Rudolstadt () is a town in the German federal state Thuringia, within the Thuringian Forest, to the southwest, and to Jena and Weimar to the north.
The former capital of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, the town is built along the River Saale inside a wide valley surrounded by woods. Rudolstadt was founded in 776 and has had municipal law since 1326. The town's landmark is the Castle Heidecksburg which is enthroned on a hill above the old town. The former municipality Remda-Teichel was merged into Rudolstadt in January 2019.
Rudolstadt was once well known because of the Anchor Stone Blocks of the Toy Company Richter and porcelain factories, beginning with the establishment of the Volkstedt porcelain manufacture in 1762.
History Early history There is archeological evidence of a hill fort on the Weinberg in Oberpreilipp from the time of the late Urnfield culture and the early Iron Age.Michael Köhler: Thüringer Burgen und befestigte vor- und frühgeschichtliche Wohnplätze. Jenzig-Verlag Köhler, Jena 2001, . p. 270. A Celtic settlement followed the Germanic one and the affiliation with the Duchy of Thuringia. From the 6th century onwards, archeological records suggest Slavic settlement in the area.
The first documented mention of the place-name was in 776 as Rudolfestat (Rudolf's settlement) as a gift from Charlemagne to Hersfeld Abbey
After 1990 In 1994 the Neonazi and police-informant Tino Brandt (NPD) founded the Neonazi-Gang „Thüringer Heimatschutz“ (THS, Thuringian homeland protection) in Rudolstadt. The structure of 170 right-wing extremists was an SA-style street gang. The THS gave rise to the Nazi terrorist group National Socialist Underground (NSU), which murdered a total of ten people over a period of 10 years.
Historical population
Number of Inhabitants (from 1960 as of 31 December, unless otherwise indicated): 1834 to 1960 1834: 5,929 1890: 11,398 1925: 15,711 1933: 16,863 1939: 19,331 1946: 22,100 1 1950: 28,234 2 1960: 27,6781970 to 1997 1970: 31,683 1981: 31,547 1984: 32,232 1985: 32,408 1994: 29,118 1995: 28,691 1996: 28,438 1997: 28,5211998 to 2005 1998: 28,241 1999: 27,996 2000: 27,528 2001: 26,940 2002: 26,549 2003: 26,010 2004: 25,793 2005: 25,3972006 to 2013 2006: 25,131 2007: 24,650 2008: 24,285 2009: 24,033 2010: 23,762 2011: 23,998 2012: 22,811 2013: 22,739since 2014 2014: 22,667 2015: 22,855 2016: 22,704 2017: 22,560 2018: 22,283 Data since 1994: Thuringian Statistical Office 1 29 October 2 31 August
Culture
Rudolstadt is twinned with Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland.
The Rudolstadt Festival (formerly TFF, Tanz&FolkFest) takes place annually on the first full July weekend.Official website of TFF.Rudolstadt
Rudolstadt is also home to the Thüringer Landestheater Rudolstadt, whose origins go back to a court theatre built in 1792/93. The theatre company and the Thüringer Symphoniker Saalfeld-Rudolstadt are operated by the Thüringer Landestheater Rudolstadt und Thüringer Symphoniker Saalfeld-Rudolstadt GmbH, which maintains both a spoken theatre ensemble and the orchestra.
Economy The headquarters of the EPC Group, a global engineering and construction company, are in Rudolstadt.
Arthur Schopenhauer wrote his dissertation in Rudolstadt.
Princess Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, grandmother of King Leopold I of Belgium, great-grandmother to Albert, Prince Consort of the United Kingdom Tino Brandt (NPD), German Neonazi founded Thüringer Heimatschutz in 1994 in Rudolstadt Christian Nikolaus Eberlein (1720–1788), historical painter Traugott Maximilian Eberwein, German composer, worked here as the composer in residence for the Rudolstadt theatre Philipp Heinrich Erlebach, German composer and choirmaster in Rudolstadt Hans Fallada, German writer. He went to school in Rudolstadt, it was here that he killed his friend Hans Dietrich von Necker in a duel Ahasverus Fritsch, German poet and composer Simone Lange, German politician (SPD) Franz Liszt, Hungarian composer worked here as the composer in residence for the Rudolstadt theatre Niccolò Paganini, Italian composer, worked here as the composer in residence for the Rudolstadt theatre Max Wandrer, Olympic gymnast, was born in Rudolstadt Charlotte von Lengefeld (1766–1826), wife of Schiller Richard Wagner, German composer, worked here as the composer in residence for the Rudolstadt theatre
References
External links