Schriesheim

Schriesheim (South Franconian: Schriese) is a town located in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is part of the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis and the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region. Schriesheim lies on the Bergstraße, at the western edge of the Odenwald, on the small river Kanzelbach. It is 4 km east of Ladenburg, 14 km east of Mannheim and 8 km north of Heidelberg. Schriesheim belongs, like the city of Mannheim to the warmest part of Germany. The amount of precipitation increases from west to east and ranges between 650 und 800 mm. The nearest weather station, located in Heidelberg, recorded an average temperature of 11.1 °C and average precipitation of 745 mm per year between the years 1971 and 2000. The warmest month is July with an average temperature of 20.1 °C while the coldest month is January with an average temperature of 2.5 °C. A severe winter frost in early 1956 destroyed many fruit trees, especially plum trees. Figs have been grown within the borders of the city for many years. The city council has 28 members and is elected directly by the populace for 5 year terms. The mayor is a de facto member of the council and its head. Since the 2004 election, the distribution of seats is as follows: Green List of Schriesheim The mayor is chosen by direct ballot for a term of 8 years. In November 2021 Christoph Oeldorf was elected mayor. He succeeded Hansjörg Höfer (Greens), who had been in office since 1 February 2006. Previous Mayors: After the Second World War, the mayoral election of 1952 produced a scandal that received notice in the international press (for example, the New York Times). Back then, Fritz Urban was victorious. Urban, who stemmed from an old Schriesheim family of lawyers, some of whom had previously stood for mayoral office, had back in 1933 become NSDAP-local group leader, then a few days after the seizure of power by the National Socialist Party, had become mayor and had held that office until 1945 when the Occupying Forces reinstalled George Rufer, who had already been mayor from 1920 until 1933.