How big is the town of Bensheim in Germany?

How big is the town of Bensheim in Germany?

With about 40,000 inhabitants (2016), it is the district’s biggest town. The town lies at the eastern edge of the Rhine rift on the slopes of the western Odenwald on the Bergstraße.

When did the town of Bensheim change its name?

The name changed from Basinsheim to Basinusheim and then to Besensheim, finally becoming Bensheim. Noteworthy is that town rights were granted early on by Emperor Otto I on 5 March 956.

When did the French and Swedish take Bensheim?

On 20 November 1644, Bensheim was occupied by French and Swedish troops, who were driven out again on 2 December by Bavarian units. Later, the legend of the Fraa vun Bensem arose (the “woman from Bensheim” is said to have led the Bavarians into town through a secret route).

Why is Bensheim known as Germany’s Riviera?

Bensheim is especially well known, like other places along the Bergstraße as well, for its particularly mild and sunny climate with roughly 2,000 hours of sunshine yearly and Germany’s earliest onset of spring. Under the Odenwald’s protection, kiwifruit, almonds, figs and peaches thrive here, giving the Bergstraße the nickname “Germany’s Riviera”.

When did Bensheim pass to the state of Hesse?

In 1945, Bensheim passed to the newly formed state of Hesse. After the Second World War ended in 1945, a displaced persons camp was established in Bensheim, first for Polish former forced labourers, later for Jewish displaced persons. The camp was dissolved in 1949.

Where was the seat of the Landratsbezirk Bensheim?

Bensheim became the seat of the Landratsbezirk (an administrative region) of Bensheim in the province of Starkenburg, which in 1832 was merged with the Landratsbezirk of Heppenheim to form the district of Bensheim ( Kreis Bensheim) with Bensheim as its seat.