# Gedern > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gedern > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gedern.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gedern > Source revision: 1353200890 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Infobox German place |type = Town |image_photo = Gedern-Schloss.jpg |image_caption = Gedern Castle |image_coa = DEU Gedern COA.svg |coordinates = {{coord|50|25|28|N|9|11|59|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |image_plan = Gedern in FB.svg |state = Hesse |region = Darmstadt |district = Wetteraukreis |elevation = 357 |area = 75.24 |postal_code = 63688 |area_code = 06045 |licence = FB, BÜD |Gemeindeschlüssel = 06 4 40 009 |divisions = 6 districts |website = [https://www.gedern.de/ www.gedern.de] |mayor = Guido Kempel{{cite web|url=https://statistik.hessen.de/sites/statistik.hessen.de/files/2022-10/direktwahlen_09_2022_10102022.xlsx|title=Ergebnisse der letzten Direktwahl aller hessischen Landkreise und Gemeinden|language=de|date=5 September 2022|publisher=[Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt](/source/Hessisches_Statistisches_Landesamt)|format=XLS}} |leader_term = 2021–27 |party = Independent }} '''Gedern''' ({{IPA|de|ˈɡeːdɐn|-|De-Gedern.ogg}}) is a [town](/source/town) in the [Wetteraukreis](/source/Wetteraukreis) district in [Hesse](/source/Hesse), [Germany](/source/Germany), and historically belongs to [Oberhessen](/source/Upper_Hesse). It is located {{convert|38|km}} northeast of [Hanau](/source/Hanau) at the foot of the [Vogelsberg](/source/Vogelsberg_Mountains), one of the largest inactive volcanoes in Europe. ==Neighboring towns== Gedern is bordered by [Schotten](/source/Schotten) ([Vogelsbergkreis](/source/Vogelsbergkreis)) in the north, by [Grebenhain](/source/Grebenhain) (Vogelsbergkreis) in the northeast, by [Birstein](/source/Birstein) ([Main-Kinzig-Kreis](/source/Main-Kinzig-Kreis)) in the east, by [Kefenrod](/source/Kefenrod) in the south, by [Ortenberg](/source/Ortenberg%2C_Hesse) in the southwest, and [Hirzenhain](/source/Hirzenhain) in the west. ==Organization== Gedern is divided into the districts of Gedern, [Mittel-Seemen](/source/Mittel-Seemen), [Nieder-Seemen](/source/Nieder-Seemen), [Ober-Seemen](/source/Ober-Seemen), [Steinberg](/source/Steinberg%2C_Hesse), and [Wenings](/source/Wenings). ==History== *The first records of Gedern come from the year 730 AD. *City rights were given to Gedern on January 10, 1356, by [Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor](/source/Charles_IV%2C_Holy_Roman_Emperor), 20 years after [Wenings](/source/Wenings), a current district of Gedern, received its city rights from [Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor](/source/Louis_IV%2C_Holy_Roman_Emperor). *After the [Congress of Vienna](/source/Congress_of_Vienna), command of Gedern passed to the [Grand Duchy of Hesse](/source/Grand_Duchy_of_Hesse). *Many zoning reforms have taken place in Gedern since then. In 1852 Gedern was placed into the Kreis [Nidda](/source/Nidda%2C_Hesse) district. Then, when this district was removed in 1874, Gedern was placed into the [Schotten](/source/Schotten) district. In yet another reform in 1936, Gedern was placed into Landkreis [Büdingen](/source/B%C3%BCdingen). After the last reorganization in 1972, Gedern and five other towns were incorporated into [Wetteraukreis](/source/Wetteraukreis). ==Politics== ===Town council=== {{update section|date=July 2021}} The town council consists of the mayor, [Stefan Betz](/source/Stefan_Betz) (independent), and the aldermen Klaus Hein, Walter Lutz and Barbara Gundlach (CDU), Klaus Bechthold and Andreas Steder (SPD), Reinhold Landmann and Irmtraud Köhler (FWG) and Willi Herbst (Bürgerliste Gedern). ===Mayor=== The last election for mayor was held in 2021 in which Guido Kempel was re-elected. In 2015 Kempel replaced Klaus Bechthold ([SPD](/source/Social_Democratic_Party_(Germany))) who retired for health reasons. ===Coat of arms=== The city coat of arms shows two [trout](/source/trout) on a red and silver striped background. These represent the copious amounts of fish that were caught in and around Gedern throughout its history. The silver stripes stand for the two creeks, Mühlbach and Gänsbach, that run through Gedern. ===Partnerships=== Gedern is [twinned](/source/town_twinning) with [Columbia, Illinois](/source/Columbia%2C_Illinois), and [Polanów, Poland](/source/Polan%C3%B3w), through the [Sister Cities](/source/Sister_Cities) Program. The village of Wenings is also partnered with [Nucourt, France](/source/Nucourt). The sister city arrangement with Columbia has its roots in an initiative of some inhabitants of Columbia in 1990. During a genealogical research, they found that most of the 156 people who emigrated from Gedern in the 19th century found a new home in the area of Columbia. In April 1992 the representatives of both cities signed a treaty of friendship during a visit of a delegation from Columbia in Gedern. The official partnership ceremony was held in May 1993 in Columbia, Illinois. ==Economy and infrastructure== ===Local companies=== Measured by its size, Gedern was an important industrial hub during the 1980s in the industrially weak area around the Vogelsberg. There were several textile, wood, rubber, and metal refining factories. Today only a large metal-refining company is still active. Today Gedern is economically unimportant. Retail, manual labor, and trade work that make up the core of the economic activities are done on a very small scale. The vast majority of the inhabitants of Gedern commute to other areas in the Rhein-Main and [Gießen](/source/Gie%C3%9Fen) regions. ===Educational facilities=== * Gedern has a comprehensive school ([Gesamtschule](/source/Gesamtschule)) with the levels [Hauptschule](/source/Hauptschule), [Realschule](/source/Realschule), and [Gymnasium](/source/Gymnasium_(Germany)) up to tenth grade. * Several [elementary schools](/source/elementary_schools) are also found in Gedern and the surrounding area. ===Recreation=== * The Gederner See (Lake Gedern) attracts many campers and swimmers every summer. * Gedern also has a heated indoor pool in the recreation center (Sportzentrum) on Schmitterberg—the hill that separates the village from the lake area. * Around the lake, there is also a glider runway. On weekends with good weather, one can see the gliders in the sky all around Gedern. * The Volcano Bike Path runs from [Stockheim](/source/Stockheim) to [Lauterbach](/source/Lauterbach%2C_Hesse) along the old train tracks. * Ober-Seemen is also home to the county youth summer camp Groß-Gerau. == Sons and daughters of the city == thumb|150px|Louise, Countess d'Albany 1793 * [Christian Ernest of Stolberg-Wernigerode](/source/Christian_Ernest_of_Stolberg-Wernigerode) (1691–1771), reigning Count of the County of Wernigerode * [Frederick Charles of Stolberg-Gedern](/source/Frederick_Charles_of_Stolberg-Gedern) (1693–1767), owner of the Stolbergian domination of Gedern * [Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern](/source/Princess_Louise_of_Stolberg-Gedern) (1752–1824), Countess of Albany * [Eduard von Fransecky](/source/Eduard_von_Fransecky) (1807–1890), Prussian General of the Infantry * [Otto of Stolberg-Wernigerode](/source/Otto_of_Stolberg-Wernigerode) (1837–1896), politician and Vice Chancellor with Otto von Bismarck * [Edgar Itt](/source/Edgar_Itt) (born 1967), athlete (sprinter) * [Sandra Minnert](/source/Sandra_Minnert) (born 1973), football player and manager ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{Official website}} {{in lang|de}} {{Towns and municipalities in Wetteraukreis district}} {{Authority control}} Category:Wetteraukreis --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gedern](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gedern) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gedern?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.