Editing Haslach im Kinzigtal

{{Infobox German place
|type               = City
|image_coa            = DEU Haslach im Kinzigtal COA.svg
|coordinates       = {{coord|48|16|40|N|08|05|13|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = Haslach im Kinzigtal in OG.svg
|state        = Baden-Württemberg
|region  = Freiburg
|district         = Ortenaukreis
|elevation              = 217
|area            = 18.67
|postal_code               = 77716
|area_code           = 07832
|licence               = OG, BH, KEL, LR, WOL
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 08 3 17 040
|website           = [https://www.haslach.de/ www.haslach.de]
|mayor             = Philipp Saar<ref>[https://www.staatsanzeiger.de/staatsanzeiger/wahlen/buergermeisterwahlen/ Aktuelle Wahlergebnisse], Staatsanzeiger, accessed 13 September 2021.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2017&ndash;25
}}

'''Haslach im Kinzigtal''' ({{IPA|de|ˈhaslax ʔɪm ˈkɪntsɪçˌtaːl}}, {{lit|Haslach in the [[Kinzig (Rhine)|Kinzig]] valley}}; {{langx|gsw|label=[[Low Alemannic German|Low Alemannic]]|Haaslä}}) is a small city in the [[Black Forest]] in the district [[Ortenaukreis]], [[Baden-Württemberg]] in south-western [[Germany]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Haslach|url=https://www.schwarzwald-kinzigtal.info/region-orte/haslach|access-date=2020-11-29|website=www.schwarzwald-kinzigtal.info|language=de}}</ref> In 2015, it comprised a population of 6,893 inhabitants.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Haslach im Kinzigtal: Zahlen und Fakten|url=https://www.haslach.de/startseite/Businessinfo/Zahlen+und+Fakten.html|access-date=2020-11-29|website=www.haslach.de}}</ref>

Haslach is a member of the "[[German Timber-Frame Road|Deutsche Fachwerkstraße]]", an association of German cities with examples of the traditional vernacular [[Timber framing|timber-framed houses]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Haslach im Kinzigtal|url=https://www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info/orte/haslach-im-kinzigtal-00ce505d99|access-date=2020-11-29|website=www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info|language=de}}</ref>

==History==
The first documentary mention as "Haselahe" dates from 1240.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Haslach im Kinzigtal: Geschichte und Brauchtum|url=https://www.haslach.de/startseite/tourismus/geschichte.html|access-date=2020-11-29|website=www.haslach.de}}</ref>

Haslach earliest proven settlements date back to [[Ancient Rome|Roman times]]. Roman Age finds (pottery shards, stone altar, Roman grave relief) indicate the presence of a settlement here at the time of the construction of a military road through the Kinzig valley (about 74 A.D.). Archaeological finds indicate a Roman road station.

Haslach experienced its first heyday in the 13th century when the town, seat of the mountain judge, became the center of an important [[silver mining]] area. From the 17th century, Haslach continued to develop as a market town. Its market streets and squares, which were wide for the time, have been completely preserved to this day and, together with the narrow residential and craft alleys, give the picturesque old town, which consists almost exclusively of baroque [[Timber framing|half-timbered houses]], a unique flair.<ref name=":0" />

After the decline of silver mining in the 16th century, Haslach developed further as an official and market town. In the [[War of the Spanish Succession|War of Spanish Succession]], it was completely burned down in 1704. Oriented at the medieval town plan, the city then emerged relatively modern [[Timber framing|timber-framed buildings]] in southern German baroque style.

During the last months of [[World War II]] (September 1944–April 1945), Haslach had three sub-camps of the [[concentration camp]] [[Natzweiler-Struthof]] at the volcano near the city. Reason for the establishment of the camp was the relocation of production of several arms factories in the bombproof tunnels of the mine Hartsteinwerke volcano. The Vulkan Memorial in Haslach commemorates the 1,700 prisoners from 21 countries who were forced to do labour work.<ref>{{Cite web|title=gedenkstaette-vulkan.de - Gedenkstätte Vulkan Haslach im Kinzigtal|url=http://www.gedenkstaette-vulkan.de/index.html|access-date=2020-11-29|website=www.gedenkstaette-vulkan.de}}</ref> More than 223 inmates known by name lost their lives in Haslach. Others were secretly buried in the vicinity of the camp.<ref>{{Cite web|title=gedenkstaette-vulkan.de - Gedenkstätte Vulkan Haslach im Kinzigtal|url=http://www.gedenkstaette-vulkan.de/html/geschichte_der_haslacher_lager.html|access-date=2020-11-29|website=www.gedenkstaette-vulkan.de}}</ref>

On September 15, 1978, the old town of Haslach was placed under a preservation order by the Freiburg Regional Council. This ordinance serves to preserve the appearance of the old town of Haslach, which is still characterised by its medieval floor plan, within its historical limits.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Haslach im Kinzigtal: Denkmalschutz|url=https://www.haslach.de/startseite/Rathaus+_+Service/Denkmalschutz.html#id265941|access-date=2020-11-29|website=www.haslach.de}}</ref>

== Culture ==

=== Annual festivities ===

Source:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Haslach im Kinzigtal: Brauchtum|url=https://www.haslach.de/startseite/tourismus/Brauchtum.html#id249634|access-date=2020-11-29|website=www.haslach.de}}</ref>

* '''[[Star singers|Star singing]] (Sternesingen):''' Every evening from January 1 to 6, children dress up as [[Biblical Magi]], accompanied by "Sterndriller" and singers and parade through the city and perform Haslach Christmas Carols, a local collection of Christmas, Shepherd and Epiphany songs in front of every house.
* '''Day of the stork (Storchentag):''' February 22 has been "Storchentag" in Haslach for centuries. The possible origin of this usage is the fulfillment of a vow made by the Haslacher on the occasion of a vermin plague in the 17th century. 
* '''Allemanic Carnival (Fastnacht):''' Haslach is one of the strongholds of the [[Swabian-Alemannic Fastnacht|Alemannic Carnival]]. It is organised by the fools' guild that dates back to 1860. The typical Haslach carnival figures include the knapsack guard (many Haslachers say "Fässlemänner"), the Haselnarros and Schellenhansel.
* '''Scheibenschlagen:''' Scheibenschlagen is an old Alemannic spring custom. It takes place on the fourth Sunday of [[Lent]] (Alemannic: "Lätare"). As darkness falls, a mighty fire blazes and the single young men practice "hitting" the glowing wooden discs. At the end, a mighty, straw-wrapped fire wheel rolls down into the valley.
* '''[[Palm Sunday]] (Palmsonntag):''' On Palm Sunday, large and small palm trees and palm stalks are brought to the church. These are decorated with box, tuja and holly as well as with colored paper and receive their blessing before entering the church.
* '''Herbal consecration (Kräuterweihe):''' On August 15, the feast of the [[Assumption of Mary]], the "herb clump", a structure made of many herbs, garden onions and ears of grain, is blessed during the church services. The "herb clump" is then stored in the house as protection against illness and danger.
* '''Shepherds' singing (Hirtensingen):''' Usually on the day before New Year's Eve, shepherds' manners and poems are recited against the backdrop of a stable. The "Duweschneck", a Christmas bread from Haslach, is served with mulled wine.

=== Museums ===

==== The Hansjakob museum (Freihof) ====
[[Heinrich Hansjakob]] (1837–1916) was a pastor in [[Hagnau am Bodensee|Hagnau]] ([[Lake Constance]]), where he founded the first Baden winegrowers' cooperative. As a member of the Baden state parliament in [[Karlsruhe]], he was an active politician for 10 years, but he was best known as a writer. Hansjakob has published more than 70 books. He offers an excellent insight into his literary work as an observer of the farmers, craftsmen, citizens and traders of the Baden Black Forest in the 19th century, but also into his work as a historian, publicist, politician and writer. His manuscripts and letters are kept in the Hansjakob archive.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Haslach im Kinzigtal: Museum Freihof|url=https://www.haslach.de/startseite/tourismus/hansjakobmuseum.html#id52888|access-date=2020-11-29|website=www.haslach.de}}</ref>

== Famous people ==
[[File:Xaverthoma.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Xaver Paul Thoma]], 2005]]
* [[Heinrich Hansjakob]] (1837–1916), catholic priest, politician and native writer
* [[Ernst Engelberg]] (1909–2010), university professor and Marxist historian.
* [[Bruno Lenz]] (1911–2006), painter and violinist. 
* [[Horst Prinzbach]] (1931–2012), chemist and emeritus professor of [[University of Lausanne]] and [[University of Freiburg]]
* [[Xaver Paul Thoma]] (born 1953), composer of contemporary music, violist and music educator.
* [[:de:Martin Herrmann (Koch)|Martin Herrmann, (DE Wiki)]] (born 1966), chef, awarded two stars in the [[Michelin Guide]]
* [[Anita Schätzle]] (born 1981), wrestler and Olympian participant

== Photo gallery ==
<gallery mode="nolines" widths="300">
File:Haslach Rathaus.jpg|The city's town hall
File:Haslach townhall.JPG|The city's town hall
File:St. Arbogast (Haslach im Kinzigtal) -0173.jpg|Catholic church St. Arbogast
File:Haslach - Stadtmitte.jpg|Haslach city centre
File:Bahnhofsgebäude von Haslach im Kinzigtal 2.jpg|Train station
File:Haslach im Kinzigtal - panoramio.jpg|[[Timber framing|Fachwerkhaus]] (half-timbered style) in Haslach
File:Haslach, Gasthaus zum Rebstock, Kirchgasse.jpg|House in the Fachwerk half-timbered style
File:Haslach, Hauptstrasse 2.jpg|House in the Fachwerk half-timbered style
File:Haslach Hansjakob-Denkmal 01.jpg|[[Heinrich Hansjakob|Hansjakob]] memorial
</gallery>

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.haslach.de/ Official website of the municipality]
* [https://www.alemannische-seiten.de/deutschland/haslach.php Haslach: Information and images (German)] 

{{Cities and towns in Ortenau (district)}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Black Forest]]
[[Category:Baden-Württemberg| ]]
[[Category:Ortenaukreis]]