Schwäbisch Hall

"Schwäbisch" refers to the Swabian League (German: Schwäbischer Bund). The origin of the second part of the name, "Hall", is unclear. It might be derived from a West Germanic word family that means "drying something by heating it", possibly referring to the open-pan salt making method used there until the saltworks closed down in 1925. ==History==

Early history Salt was produced from brine by the Celts at the site of Schwäbisch Hall as early as the fifth century BCE. The town was first mentioned in a document called Öhringer Stiftungsbrief dating from 1063. ==Demographics==

As of December 31, 2009, Schwäbisch Hall has a population of 36,799. The residents come from over 100 countries. As of December 31, 2008, there are 18,838 Protestants, 7,375 Roman Catholics and 10,234 who are either in another religion or not religious. In 2017, Schwäbisch Hall had a population of over 39,000. ==Climate==

Schwäbisch Hall has a mix of historic and modern buildings. The older are mostly medieval, and with Timber Frame, Gothic and Baroque styles dominating the city centre. The more modern are on the outskirts and suburbs, helping preserve the history of the city. Schwäbisch Hall - Rathaus.jpg|City hall by night 2016 - Germany (27677805373).jpg|Ensemble of houses with modern Kunsthalle Würth SH Johanniterhalle 07.JPG|Johanniterhalle, exhibition site of Darmstadt Madonna ==Culture==

There is an outdoor summer theatre which performs on the open-air staircase at St. Michael's Church and at the Globe Theatre. The town hall has a cycle of 22 murals painted by Livio Retti. File:Schwäbisch Hall, Rathaus, Deckengemälde im Ratssaal "Sieg der Tugend über die Laster" oder "Sieg des Christentums über das Heidentum".jpg|"Victory of virtue over vices" on the ceiling of the Great Council Chamber of the City Hall, by Livio Retti File:Schwäbisch Hall, Rathaus, Deckengemälde im Stättmeistersaal "Allegorie der Stadt Hall und ihres Wohlstandes".jpg|Allegory of the city and its prosperity File:Schwäbisch Hall, Rathaus, Deckengemälde im Trausaal (Heldensaal) "Achilles, Patroclus, Hektor, Aeneas, Caesar, Pompejus, Scipio, Hannibal" o. "Achilles, Patroklos, Hektor, Aeneas, Romulus, Pompeius, Scipio, Fabius".jpg|Oil painting on the ceiling of the hero room of the city hall: Greek and Roman heroes. ==Education==

Schwäbisch Hall has a long tradition as a city of learning. Schwäbisch Hall offers education opportunities through vocational schools and various technical schools. Programs are offered in schools such as Schwäbisch Hall Evangelical School of Social Work, Social Service Department of Social Professions, Protestant vocational school for the elderly, School of Alternative Education Nursing, School of Nursing and the Ayurvedic teaching and training institute, the Institute of Ayurveda and Yoga. The programs are especially popular during the summer, as college students attend the program over their break to earn credits and improve their German. The City Archives Hall is a documentation centre, which allows for historical research and memory management. The duties of the City Archives Hall are the ordering, preparing, evaluating and management of its archives and collections, to support historical research, to collaborate in exhibitions and to publish its own or other publications on the history of Schwäbisch Hall. The archive keeps official records and files of the present city administration and its predecessors, and of collection items of different type and origin, which refer to the city, such as photographs, posters, graphics, paintings, maps and plans, or a newspaper clipping collection. There are also extensive library collections in the literature on the history of Schwäbisch Hall and the region, as well as valuable historical prints. ==Politics==

The Lord Mayor of Schwäbisch Hall is Daniel Bullinger, elected in July 2021. Next scheduled elections for citizens of Schwäbisch Hall ==Economy==

Schwäbisch Hall is the most important regional economic hub between Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Nuremberg. Formerly, salt was important to Schwäbisch Hall, but today the economy is shaped by a group of medium-sized companies, focusing mainly on trade and services sectors. A number of businesses dealing in property finance, solar energy and telecommunications sectors also have their headquarters in Schwäbisch Hall. Notable companies are Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall AG, a housing credit company, founded in 1944 and RECARO Aircraft Seating, an aircraft seats manufacturer. Annually, there are up to 600 overnight stays in Schwäbisch Hall hotels by Goethe-Institut students. Transport Roads Schwäbisch Hall has an exit on the Autobahn 6 (Heilbronn–Nürnberg). Federal highways 14 (Stuttgart–Nürnberg) and 19 (Ulm–Aalen–Schwäbisch Hall–Würzburg) also run through the city. Railways Schwäbisch Hall-Hessental station is at the junction of the Waiblingen–Schwäbisch Hall railway and the Crailsheim–Heilbronn railway and Schwäbisch Hall station (the city station) is on the Crailsheim–Heilbronn railway. Aviation The city is served by two aerodromes, very close to each other, but neither offers commercial air transport. To the North of Tüngentaler Strasse is the recreational grass airfield of Weckrieden (EDTX), to the South is Adolf Würth Airport (EDTY), closely associated with the Würth group of companies and hosting their own business jet operations. ==Health==

Schwäbisch Hall has a history with brine. The first brine bath started in 1827. Diakonie-Krankenhaus, with 574 beds, is the main hospital in Schwäbisch Hall. There are 100 general practitioners, medical specialists and physiotherapists in Schwäbisch Hall. There are health fairs such as Well-Vital Health Fair and the Haller Gesundheits- und Naturheiltagen in Schwäbisch Hall. ==Sports==

The sports played in Schwäbisch Hall include swimming, light athletics, tennis, shooting, soccer, baseball, handball and American football. There are 22 sports halls and 25 outdoor playing fields. The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns have been among the preeminent German American football teams ever since their two national championships in 2011 and 2012. The Unicorns are further notable for being the former team of Moritz Böhringer. ==Twin towns – sister cities==

Schwäbisch Hall is twinned with: • Épinal, France (1964) • Loughborough, England, United Kingdom (1966) • Lappeenranta, Finland (1985) • Neustrelitz, Germany (1988) • Zamość, Poland (1989) • Balıkesir, Turkey (2006) • ==Notable people==

, 1600 , 2021 • Melchior Hofmann (around 1500–1543), anabaptist leader. • Thomas Schweicker (1540–1602), armless artist, used his feet to create his art. • Johann Ulrich Steigleder (1593–1635), Baroque composer and organist • Friedrich David Gräter (1768–1830), was one of the founders of Scandinavian studies and Germanic philology. • Prince Frederick of Württemberg (1808–1870), prince from House of Württemberg • Louis Braun (1836–1916), painter, mostly of battle scenes. • Otto Ruff (1871–1939), fluorine chemist • Maria Kiene (1889–1979), teacher and child welfare association head • Walter Haeussermann (1914 in Künzelsau – 2010), German-American aerospace engineer and physicist • Hans Beißwenger (1916–1943), Luftwaffe pilot • Wolfgang Gönnenwein (1933–2015), conductor and music educator • Kraft, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1935–2004), ninth head of the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. • Princess Beatrix of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1936–1997), princess from the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg • Joachim Rücker (born 1951), diplomat • Susanne Erding-Swiridoff (born 1955), composer and curator. • Bettina Würth (born 1961), Swiss billionaire businesswoman from the Würth Group. • Hartmut Abendschein (born 1969), German – Swiss writer • Heinrich Schmieder (1970–2010), actor Sport • Marco Sailer (born 1985), footballer, played over 310 games • Tobias Weis (born 1985), footballer, played 226 games • Louk Sorensen (born 1985), Irish former tennis player • Jonas Koch (born 1993), cyclist ==References==