Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen is a municipality in the Karlsruhe district with around 15,000 inhabitants. It was formed during the Baden-Württemberg territorial reform from the municipalities of Eggenstein and Leopoldshafen. A part of the large research area of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is located in the district of Leopoldshafen.
The municipality of Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen is situated in the Rhine valley about twelve kilometers north of downtown Karlsruhe and borders its district Neureut. To the north lies the municipality of Linkenheim-Hochstetten. These towns are located together on a cleared area that is bordered on two sides by topographical barriers: to the east by the Hardtwald, beyond which lies the town of Stutensee. To the west is the Rhine, with the municipality of Leimersheim (Germersheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate) on the opposite bank. To the east, the municipality is connected to the federal road B36.
Within the municipality of Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, there are several old river bodies, including: Old Rhine (Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen) (near Eggenstein and Leopoldshafen), Old Rhine near Eggenstein, and Eggensteiner Old Rhine (near Eggenstein and Leopoldshafen). In the Rhine floodplain, the Alb Canal runs, which has been ecologically redesigned since 2009, as well as other water bodies such as the ditch Sandwiesenschlag or the Rhine side arm Langes Loch.
The municipality of Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen consists of the former municipalities of Eggenstein and Leopoldshafen. The former municipality of Eggenstein includes the village of Eggenstein and the house “Bahnstation Eggenstein.” The former municipality of Leopoldshafen includes the village of Leopoldshafen, the place “Am Hafenplatz, Siedlung,” the farm “Am Gewann Schröcker Tor,” and the house “Bahnstation Leopoldshafen.”
In the area of the former municipality of Eggenstein, there are the deserted settlements of Hofstatt, which may be identical to other local names in the vicinity, and the unlocated settlement of Vefrisse. In the area of the former municipality of Leopoldshafen, as well as partially in the municipality of Linkenheim-Hochstetten, lies the desertion Frecanstetten.
The first documented mention of Leopoldshafen or Schröck dates back to July 1, 1160. At that time, Bishop Günther of Speyer confirmed the transfer of ownership of the local estate to the Maulbronn Monastery. The earliest spelling “Schrâg” later evolved into the spellings “Schreck,” “Schroeckh,” “Schröck.” The name remains a puzzle to this day; it initially means something like to frighten, to startle, to jump, to hop, or to cringe. This could refer to the prominent and notably sharp ridge on which Schröck was once built, jutting out into the Rhine. Following a request from the merchant class and the inhabitants to the then Grand Duke Leopold of Baden, the village was officially renamed “Leopoldshafen” on June 4, 1833.
With the transfer of the estate of Schröck to the Maulbronn Monastery in the 12th century, it became a grange, a managed monastery estate. Already in the 14th century, there was a customs station and a ferry in Schröck due to its favorable location on the Rhine. The first mentions date back to the years 1382 (customs station) and 1390 (ferry). Schröck became Protestant in 1556. By 1750, there was a harbor area here after private individuals had built a warehouse with cranes to promote trade. In 1762, Schröck became an independent municipality. In 1765, a noble saltpeter factory was established, and in 1789, a crystal glass factory was established in the old monastery courtyard. In 1768/1769, the place received a grand-ducal post station. In 1812, the harbor basin was relocated to its current site, and in 1818, a new warehouse with cranes was put into operation at the harbor. In 1831, regular shipping traffic was established from Schröck to Mainz. Continuous silting of the harbor basin and unfavorable developments of important location factors (1862 construction of the Maxau harbor, 1869/1870 establishment of the railway network initially without a stop in Leopoldshafen, 1901 establishment of the Rhine harbor in Karlsruhe) ultimately led to the complete decline of shipping operations. After World War II, a new economic upturn began with the establishment of the Karlsruhe Research Center (now Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, KIT) in 1956, leading to explosive growth in construction areas.
Video editing: Adriano Montanheiro.
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Nice done.