Böblingen

Böblingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is where the Böblingen District is located. The town is near a place called Sindelfingen, and the two places are very close to each other. Böblingen is sometimes mixed up with two other places named Böbingen and Böbingen an der Rems, but these are different towns.

History

Böblingen was founded in 1253 by Count Wilhelm von Tübingen-Böblingen. In 1357, it became part of Württemberg. A big battle of the German Peasants' War happened here in 1525.

The town became an important place for airplanes when an airbase was built during World War I in 1915. This helped the town grow. Sadly, during World War II, bombs were dropped on Böblingen and destroyed much of the old town. After the war, the town was rebuilt and grew quickly, especially after big companies like IBM and Hewlett-Packard opened offices there. By 1970, the population had more than tripled from what it was in 1950.

Population history

Böblingen’s population has grown over time. In 1871, about 6,000 people lived there. By 1939, the number rose to roughly 18,000. After World War II, many people moved to Böblingen for safety and new homes, so the population went up quickly.

In 1973, the city joined with several nearby places, which added more people. Today, Böblingen has around 60,000 residents.

Climate

The climate of Böblingen is mild. It has some features of both ocean-like and continent-like weather. This type of climate is common in many parts of Europe.

Transport

Böblingen is easy to reach by many different ways of traveling.

You can fly into Stuttgart Airport, which is about 20 minutes away by train.

If you're driving, the city sits near big roads called Autobahn A 8 and A 81. There are several exits to get to Böblingen from these roads.

Trains stop in Böblingen often. The main train station is on a line that goes from Stuttgart to Singen. Local buses and trains follow set prices and schedules managed by the Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund Stuttgart.

The S1 train line connects Böblingen to Stuttgart in about 25 minutes. Other smaller train lines also serve nearby areas. Many bus routes also run through the city.

U.S. military

Panzer Kaserne, also called Tank Barracks, is a U.S. base. It has important offices for Marine Corps Forces in Europe and Africa. It is also home to part of the U.S. Army’s 10th Special Forces Group.

In the past, this place was used by the U.S. Army for many years. Later, some soldiers set up a temporary camp outside the city for training.

Education

Education in Germany has different types of schools. Young children start in kindergarten and then go to elementary school, called Grundschule, for grades 1 to 4. At the end of fourth grade, families choose which higher level school their child will attend based on how well they are doing in school.

Boeblingen has many schools, including two Werkrealschulen, two Realschulen, and four Gymnasiums. There are also special schools for students with different needs, several vocational schools, and eight primary schools. Additionally, there are private schools and two American schools on a military base.

Museums

Böblingen has interesting places to visit called museums. The Peasants War Museum tells the story of a big fight in 1525 where German farmers stood up for their rights. Inside, you can see models and learn more about this important time. There is also a German Butcher Museum inside an old wooden house, and an art museum called Städtische Galerie Böblingen.

Buildings

The Protestant parish church in the market place is a famous landmark in Böblingen. It was destroyed during the Second World War but was rebuilt after the war.

Other notable buildings include the Water Tower Böblingen-Waldburg and the disused Böblingen Airport, which was the first commercial airport in the Stuttgart area. There is also Orplid, a tall apartment building designed by Hans Scharoun, a supporter of Organic architecture.

Events

Böblingen has many fun fairs and festivals each year. In July, there is the Town fair called "Böblinger Jahrmarkt". In September, there is a wine festival. And in December, there is a Christmas Market. These events happen around the marketplace, Schlossplatz, and the lakes.

Since 1996, Böblingen has had "Böblinger Sommer am See" every summer from June to September. This brings over 60 events, such as concerts and flea markets, around the town’s two lakes. Popular events like the TV show Wetten, dass..? and concerts by famous music stars often happen at the Kongresshalle.

Business

The Böblingen–Sindelfingen area has many big companies. Some of these are Advantest, which makes tools for testing computer chips, and Agilent Technologies, which makes electronic equipment.

You can also find car makers like the Mercedes-Benz Group and Smart, as well as computer companies such as HP Inc. and IBM. These businesses make Böblingen important for cars and computers.

Sports

The Sporthalle in Böblingen was one of the two places for the FIBA EuroBasket tournament in 1971.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Böblingen has friendly partnerships with several cities around the world. These include:

• Alba in Italy, since 1985
• Bergama in Turkey, since 1967
• Glenrothes in Scotland, United Kingdom, since 1991
• Krems an der Donau in Austria, since 1972
• Pontoise in France, since 1972
• Sittard-Geleen in the Netherlands, since 1962
• Sömmerda in Germany, since 1988

Every three years, the cities (except Sömmerda) come together for a friendly competition called the twin town Olympiad.

Notable people

Böblingen is the hometown of many interesting people. Daniel Mögling was an alchemist and a Rosicrucian who lived from 1596 to 1635. Wilhelm Ganzhorn was a jurist, adjudicator, and poet known for writing the folk song called "In the most beautiful meadows."

Sport

Some athletes from Böblingen have achieved great things in sports. Birgit Hamann, born in 1969, is an athlete who specializes in the 100 metres hurdles. Vincenzo Marchese, born in 1983, is a footballer who has played many games. Lukas Kiefer, born in 1993, is another footballer with many games played. Tevfik Altındağ, born in 1988, is a footballer with many games played. Frank Stäbler, born in 1989, is a Greco-Roman wrestler who has won multiple medals in the World Wrestling Championships. Tim Leibold, born in 1993, is a footballer with many games played. Fabienne Dongus, born in 1994, is a football midfielder who has played many games and also represented the Germany women team.