Melsungen


Melsungen is a small climatic spa town in the Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse, Germany. In 1987, the town hosted the 27th Hessentag state festival.

Geography

Melsungen lies on the river Fulda in the North Hesse Highlands. The streams Pfieffe and Kehrenbach, flow into the Fulda in the town. A few kilometres downstream, the river Eder confluences into the Fulda.

Location

The nearest large towns are Kassel and Bad Hersfeld.

Constituent communities

Melsungen comprises several smaller communities. In addition to the main community, which is also called Melsungen, there are seven communities named Adelshausen, Günsterode, Kehrenbach, Kirchhof, Obermelsungen, Röhrenfurth and Schwarzenberg.

History

Historical records of the town date from 802, but it was likely settled much earlier, during the Hallstatt period.

Middle Ages

Melsungen had developed into a small town by 1189. The town's coat of arms also originated at this time.
In the course of its history, Melsungen often changed hands. The fiercest fighting over the town was between the Archbishops of Mainz and the Landgraves of Hesse and Thuringia.
Melsungen achieved its importance from its location at the crossroads of three mediaeval trade routes, the Sälzerweg, running east–west; the Nürnberger Straße, running north–south; and Durch die langen Hessen.

Modern Age

In 1554, a fire destroyed parts of the heart of town. In 1637, during the Thirty Years' War, the constituent community of Günsterode was laid waste.
From 1821 to 1974, Melsungen was an administrative centre and an independent district seat, until the Melsungen district was combined with the neighbouring Fritzlar-Homberg and Ziegenhain districts.
The town's 14,000 or so inhabitants call themselves Bartenwetzer.

Coat of arms

The old seal and today's civic coat of arms have their roots in the late 12th century. Heraldically, the arms might be described thus: In azure a town gate and tower argent – with roof gules surmounted by two finials or – flanked by crenellated town walls argent.
The town's official blazon describes the roof as "tile-red" – not truly "gules". The arms can be traced back to 1577.

Politics

Town council consists of 37 members. Following the municipal elections held on 26 March 2006, the seats were apportioned thus:
The town executive consists of six councillors and the mayor. Four of these seats are held by the SPD, and one seat each by the CDU and FDP.
On 28 November 2004, Dieter Runzheimer was elected mayor with a 62.8% share of the vote. He took office on 1 March 2005.

Places of interest

Regular events

The town lies on Autobahn A 7. Federal Highway B 83 runs through Melsungen and Bundesstraßen B 253 and B 487 both begin here.
Melsungen lies on the Kassel—Bebra—Fulda railway line and belongs to the North Hesse Transport Network. In May 2006 the RegioTram line RT5 began. It directly connects Melsungen with downtown Kassel. The line ends at present where the Melsungen-Süd return loop is still not finished. Further stations are being built at Melsungen-Schwarzenberg und Melsungen-Bartenwetzerbrücke.

Economy

Melsungen is home to the firm of B. Braun Melsungen, which has a €3,500,000,000 yearly turnover, and about 35,100 employees worldwide.

Notable people

Melsungen has partnerships with the following towns:
There is also a "friendship" with the Berlin community of Spandau.