Journey back to 2013 with me when nine municipalities united forming what we now know as Ilmtal-Weinstraße. It’s a municipality in the Weimarer Land district of Thuringia Germany. The Ilm river gives Ilmtal-Weinstraße its name as it flows right through it.
Before its official formation on December 31 2013 these municipalities cooperated. They were part of a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft or collective municipality also named Ilmtal-Weinstraße. Pfiffelbach served as the seat for both the municipality and the former Verwaltungsgemeinschaft. The municipalities involved in this initial merger included Liebstedt Mattstedt Niederreißen Niederroßla Nirmsdorf Oberreißen Oßmannstedt Pfiffelbach and Willerstedt.
Later in January 2019 more municipalities joined Ilmtal-Weinstraße. Kromsdorf Rohrbach and Leutenthal became part of this growing community.
The name Ilmtal-Weinstraße itself offers clues to its geography. “Ilmtal” refers to the Ilm valley where some of its villages lie. “Weinstraße” alludes to the ancient Weinstraße road now a marked regional hiking trail.
Ilmtal-Weinstraße sits centrally within the Weimarer Land district. It shares borders with Weimar and the Sömmerda district. The municipality encompasses several villages including Denstedt Goldbach Kromsdorf Leutenthal Liebstedt and Mattstedt. You’ll also find Niederreißen Niederroßla Nirmsdorf Oberreißen Oßmannstedt Pfiffelbach Rohrbach Ulrichshalben Wersdorf and Willerstedt within its boundaries.
The landscape around Ilmtal-Weinstraße has changed over time. Fifteen medieval deserted settlements once existed in this area.
After the formation of Ilmtal-Weinstraße Thomas Gottweiss became its first mayor in 2014. In 2020 Katrin Wörpel took office.
The municipality’s coat of arms tells a story. A red kite with golden claws stands above silver and blue waves. A curved green base displays nine linden leaves. The red kite symbolizes the area’s high density of these birds of prey. The green base represents the historic Weinstraße. The waves depict the Ilm river. The nine linden leaves stand for the founding villages. The 16 flight feathers represent the number of main villages in 2019 when the municipality adopted the coat of arms.
Ilmtal-Weinstraße has a partner in Freinsheim in Rhineland-Palatinate since 1995.
Even during the Cold War Ilmtal-Weinstraße maintained connections. The Evangelical Church in Württemberg fostered partnerships. This helped bridge the divide between East and West Germany.