Schmalkalden, town (1994 pop. 16,096), Thuringia, central Germany. It has been a metalworking center since the Middle Ages, and its manufactures include tools, kitchen utensils, and machinery. Schmalkalden was chartered in the 13th cent., passed in 1583 to Hesse-Kassel, and, with it, passed to Prussia in 1866. In the town hall (built 1419) the Schmalkaldic League was founded in 1531. The inn where Luther drew up (1537) the Schmalkaldic Articles, outlining the Protestant viewpoint, has been restored. Other noteworthy structures in Schmalkalden include the Church of St. George (15th cent.) and parts of the town's medieval fortifications.

Schmalkalden-Meiningen is a Kreis (district) in the west of Thuringia, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from the northwest clockwise) the districts Wartburgkreis, Gotha, Ilm-Kreis, the district-free city Suhl, the district Hildburghausen, the Bavarian district Rhön-Grabfeld, and the district Fulda in Hesse.

History

The district was created in 1994 by merging the previous districts Schmalkalden, Meiningen and partially Suhl-Land.

Partnerships

The district has a partnership with the Vogelsbergkreis in Hesse, as well as with the Komitat Pest in Hungary.

Geography

The main river in the district is the Werra. The district is located in mostly mountainous landscape, the Rhön and the Thuringian Forest. The Rennsteig hiking path crosses the district. The area around Oberhof is a famous winter sports resort.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms shows symbols from the coat of arms of the three precursor districts, which are also symbols for the historic states which make up the territory of the district. The rooster in the topleft derives from the coat of arms of the counts of Henneberg. It stands on three green mounds, a reminder of the hills and mountains of the area. The lion of Hesse is displayed in the topright, as the area was owned by Hesse 1360-1866. The banner in the bottom left comes from the coat of arms of the district Meiningen, and derives from the coat of arms of the city Würzburg. The prince-bishops of Würzburg owned Meiningen in the past. The coat of arms of Saxony in the bottom right is a reminder of the duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, which existed from 1680 to 1918.

Towns and municipalities

Verwaltungsgemeinschaft-free towns	and municipalities
Brotterode Meiningen Oberhof Schmalkalden Steinbach-Hallenberg Zella-Mehlis	Benshausen Breitungen Fambach Floh-Seligenthal Grabfeld Henneberg Herpf Heßles Rhönblick	Rippershausen Rosa Roßdorf Schwallungen Stepfershausen Sülzfeld Trusetal Untermaßfeld Wernshausen

Verwaltungsgemeinschaften
1. Dolmar Christes Dillstädt Kühndorf Rohr Schwarza1 Utendorf 2. Haselgrund Altersbach Bermbach Oberschönau Rotterode Springstille Unterschönau Viernau1	3. Hohe Rhön Aschenhausen Birx Erbenhausen Frankenheim Kaltensundheim1 Kaltenwestheim Melpers Oberkatz Oberweid Unterweid	4. Salzbrücke Bauerbach Belrieth Einhausen Ellingshausen Leutersdorf Neubrunn Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal1 Ritschenhausen Vachdorf Wölfershausen 5. Wasungen-Amt Sand Friedelshausen Hümpfershausen Mehmels Metzels Oepfershausen Unterkatz Wahns Wallbach Walldorf Wasungen1, 2
1seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft;2town

External links

• Official website (German)