Ronshausen

Ronshausen is a municipality and a Luftkurort (“air spa”) in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany.

Ronshausen
Municipality
Coat of arms of Ronshausen
Coat of arms
Location of Ronshausen within Hersfeld-Rotenburg district
Ronshausen is located in Germany
Ronshausen
Ronshausen
Ronshausen is located in Hesse
Ronshausen
Ronshausen
Coordinates: 50°57′N 09°51′E
CountryGermany
StateHesse
Admin. regionKassel
DistrictHersfeld-Rotenburg
Government
 • Mayor (2017–23) Markus Becker[1] (CDU)
Area
 • Total37.65 km2 (14.54 sq mi)
Highest elevation
469 m (1,539 ft)
Lowest elevation
234 m (768 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total2,399
 • Density64/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
36217
Dialling codes06622
Vehicle registrationHEF
Websitewww.ronshausen.de

Geography

Location

The community lies in the valley of the Ulfe, which in Bebra empties into the Fulda. It lies in the Seulingswald and the Richelsdorf Hills (ranges).

The nearest major towns are Bad Hersfeld (some 15 km to the southwest), Rotenburg (some 12 km to the northwest) and Eisenach (some 35 km to the east).

Neighbouring communities

Ronshausen borders in the northwest on the town of Bebra (outlying centre of Weiterode), in the northeast on the community of Nentershausen, in the east on the community of Wildeck, in the south Friedewald and in the west on the community of Ludwigsau (all in Hersfeld-Rotenburg).

Constituent communities

Ronshausen has only one outlying Ortsteil, Machtlos.

History

In 1061, Ronshausen had its first documentary mention as Runteshuson in a donation document to the Fulda Abbey. The outlying centre of Machtlos had its first documentary mention as villa Mechtolves in 1329. The name Mechtolves (gen.) meant “of the mighty wolf”

From 1359, a toll station was set up at Ronshausen, which exacted road tolls for the Ulfestraße (road) until 1834. As early as 1386, Ronshausen belonged to the Landgraves of Hesse.

In the Thirty Years' War from 1618 to 1648 and the Seven Years' War from 1756 to 1763, the community was abandoned several times, but already by 1780, there was a mention of Ronshausen as a big village of 468 inhabitants.

Until the mid 19th century, the community was characterized by agricultural pursuits. Only when the Bebra-Eisenach railway was built did this change. Tourism has played a rôle since the mid 20th century.

The community of Machtlos was amalgamated with Ronshausen in 1972 as part of municipal reform.

Politics

Community council

The municipal election held on 26 March 2006 yielded the following results:

Parties and voter communities %
2006		 Seats
2006		 %
2001		 Seats
2001
CDU Christian Democratic Union of Germany 19.3 3 20.1 3
SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany 55.2 8 57.6 9
FDP Free Democratic Party 9.7 2 – –
FWG Freie Wählergemeinschaft Ronshausen 15.8 2 22.3 3
Total 100.0 15 100.0 15
Voter turnout in % 62.2 72.2

The community's executive (Gemeindevorstand) is made up of five members, with four seats allotted to the SPD and one to the CDU.

Mayor

Mayor Friedhold Zilch (SPD) was once again elected on 30 October 2005 with 62.7% of the vote.

Town partnerships

Culture and sightseeing

Buildings
  • 800-year-old fortress church with rustic Baroque paintings

Culinary specialities

At a local butcher shop is made a local speciality called the Januar-Stracke, a kind of aged pork sausage.

Economy and infrastructure

Transport

Ronshausen has a railway station on the Thüringer Bahn from Eisenach to Bebra.

References
  1. "Ergebnisse der letzten Direktwahl aller hessischen Landkreise und Gemeinden" (XLS) (in German). Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. 5 September 2022.
  2. "Bevölkerung in Hessen am 31.12.2022 nach Gemeinden" (XLS) (in German). Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt. June 2023.
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