Once known as Keminaton, meaning “heatable room,” Kemnat boasts a history stretching back centuries. Today, we explore Kemnat, a district of Ostfildern in the Esslingen district.
Kemnat was first mentioned in 1229. Back then, the area belonged to the monasteries of Bebenhausen and Denkendorf. Württemberg held the advocacy over both monasteries. This meant that by 1451, Württemberg possessed all sovereign rights over Kemnat.
In 1449, Kemnat was burned down in the City War. However, it was rebuilt. Kemnat belonged to the Stuttgart office. In 1938, it became part of the Esslingen district. On January 1, 1975, Kemnat merged with Ruit, Nellingen, and Scharnhausen to form the municipality of Ostfildern.
Around 1960, Kemnat’s industrial area became a significant hub for printing and media technology in Baden-Württemberg. Several publishing houses established themselves in and around Kemnat. These include MairDumont with Baedeker and Falk, Verlag Deutscher Drucker, Schwabenverlag, Verlagsgruppe J. Fink, and Thorbecke-Verlag. The Association of Printing and Media in Baden-Württemberg and the educational institution of the printing industry are also located here.
Let’s talk about some notable figures connected to Kemnat. Gottlob Baumann served as pastor in Kemnat from 1839 to 1856. Charlotte Reihlen, born Mohl, a pietistic merchant’s wife and deaconess, designed the devotional image “The Wide and the Narrow Path.” Karl-Eduard Berron was a pastor in Kemnat from 1947 to 1964. Walter Schweizer, born in Kemnat, became mayor of Echterdingen and later Lord Mayor of Leinfelden-Echterdingen. The poet Claudia Beate Schill lived in Kemnat from 1986 until her death in 2022. Footballers Dimitrios Moutas, Alban Meha and Alexander Rossipal are also connected to Kemnat.
Even though Ostfildern’s neighborhoods have changed, some historical buildings still exist. A noteworthy building in Kemnat is the old City Hall, dating from 1579. Not far away on Heumadener Street are the buildings of the former sheep farm of the House of Württemberg, whose existence has been dated to the 15th century. It was in operation until 1824.
Kemnat, derived from the Middle High German word “Kemenate,” may refer to a castle owned by a local noble family. Kemnat also exercised authority over the hamlet of Stockhausen. The Stockhausen Mill from 1555 bears witness to this history. As we conclude our visit to Kemnat, remember its evolution from a monastic village to a printing hub, now part of a vibrant, modern town.