View source for Gernsheim

{{for|the composer|Friedrich Gernsheim}}

{{Infobox German place
|type               = Stadt
|image_coa            = DEU Gernsheim COA.svg
|image_flag           = DEU Gernsheim Banner.svg
|image_photo = Rathaus (Gernsheim).jpg
|image_caption = Town hall
|coordinates       = {{coord|49|45|N|08|29|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = Gernsheim in GG.svg
|state        = Hessen
|region  = Darmstadt
|district             = Groß-Gerau
|elevation              = 88
|area            = 40.11
|postal_code               = 64579
|area_code           = 06258
|licence               = GG
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 06 4 33 004
|website           = [https://www.gernsheim.de/ www.gernsheim.de]
|mayor             = Peter Burger<ref>{{cite web|url=https://statistik.hessen.de/sites/statistik.hessen.de/files/2023-04/BVII_m04-2023_Direktwahlen_Tabelle_1a.xlsx|title=Ergebnisse der jeweils letzten Direktwahl von Landrätinnen und Landräte sowie (Ober-)Bürgermeisterinnen und (Ober-)Bürgermeister in Hessen, Stand 13.04.2023|language=de|publisher=[[Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt]]|format=XLS|access-date=2023-07-06|archive-date=2023-07-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162647/https://statistik.hessen.de/sites/statistik.hessen.de/files/2023-04/BVII_m04-2023_Direktwahlen_Tabelle_1a.xlsx|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|leader_term       = 2022&ndash;28
|party             = CDU
}}
'''Gernsheim''' ({{IPA|de|ˈɡɛʁnsˌhaɪm|-|De-Gernsheim.ogg}}) is a town in [[Groß-Gerau (district)|Groß-Gerau]] district and [[Darmstadt (region)|Darmstadt]] region in [[Hesse]], [[Germany]], lying on the [[Rhine]].

==Geography==

===Location===
The ''Schöfferstadt Gernsheim'', as Gernsheim may officially call itself – it was [[Peter Schöffer]]'s birthplace – lies 18&nbsp;km southwest of [[Darmstadt]] and 16&nbsp;km northeast of [[Worms, Germany|Worms]], right on the Rhine's east bank, south of the Old Rhine near [[Stockstadt am Rhein]] in the [[Frankfurt Rhein-Main Region]].

===Neighbouring communities===
Gernsheim borders in the north on the communities of [[Biebesheim]] and [[Riedstadt]], in the east on the town of [[Pfungstadt]] and the communities of [[Bickenbach (Bergstraße)|Bickenbach]] and [[Alsbach-Hähnlein]] (all in [[Darmstadt-Dieburg]]), in the south on the town of [[Bensheim]] and the communities of [[Einhausen, Hesse|Einhausen]] and [[Groß-Rohrheim]] (all in [[Kreis Bergstraße]]) and in the west on the community of [[Hamm am Rhein|Hamm]] ([[Alzey-Worms]]).

===Constituent communities===
Gernsheim consists of the centres of Allmendfeld, Gernsheim and Klein-Rohrheim.

==History==
In the first century, there was [[Roman Empire|Roman]] settlement in what is now Gernsheim. By the 7th century, this had given way to [[Franks|Frankish]] settlement. In 852, Gernsheim had its first documentary mention, and was also later mentioned in the [[Lorsch codex]].<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/science/2015/09/21/board-game-pieces-found-in-settlement-built-on-roman-military-fort.html?intcmp=hpff foxnews.com, Roman settlement in Gernsheim, Board game pieces found in settlement built on Roman military fort  LiveScience, By Laura Geggel, September 21, 2015].</ref>

In 1356, Gernsheim was granted town rights by [[Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor]]. In 1425, [[Peter Schöffer]], later to be well known as one of [[Johannes Gutenberg]]'s colleagues, was born.

In 1937, the village of Allmendfeld, now part of Gernsheim but originally a separate municipality, was founded. It is Hesse's newest town (in the common sense, if not the administrative). It is named after the [[commons]] (''die Allmende'' in [[German language|German]]).

===Amalgamated communities===
* Allmendfeld, since 1971 (founded 1937)
* Klein-Rohrheim, since 1971 (about 1200 years old)

==Politics==

===Coat of arms===
Gernsheim's civic [[coat of arms]] might heraldically be described thus: Gules, a six-spoked wheel argent.

Gernsheim was among Mainz's many landholdings for centuries (1232–1802). The charge in these arms is the [[Wheel of Mainz]], a common heraldic charge in the region, given the history, but unlike many others, Gernsheim's arms have only this one charge. The town's oldest known seal, from the 14th century, already showed the wheel, as have all seals that later followed. The arms were officially granted in 1925.[http://www.ngw.nl/int/dld/g/gernshei.htm]

Gernsheim has the same arms as [[Höchst (Frankfurt am Main)|Höchst]], a constituent community of [[Frankfurt|Frankfurt am Main]].

===Partnerships===
* {{Flagicon|France}} [[Bar-sur-Aube]], [[Champagne-Ardenne]], [[France]] since 1976
* {{Flagicon|Poland}} [[Świecie]], [[Poland]] since 2011

==Culture and sightseeing==

===Buildings===
* Wallfahrtskirche Maria Einsiedel ([[pilgrimage]] church, 1431)
* Museum (Peter Schöffer Haus)
* Rathaus (Town Hall)
* Stadthalle (guildhall)
* Old electricity works (Mario Derra)

===Nature===
* Rhine
* Town Forest

===Regular events===
* Rhenish Fishing Festival (''Rheinisches Fischerfest'') – since 1948, the biggest fishing festival on the Rhine (first weekend in August)
* [[Carnival#Germany|Street Carnival]] (''Straßenfastnacht'', with parade)
* Christmas Market (''Weihnachtsmarkt'')
* Church Fair (''Kerb'')
* Downtown Festival (''Innenstadtfest'')

==Economy and infrastructure==

===Transport===
Roads serving Gernsheim include Federal Highways (''Bundesstraßen'') B 44, B44a and B 426. Gernsheim is also connected to the [[Autobahn]] [[Bundesautobahn 67|A 67]], as well as to State Highway (''Landesstraße'') L 3112 and the K 206.

Gernsheim lies on the [[Mannheim–Frankfurt railway]]. There are also bus connections to [[Darmstadt]], [[Bensheim]], [[Goddelau]] and [[Lampertheim]].

Gernsheim's riverfront on the Rhine is home to a [[Containerization|container port]] with a railway connection. There are also [[Ferry|ferries]] across the Rhine to [[Eich, Rhineland-Palatinate|Eich]] in [[Rhineland-Palatinate]].

== Known Gernsheimer Personalities ==
* [[Peter Schöffer]] ({{Circa|1425|1503}}), printer, publisher and bookseller, born in Gernsheim
* [[Joseph Schmitt]] (c. 1734-1791), composer and music publisher, born in Gernsheim
* [[Jürgen Walter (SPD)|Jürgen Walter]] (* 1968), politician, living in Gernsheim
* [[Indira Weis|Verena Weis]] (* 1979), singer Indira, temporarily residing in Gernsheim

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website}} {{in lang|de}}
*[http://www.rheinisches-fischerfest.de/ Rheinisches Fischerfest]

{{Towns and municipalities in Groß-Gerau district}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Groß-Gerau (district)]]