Pohlheim
Stadt
Coordinates50°31′N 08°42′E
StateHessen
RegionGießen
DistrictGießen
Elevation215
Area38
Postal code35415
Area code06403 / 0641 / 06404 / 06004
LicenceGI
Gemeindeschlüssel06 5 31 014
Websitewww.pohlheim.de
MayorAndreas Ruck[1]
Leader term2020–26
PartySPD

Pohlheim (ˈpoːlhaɪm) is a town in the district of Giessen, in Hesse, Germany. It is situated 6 km south of Giessen. After Giessen, Pohlheim is the largest municipality in the Giessen district by population.

Geography

Pohlheim is located in the southern part of the Giessen district, and lies on the Lückenbach stream which flows into the Lahn via the Kleebach. The town covers an area of 38 km2 and borders Giessen and Fernwald from its north, Lich from its east, Münzenberg from its south, and Langgöns/Linden from its west. The town has six total districts: Dorf-Güll, Garbenteich, Grüningen, Hausen, Holzheim, and Watzenborn-Steinberg.[2] The Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes run through the Pohlheim area.

Local history

Pohlheim was founded on New Year's Eve of 1970, as part of administrative reforms in the state of Hesse. It involved the voluntary merger of the six municipalities of Dorf-Güll, Garbenteich, Grüningen, Hausen, Holzheim, and Watzenborn-Steinberg, which make up the six districts of the town today.[3] After they merged, local districts with their own city councils and mayors were formed according to regulations of the Hessian Municipal Code.[2] Pohlheim was granted official town status on September 21, 1974.

Politics

City council elections

Parties and groups2021[4]2016[5]2011[6]2006[7]2001[8]
%Seats%Seats%Seats%Seats%Seats
Social Democratic Party of Germany34.31331.81234.51335.51340.415
Christian Democratic Union of Germany30.61138.61439.11441.21539.415
Alliance 90/The Greens16.069.6413.957.336.72
Free Voters12.6514.259.8411.849.13
Free Democratic Party6.525.822.714.124.22
Total100.037100.037100.037100.037100.037
% Invalid votes2.54.03.12.92.9
% Valid votes52.751.049.247.658.5

Mayors

According to the Hessian municipal constitution, the mayor is elected for a six-year term in a direct election starting from 1993, and is the chairman of the magistrate, which includes additional city councilors.[3]

The following is a list of mayors of Pohlheim since 1971:

  • 1971–1979 Karl Brückel (SDP)[9][10]
  • 1979–1997 Hermann Georg (CDU)[9][10]
  • 1997–2015 Karl-Heinz Schäfer (SDP)
  • 2015–2021 Udo Schöffmann (CDU)[11]
  • 2021–2027 Andreas Ruck[12]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Pohlheim consists of a set of leaves on a tree branch, a musical beam note on top of a staff, and a blue-lime watchtower.[13] The tree branch and note are in the two areas left and right of the coat of arms with a red background, while the watchtower is in the middle with a yellow background. The leaves and the tree branch are derived from the coat of arms for Holzheim, Grüningen, and Garbenteich, while the musical note originates from that of Watzenborn-Steinberg. The watchtower represents all the districts coming together to form the town.

Each of the six districts of the town also have their own coat of arms designs.

Demographics

The town of Pohlheim has a population of 18,572 as of the 2019 local census.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
199917,119—
200017,153+0.2%
200217,442+1.7%
200417,830+2.2%
200517,909+0.4%
200618,043+0.7%
200718,051+0.0%
200918,072+0.1%
201018,108+0.2%
201318,711+3.3%
201618,094−3.3%
201918,572+2.6%

Population for Pohlheim from the Hessian State Statistical Office

Transport

The town is located on the Gießen–Gelnhausen railway, where regional trains run hourly. Pohlheim is also connected to the German motorway (Autobahn) system and can also be reached by the Bundesautobahn 5 (A 5) and Bundesautobahn 45 (A 45) motorways, as well as the Bundesautobahn 485 (A 485) federal motorway.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Pohlheim is twinned with the following cities:[13]

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ergebnisse der letzten Direktwahl aller hessischen Landkreise und Gemeinden" (XLS) (in German). Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. 5 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Hauptsatzung der Stadt Pohlheim, Landkreis Gießen". www.stadt-pohlheim.org. City of Pohlheim. 19 May 2011. Archived 2016-01-05 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
  3. ^ "Magistrat". sitzungsdienst.pohlheim.de. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  4. ^ "Kommunalwahl 2021 | Statistik.Hessen". kommunalwahl.statistik.hessen.de. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  5. ^ "Kommunalwahlen 2016 in Hessen". www.statistik-hessen.de. Archived 2021-01-30 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  6. ^ "Kommunalwahlen 2011 in Hessen". www.statistik-hessen.de. Archived 2021-02-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  7. ^ "Kommunalwahlen 2006 in Hessen". statistik-hessen.de. Archived 2016-06-09 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  8. ^ "Statistik-Hessen.de: GV531014". statistik-hessen.de. Archived 2007-12-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  9. ^ Schaal, Stefan (2020-11-01). "Bürgermeisterwahl in Pohlheim: Ein Rekord deutet sich an" (in German). www.giessener-allgemeine.de. Giessener Allgemeine. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  10. ^ "Pohlheim wird an Neujahr 50" (in German). www.giessener-allgemeine.de. Pohlheim: Giessener Allgemeine. 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  11. ^ Schaal, Stefan (2021-01-29). "Pohlheim: Bürgermeister Schöffmann tritt ab - "Wird kein Gespräch mit Herrn Ruck geben"" (in German). www.giessener-allgemeine.de. Pohlheim: Giessener Allgemeine. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  12. ^ Schaal, Stefan (2021-01-31). ""Für alles verantwortlich"" (in German). www.giessener-allgemeine.de. Pohlheim: Giessener Allgemeine. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  13. ^ "Startseite" (in German). partnerschaftsvereinpohlheim.eu. Pohlheim: Partnerschaftsverein Pohlheim e,V. Retrieved 2025-07-02.