Biberach an der Riß

Infobox German Location| infoboxwidth=250px
width=250px
name = Biberach an der Riß
name_local =
image_coa = Wappen Biberach an der Riss.pngimage_plan =
plansize=200px
plantext=
state = Baden-Württemberg
regbzk = Tübingen
district = Biberach
population = 32335
population_as_of = 2005-01-01
population_ref =
pop_dens = 448
area = 72.16
elevation = 524-653
lat_deg = 48 | lat_min = 6 | lat_sec=0 | lat_hem = N
lon_deg = 9 | lon_min = 47 | lon_sec=0 | lon_hem = E
postal_code = 88381–88400
area_code = 07351
licence = BC
mayor = Thomas Fettback
Partei = SPD
website = [http://www.biberach-riss.de/ biberach-riss.de] Infobox Former Country
width=250px
native_name = "Paritätische Reichsstadt Biberach an der Riß"
conventional_long_name = Mixed Imperial City of Biberach an der Riß
common_name = Biberach an der Riss
continent = Europe
region = Central Europe
country = Germany
era = Middle Ages
status = City-state
empire = Holy Roman Empire
government_type = Republic
year_start = 1281
year_end = 1803
event_pre = City founded
date_pre = before 1083
event_start = Gained "Reichsfreiheit"
date_start =
event1 = Peace of Augsburg
date_event1 = September 25, 1555
event2 = Thirty Years' War
date_event2 = 1618–48
event3 = Peace of Westphalia
date_event3 = 1648
event_end = Mediatised to Baden
date_end =
event_post = Exchanged with Württemberg for Villingen
date_post = 1805
p1 = Duchy of Swabia
image_p1 =
s1 = Margraviate of Baden
image_s1 =
capital = Biberach an der Riß
footnotes =

Biberach is a town in the south of Germany, Biberach district capital in the free state (Länder) of Baden-Württemberg. To distinguish it from the other Biberachs it is called Biberach an der Riß after the small river Riß which flows through the city (the Riss/Riß also gave its name to the Riss glaciation period).

Biberach is a very important town for apprentices because quite a few big companies like EnBW, Handtmann, Liebherr, KaVo, and Boehringer Ingelheim are located here.

Geography

Biberach has a population of about 32,000, and is located in Upper Swabia between the river Danube and Lake Constance. The marketplace with its patrician buildings, its fountain and its renovated town hall is one of the loveliest in the south of Germany.

The districts of Biberach are the villages Rissegg, Rindenmoos, Ringschnait, Stafflangen and Mettenberg.

History

For many centuries, Biberach was an Imperial Free City ( _de. Freie Reichsstadt) in the Holy Roman Empire. In that role it participated in the 1792 Reichstag.

During the Protestant Reformation, Biberach was notable for being — eventually along only with Ravensburg, Augsburg and Dinkelsbühl — a Mixed Imperial City ( _de. Paritätische Reichsstadt) where the Peace of Westphalia caused the establishment of a joint Catholic–Protestant government and administrative system, with equality offices ( _de. Gleichberechtigung) and a precise and equal distribution between Catholic and Protestant civic officials.

This status ended in 1803, when Biberach was annexed by the Margraviate of Baden, soon to become a grand-duchy. In 1806, it was traded with the Kingdom of Württemberg in exchange for the town of Villingen; becoming part of the German Empire on its creation in 1871.

During World War II, two large prisoner-of-war camps were located here, with
Oflag V-B for officers, and internment camp Ilag V-B for allied civilians, mainly from the Channel Islands.

Industry

KaVo

KaVo (Kaltenbach & Voigt) is a leading company in producing dental medicine equipment and products like instruments, dental systems, laboratory and equipment for training centers for universities. The head office is in Biberach. But KaVo has production locations and sales locations all over the world, e.g. in Brazil, England, USA, Canada, Russia, France, Italy, etc. In March 2004, Danaher, an American industrial company, took over KaVo in order to improve its portfolio in terms of dental technology. Since a massive loss of jobs is expected, waves of solidarity have tried to help KaVo's workers' council. Even Walter Riester, Germany's former Secretary of Labour, is involved in that.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim researches, develops,and produces drugs for people all over the world. With about 35.529 employees who are employed in 156 countries on all continents, today, Boehringer Ingelheim is part of the most research intensive enterprises internationally. Boehringer Ingelheim was founded in Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany in 1885, where the corporate

EnBW

EnBW means "Energy Baden-Württemberg". Its corporate center is in Karlsruhe. In Stuttgart there is the "Regional Center". An exciting chapter of the success story began with the merger of Badenwerk AG and Energie-Versorgung Schwaben AG in the year 1997. The EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG was born. EnBW is Germany's third largest energy company. In Biberach there are about 900 employees. The firm employs 125 trainees. Every year the EnBW gives young people the chance for a position as an apprentice. Also the EnBW is trying to protect the environment or so the company says. In a current advertising campaign it tries to sell its 30-year-old nuclear power station Neckarwestheim as a "green" source of energy. The plant is depicted as a group of trees shaped like a reactor with adjacent cooling towers. To critics this is a modern version of "Newspeak".

Liebherr Biberach

The beginning of Liebherr Biberach was in 1954. The firm produces many sorts of cranes. 1700 people and 112 trainees work there. Dr. Hans Liebherr invented the crane in 1949 in Kirchdorf/Iller. You can find Liebherr products all over the world. For example Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, the USA and so on.

ister cities

Biberach is twinned with Asti (Italy), Valence, Drôme (France), Telavi (Georgia), Clacton-on-Sea, Essex (UK) and Świdnica (Poland). It also has close links to Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands.

Entertainment

Arts

Biberach not only has a film festival for German films which celebrated its 29th anniversary in 2007, the "Filmfest Biberach", but - since 2004 has also had a second festival, the Biberach Independent Film Festival that focuses on experimental shorts and documentaries. The third Biberach Independent Film Festival runs from October 29 to November 02, 2008.

Cafes, Clubs, Restaurants

In Biberach there are many cafés. If you want know where you can go for breakfast, for lunch, to party or only to chill in a lounge; check the website http://www.weberberg.de/, there you find a link "szeneführer" at the bottom.

Biberach also has a number of beer gardens.

"Biberacher Schützenfest"

The "Biberacher Schützenfest" is an historic festival for children and the town. The event starts every year in the first July week and lasts nine days. The name "Schützenfest" derives from the German verb "schützen", meaning "to protect"; the festival is, therefore, a celebration of peace and expresses the hope that the town will be protected from war in the future. During the festival, there are many attractions.

* Parade on the streets
* Fairgrounds
* Historical performances
* Theme park
* Parties in bars, cafès and so on
* Beer tent

Christmas Market

The annual Christmas market, called "Christkindlesmarkt", which takes 16 days, is another highlight of the year. Exotic foods from Britain, France, and Italy, kitsch, and beautiful arts and crafts are there to see and buy. People meet to drink enormous quantities of mulled wine even in broad daylight and eat "Knabberfleisch" (small breaded pieces of pork eaten with a small wooden fork).

ports in Biberach

TG Biberach 1847 e. V. is one of the biggest unions in the region. It has more than 6000 members and 27 divisions including American football, tennis, chess or volleyball.

IBOT Another important sports festival in Biberach is IBOT. It's an annual international handball tournament for youths with more than a thousand participants which takes place at Easter.

External links

* [http://www.biberach-riss.de Information from city hall]
* [http://weberberg.de Biberach] (alternative Website)
* [http://www.campus-germany.de/english/4.22.3.2009.1.html Living in Biberach]
* [http://www.weberberg.de/abc/texte/bc-international.html Town/City Guide]
* [http://www.liebherr.com Liebherr]
* [http://www.safaribears.de/content.php?page=SlideshowBiberach&
] de icon en icon
* [http://www.hoeckmann.de/germany/bwsouth.htm Southern Württemberg in 1789]
* [http://www.biff-filmfestival.de Biberach Independent Film Festival]