Balingen

Balingen is first mentioned in 863. Initially a possession of the lords of Haigerloch, in 1162 Balingen was acquired by the count of Hohenberg. In the 13th century it received the title of city from Friedrich der Erlauchte, it was largely rebuilt on the left bank of the river Eyach. The earliest signs of settlement in what is now the town area are the Alemannic terraced graves. However, Balingen did not initially serve as the town's center; according to historical records, it was established in 1255 by Count Friedrich von Zollern. The town was fortified before 1377. In 1403 it was sold to the County of Württemberg, whose chancellor maintained a residence there until the 18th century. When the entire territory was sold to Württemberg, it led to the establishment of the administrative district known as “Amt Balingen.” A legal officer took up residence in the official town, specifically in the castle built in 1372, and remained there until the mid-18th century. In 1973, Balingen became the seat of the newly formed district of Zollernalb, not least as a continuation of the old official town tradition. Zollernschloss Balingen: The foundation walls of Zollern Castle in Balingen date back to the 13th century. Initially, it was a typical late medieval town castle designed for residential use. In 1403, the castle and the entire Schalksburg estate were acquired by Württemberg, where it was used as the official residence of the head bailiff. Following the Thirty Years' War, the castle was left in a state of disrepair, and it was not until spring 1651 that the new head bailiff, Count von Kandel, could take up residence after necessary renovations were completed. In 1403, the castle and the entire Schalksburg estate came to Württemberg and was used as the seat of the head bailiff. Balingen has faced a challenging history marked by different devastating fires. As early as 1286, chroniclers tell that the town, which was only three decades old at the time, was engulfed in flames during a feud between the Zollern and Hohenberg families. Subsequent fires in 1546, 1607, 1672, 1724, and 1809 added to the town's sufferings, with the last blaze leaving only 55 out of 445 buildings standing. The Balingen Hospital was established in 1489 by a civic foundation to care for the poor and the elderly. Initially located just behind the town church, it later moved to the upper suburbs. This social institution served the community until the 20th century. Balingen became part of the unified Germany in 1870. During the Second World War (1939-1945) Balingen was the site of a sub-camp of the German death camp of Natzweiler-Struthof in the occupied French region of Alsace. After the war this camp became a French internment camp for former Nazi war criminals, the Camp d’internement de Wurtemberg. ==Main sights==