Von: carlah@earthlink.net (Carla)
  Datum: 14.02.99, 01:11:38
Betreff: Baden, Wuerttemberg...AND HOHENZOLLERN

MR ED STAUSS wrote:
>
> A reminder to those who think Baden-Wuerttemberg is a composite of just those two 
> former lands. There was also the Prussian province of Hohenzollern, a small sliver of 
> land between the two big ones.
> Ed Stauss
> Woodland Hills, CA

Dear Ed and Baden-Wuerttemberg List Friends,

Ed (my friendly neighbor to the north!) is absolutely correct, and it is
indeed important to include a recognition of the existence of
Hohenzollern as a part of the modern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, as
well as to note its history prior to the 20th century.  I traditionally
have had a truly bizarre mental block when it comes to Hohenzollern, and
have accidentally ignored its existence on a number of occasions when
discussing important bits of history of Baden-Wuerttemberg---for which I
officially apologize.

In his research guide and gazetteer "The Atlantic Bridge to Germany,
Volume I:Baden-Wuerttemberg," Charles M. Hall has the following
descriptive notes on Hohenzollern:

"After being two separate principalities since 1576,
Hohenzollern-Hechingen and Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen were reunited in
1849 to become a Prussian province..."

"The name 'Hohenzollern' originated with a castle near the town of
Hechingen.  By gaining favor with the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire,
a branch of this family became the ruling house of a Franconian province
with headquarters at Nürnberg, and a branch of that family became the
ruling house of Brandenburg with its capital at Berlin.  The House of
Hohenzollern later took over [the kingdom of] Prussia and expanded
it...During this period of expansion, the Hohenzollerns never
relinquished the claim to their holdings in [the Wuerttemberg regional
area] comprising the districts of Hechingen and Sigmaringen."

"...The present Land ('state') of Baden-Wuerttemberg is an amalgamation
of the 19th century Kingdom of Wuerttemberg, the Grand Duchy of Baden,
and the Duchy of Hohenzollern."

To the unfamiliar eye, the area which is Hohenzollern can look like a
couple of amorphous blobs, or a teensy sliver (as Ed notes) sitting
basically *within* Wuerttemberg---and assume that it's somehow part of
it.  It's a good idea to envision Hohenzollern as the separate, equally
important, entity that it is.

Warmest regards,
Carla HELLER
Los Angeles