Imagine two towns joining forces. This is the story of GVV March-Umkirch. It is a special type of cooperation.
GVV March-Umkirch is a Gemeindeverwaltungsverband. This is a municipal association in Germany. March and Umkirch decided to work together. They created this association on August 1 1974. This was based on an agreement from June 29/30 1974.
The head of the GVV March-Umkirch is special. The mayor of March takes on this role. They serve as the Verbandsvorsitzender. This means association chairperson. However each town still has its own independence. They are not controlled by the association.
The GVV handles important tasks. It focuses on preparatory construction planning. This includes Flächennutzungsplanung. This is land use planning. The GVV also deals with building planning and regulations.
The GVV March-Umkirch office is in March. You can find it at Am Felsenkeller 2. The postcode is 79232 March.
March itself has an interesting story. It is in Baden-Württemberg. It is in the Breisgau region. March sits about eight kilometers northwest of Freiburg. The town is near the Nimberg.
March has four parts. These are Buchheim Holzhausen Hugstetten and Neuershausen. Each part has its own local council. They also have a chairperson.
The area around March is unique. It is in the Mooswaldzone. This is between the Kaiserstuhl and the Black Forest. The Nimberg crosses through March. This is a long hill covered in loess soil.
March has a warm climate. It is one of the sunniest places in Germany. The area often sees temperatures above 20°C in summer. The climate is influenced by the Burgundian Gate. This brings oceanic air.
March has a rich past. Finds from the Stone Age have been discovered here. There is a burial mound in Buchheim. It dates back to 800-450 BC. It is the largest in the Westhallstattkreis.
The villages in March are old. Some are older than Freiburg. Buchheim was first mentioned in 769. Neuershausen followed in 789. Holzhausen appeared in records in 849. Hugstetten was mentioned in 1291.
The March letter from 1430 is important. It shows the March villages working together. They agreed on how to use the Marchwald forest. This included rules for paths grazing and wood.
In 1491 Konrad Stürtzel became the lord of several March villages. He bought them from David Landeck. The Stürtzel family built a water castle in Buchheim.
The March villages were Catholic. They belonged to Further Austria. Nearby villages were Protestant. This created a religious border.
Over time the March villages became unified. They shared common land. This was divided in 1766. Each village got its own share.
Today March continues to evolve. It is part of the GVV March-Umkirch. This helps it to manage important local tasks. The association ensures that both towns can thrive together.