Schwarzautal is a market town since 2015 with 2,299 residents (as of 1 January 2016) in the Leibnitz District of Styria, Austria.

Schwarzautal
Coat of arms of Schwarzautal
Schwarzautal is located in Austria
Schwarzautal
Schwarzautal
Location within Austria
Coordinates: 46°49′48″N 15°40′48″E / 46.83000°N 15.68000°E / 46.83000; 15.68000
CountryAustria
StateStyria
DistrictLeibnitz
Government
 • MayorAlois Trummer (ÖVP)
Area
 • Total
39.94 km2 (15.42 sq mi)
Elevation
304 m (997 ft)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[2]
 • Total
2,310
 • Density58/km2 (150/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
8421, 8413, 8422
Area code+43 3184
Websitewww.schwarzautal.gv.at
Catholic church Pfarrkirche hl. Dionysius and cemetery in Wolfsberg im Schwarzautal.

The municipality was founded as part of the Styria municipal structural reform,[3] at the end of 2014, by merging the five former towns: Schwarzau im Schwarzautal, Wolfsberg im Schwarzautal, Breitenfeld am Tannenriegel, Hainsdorf im Schwarzautal and Mitterlabill.[4]

The towns Mitterlabill and Schwarzau im Schwarzautal lied in the political district Südoststeiermark, while the other towns lied in the district of Leibnitz. The boundaries of the districts and the judicial districts have been changed so that the new community is now fully in the district and jurisdiction Leibnitz.[5]

Until the end of 2012 the former municipalities Mitterlabill and Schwarzau im Schwarzautal lied in the Feldbach District and had the indicating plate letters "FB". From mid-2013 until the end of 2014, the letters "SO" were assigned, since 2015 "LB" indicates the Leibnitz district.

Geography

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Municipality arrangement

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The municipality territory includes nine Katastralgemeinden and 12 towns (populations and areas as of January 2015[6]):

Katastralgemeinden
  • Breitenfeld (445.95 ha or 1,102.0 acres)
  • Hainsdorf (431.40 ha)
  • Maggau (517.50 ha)
  • Marchtring (334.34 ha)
  • Matzelsdorf (237.19 ha)
  • Mitterlabill (495.21 ha)
  • Schwarzau (538.45 ha)
  • Unterlabill (297.06 ha or 734.1 acres)
  • Wolfsberg (723.82 ha or 1,788.6 acres)
Town

Neighboring municipalities

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The municipality is enclosed by ten neighboring communities, four of them lie in the Südoststeiermark District (SO).

Demographics

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Politics

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Mayor

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Alois Trummer (ÖVP) was elected in the inaugural meeting of the Municipal Council in April 2015 as mayor of the new municipality.[7]

The municipal council further includes the Deputy Mayor Martin Kohl (ÖVP) and the municipality treasurer Rupert Wahrlich (Schwarzautal Active - List Rupert Wahrlich).[8]

Municipal council

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The municipal council consists of 15 members. According to the results of the municipal elections in 2015, the seat allocation is as follows:

  • 8 seats ÖVP
  • 6 seats Schwarzautal Aktiv – Liste Rupert Wahrlich
  • 1 seat FPÖ

The prior elections had the following results:

Party 2015 2010
Schwarzautal Schwarzau
im Schwarz.
Breitenfeld Hainsdorf Mitterlabill Wolfsberg
im Schwarz.
Votes % Seats V. % S. V. % S. V. % S. V. % S. V. % S.
ÖVP 795 49 8 380 100 9 137 100 9 191 100 9 287 100 9 252 41 4
SPÖ 066 04 0 not contested 083 13 1
FPÖ 145 09 1 not contested
Schwarzautal Aktiv
Liste Rupert Wahrlich
631 39 6 not contested 286 46 4
Counts 1,974 536 174 247 367 678
Percentage 84% 76% 81% 81% 82% 93%
All percents are based on the total count.

Coat of arms

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Four of the five predecessor towns had a town crest. Because of the merger, they lost their official validity on January 1, 2015. The authorization of the municipal coat of arms, for the fusion community, was carried out with effect from 15 July 2016.
Blazon (crest description):

"A black, silver-flooded hive, cut in from the upper edge of the shield, in red on each side a three-leafed, seven-beaded silver meadowspowder, and in green center are three (1:2) similar plants".[9]

Culture and sights

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Chapel in Schwarzau im Schwarzautal

References

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  1. ^ "Dauersiedlungsraum der Gemeinden Politischen Bezirke und Bundesländer - Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Einwohnerzahl 1.1.2018 nach Gemeinden mit Status, Gebietsstand 1.1.2018". Statistics Austria. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  3. ^ Steiermärkische Gemeindestrukturreform.
  4. ^ Kundmachung der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung vom 3. Oktober 2013 über die Vereinigung der Marktgemeinde Wolfsberg im Schwarzautal und der Gemeinden Breitenfeld am Tannenriegel, Hainsdorf im Schwarzautal, alle politischer Bezirk Leibnitz, und der Gemeinden Mitterlabill und Schwarzau im Schwarzautal, beide politischer Bezirk Südoststeiermark. Landesgesetzblatt für die Steiermark vom 26. Juni 2014. Nr. 75, Jahrgang 2014. ZDB-ID 705127-x. p. 1.
  5. ^ Verordnung der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung vom 10. Juli 2014, mit der die Steiermärkische Bezirkshauptmannschaftenverordnung geändert wird. Landesgesetzblatt für die Steiermark. 10 September 2014. Nr. 99 Jahrgang 2014. ZDB-ID 705127-x.
  6. ^ Einwohner nach Ortschaften (Excel-Datei, 766 KB); accessed on 29 July 2015
  7. ^ Gemeinde Schwarzautal: Bürgermeister, accessed on 15 June 2015
  8. ^ Gemeinde Schwarzautal: Gemeindevorstand, accessed on 15 June 2015
  9. ^ 94. Verlautbarung der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung vom 30. Juni 2016 über die Verleihung des Rechtes zur Führung eines Gemeindewappens an die Marktgemeinde Schwarzautal (politischer Bezirk Leibnitz), accessed on 28 October 2016.
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