Mauer is a village in southwestern Germany. It is located between Heidelberg and Sinsheim in the Rhein-Neckar district in the state of Baden-Württemberg.

On 1 June 2012, John Ehret (no party) took office as mayor. He is the first black mayor in Baden-Württemberg and thought to be the first black mayor in Germany in modern times.[3]

Geography

Mauer is located at an altitude of 130–240 m, and covers an area of 630 hectares. Of this area, 22.8% is covered by settlements, roads and paved areas, 55.3% is agricultural, and 18.6% is forested. Adjacent municipalities are, starting in the north and moving clockwise, Wiesenbach, Meckesheim, Wiesloch, Leimen and Bammental.

Religion

In 1522, the Reformation was introduced into Mauer; probably by Franz von Sickingen. Today it hosts both an evangelical and a Roman Catholic church community.

Geology/Archaeology

Mauer is the location where the first remains of Homo heidelbergensis were found. The remains, a jaw, were discovered in 1907 in the local sand quarry by Daniel Hartmann, a worker there. The sandpit remained active for some time, and the original resting place of the remains no longer exists. However, the sandpit is now a nature park, and the sedimentary layers corresponding to those of the original find can be viewed on a 25 meter high section.

Demographics

Population development:[4]

Year Inhabitants
1990 3,372
2001 3,571
2011 3,962
2021 4,136

Persons of Interest

Honored Citizens

  • Daniel Hartmann (1854-1952) found the lower jaw of Homo heidelbergensis.
  • Gerhard Weiser (1931-2003) was Mayor of Mauer from 1962 to 1976. In 1968 he moved to the Landtag for the first time and later became the Minister of Agriculture in Baden-Württemberg from 1976 to 1996. From 1996 to 2001 he was vice-president of the state parliament. In spite of his political commitment, he remained connected to his hometown and also managed a farm there.
  • Erich Mick, mayor from 1976 to 2001, founder of the association Homo heidelbergensis of Mauer e.V.

Other Notables Associated with Mauer

  • Karl von Zyllnhardt (forestry officer) (1744-1816), German landlord and forestry officer.
  • Karl von Zyllnhardt (jurist) (1779-1828), German jurist and politician.

References

  1. ^ Aktuelle Wahlergebnisse, Staatsanzeiger, accessed 14 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerung nach Nationalität und Geschlecht am 31. Dezember 2022" [Population by nationality and sex as of December 31, 2022] (CSV) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Baden-Württemberg. June 2023.
  3. ^ "Germany elects first ever black mayor". The Local. 2 June 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  4. ^ "Mauer (Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg, Deutschland) - Einwohnerzahlen, Grafiken, Karte, Lage, Wetter und Web-Informationen". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2023-06-23.