72-740: Krähenberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate , western Germany . This Südwestpfalz location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( / ˌ r aɪ n l æ n d p ə ˈ l æ t ɪ n ɪ t , - l ə n d -/ RYNE -land pə- LAT -in-it, -lənd- , US also /- ɪ n eɪ t / -in-ayt ; German: Rheinland-Pfalz [ˈʁaɪnlant ˈpfalts] ; Luxembourgish : Rheinland-Pfalz [ˈʀɑɪnlɑm ˈpfɑlts] ; Palatine German : Rhoilond-Palz )
144-530: A referendum except those in the administrative district of Palatinate won the necessary majority; however, almost 20 years passed before the referendums finally took place. On 19 January 1975, none of the regions concerned returned a majority for being transferred to another state. This put an end to decades of discussion. Only the AKK conflict , a dispute over the districts of Mainz-Amöneburg , Mainz-Kastel , and Mainz-Kostheim , has continued to exercise politicians up to
216-511: A treaty was signed between Austria and Bavaria in which the various territorial changes were agreed on. According to Article 2 of the treaty, Emperor Francis I of Austria ceded various regions to King Maximilian I of Bavaria . These included, in addition to various regions east of the Rhine, the following regions west of the Rhine: These changes took effect on 1 May 1816. In accordance with
288-547: A cooperation project with Kutztown University ). In the same village one can find the headquarters of the German-Pennsylvanian Association. Many more Palatines emigrated in the course of the 19th century, and the great majority of them to North America, so that in the US temporarily "Palatine" was a common designation for German Americans . Johann Heinrich Heinz (1811–1891), the father of Henry John Heinz who founded
360-493: A new creation. In 1818, the cantons were merged into 12 administrative districts called Landkommissariat . In 1862, these were designated individually as Bezirksamt . In 1939, each one became a Landkreis (rural district). As his first provincial governor, King Maximilian selected the Privy Councillor ( Hofrat ) Franz Xaver von Zwack , whose name gave rise to the popular Palatine nickname for Bavarians, Zwockel . In 1832
432-669: A number of Franconian territories on both sides of the Rhine formerly held by the Counts palatine ( Pfalzgrafen ) of Lotharingia . By the late 12th century, the Count palatine had achieved the status of a Prince-elector ( Kurfürst ), becoming one of the seven higher nobles with the privilege of electing the Emperor , as confirmed by the Golden Bull of 1356 . In 1214, the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach
504-445: A recent cultivar , is the leading red grape cultivated on 7,626 hectares (18,840 acres), which is more than a third. Blauer Portugieser (4,446 hectares (10,990 acres)) and Spätburgunder (3,867 hectares (9,560 acres)) show also appreciable cultivated shares. In addition, Pinot blanc , Pinot gris , Chardonnay as white varieties and Regent and St. Laurent as red varieties have been increasing their share, as
576-610: A result of business consolidation. The unemployment rate stood at 4.1% in October 2018 and was lower than the German average. 49°54′47″N 07°27′00″E / 49.91306°N 7.45000°E / 49.91306; 7.45000 Palatinate region The Palatinate ( German : Pfalz ; Palatine German : Palz ), or the Rhenish Palatinate ( Rheinpfalz ), is a historical region of Germany . The Palatinate occupies most of
648-637: A royal palace in Edenkoben , and by restoring Speyer Cathedral under the direct supervision of King Ludwig I. The new town of Ludwigshafen was named after the king. Despite these attempts, the Palatinate's representatives to the Bavarian Parliament always prided themselves on the claim that they came from a more progressive region. Indeed, they tried to promote their liberalism, which the French had introduced to
720-700: A squad under the command of Edgar Julius Jung . On 9 January 1924, Heinz was assassinated while dining at the Wittelsbacher Hof in Speyer. Other leading members of the separatist movement were killed on 12 February, in a shooting in Pirmasens . By then, a treaty between Bavaria and the Inter-Allied Rhineland High Commission (the supreme council of the Allied occupation forces) of January 1924 recognised
792-528: Is a common occasion. The deep Valleys of Rhine and Moselle with an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb ). Summers are hot and moist, while winters are cool. Freezing temperatures are rare and snow usually melts within hours. The mild climate allows palm trees , fig trees , stone pines , oleander shrubs, olive trees , almond trees and other exotic plants to be grown in this area. The forests in this region are home to common pests such as Melolontha Hippocastrani , that cause damage to
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#1732875599342864-491: Is a western state of Germany . It covers 19,846 km (7,663 sq mi) and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the sixteen states. Mainz is the capital and largest city. Other cities are Ludwigshafen am Rhein , Koblenz , Trier , Kaiserslautern , Worms , and Neuwied . It is bordered by North Rhine-Westphalia , Saarland , Baden-Württemberg and Hesse and by France, Luxembourg and Belgium . Rhineland-Palatinate
936-469: Is divided into four non-administrative sub-regions, comprising the following rural districts and independent towns and cities: Like most of Southwestern Germany, the Palatinate’s climate is either humid subtropical in areas below 300 meters or oceanic on higher ground. The average annual temperatures vary from around 11-14 degrees Celsius in the valleys and 8-10 degrees in the highlands. Wet air from
1008-737: Is the most forested state along with Hesse. The state's major rivers are the Rhine, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Middle Rhine , and the Moselle . Several crater lakes of volcanic origin are in the Eifel , the largest of which is the Laacher See . Climatically, Rhineland-Palatinate can be divided into two areas: The Rhenish Massif with a typically humid continental climate (Dfb). Summers here are usually warm with much precipitation and winters tend to be dry and cold. Snowfall
1080-564: Is the renowned Schloss Wachenheim Group. This company is headquartered in Trier, with operations in several locations in Rhineland-Palatinate and three sites in France (Compagnie Française des Grands Vins (CFGV)). Other renowned sparkling wine producers such as Kupferberg , Deinhard , and Henkell also had their roots in the region, but now belong to companies outside the state as
1152-569: The Amish , Mennonites , and Fancy Dutch in the United States, is derived primarily from the Palatine German language which many Mennonite refugees brought to Pennsylvania in the years 1717 to 1732. The only existing Pennsylvania German newspaper, Hiwwe wie Driwwe , was founded 1996 in the village of Ober-Olm , which is located close to Mainz, the state capital (and is published bi-annually as
1224-542: The Bezirksämter : Speyer, Ludwigshafen, Frankenthal, Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, and Zweibrücken. They remain separate to this day. Between 1919 and 1923, during the occupation, there were French-backed attempts at separating the Palatinate from Bavaria and the Empire. On 1 June 1919, Eberhard Haaß, founder of the "Free Palatine Association" (1918), proclaimed the "Palatine Republic", but failed to occupy
1296-483: The H. J. Heinz Company in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , emigrated from Kallstadt , Palatinate, to the United States in 1840. Arguably the most famous dish in Palatinate is the saumagen , literally "sow's stomach", a dish that consists of a thick, crispy-fried casing (sow stomach) stuffed with a mixture of pork, potatoes, and seasonings. Other traditional meat dishes of the region include bratwurst, Palatinate liverwurst,
1368-739: The North Palatine Uplands near Kirchheimbolanden . Most of the major Palatinate towns ( Ludwigshafen , Speyer , Landau , Frankenthal , Neustadt ) lie in the lower eastern part of the Upper Rhine Plain down to the River Rhine. Here the German Wine Route ( Deutsche Weinstraße ) passes through the Palatinate wine region . It is one of the greatest wine-producing regions in Germany, and in
1440-655: The Palatinate Forest Nature Park popular with hikers. With about 1,771 km (684 sq mi), it is Germany's largest contiguous forested area, and is part of the Franco-German Palatinate Forest-North Vosges Biosphere Reserve . The western and northern part of the Palatinate is densely forested and mountainous. Its highest mountain is the Donnersberg with a height of 687 m (2,254 ft), situated in
1512-747: The Pennsylvania Dutch , Maryland Palatines , Ohio Rhinelanders , and Missouri Rhinelanders . The state of Rhineland-Palatinate was founded shortly after the Second World War , on 30 August 1946. It was formed mainly from the southern part of the Prussian Rhine Province (the Regierungsbezirke of Koblenz and Trier ), from Rhenish Hesse , from the western part of Nassau and the Bavarian Rhenish Palatinate minus
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#17328755993421584-446: The Pfalz (Palatinate). The historic Electorate of the Palatinate had spanned both sides of the Rhine with Heidelberg and Mannheim as its capitals on the eastern side, whereas the new "Palatinate" established in 1815–16 lay solely on the left bank of the Rhine. It included territories that had never been part of the historical Palatinate (e.g., territories of the former Bishopric of Speyer,
1656-536: The Rheinkreis became the focal point of liberal movements. The Hambach Festival , a large gathering near Neustadt an der Weinstraße , proved fertile ground for what came to be considered a milestone in German history. In 1835, King Ludwig I of Bavaria 's romantic outlook gave rise to the adoption of new, historically evocative names for the administrative districts of Bavaria. As such, the Rheinkreis officially became
1728-562: The Saar Protectorate until the latter was returned to German control in 1957. Rhineland-Palatinate's natural and cultural heritage includes the extensive Palatinate winegrowing region, picturesque landscapes, and many castles and palaces . Rhineland-Palatinate is currently the only federal state in Germany where nuclear weapons are stored extraterritorially under the responsibility and supervision of US forces . Several German-American ethnicities originated from this state, such as
1800-526: The Saarland from joining Rhineland-Palatinate. Mainz was named as the state capital in the regulation; the "Mixed Commission" ( Gemischte Kommission ), named as the highest organ of state charged with the administration of the new state and with the preparation of an advisory state assembly, started its work in Mainz. However war damage and destruction meant that Mainz did not have enough administrative buildings, so
1872-633: The minister president of the new state by the French military government. Adolf Süsterhenn submitted to the Advisory State Assembly a draft constitution, which was passed after several rounds of negotiation on 25 April 1947 in a final vote, with the absolute majority of the CDU voting for and the SPD and KPD voting against. A point of contention involved the draft constitution providing for separate schools based on Christian denomination. On 18 May 1947, 53% of
1944-464: The southern quarter of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate ( Rheinland-Pfalz ), covering an area of 2,105 square miles (5,450 km ) with about 1.4 million inhabitants. Its residents are known as Palatines ( Pfälzer ). The Palatinate borders Saarland in the west, historically also comprising the state's Saarpfalz District. In the northwest, the Hunsrück mountain range forms
2016-514: The "backbone" of the economy in Rhineland-Palatinate. The principal employer is the chemical and plastics processing industry, which is represented by BASF in Ludwigshafen . Boehringer , BioNTech , Joh. A. Benckiser , SGE Deutsche Holding, and Schott Glassworks conclude the top five companies in the state. Rhineland-Palatinate is Germany's leading producer of wine in terms of grape cultivation and wine export. Its capital, Mainz, may be called
2088-456: The Americans to the French. To begin with, the French divided the region provisionally into two "upper presidiums" ( Oberpräsidien ), Rhineland-Hesse-Nassau (for the hitherto Prussian government districts and regions of Koblenz , Trier , and Montabaur ) and Hesse-Palatinate (for the hitherto Bavarian Palatinate and old Hessian-Darmstadt province of Rhenish Hesse ). The formation of the state
2160-683: The Constitutional Court and the State Archives. In addition, the German Federal Archives and Federal Office of Hydrology were established in Koblenz in 1952. A sense of community developed only very gradually in the "land of the retort", which had been established largely without regard to the historical affiliations of its inhabitants. It was given little chance of survival, especially as it had very few large industrial centres. However,
2232-549: The Left Bank of the Rhine the former French départements of the Sarre and Mont-Tonnerre, except where set forth in the same treaty, were to fall "with full sovereignty" and ownership rights within the overlordship of His Majesty the Emperor of Austria ( Herrschaft Sr. Maj. des Kaisers von Oesterreich ). Initially, however, joint Austro-Bavarian administration was retained. On 14 April 1816,
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2304-566: The Palatinate, to the whole Bavarian kingdom. German historian Heiner Haan described the special status accorded the Palatinate within Bavaria as being one of a Hauptstaat (main state, i.e. Bavaria) with a Nebenstaat (adjacent state, i.e. the Palatinate). In May/June 1849, after the failed revolution of 1848 , and as part of the Imperial Constitution campaign , separatist elements wanted
2376-606: The Palatinate, was occupied by French revolutionary troops . As a result of the Treaty of Campo Formio (1797), the First French Republic annexed the region. In 1798, the French introduced a new administrative system with the establishment of departments. The area of the Palatinate largely became the Département of Mont Tonnerre , laying the cornerstone of its regional identity today. Minor parts of today's region were attached to
2448-655: The Prussian Rhine Province ), the parts of the Province of Rhenish Hesse ( Rheinhessen ) west of the River Rhine and belonged to the People's State of Hesse ( Volksstaat Hessen ), parts of the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau ( Montabaur ), and the former Oldenburg region around Birkenfeld ( Principality of Birkenfeld ). On 10 July 1945, the occupation authority on the soil of the present-day Rhineland-Palatinate transferred from
2520-526: The Rhine, and the southern part of the Prussian Rhine Province , to form the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate . The Palatinate formed the administrative district ( Regierungsbezirk ) of the Pfalz. This reorganisation came with smaller losses of former district territory to the Saarland, especially in the area of Sankt Wendel . As part of the 1969 administrative reform, some minor border changes were made in
2592-527: The area belonged to the eastern part of Frankish Austrasia , which—as Rhenish Franconia —became part of East Francia according to the 843 Treaty of Verdun . From the Middle Ages until 1792, the Palatinate was divided into 45 secular and ecclesiastical territories , some of which were very small. The largest and most important of these was the Electorate of the Palatinate ( Kurfürstentum Pfalz ), encompassing
2664-798: The border with the Rhineland region. The eastern border with Hesse and the Baden region runs along the Upper Rhine river, while the left bank, with Mainz and Worms as well as the Selz basin around Alzey , belong to the Rhenish Hesse region. In the south, the German- French border separates the Palatinate from Alsace . One-third of the region is covered by the Palatinate Forest ( Pfälzerwald ), including
2736-764: The capital of the German wine industry, being the home of the German Wine Institute, the German Wine Fund in the Haus des Deutschen Weines (House of German Wine), and the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) Wine Bourse, which brings together the top winemakers of Germany and the wine merchants of the world. Of 13 wine regions producing quality wine in Germany, six ( Rheinhessen , Pfalz , Mosel , Nahe , Mittelrhein , and Ahr ) are located in Rhineland-Palatinate, with 65 to 70% of
2808-497: The center of Jewish life during medieval times. The Takkanot Shum ( Hebrew : תקנות שו"ם ), or Enactments of ShU"M were a set of decrees formulated and agreed upon over a period of decades by their Jewish community leaders. Today, there are approximately 20,000 Jews (0.5% of the population) living in the state. The gross domestic product (GDP) of the state was 147.0 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 4.4% of German economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power
2880-736: The control of the Franks , to the control of the Holy Roman Empire , and saw fighting during the First and Second World Wars. The present state of Rhineland-Palatinate formed part of the French Zone of Occupation (1945–1949) after the Second World War. It comprised the former Bavarian Palatinate, the Regierungsbezirke ("government districts") of Koblenz and Trier (which formed the southern part of
2952-409: The county of Saarpfalz . The Joint German-Luxembourg Sovereign Region ( Gemeinschaftliches deutsch-luxemburgisches Hoheitsgebiet ) is the only unincorporated area of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. This condominium is formed by the rivers Moselle , Sauer , and Our , where they run along the border between Luxembourg and Rhineland-Palatinate or the Saarland. The region has a vast history, from
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3024-404: The district to secede from Bavaria and establish its own " Palatine Republic ". A separatist uprising was suppressed by Prussian military intervention. The Palatinate's union with Bavaria persisted after it became part of the German Empire in 1871, and, indeed, after the Wittelsbach dynasty was deposed, and Bavaria became a free state of the Weimar Republic in 1918. In 1910, the town of Landau
3096-420: The electorate adopted the Constitution for Rhineland-Palatinate in a referendum . While the Catholic north and west of the new state adopted the constitution by a majority, the majority in Rhenish Hesse and the Palatinate voted against it. On the same date the first elections took place for the state parliament, the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate . The inaugural assembly of parliament took place on 4 June 1947 in
3168-464: The establishment of numerous military bases, both Allied and Bundeswehr , helped to some extent to boost the economy. In 1956, under Article 29 of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany , petitions were made in the regions of Koblenz, Trier, Montabaur, Rhenish Hesse, and Palatinate for their separation from the state and incorporation into the respective states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Bavaria, and Baden-Württemberg. All petitions for
3240-575: The foliage and soil. The Rhenish Massif forms roughly the northern half of the state, including the regions Eifel, Moselle Valley , Hunsrück , Westerwald , and parts of the Taunus . The Palatinate forms the biggest part of the southern half along with Rhenish Hesse . The Nahe Valley separates both parts. Rhineland-Palatinate is divided into 24 districts ( Landkreise ), 12 independent cities ( Kreisfreie Städte ). Listing with Vehicle registration plates of Germany Listing with Vehicle registration plates of Germany The following table shows
3312-556: The former French administrative structure, the subdivision of the district into arrondissements, cantons, mayoralties, and municipalities was, in large measure, retained. The Bavarian government also preserved the French legal system (Code Napoléon), giving the Palatinate a distinct legal status within the Bavarian kingdom. At the next lower level, the three former French arrondissements were continued as Kreisdirektion ("Circle", i.e. district, "direction") of Frankenthal, Kaiserslautern, and Zweibrücken. Kreisdirektion Landau was, however,
3384-446: The government building in Speyer. On 23 November 1923, Franz Josef Heinz proclaimed the "Government of the Autonomous Palatinate in the Association of the Rhenish Republic " at Speyer, after gaining control of the towns of Kaiserslautern, Neustadt, and Landau, and after the capitulation of the Palatine government. In the following days, several more towns fell into his group's hands. The Bavarian government reacted sharply. It organised
3456-535: The growing conditions improve in Rhineland-Palatinate. The state supports the wine industry by providing a comprehensive consultancy and education program in the service supply centers (German: DLR ) of the land. The Geilweilerhof Institute for Grape Breeding is fully financed by the state. Many well-known new varieties such as Morio-Muskat , Bacchus , Optima , and Regent have been created in these institutes. The worldwide leader in sparkling wine production, producing 224,4 million bottles in 2017/18,
3528-450: The headquarters of the state government and parliament was provisionally established in Koblenz . On 22 November 1946, the constituent meeting of the Advisory State Assembly ( Beratende Landesversammlung ) took place there, and a draft constitution was drawn up. Previously, local elections had been held. Wilhelm Boden was (after a short term of office as the Oberregierungspräsident of Rhineland-Hesse-Nassau) nominated on 2 December as
3600-586: The imperial city of Speyer or Kirchheimbolanden , which had formerly belonged to the Weilburg branch of Nassau ). To avoid confusion of the new Palatinate and the former one (and with the Upper Palatinate ), the name Rhenish Palatinate ( Rheinpfalz ) became common and is still used today, but was never made its official name. Another term, that of Rhenish Bavaria ( Rheinbayern ), though used occasionally, never gained great currency, but can, nonetheless, be found sometimes on older maps. The Bavarian Royal Family tried to encourage Palatine unity with Bavaria by erecting
3672-456: The large city hall at Koblenz . Wilhelm Boden was elected the first minister-president of Rhineland-Palatinate. Just one month later, Peter Altmeier succeeded him. The constitutional bodies – the Government ( Landesregierung ), the Parliament ( Landtag ) and the Constitutional Court ( Verfassungsgerichtshof ) – established their provisional seat in Koblenz. In the following period, Koblenz and Mainz each emphasized their suitability as
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#17328755993423744-450: The last two decades has become well known for its prize-winning white and reds of highest quality produced by a number of talented young winemakers. Major rivers include the Upper Rhine tributaries Lauter , Queich and Speyerbach , as well as Schwarzbach and Glan in the west. Historically the Electoral Palatinate and several other territories were part of the Palatinate, but today belong to other German territories. The Palatinate
3816-432: The neighbouring departments of the Sarre and Bas-Rhin . The French further subdivided the department into cantons, mayoralties and municipalities, and introduced their legal system ( Napoleonic Code ) and the metric system . Following the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 and the capture of the Left Bank of the Rhine by the Allies in January 1814, the region was, from 2 February 1814, initially under
3888-584: The north. The Diocese of Speyer and the Evangelical Church of the Palatinate still exist today largely based on the historic boundaries of the old Bavarian district. The Pfalz was initially one of five districts in Rhineland-Palatinate; however, in 1968, the district was merged with the neighbouring district of Rheinhessen to form the district of Rheinhessen-Pfalz . On 1 January 2000, all administrative districts of Rheinland-Pfalz were dissolved. Many Pennsylvania Dutchmen are descendants of Palatine immigrants. The Pennsylvania Dutch language , spoken by
3960-427: The option open of annexing further areas west of the Rhine after the Saarland was turned into a protectorate . When the Americans and British, however had led the way with the establishment of German states, the French came under increasing pressure and eventually followed their example by setting up the states of Baden , Württemberg-Hohenzollern, and Rhineland-Palatinate. However the French military government forbade
4032-466: The present day. Rhineland-Palatinate shares international borders with France ( Grand Est ), Luxembourg ( Clervaux , Diekirch , Echternach , Grevenmacher , Remich , and Vianden ), and Belgium ( Wallonia ). Within Germany, its neighbours are Baden-Württemberg , Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia , and the Saarland . It is the ninth-largest state by area. Rhineland-Palatinate is part of the SaarLorLux euregion. With 42% of its area covered by forests, it
4104-407: The prevailing Bavarian administrative structure, the region became one of eight Bavarian districts ( Kreise ). From 1808, Bavaria embarked on the administrative reorganisation of its territory, creating districts which, as in France, were named after the main local rivers. Thus, the new district along the Rhine was given the name Rheinkreis (i.e. the Rhine district), with Speyer as its capital. Of
4176-418: The prevailing westerly and southwesterly winds leads to precipitation in the Mittelgebirge ranges, while it warms up on its way further down to the Rhine Valley; giving the valleys a considerably drier climate than the surrounding Palatine Forest . During the Holy Roman Empire prior to World War II , it was also referred to as Rhenish Bavaria and Lower Palatinate ( Unterpfalz ), which designated only
4248-399: The production of wine grapes in Germany having their origin within the state. About 13,000 wine producers generate 80 to 90% of the German wine export. The total estimated production from the six Rhineland-Palatinate regions was nearly 7 million hectoliters in 2018. Traditional grape varieties and a wide range of varieties developed during the last 125 years are characteristic for
4320-489: The provisional authority of the General Government of the Middle Rhine . However, from 16 June of the same year, it was placed under the administration of the Imperial-Royal ("k.k.") Austrian and Royal Bavarian Joint Land Administration Commission ( k. k. östreichischen und k. bairischen gemeinschaftliche Landes-Administrations-Kommission ). In the main treaty agreed at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, and dated 9 June 1815, Article 51 stated ( inter alia ) that on
4392-448: The region. Classical white varieties are cultivated at 63,683 hectares (157,360 acres). These comprise the famous Rieslings 14,446 hectares (35,700 acres), Müller-Thurgau (8,663 hectares (21,410 acres)), Silvaner (3,701 hectares (9,150 acres)), and Kerner (3,399 hectares (8,400 acres)). The share of red varieties grew constantly during the last decades and amounts to 20,000 hectares (49,000 acres). Dornfelder ,
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#17328755993424464-413: The reorganisation of German states during the Allied occupation of Germany after World War II . While Bavaria itself was part of the U.S. occupation zone, the Palatinate was occupied by French forces. The French reorganised their occupation zone by founding new states, so that in 1947 the Palatinate was combined with Rhenish Hesse ( Rheinhessen ), the former parts of the People's State of Hesse west of
4536-500: The state capital in a public debate. From the beginning, Minister-President Altmeier pressed for Mainz as the capital because he knew that the south of the country, especially the Palatinate, would not accept Koblenz, which was far to the north and formerly Prussian. On 16 May 1950, the Landtag decided to relocate itself and the Landesregierung from Koblenz to Mainz. After the government and parliament moved to Mainz, many state authorities and courts remained in Koblenz, including
4608-406: The status quo and guaranteed that the Palatinate would remain a part of Bavaria, thereby putting an end to separatist attempts. Under Nazi rule, from 1933 to 1945, the Palatinate officially remained part of Bavaria, but was otherwise totally reorganised—it was merged with the Saarland into the Gau Westmark , with headquarters in Saarbrücken . The union with Bavaria was finally dissolved following
4680-441: The ten largest cities of Rhineland-Palatinate: In 2018, 40.3% of the population of the state adhered to the Roman Catholic Church and 26.8% to the Protestant Church in Germany ; 32.9% of the population was irreligious or adheres to other religions. Muslims made up 5.0% of the total. The league of ShUM-cities in the later Rhineland-Palatinate comprised the Jewish communities of Mainz, Speyer , and Worms , which became
4752-475: The western part of the Electorate of the Palatinate ( Kurfürstentum Pfalz ), as opposed to the Upper Palatinate ( Oberpfalz ). Formerly a Celtic region, this area was conquered by the Roman Empire under Emperor Augustus in about 12 BCE; thereafter, it was part of the province of Germania Superior . During the decline of the Empire, Alamannic tribes settled here; their territory was conquered by Francia under King Clovis I about 496. From 511 onwards,
4824-458: Was enfeoffed with these estates, which they ruled until 1918, together with the collateral branch of Palatine Zweibrücken from 1410. Needing stronger protection, they lost control with the reunification with Bavaria under Elector Charles Theodore in 1777. The major ecclesiastical territory in the region was the Bishopric of Speyer . The Imperial city of Landau joined the Alsatian Décapole in 1521 to preserve its status. Nevertheless, it
4896-432: Was 33,100 euros or 110% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 102% of the EU average. Rhineland-Palatinate leads all German states with an export rate around 50%. Important sectors are the winegrowing , chemical , pharmaceutical , and auto parts industries . "Distinctive regional industries" includes gemstones , ceramics and glass, and leather. Small and medium enterprises are considered
4968-477: Was declared independent of the Bezirksamt . After World War I , French troops occupied the Palatinate under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles . In 1920, the western Bezirksämter of Sankt Ingbert and Homburg ( Saarpfalz ) were separated from the Bavarian Palatinate, and became part of the newly established Saarland , which, according to the peace treaty, was governed by the League of Nations . That same year, seven more towns were declared independent of
5040-422: Was established in 1946 after World War II , from parts of the former states of Prussia (part of its Rhineland and Nassau provinces ), Hesse ( Rhenish Hesse ) and Bavaria (its former outlying Palatinate kreis or district), by the French military administration in Allied-occupied Germany . Rhineland-Palatinate became part of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949 and shared the country's only border with
5112-480: Was ordained on 30 August 1946, the last state in the Western Zone of Occupation to be established, by Regulation No. 57 of the French military government under General Marie-Pierre Kœnig . It was initially called Rhenish-Palatinate ( Rheinpfälzisches Land or Land Rheinpfalz ); the name Rhineland-Palatinate ( Rheinland-Pfalz ) was first confirmed in the constitution of 18 May 1947. The provisional French government at that time wanted originally to leave
5184-745: Was seized by France after the Thirty Years' War . Other larger regional entities included the Duchy of Zweibrücken and the Prince-Bishopric of Speyer . The Prince-Bishopric held possessions on both sides of the Rhine. For centuries, the Electoral Palatinate and Bavaria maintained dynastic links because both were ruled by members of the Wittelsbach family. In 1794, the Left Bank of the Rhine , including
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