Did you know that the K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue is not just any island but the largest island in this stretch of the Rhine? It dwarfs even the famous Mainau in Lake Constance. This natural gem lies nestled between Mainz and Bingen. It offers a story as rich as its soil.
The K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue has seen many transformations. Once, in 1575 three smaller islands existed here. Over time these islands merged through siltation and river engineering. They became the single landmass we see today. The names of those original islands Ringelaue or Kingelaue, Landschreiberaue and Neue Sand echo through history. Kingelaue even had variations like Kungelaue and Konigelauwe. It means Karnickelaue or Rabbit Island. By the late 18th century it was called K\u00f6niglingesaue. This name is very close to the present name.
The name K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue might stem from a significant event. Some believe that Emperor Louis the Pious died here in 840. He was reportedly opposite Ingelheim at the time. However there is also a competing claim that this event took place on the Mariannenaue.
Regardless the island’s past ownership is clear. Until the French Revolution the K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue belonged to Eberbach Monastery. Landschreiberaue was part of the Electorate of Mainz. This long association with the Rheingau justifies calling it the Eltviller Aue.
A major shift occurred during the Peace of Lunéville in 1801. The boundary of France was set along the waterway used by downstream ships. This made the K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue part of the Left Bank of the Rhine. It became part of Heidesheim am Rhein. This area then merged with Ingelheim am Rhein in 2019. This border between Eltville and the K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue remained. It survived many changes in German history.
Following secularization Johann Maria Kertell purchased the K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue. He was a merchant from Eltville. For a time the island was called Kertellaue. Later the Langwerth von Simmern family owned it from 1831 to 1851.
In 1851 Salomon Marix acquired the island. He was a silk merchant from Lyon. In 1853 he built the first manor house. It was called Krimschlösschen. Marix’s daughter Olga inherited the island. After her wedding it became known as Olga Island.
The K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue then passed to Carl Ferdinand von Stumm-Halberg in 1888. His daughter Berta von Lucius inherited it in 1901. She married Adalbert von Francken-Sierstorpff in 1912. Berta demolished the old manor house. From 1904 to 1909 she had the current villa built. Wilhelm Kreis designed it. After Adalbert died in 1922 Berta had him buried in a mausoleum on the east side of the island.
The Francken-Sierstorpff family owned the K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue until 1955. It has since changed hands several times. Today the Mayer family owns it. They also own Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik.
Since 1992 the island has been part of the Haderaue-K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue nature reserve. This protects the remaining floodplain landscape. It preserves habitats for rare plants and animals. The K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue is more than just land. It is a living testament to history ownership and nature’s enduring beauty.
The K\u00f6nigsklinger Aue continues to evolve blending history with the rhythms of the Rhine. Its story a tapestry woven from emperors merchants and the quiet persistence of nature remains vibrant today.