WIDDERN, GERMANY

 

A SHORT HISTORY OF WIDDERN

Widdern is the smallest independent city in Baden-Wuerttemberg with 1,949 inhabitants.  The first mention of Widdern is in the years 775 and 778 when the Lorsch Monastery reported rich donations from the citizens of “Wittersheimer”.   Municipal rights were awarded between 1273 and 1291 when Emperor Rudolf I also gave the young city extensive woodlands which today measure about 500 hectares.  Widdern was granted the right to hold markets and to build walls and gates to surround its castle in 1458.  The oldest city seal dates from 1511 and shows the canting ram (a widder) – all later seals also show the ram as the symbol for the city.

 

FAMILY TRAVEL ALBUMS OF WIDDERN, GERMANY

Steve Knappenberger writes,

“I was in Germany last week on a business trip and was not far from Widdern, so I took a few hours to visit that area.  I went to the church in Widdern and met a fellow in his mid 30s who is a fifth generation resident of Widdern and who also spoke English fairly well. He introduced me to a older gentleman (I would guess in his 70s) who was also a fifth generation resident of Widdern. This chap also knew the priest of the church and ended up taking me to the priest’s home where, in a vault, I saw the baptism records for the church going back to the year 1500 (the church was built in 995). Among the following pictures is a photo of one of the books, and at the bottom of the right hand page, you can see the name of Johann Michael Knappenberger.”

The Church In Widdern, Germany  [September 2001]

The Books In The Church Vault​

A Book Of Baptism Records​

Steve By A World War I Monument Located Just Outside The Church

 Steve By A Stone Monument Located Inside The Church

Al Burns writes,

“The highlight of our trip was getting to meet our German cousins [Günther & Vera Knappenberger] in Notzingen.  We spent three days with them and had a great time.  At first we were all a little nervous, but after the introductions were over we did fine.  They are delightful people!  He teaches history, political science & English and she is a physical therapist.  Both are mountain climbers specializing in 4000 meter mountains.  There are 64 registered 4000 meter mountains and they have climbed 52 of them, so it is a real passion with them.  He is tall and slender and she is short and petit, not the kind of people you would expect to be mountain climbers.  Günther looks a lot like Prince Charles, in fact everyone kids him about it, so I mean a lot like the Prince.  We hope to visit them again next year.  They invited any of the cousins to stay in touch by email so feel free to correspond.”

Al Burns, Vera & Günther Knappenberger​