Backnang (German pronunciation: [ˈbaknaŋ] ; Swabian: Bagene) is a town in Germany in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, roughly 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Stuttgart. Its population has increased greatly over the past century, from 7,650 in 1900 to 37,957 in 2022.

Backnang
Coat of arms of Backnang
Location of Backnang within Rems-Murr-Kreis district
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Backnang is located in Germany
Backnang
Backnang
Backnang is located in Baden-Württemberg
Backnang
Backnang
Coordinates: 48°56′47″N 09°25′50″E / 48.94639°N 9.43056°E / 48.94639; 9.43056
CountryGermany
StateBaden-Württemberg
Admin. regionStuttgart
DistrictRems-Murr-Kreis
SubdivisionsKernstadt und 5 Stadtteile
Government
 • Lord mayor (2021–29) Maximilian Friedrich[1] (Ind.)
Area
 • Total
39.37 km2 (15.20 sq mi)
Elevation
271 m (889 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total
37,957
 • Density960/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
71501–71522
Dialling codes07191
Vehicle registrationWN, BK
Websitewww.backnang.de

Backnang was ceded to Württemberg by the Baden (Zähringer family) in 1325.[3] Backnang has been known as Gerberstadt due to several tanneries and leather factories, and wool and cloth mills that dominated Backnang's industries. Today, all of these have vanished, and instead, telecommunication companies such as Ericsson (formerly AEG, Telefunken, ANT Nachrichtentechnik, Bosch and Marconi) and Tesat-Spacecom dominate the town's industries. The Stiftskirche, formerly the church of Backnang Abbey, dates back to the 12th century.

Backnang hosts the annual Strassenfest during the last weekend in June. It has been founded as a street festival where local sports and cultural clubs offered drinks and foods. The traditional opening of the Strassenfest is marked with cannon shots from the city tower at 6 pm on Friday and ends with the Zapfenstreich on the following Monday at 11 pm. The Strassenfest typically attracts more than 100,000 spectators.

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±%
1849:4,464—    
1871:4,472+0.2%
1900:7,650+71.1%
1925:8,811+15.2%
1939:11,601+31.7%
1946:15,412+32.9%
1961:23,725+53.9%
1975:29,614+24.8%
1995:33,882+14.4%
2010:35,395+4.5%

Mayors

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Before 1930 the title for this position was Stadtschultheiß. In 1930 the title became Bürgermeister (Mayor), and in 1956 with the elevation of Backnang to a "large district town," the title was changed to Oberbürgermeister (Lord Mayor).

  • 1901–1921: Hermann Eckstein
  • 1921–1945: Albert Rienhardt
  • 1946–1966: Walter Baumgärtner
  • 1966–1986: Martin Dietrich (1929-2012)
  • 1986–1994: Hannes Rieckhoff (born 1944)
  • 1994–2002: Jürgen-Heinrich Schmidt (born 1942)
  • 2002-2021: Frank Nopper (born 1961) [4][5]
  • since 2021: Maximilian Friedrich (born 1987) [6][7]
 
Stiftshof, the local court, on the right
 
Christmas market 2010

Twin towns – sister cities

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Backnang is twinned with:[8]

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ Aktuelle Wahlergebnisse, Staatsanzeiger, accessed 14 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerung nach Nationalität und Geschlecht am 31. Dezember 2022" [Population by nationality and sex as of December 31, 2022] (CSV) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Baden-Württemberg. June 2023.
  3. ^   One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Backnang". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 135.
  4. ^ Frank Nopper mit 87 Prozent im Amt bestätigt, Backnanger Kreiszeitung vom 8. Februar 2010
  5. ^ "87,1 Prozent: Frank Nopper gewinnt OB-Wahl". Backnanger Kreiszeitung. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  6. ^ "Lebenslauf des Oberbürgermeisters". Stadt Backnang. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  7. ^ "Oberbürgermeisterwahl Backnang 2021". Staatsanzeiger. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  8. ^ "Partnerstädte". backnang.de (in German). Backnang. Archived from the original on 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2019-12-04.