Balbronn

Balbronn (French pronunciation: [balbʁɔn] ; German: Ballbronn) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in the Grand Est region of north-eastern France.

Balbronn
Commune
The Protestant church in Balbronn
Coat of arms
Location of Balbronn
Balbronn Balbronn
Coordinates: 48°35′04″N 7°26′16″E
Country	France
Region	Grand Est
Department	Bas-Rhin
Arrondissement	Molsheim
Canton	Saverne
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Daniel Reutenauer
Area 1	10.18 km2 (3.93 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	673
• Density	66/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	67018 /67310
Elevation	209–450 m (686–1,476 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

Balbronn is located some 25 kilometres west of Strasbourg and 8 km south-west of Wasselonne. Access to the commune is by the D75 road from Westhoffen in the north which passes through the village and continues west through the commune then south-west to Oberhaslach. The D275 goes from the village south-east to Bergbieten. The commune is mostly farmland but with large forests north of the D75 in the west of the commune.

Le Schleithal river flows south through the forests in the west and continues south through the commune to join the Bruche at Dinsheim-sur-Bruche. The Niedermattgraben rises near the village and flows south-east to join the Kehlbach east of Bergbieten.

History

In his chronicle, Hertzog describes Balbronn as a Staettlin (small town). The church is very old. Inside it is a headstone from 1574 containing the remains of Jean de Mittelhausen and his wife Barbe Hufel.

In the forests in the west of Balbronn there was once a village called Elbersforst which was in a large clearing in the forest where there is now the Auberge d'Elemerforst. A plaque indicates that the place is the property of the Notre Dame works. Stones from the old village can still be seen above the restaurant patio. These are the old foundations of several buildings of what was formerly called Elbersforst. Since 2007 this medieval town has been the subject of archaeological excavations. Elbersforst was part of Westhoffen which depended on Marmourtier Abbey.

Heraldry

Arms of Balbronn

Blazon: Gules, a fountain Argent between four roses of Or set 2 and 2. These are Canting arms based on Bronn, a derivative of Brunne meaning "fountain" in German.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

From	To	Name	Party	Position
2001	2026	Daniel Reutenauer		Policy officer

Demography

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Balbronnais or Balbronnaises in French.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 935 —     1800 904 −0.48% 1806 921 +0.31% 1821 993 +0.50% 1831 1,103 +1.06% 1836 1,081 −0.40% 1841 1,076 −0.09% 1846 1,140 +1.16% 1851 1,093 −0.84% 1856 994 −1.88% 1861 1,033 +0.77% 1866 1,062 +0.56% 1871 1,019 −0.82% 1875 1,010 −0.22% 1880 994 −0.32% 1885 1,014 +0.40% 1890 1,028 +0.27% 1895 1,003 −0.49%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1900 905 −2.04% 1905 885 −0.45% 1910 852 −0.76% 1921 687 −1.94% 1926 652 −1.04% 1931 642 −0.31% 1936 639 −0.09% 1946 618 −0.33% 1954 589 −0.60% 1962 594 +0.11% 1968 600 +0.17% 1975 587 −0.31% 1982 563 −0.59% 1990 581 +0.39% 1999 602 +0.40% 2007 649 +0.94% 2012 634 −0.47% 2017 656 +0.68%
Source: EHESS and INSEE

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has many buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments:

• A Jewish House (1628) at 47-48 Rue Balbach
• Farmhouses (14th-19th century)
• A Chateau at Rue du Chateau (15th century)
• The Town Hall/School at 63 Place de la Mairie (1897)
• A Protestant School at 170 Place du Pasteur-Albert-Kiefer (1834)
• A Merchant's House at 29 Rue des Tonneliers (19th century)
• A Forester's House at Elmersforst (1755)

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

• A Synagogue (disused) at Rue des Femmes (1895)
• A Protestant Presbytery 173 Rue du Fossé (1732). The Presbytery contains 2 communion ewers (18th century) which are registered as an historical object.
• A Protestant Church at Place du Pasteur-Albert-Kiefer (12th century)
• The Parish Church of Saint-Catherine at Rue de Westhoffen (20th century). The church contains many items that are registered as historical objects:
  • The Furniture in the Church
  • A Chalice with Paten and Spoon (19th century)
  • A Painting: Saint Catherine (19th century)
  • A Eucharistic Cabinet (1453)
  • A Baptismal font (1687)
  • The main Altar (19th century)
  • 3 Stained glass windows (1905)
  • A Monumental Cross (18th century)
• The Interdenominational Cemetery at Rue de Westhoffen (1882)
• The Church and Cemetery of Balbronn (12th century). The Cemetery contains a Cemetery Cross (19th century) which is registered as an historical object.

Notable people linked to the commune

• Louis Albert Kiefer, pastor from 1873 to 1913, the date of his death, author of the book: Die geschichte Balbronn, 1894.

See also

• Communes of the Bas-Rhin department

External links

• Balbronn on the old National Geographic website (in French)
• Regional Directorate of the Environment, Sustainable development, and Lodgings (DREAL) website (in French)
• Balbronn official website (in French)
• Balbronn on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website (in French)
• Balbronn on the 1750 Cassini Map