Dossenheim

Dossenheim (ˈdɔsn̩ˌhaɪ̯m) is a municipality in the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis (district) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on Bergstraße and Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Dossenheim lies 5 kilometers north of Heidelberg along the Bergstraße at the foot of the Odenwald. Dossenheim borders Heidelberg, Ladenburg, and Schriesheim. The hamlet Schwabenheim belongs to Dossenheim. Dossenheim was first mentioned in the Lorsch codex in 766. 1130 is the first mention of the noble family Wolfsölden-Schauenburg, who ruled the area from the Schauenburg. After this family died out in 1280, the inheritors sold the lands to the electors of the Palatinate of the Rhine of Heidelberg in 1303. As early as 1319, the prince-elector archbishopric of Mainz had won all the rights that the fief of Schaenberg had pawned to the knights of Handschuhsheim. After a long period of rivalry between the Archbishop of Mainz and the Palatinate of the Rhine, until Frederick I conquered the area for the Palatinate and destroyed the Schauenberg. In the Landshut War of Succession, the Hessian landgrave destroyed Dossenheim in 1504. During the Thirty Years' War Tilly's troops, more than others, destroyed and plundered Dossenheim in 1622. After seizing the capital Heidelberg, Dossenheim belonged to the Archbishop of Mainz for a short time. However, as part of the Bergstrasse Cease-fire of 1650, Dossenheim was returned to the Palatinate. In the Dutch War and in the War of the Grand Alliance French troops set fire to numerous building in 1674, 1689, and 1693. In 1714, Lothar Franz von Schönborn, the archbishop of Mainz renounced all claims to Dossenheim forever. In 1803 the Palatinate was dissolved and Dossenheim became part of Baden. In 1925 Schwabenheim was annexed to Dossenheim. The council of Dossenheim has 22 members elected by direct suffrage for five years, in addition to the presiding mayor. The seat distribution after the local elections of 2009 is as follows: The Mayor is elected by direct suffrage for a term of eight years. The Mayor of Dossenheim is Hans Lorenz (CDU).