Around 9853 people call Heumaden home. That’s a lot of stories. Heumaden a Stuttgart district sits on a ridge. It slopes down to three streams. The Bußbach to the west. The Tiefenbach to the north. The Katzbach to the east.
Heumaden’s name comes from “Heuen” meaning haymaking. Its coat of arms shows crossed hayforks and rakes. This reflects the area’s agricultural past. The district is now mostly residential. It’s grown over time merging with nearby Riedenberg Sillenbuch and Lederberg.
Heumaden’s history stretches back. Some say it began in 1120. Others cite 1199 or even 1277 as the first recorded mention. Initially owned by the Lords of Nellingen it passed to the County of Württemberg around 1250. Life wasn’t always peaceful. Esslingen attacked Heumaden in 1449 and again 50 years later. These attacks led to the rebuilding of the church.
The Thirty Years’ War brought hardship. A 1635 plague outbreak killed 86 people. The French Revolutionary Wars also impacted Heumaden. Austrian troops raided and plundered it seven times. World War I was devastating. Half of Heumaden’s men who served never returned. World War II brought further destruction. A single air raid in 1944 destroyed over 50 buildings.
Heumaden became part of Stuttgart on April 1 1937. It then joined the Sillenbuch district in 1956. Lederberg however went to Stuttgart-Hedelfingen. The Hedelfinger Filderauffahrt bypasses Heumaden. This keeps much of the through traffic away. Heumaden is well-served by public transport. The U7 U8 and U15 trams run through it. Buses 65 and 131 also serve the area.
Heumaden has its own fire department. Several schools are located there. These include the Heumaden primary school. The Birken secondary school and the Geschwister-Scholl high school. The old town hall now a community center dates from 1683. The old church was built starting in 1499. It was renovated in 1893. A modern Gnadenkirche church was consecrated in 1964 winning architectural awards. Stuttgart’s oldest animal cemetery is near Heumaden by the Katzenbach.
Heumaden’s location is advantageous. It’s equidistant from Stuttgart’s center and airport. The area is relatively quiet despite being near a major city. This blend of convenience and tranquility makes Heumaden a desirable place to live. The history of Heumaden shows a community that has persevered. It has rebuilt after war and disaster. Heumaden today thrives as a vibrant part of Stuttgart.