Hanau

From Free net encyclopedia

Coat of arms	Map
Image:Wappen Hanau.png	Image:Karte hanau in deutschland.png
Statistics
State:	Hesse
Adm. Region:	Darmstadt
District:	Main-Kinzig-Kreis
Area:	76.49 km²
Population:	88,987 (31 December 2003)
Population density:	1,166/km²
Elevation:	104 m
Postal code:	63450, 63452, 63454, 63456 and 63457
Area/distance code:	06181
Location:	50.133/50°8' N lat. 8.91667/8°55' E long.
Municipal code:	06435104
Car designation:	`HU`
Arrangement of the city:	1 district
Address of the city administration:
Website:	www.hanau.de

Hanau is a town in Hesse, Germany with 89,000 inhabitants. It is located 10 km east of Frankfurt am Main.

1 History
2 Facts
3 Sights
4 Famous persons
5 Sports
6 Districts
7 External links

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History

Hanau was first mentioned in 1143 and became a city in 1303.

At the end of the 16th century, Count Philipp Ludwig II allowed Protestant refugees from the Netherlands to found their own settlement near Hanau, to which these Walloons brought their knowledge of jewellery production. For this reason goldsmiths are still educated there. In the 19th century the Neustadt (New Town), as it was called, was merged with Hanau.

In the 19th century Hanau was a centre of the German democratic movement and contributed significantly both in 1830 and in the Revolution of 1848. Also in 1848 the German Gymnastic League (Turnerbund) was founded here.

During World War II Hanau was almost completely destroyed by British airstrikes in March 1945 a few days before it was taken by the US Army anyhow. Thus the alleged logistical importance of the city seems to have been a mere pretext.

Nowadays many inhabitants work in the technological industry (VAC, Heraeus) or commute to Frankfurt. Frankfurt International Airport is only 30km away.

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Facts

Hanau, with about 89,000 inhabitants, is the 6th largest town in Hessen. Having recently lost its status as administrative centre of the Main-Kinzig-Kreis (Main-Kinzig district), proposals have been appearing about Hanau forming its own administrative district.
The population density is 1166 inhabitants/km². More than 20% of the inhabitants are foreign nationals.
Governing mayor: Claus Kaminsky (SPD), since 17 November 2003

Image:Hanau Schloss Philippsruhe.jpg

Hanau is twinned with:

and associated with:

Pays de Hanau (France)
Waltershausen (Thuringia, Germany)

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Sights

The German House of Goldsmiths (Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus)
Philippsruhe Castle
Health Establishment at Wilhelmsbad
St Mary's Church (Marienkirche)
Dutch-Walloon Church (Niederländisch-Wallonische Kirche)

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Famous persons

Image:Hanau Bruder Grimm.jpg

The Brüder Grimm (Grimm Brothers) collected many German fairy tales and started work on the German Glossary.
Paul Hindemith: composer
Rudi Völler: football/soccer world champion 1990 and coach of the German national team, when it was runner-up in 2002.
Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Designer (1900-1990)

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