Host Region & State

Heilbronn Franken / Hohenlohe

Statistical Facts (History)

Heilbronn-Franken is a diverse, colorful region with great natural beauty and many cultural attractions. The region is broken down into districts such as Hohenlohe, a region for bon vivants, the wine region of Heilbronn, the vacation area “Lovely Tauber Valley” or the romantic cultural area of Schwäbisch Hall. The Heilbronn-Franken region measures 4,765 m², and it is home to a population of 897,263 persons. The unemployment rate, at 3.2 % (as at April 2019), reflects the regional average, and it is significantly lower than the national average.

Hohenlohe descended from the ancient Franconian Imperial immediate noble family that belonged to the German High Nobility. The family was granted the titles of Count (in 1450) and, later, Prince. In 1806 the Princes of Hohenlohe lost their independence and their lands formed part of the Kingdoms of Bavaria and of Württemberg by the Act of the Confederation of the Rhine (12 July 1806). Until the German Revolution of 1918–19, the Princes of Hohenlohe, as other mediatized families, had important political privileges. They were considered equal by birth to the European Sovereign houses. In Bavaria, Prussia and Württemberg the Princes of Hohenlohe had hereditary right to sit in the House of Lords.

Economy

The Hohenlohe district is the granary of northeastern Baden-Württemberg. It lies around the old free city of Schwäbisch Hall and extends all the way to the borders of Bavaria at Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Large farms and numerous, often well-preserved, castles provide ample evidence of the wealth of Hohenlohe in past centuries. Furthermore, international trading companies and a solid labor structure round off the Heilbronn-Franken economic region.

This offers points of departure for innovation and productivity development in keeping with Germany’s high labor costs.

Well-known companies,such as: Aldi, AUDI, Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall, Bechtle, Berner, beyerdynamic, Bosch, Brunnen, BTI, Bürkert, Campina, Deutsches Luft- und Raumfahrtzentrum, Dieffenbacher, ebm-papst, Gebhardt Ventilatoren, GEMÜ, GETRAG, Huber Verpackungen, Hyundai Deutschland, Illig, Intersport, Kaco, Klafs, König Rennsitze, Knorr, KSPG AG, Läpple, Wilhelm Layher, Lidl & Schwarz, Mahle, Marbach, MUSTANG, Optima, Procter & Gamble, Recaro, Scheuerle Fahrzeugtechnik, Schubert, Schunk, R. Stahl, Südwestdeutsche Salzwerke, TDS, Technologietransferzentrum Lampoldshausen, Vollert, VS Vereinigte Spezialmöbelfabriken, Weinig, Würth-Gruppe, ZEAG, Ziehl-Abegg and many more have started off on their pathway to success as global players from this location.

As a region of the world market leaders, Hohenlohe in particular attracts high attention nationwide. Large companies have successfully positioned itselft on international markets. The industry focus is on the ventilator and ventilation technology, valves, measurement and control technology, as well as assembly and fastening technology.

Culture

Hohenlohe offers variety: first-class hotels and country inns, farm holidays and lake-side campgrounds, nature and culture, as well as sports and marvelous concerts during the Hohenlohe Cultural Summer.

There are also castles and the idyllic small towns that guarantee plenty to see and do whether you are a gourmet, culture or nature lover. Searching for large cities in Hohenlohe will be in vain. However, the towns in the regions are real little gems full of medieval charm captured into the picturesque scenery around the rivers Jagst and Kocher. One of the must-sees is Langenburg Castle. High above the River Jagst, this former fortress is a highlight for culture lovers, gardening enthusiasts and classis car fans. Schöntal monastery, one of Germany’s most beautiful baroque monasteries, is also worth a visit

Delicious regional specialties

  • Mohrenköpfle – the Swabian Hall swine: an old breed of domestic pig, whose head is black in color – its mutty flavor has become a best seller
  • Blooz: once considered as “poor man’s food”, the cake has numerous variations, which might be sweet or savory, depending on the ingredients used.
  • Wibele: traditional sweet biscuits originating from Langenburg. They consist of two dough balls joined together, which makes them look like a bone. And their total length is only about two centimeters.
  • Most: the secret national alcoholic drink of the people of Hohenlohe, a cider made from squeezed fruits such as apples, pears or grapes.

Fun Facts

Did you know that

  • One of the most popular cycle trails in Germany, the Kocher-Jagst cycling route follows the two rivers, offering around 200 miles/330 km of wonderful scenery. Cyclists can start at any point on this circular route.
  • Deep in the forests of the Hohenlohe plateau is the luxury Friedrichsruhe Hotel. Surrounded with a grand wooded park, the Counts of Hohenlohe’s former hunting lodge has been transformed into an oasis of tranquility, with modern comforts, such as an award-winning luxury spa, fine dining and an excellent golf course.
  • Hohenlohe is home to
    • Castle Road (Burgenstrasse)
    • Romantic Road (Romantische Straße)
    • Wuerttemberg Wine Road (Württemberger Weinstrasse)
  • Hohenlohe is pure pleasure thanks to its numerous wine festivals. But, every event in every town and village has its own character and is different. Wines and hearty snacks are inexpensive, so you will always get good value as well as lots of fun!

 

Baden-Württemberg

The sunny side of Germany

Statistical Facts

The state of Baden-Württemberg in southwestern Germany is bordered by the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and Bavaria. It also borders  France on the west, Austria and Switzerland on the south surrounding Lake Constance. The state’s capital is Stuttgart. Baden-Württemberg is the third-largest federal state with an area of 35,751 km² and 10.7 million inhabitants.

With popular tourist cities such as Heidelberg, Baden-Baden or Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg is very fortunate in having a wide variety of unspoilt nature. Regions like the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) and the Swabian Alb (Schwäbische Alb) are typical landscapes of large, contiguous woodland.

Economy

Land of inventors – Made in Baden-Württemberg

The state is characterized by strong industry and a high export ratio, which is home to internationally renowned industrial giants such as Daimler, Bosch or IBM.

Baden-Württemberg is one of the leading economic regions not only in Germany but also in Europe: Home to globally recognized corporations and thousands of successful small and medium-sized enterprises that are world market leaders in their respective product fields, the region is known for its innovative drive and inventive spirit.

As the birthplace of the automobile, around one quarter of industrial revenue is generated today in Baden-Württemberg by the automotive engineering industry and its large supplier network, closely followed by mechanical plant engineering as well as the metal and electrical industry.

Nowhere in Europe is so much money and effort invested in the invention of new products and processes. Nowhere else – relative to the population count – are more patents registered than in Baden-Württemberg. This explains the number of leading research institutions based in the region, such as Institute of Max-Planck Society, German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg, Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research just to name a few.

Culture

The state of Baden-Württemberg is one of Europe’s most romantic destinations: think Black Forest and Heidelberg, Lake Constance and fairy tale castles. Southwest Germany’s famous castles and palaces, such as Heidelberg, Ludwigsburg and Hohenzollern, have always been – and still are – a great attraction for visitors every year. Additionally, there is more to explore: Schwetzingen palace and Meersburg, as well as the fine chateaux and manor houses throughout the area, impress visitors with their not only picturesque architecture but also the cultural events and festivals staged on premise.

If you’re into art and literature, in addition to Friedrich Schiller, famous natives of Baden-Württemberg include poets and writers such as Friedrich Hölderlin, Hermann Hesse or Eduard Mörike, philosphers Georg Friedrich Wilhelm Hegel and Martin Heidegger, and painter Otto Dix, who made an important contribution to German Expressionism.

In Baden-Württemberg, we have something for every taste from the world’s finest automobile museums to award-winning vineyards, from world-class music and ballet to great hiking and cycling routes. We enjoy hot summers and crisp winters, lively springs and glorious autumns, legendary wine and beer festivals … not to forget we have the best Christmas markets!

Typical Dishes

The cuisine throughout the southwestern region of Germany is delicious, with culinary delights from every palate. There is a wide range of dishes and cooking styles … something for everyone, in fact.

Good things to eat include:

  • Brezeln (pretzels)
  • Käsespätzle (like macaroni cheese)
  • Flammkuchen (a quiche-like onion and bacon tart)
  • Maultaschen (Swabian ravioli, filled with minced meet, onions, spinach)
  • Rostbraten (steak and onions, with a red wine sauce)
  • Schwarzwälder Schinken (cured, smoked ham)
  • Ofenschlupfer (apple pie)
  • Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black forest cake: chocolate, cream, cherries)

Fun Facts

Did you know that

  • “We can do anything. Except speak proper German” is the tongue-in-cheek slogan of Baden-Württemberg.
  • Stuttgart is the home and birthplace of the petrol-powered motorcar (Mercedes-Benz). Pioneering engineers Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz were born near Stuttgart. Benz is credited with creating the first 3-wheeled, purpose-built motorcar. “Benzin” the German word for petrol, is consequently named after him.
  • The local speciality, “Maultaschen”, have a rather unscrupulous history: the monks from the Maulbronn monastery wanted to eat meat during the Lent fasting period and hid the meat in the vegetarian filling of the Maultasche in the hope that by sneaking it under the pastry cover, God wouldn’t notice.
  • The “Kehrwoche” imposes duties on individual households regarding order and cleanliness inside the common property such as apartment blocks. Every week the sign is passed on to the next household in the building whom then must clean the common areas – no getting out of it!
  • The “Besenwirtschaft” (directly translated as “broom pub”) is a wine tavern, which the local winefarmers open up once a month for a couple of days. It got its name as the farmers put out a broom and a red lamp outside in order to show that it’s open.