Mauer (Baden)


Mauer is a village in south western Germany. It is located between Heidelberg and Sinsheim in the Rhein-Neckar district in the state of Baden-Württemberg.
On 1 June 2012, John Ehret took office as mayor. He is the first black mayor in Baden-Württemberg and thought to be the first black mayor in Germany in modern times.

Geography

Mauer is located at an altitude of 130-240 m, and covers an area of 630 hectares. Of this area, 22.8% is covered by settlements, roads and paved areas, 55.3% is agricultural, and 18.6% is forested. Adjacent municipalities are, starting in the north and moving clockwise, Wiesenbach, Meckesheim, Wiesloch, Leimen and Bammental.

Religion

In 1522, the Reformation was introduced into Mauer; probably by Franz von Sickingen. Today it hosts both an evangelical and a Roman Catholic church community.

Geology/Archaeology

Mauer is the location where the first remains of Homo heidelbergensis were found. The remains, a jaw, were discovered in 1907 in the local sand quarry by Daniel Hartmann, a worker there. The sandpit remained active for some time, and the original resting place of the remains no longer exists. However, the sandpit is now a nature park, and the sedimentary layers corresponding to those of the original find can be viewed on a 25 meter high section.

Persons of Interest

Honored Citizens