Ortenau

The Ortenau is a historical territory in Baden-Württemberg, located on the right bank of the River Rhine. It covers approximately the same area as the Ortenaukreis, a present-day district.

The Ortenau, originally called Mortenau, was an early medieval county (Gau) in the Duchy of Swabia. It was first mentioned in 763. In 1007, the Ortenau was given to the Bishopric of Bamberg. In the late 13th century, the county disintegrated, and several smaller states formed in its place. Parts fell to the Bishopric of Strasbourg; the territories that remained in the possession of the king formed a Landvogtei, the Landvogtei Ortenau. Between 1803 and 1819, the Ortenau became part of Baden.

Ortenaukreis

Ortenaukreis (French: Ortenau) is a district (Kreis) in the west of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are (clockwise from north) Rastatt, Freudenstadt, Rottweil, Schwarzwald-Baar and Emmendingen. To the west it borders the French Bas-Rhin département.

History

The district was created in 1973 by merging the districts of Kehl, Lahr, Offenburg, Wolfach and the southern part of the district of Bühl.

Geography

The western part of the district is located in the Upper Rhine Valley, the eastern part belongs to the northern Black Forest. The highest elevation of the district, the Hornisgrinde (1164 m), is located in the north-east of the district. The lowest elevation (124.3 m) is in the Rhine valley to the north. The district is named after the historical territory of the Ortenau.

Partnerships

The district has a friendship with the Altenburger Land district in Thuringia. Offenburg district already had a city partnership with Altenburg so, after German reunification in 1990, Ortenaukreis chose to help modernize the Altenburger Land administration to the West German standard.