDDEE | colspan=6 align=center | Voter Participation: % |} ===Coat of arms=== The coat of arms in its current form was introduced in 1900. It is based on a lost seal from 1689. The coat of arms matches [[inescutcheon]] of the old coat of arms of the Electoral Palatine, which refers to the honor of the counts palatine of the Rhine. The flag is yellow and red and was awarded by the Ministry of State in 1959. ===Sister cities=== * [[Image:Flag of Germany.svg|25px]] [[Wilthen]] ([[Saxony]]), since 1989 * [[Image:Flag of France.svg|25px]] [[Dammarie-lès-Lys]] ([[France]]), since 1996 Friendly contacts have been established with the following cities: * [[Image:Flag of Hungary.svg|25px]] [[Vértesacsa]] ([[Hungary]]) * [[Image:Flag of Italy.svg|25px]] [[Montebelluna]] ([[Italy]]) == Economy and infrastructure == === Businesses === The largest employer in Eppelheim is the [[Wild (company)|Rudolf-Wild-Werke]] in the southern part of the city with about 1400 workers. The tax on the company's business is an important factor in determining the city budget. === Transportation === Eppelheim is directly on the [[Bundesautobahn 5]] and has access through the Heidelberg/Schwetzingen exit. The city is connected to the neighboring university city, Heidelberg by the well travelled streetcar line 22. The streetcar is run by the [[Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr]] GmbH (RNV). The connection leads to other public transit opportunities. Bus line 713 connects to Schwetzingen via Plankstadt. Intracity connections are offered by Eppelheim's bus line 732, run by [[Busverkehr Rhein-Neckar]] GmbH as the so called ''City-Bus''. ==Notable natives== ===Honorary citizens=== The year awarded is given: *2006: [[Hans-Peter Wild]], entrepreneur *2003: Hans Stephan, educational administrator *2001: Inge Burck ==External links== * (German) [http://www.eppelheim.de/ Official website] * (German) [http://www.eppele.de/ Private website about Eppelheim] * (German) [http://www.condor-airpictures.de/web-3b-eppelheim.html Condor Airpictures] Aerial photos of Eppelheim and other cities. ==References== *{{de|Eppelheim}} {{Cities and towns in Rhein-Neckar (district)}} [[Category:Towns in Baden-Württemberg]] [[de:Eppelheim]] [[eo:Eppelheim]] [[it:Eppelheim]] [[nl:Eppelheim]] [[pl:Eppelheim]] [[ro:Eppelheim]] [[ru:Эппельхайм]] [[vo:Eppelheim]]