Baumholder

[[File:Baumholder - Ort im Hunsrück.png|thumb|Baumholder in the Hunsrück]] [[File:Baumholder - Ort im Hunsrück.png|250px|Baumholder in the Hunsrück]]

== Town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany == [[Baumholder]] (German pronunciation: {{IPA|[baʊmˈhɔldɐ]}}) is a [[town]] in the [[Birkenfeld (district)]] [[district]] in [[Rhineland-Palatinate]], [[Germany]], in the [[Westrich]], an historic region that encompasses areas in both [[Germany]] and [[France]]. The town of Baumholder is the administrative seat of the like‑named [[Verbandsgemeinde]], a state‑recognised tourism resort and, according to state planning, a [[Central_place_theory|central place]].

== Show map of Germany == {{Location map|Germany|lat=49.6125|lon=7.3347|zoom=7|caption=Baumholder within Germany}}

== Show map of Rhineland-Palatinate == {{Location map|Rhineland-Palatinate|lat=49.6125|lon=7.3347|zoom=7|caption=Baumholder within Rhineland-Palatinate}}

== Coordinates == {{Coord|49|36|45|N|7|20|05|E|display=inline,title}}

== Location of Baumholder within Birkenfeld district == [[File:Location of Baumholder within Birkenfeld district.svg|thumb|Location of Baumholder within Birkenfeld district]] [[File:Location of Baumholder within Birkenfeld district.svg|250px|Location of Baumholder within Birkenfeld district]]

== Location of Baumholder == [[File:Baumholder - Ort im Hunsrück.png|thumb|Baumholder]] [[File:Baumholder - Ort im Hunsrück.png|250px|Baumholder]]

== Coat of arms == {{Coat of arms|Germany}} [[Coat of arms of Baumholder|{{Coat of arms|Baumholder}}]] The German blazon reads: {{Quote|Das Wappen der Stadt Baumholder zeigt im silbernen Schilde einen aus grünem Dreiberg aufwachsenden grün belaubten Holder- (Holunder-) baum. Neben dem Stamm desselben erscheint an nach außen gebogenen grünen Stielen rechts und links je eine vergrößerte, naturfarbene (weiße) Blüte des Holderbaums. Auf dem Schilde ruht die dreitürmige steinfarbene Mauerkrone.}} The town’s [[Coat of arms|arms]] might in English [[Heraldry|heraldic]] language be described thus: {{Quote|Argent issuant from a mount of three vert in base an elder tree leafed of the same between two elder blossoms proper, also issuant from the mount, the dexter with stem embowed to dexter and the sinister with stem embowed to sinister, the shield ensigned with a mural crown with three towers masoned and embattled proper.}} The arms were designed in 1907 by the Berlin heraldic artist Prof. Hildebrandt, and go back to town seals and arms borne in the 16th and 17th centuries. The arms have been borne since 8 February 1909 when they were approved, with a signature on the [[Watercolor painting|watercolour]] original, by [[Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Wilhelm II]], [[German Emperor|German Emperor]].

== Town partnerships == [[Baumholder]] fosters partnerships with the following places:

• [[Warcq,_Ardennes]], [[Ardennes (department)]], [[France]], since the 1960s
• [[Delaware,_Ohio]], [[Ohio]], [[United States]], since 13 May 2011

== Culture and sightseeing == === Buildings === The following are listed buildings or sites in [[Rhineland-Palatinate]]’s Directory of Cultural Monuments:

• [[Evangelical Church in Germany]] parish church, Kirchstraße 19 – [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] [[aisleless church|aisleless church]], 1748–1750, architect Friedrich Hartmann Koch, Kusel; west tower [[Late Gothic|Late Gothic]] architecture
• [[Saint Simon|Saint Simon]]’s and [[Saint Jude|Saint Jude]]’s [[Catholic Church]] (Pfarrkirche St. Simon und Judas Thaddäus), Hinterm Turm/corner of Hinter Haselweg – [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] [[hall church|hall church]], 1882–1885, architect P. Kontzen, [[Deggendorf]], [[Bavaria]]
• [[Town fortifications]] – built in the 16th century, only two towers preserved:
  • [[Dicker Turm]] (“Fat Tower” or “Thick Tower”) – full‑round, quarrystone, partly reconstructed
  • [[Leichenpförtchen]] (“Little [[Lychgate]]”) – square gatetower, pyramidal roof
  • Across from Badegasse 1 – so‑called [[Schmiede Bier]]; small smithy, possibly about 1840; technical fittings
  • [[Hauptstraße]] 10 – former [[town hall]]; seven‑axis, three‑floor [[Classicism|Classicist]] building with hipped roof, 1840
  • [[Hauptstraße]] 16 – [[Quereinhaus]] (a combination residential and commercial house divided for these two purposes down the middle, perpendicularly to the street), twelve‑axis Quereinhaus, late 19th century
  • [[Krongasse]] 1 – [[Gasthaus Goldener Engel]]; three‑floor plastered building, partly slated, early 20th century; characterises town’s appearance
  • [[Marktplatz]] – so‑called [[Wäschbach]]; five‑sided walled basin, essentially from the 19th century
  • [[Guthausmühle|Guthausmühle]]/[[Edingers Mühle]], northeast of the town on the [[Guthausbach]] – witnessed in 1750; three‑sided estate: commercial building, mill, house and since 1890 inn joined together; [[gristmill]] from the latter half of the 19th century; fittings

=== Dialect === The regional [[Dialect]] is highly consistent with the [[Saarland dialect|Saarland dialect]], a [[Rhine Franconian dialects|Rhine Franconian dialect]] spoken mainly in the east of the [[Saarland]]. German speakers from other regions often mistake [[Baumholderer]]s for people from the Saarland for this reason, although [[Baumholder speech]] is a relative “island dialect”, for in all neighbouring centres, such as [[Kusel]], [[Idar-Oberstein]] and [[Freisen]], even in ones like Freisen that are actually in the Saarland, the pronunciation is noticeably different.

=== Deutschland‑Rallye === {{Main|Rally Deutschland}} [[Baumholder]] is a venue for the [[Hunsrück‑Rallye]] and later the [[ADAC]]‑[[Rallye Deutschland|Rallye Deutschland]], which has every year since 2002, except 2009, been a stage in the [[World Rally Championship]]. The [[Altstadtfest]] (“Old Town Festival”) held at the same time as the rally is among the region’s most important events.

=== OIE Triathlon === Since 2005, a [[Triathlon]] has been held each year in the town of Baumholder. This is open to individual or team competition.

=== Clubs === One of the town’s best known clubs is [[VfR Baumholder]] sport club. Other less well known but important clubs include the [[Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft|DLRG]], the [[Baumholderer Karnevalsgesellschaft]] (BKG, devoted to [[Carnival]]), the [[German Red Cross|DRK]], the [[Angling|angling]] club and the [[Dog sport|dog sport]] club (HSV).

=== Other yearly events ===

• [[Altstadtfest]]
• [[Lindenfest]]
• [[Kräutermarkt]] (“Herb Market”)
• [[Kirmes]] (church consecration festival)
• [[Weihnachtsmarkt]] (“[[Christmas]] Market”)
• [[Rosenmontagszug]] (“[[Shrove Monday]] Parade”)
• [[BKG]] [[Prunksitzungen]] (Carnival event)
• [[DLRG]] [[Weihenfest]] (“Pond Festival”)

== Economy and infrastructure == === Economy === [[Baumholder]] is well known as the location of one of the biggest [[United States]] garrisons in [[Germany]], which sprang up beginning in the 1950s on the lands of the [[Baumholder Troop Drilling Ground]] (Truppenübungsplatz Baumholder), which abuts the town. Ever since that time, the 13,000 or so [[United States military personnel|United States military personnel]] and their dependents have characterised the town’s image scenically, economically and even socially.

The Americans maintain two facilities, [[Smith Barracks]] and [[Wetzel Barracks]], in which roughly 12,000 people live. There is also [[Baumholder Army Airfield]]. The Americans run twelve of their own churches as well as [[cinema]]s, a [[PX]] and a hospital. Many of the town’s shops accept [[United States dollar|United States dollars]] in payment and are to a great extent dependent on American currency.

To this day, the [[United States forces|United States forces]] and the [[Bundeswehr]] are the biggest employers of the town’s German population. On more than 35 ranges designed for infantry, tank troops and artillery, [[Bundeswehr]] soldiers can be found training alongside Americans and soldiers from other [[NATO]] countries.

The troop drilling ground is under [[Bundeswehr]] administration. Since 2002, the US Army has been gradually moving its [[Tank]]s to troop drilling grounds in the [[Upper Palatinate]] that are under their own control. Some of the US troops stationed in town were regularly deployed in the [[Iraq War]], and for the most part, returned afterwards to Baumholder.

On 9 October 2012, the [[170th Infantry Brigade (United States)|170th Infantry Brigade]] was inactivated ending a decades‑long legacy of combat units stationed at [[Smith Barracks]]. While [[Smith Barracks]] has been rumoured to be facing closure for years, it has been designated an “enduring” base. [[30th Medical Brigade]] (Headquartered in [[Sembach]]) maintains a presence in the area.

[[32nd AADCOM]] had a presence in Germany in the 1960s and 1970s. There was a [[Nike-Hercules missile battery]] in Baumholder (Battery C, 5th Battalion, 6th Air Defence Artillery). There was another (Battery D, 5th Battalion, 6th Air Defence Artillery) in nearby [[Hontheim]]. The battalion headquarters was in Baumholder. An [[IHAWK]] battery, Battery D, 2nd Battalion, 62nd Air Defense Artillery, was in Reitscheid. Battalion headquarters was at [[Spangdahlem Air Base]]. They were supplied from the [[Spangdahlem Air Base]].

[[Baumholder]]’s inhabitants, however, are exclusively civilian. [[Agriculture]] today plays a role in the town’s life only in a very few surrounding farms and villages. Given the small number of learned occupations available in the region, especially in Baumholder and the surrounding [[Verbandsgemeinde]], the share of the population with academic degrees is also rather small.

=== Shift in economic structure === The attempt introduced in the 1990s to change the economic structure by, for instance, bringing in the [[Recycling]] industry and doing seminal research at the [[Environmental Campus Birkenfeld]] in [[Neubrücke]] have thus far yielded little change in the local economy and job market.

=== Transport === ==== Autobahn ==== [[Baumholder]] can be reached over the [[Autobahn]] [[A62]] (Interchange 5 – Freisen). The town of Baumholder lies some 50 km northeast of [[Saarbrücken]], some 35 km northwest of [[Kaiserslautern]] and some 50 km southeast of [[Trier]].

==== Railway ==== [[Baumholder]] has a [[railway]] link in the [[Heimbach (Nahe)–Baumholder line|Heimbach (Nahe)–Baumholder Railway]], a 9 km‑long [[spur|branch line]]. The line was closed to passenger traffic on 31 May 1981, but remained open for military traffic. The line was reopened in 2015. Trains run hourly to and from [[Idar-Oberstein]] or [[Kirn]], where connecting trains to [[Mainz]], [[Frankfurt/Main]] and [[Saarbrücken]] can be reached. There is also a bus link to Idar-Oberstein and [[Birkenfeld]] (route 322, run by the [[Rhein-Nahe-Nahverkehrsverbund]]), although this is only run on weekdays, not weekends. The travel time to [[Neubrücke]] is roughly 30 minutes. Rail and bus services in the area are provided by [[Rhein-Nahe Nahverkehrsverbund]] (RNN). www.rnn.info .

The nearest [[railway station]] on a main line is in [[Heimbach]], [[Rhineland-Palatinate]] (some 8 km away) on the [[Nahe Valley Railway]]. Since the reopening of the Baumholder service, few trains stop at this station. The closest station for express trains is at [[Neubrücke]] (some 13 km away) or in [[Idar-Oberstein station]] (some 15 km away).

==== Airport ==== The nearest [[airport]] is [[Saarbrücken Airport]]. [[Frankfurt-Hahn Airport]] is about an hour’s drive away. [[Frankfurt/Main]] is about 2 hours by car or rail. [[Saarbrücken-Ensheim]] is approximately 90 minutes away. [[Zweibrücken Airport]] is about 80 km away but is currently closed.

=== Current US Military on Smith Barracks ===

• [[44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion|44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion]] – Enhanced
• [[10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command]]
  • (Headquartered in [[Kaiserslautern]])
  • [[5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment]]
    • Headquarters & Headquarters Battery
    • A Battery
    • B Battery
    • C Battery
    • D Battery
    • E Company
• [[16th Sustainment Brigade]]
  • Headquarters & Headquarters Company
  • 504th Signal Company
  • 569th Human Resources Company
  • 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion
    • 240th Quartermaster Company
    • 51st Transportation Company
    • 515th Transportation Company
• [[95th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion]]
  • 317th Support Maintenance Company
  • 55th Quartermaster Company
  • 42nd Transportation Company
• [[30th Medical Brigade]]
  • (Headquartered in [[Sembach]])
  • [[421st Medical Battalion]] (Multi‑Functional)
    • Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment
    • 557th Medical Company (Area Support)
    • 8th Medical Company (Logistics)
    • 64th Veterinary Detachment
    • 71st Preventive Medicine Detachment
    • 254th Combat and Operational Stress Control (COSC) Detachment
• [[United States Special Operations Command Europe|Special Operations Command Africa]] (SOCAFRICA)
  • (Headquartered in [[Stuttgart]])
  • [[Special Operations Task Force - North and West Africa]] (SOTF‑NWA)

=== Notable people ===

• [[Johannes Lichtenberger]] (d. about 1503), famous astrologer, from the vanished village of Grünbach on the troop drilling grounds
• [[Otto Gennes]] (1873–1943), Generalanwalt and head of the Reichsverband der deutschen landwirtschaftlichen Genossenschaften
• [[Gerd Menne]] (b. 1939), former [[Bundesliga]] player from [[VfB Stuttgart]]
• [[Gerhard Fels]] (b. 1939), [[economist]] and former member of the Expert Advisory Board for Assessing Macroeconomic Development
• [[Jürgen Dringelstein]] (b. 1946), former [[footballer]] with, among others, [[Hamburger SV]] and [[SV Waldhof Mannheim]]
• [[Dietmar Mettlach]] (b. 1950), church musician and [[choirmaster]]
• [[Bruce Bechtold]] (b. 1952), European and world champion in [[catamaran]] sailing
• [[David Whitehurst]] (b. 1955), former [[American football]] player ([[Green Bay Packers]] and [[Kansas City Chiefs]] quarterback)
• [[Stefan Münz]] (b. 1960), computer scientist and non‑fiction author. He is the creator of a Hypertext reference called [[SELFHTML]] as well as chairman of the like‑named club.

=== Documentation ===

• Hansjürgen Hilgert: Ami, bleib hier – Die Baumholderstory ; Deutschland, 2007 D
• Maria Höhn: Amis, Cadillacs und „Negerliebchen“. GIs im Nachkriegsdeutschland. Berlin 2008, {{ISBN|978-3-86650-264-2}} (mit besonderem Bezug auf Baumholder und Kaiserslautern).
• Herbert Grimm: 50 Jahre/50 Years Amerikaner/Americans in Baumholder. Baumholder, 1998, {{ISBN|3-87022-247-6}}.
• Albert Zink, bearbeitet von Klaus Böhmer: Geschichte der Stadt und Landschaft Baumholder. In: Mitteilungen des Vereins für Heimatkunde im Landkreis Birkenfeld. Sonderheft 71, Verein für Heimatkunde im Landkreis Birkenfeld, Birkenfeld 2006, {{ISSN|0341-6992}}.
• Fritz Licht, Horst Conrad: Stadt Baumholder – ein fotografischer Streifzug durch die Vergangenheit. Baumholder 2007, {{ISBN|978-3-86595-211-0}}.
• Fritz Licht, Horst Conrad: Häuser‑ und Familienchronik der Altstadt von Baumholder. In: Mitteilungen des Vereins für Heimatkunde im Landkreis Birkenfeld und der Heimatfreunde Oberstein. Sonderheft 70, Verein für Heimatkunde im Landkreis Birkenfeld, Birkenfeld 2006, {{ISSN|0341-6992}}.
• Fritz Baldes: Jakob Schug – Maler und Kunsterzieher. Saarbrücken 2008, {{ISBN|3-935348-20-7}}.

== References == {{Reflist}}

• ^ a b Direktwahlen 2019, Landkreis Birkenfeld, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 10 August 2021.
• ^
• “Alle politisch selbständigen Gemeinden mit ausgewählten Merkmalen am 31.12.2023” (in German). Federal Statistical Office of Germany. 28 October 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
• ^ Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz – Regionaldaten
• ^ “Stadt Baumholder • Unsere Stadt”.
• ^ Landesgesetz über die Auflösung des Gutsbezirks Baumholder und seine kommunelle Neugliederung vom 2. Nov. 1993 (GVBl. Rheinland-Pfalz S. 518)
• ^ Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz – Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis 2006 Archived 2011-07-18 at the [[Wayback Machine]].
• ^ Two soldiers arrested in probe of fire at Baumholder city building www.stripes.com . Saturday, August 27, 2005. Retrieved 2009, 07-10.
• ^ “Soldier gets 15 years for Baumholder crime spree”.
• ^ “Soldier is found guilty in Baumholder crime spree”.
• ^ Rheinland-Pfalz, Statistisches Landesamt. “LWL RLP - Kommunalwahlen: Ergebnisse der Ratswahlen: Wahlergebnisse 2009: Stadt- und Gemeinderatswahlen”.
• ^ “Description and explanation of Baumholder’s arms” (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-05. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
• ^ “Mairie de Warcq, toutes les manifestations de la commune, les photos, …, en Champagne Ardenne”.
• ^ Delaware‑Baumholder partnership signing
• ^ “Directory of Cultural Monuments in Birkenfeld district” (PDF).
• ^ Millham, Matt. “For Baumholder’s 170th Brigade, a low‑key goodbye”. [[Stars and Stripes]].
• ^ “Don’t Save Baumholder”.
• ^ Beardsley, Steven. “DoD plan indicates 172nd and 170th infantry brigades to be eliminated”. [[Stars and Stripes]].
• ^ “U.S. Nike/HAWK Site in Germany: Hontheim”. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2010-09-09. Hontheim

== External links ==

• {{Official website|www.baumholder.de|Official website of Baumholder}} (in German)
• {{Verbandsgemeinde of Baumholder}} (in German)
• {{Wikimedia Commons|media related to Baumholder}} (in German)

== See also == {{See also|Birkenfeld (district)}} [[File:Baumholder - Ort im Hunsrück.png|thumb|Baumholder in the Hunsrück]] {{Portal bar|Germany}}

[[Category:Towns in Rhineland-Palatinate]] [[Category:Birkenfeld district]] [[Category:Germany geography stubs]] [[Category:World Rally Championship venues]] [[Category:Triathlon events]] [[Category:United States Army installations in Germany]] [[Category:1907 establishments in Germany]] [[Category:1909 establishments in Germany]]

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