Have you ever wondered about the stories etched in stone? The Gr\u00fcnwettersbacher S\u00fchnekreuz stands as a silent witness to centuries past. It is a district in the southeast of Karlsruhe.
Since 1975, Gr\u00fcnwettersbach has been part of Karlsruhe. This area, along with Palmbach, forms the Wettersbach administrative unit. Gr\u00fcnwettersbach is naturally situated in the northern Black Forest. Since January 2021, it has belonged to the Central/North Black Forest Nature Park. The Karlsbad junction on Bundesautobahn 8 provides access between Karlsruhe and Pforzheim.
Let’s rewind to the origins of Gr\u00fcnwettersbach. Monks from Herrenalb Abbey likely founded the place. The Evangelical Parish Church of St. Lucia gets its first mention in 1278. The Counts of Vaihingen were patrons. Their coat of arms represented the town until its incorporation. Count Konrad V. von Vaihingen and his brother Johann made a sale. They sold “all goods to … Gr\u00fcnwettersbach including the right of patronage and the tithe” to the Teutonic Order Master Wolfram von Nellenburg.
The village appeared as “Wedersbach” or “Weddersbach” in local chronicles. The name comes from the stream running through the town. It was said to belong to a “Weter” or “Withar.”
The monastery fell under the patronage of W\u00fcrttemberg. Ulrich von W\u00fcrttemberg introduced the Reformation. Around 1535, the monastery was dissolved. Ulrich seized the Alb-Pfinz plateau. This gave him a Protestant corridor through the Margraviate of Baden. Bernhard III protested the seizure and regained Catholic occupancy. Yet, from 1549 onward, only Protestant pastors took charge.
The Thirty Years’ War hit the town hard. Around 1640, Croatian and Swedish troops severely affected Gr\u00fcnwettersbach. It was said to be as depopulated as Mutschelbach every year. In 1689, General Ez\u00e9chiel de M\u00e9lac’s troops looted and burned it again. By 1697, a blacksmith’s shop was built. It stands as the town’s oldest surviving building at Hauptstrasse 38. The year is marked on the top door bar. In 1701, Eberhard Louis, Duke of W\u00fcrttemberg, settled 28 Waldensian families in Gr\u00fcnwettersbach.
In 1806, the town joined the Grand Duchy of Baden. This happened via the Tausch- und Epurationsvertrag.
The current town hall dates back to 1881. It formerly housed the fire department, police, and prison. Today, it houses administration, the residents’ registration office, and other services. Gr\u00fcnwettersbach boasts 70 hectares of green space.
In 1972, Gr\u00fcnwettersbach and Palmbach merged to form Wettersbach. This was to prevent incorporation into Karlsruhe. Wettersbach got its name from the Wettersbach river. Despite this, Wettersbach became part of Karlsruhe in 1975. Both districts then regained their original names.
Today, Gr\u00fcnwettersbach connects to the Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund network. During rush hour, buses run frequently to Z\u00fcndh\u00fctle or Karlsruhe Central Station. A bus also connects to Durlach. Since 2018, new bus lines serve neighboring areas.
The oldest structure is the Romanesque church tower of St. Lucia. It dates from the 12th or 13th century. The nave was renovated in 1781-82 by Wilhelm Friedrich Goez.
The parish church became Protestant during the Reformation.
The Fernmeldeturm Gr\u00fcnwettersbach stands 144 meters tall. It is visible throughout the region.
So, as you stand before the Gr\u00fcnwettersbacher S\u00fchnekreuz, remember the layers of history. It connects you to monks, counts, wars, and transformations. It is a landmark with a story.