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77-500: Suhl was first mentioned in 1318 and stayed a small mining and metalworking town, until industrialization broke through in late 19th century and Suhl became a centre of Germany's arms production, specialized on rifles and guns with companies such as Sauer & Sohn . Furthermore, the engineering industry was based in Suhl with Simson , a famous car and moped producer. In 1952, Suhl became one of East Germany 's 14 district capitals, which led to

154-491: A 1318 deed, several entries in the annals of Fulda Abbey already mentioned a place named Sulaha between 900 and 1155 AD. The coat of arms from 1365 shows two hammers, indicating the city's most important livelihood: metal processing. The region belonged to the territories held by the Franconian counts of Henneberg since the 11th century. Suhl was located on an important trade route from Gotha , Erfurt and Arnstadt passing

231-453: A decline of more than 35% since 1988, Suhl is among the heaviest shrinking cities in Germany. The average decrease of population between 2009 and 2012 was approximately 1.68% p. a, which is faster than in bordering rural regions. Suburbanization played only a small role in Suhl. It occurred after the reunification for a short time in the 1990s, but most of the suburban areas were situated within

308-487: A first increase of population up to 6,000 around 1800. During the following decades, the industrial revolution in other German regions led to an economic crisis in Suhl, because of the bad traffic conditions for exporting products. Nevertheless, the population grew further to 10,000 in the 1880s, as the city got finally connected to the railway. Compared to other upcoming cities in Germany, the growth of population stayed slight until 1935, as Suhl counted 15,000 inhabitants. Then,

385-403: A government-directed period of urban growth and conversion. Its results – a typical 1960s concrete architecture-marked city centre – are defining to the present. With the loss of its administrative and industrial functions, Suhl saw a lasting period of urban decline starting in 1990. Suhl is known for its sportsmen, especially in shooting, winter sports, and volleyball. Though first appearing in

462-466: A group called VVB MEWA Suhl (MEWA short for 'Metallwaren' - metalwares, metal products), at first producing small machinery (e.g. typewriters and sewing machines) for the civilian market. The former company C. G. Haenel (which had been renamed to VEB Ernst-Thälmann -Werk Suhl ) is starting production again in 1948, by 1954 the Fortuna (ex Sauer & Sohn) and 'Merkel' plant parts were attached to

539-674: A main branch of business. An independent company Sauer Getriebe KG is established in 1969 in Neumünster . In 1972 Rolf-Dietrich Sauer died. In 1975 'Sauer Getriebe' took over plants in Aachen and Kiel from 'Sauer Maschinenbau', and in 1976 the 'J. P. Sauer & Sohn Maschinenbau' sold their hunting arms business in Eckernförde to the Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG), a company which had developed firearms from

616-480: A maker of shotguns and hunting rifles . During the war they produced a new handgun, the Sauer 38H , but afterwards withdraw from this market. The 'Sauer 38H' had been produced in competition with other German makers, such as 'Mauser' and 'Walther', at a time when new designs began to feature a double/single-action trigger. With 'SIG' as their partner/owner, 'Sauer' returned to the business of manufacturing handguns. In 1975

693-488: A relatively low vacancy rate of 8% (according to 2011 EU census), compared with a loss in population of more than 35% since 1988. The birth deficit was 207 in 2012, this is −5.8 per 1,000 inhabitants (Thuringian average: −4.5; national average: −2.4). The net migration rate was −11.5 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2012 (Thuringian average: −0.8; national average: +4.6). The most important target regions of Suhl migrants are other Thuringian regions like Erfurt, Jena and Eisenach same as

770-645: A six-story trading house that has been owned by the AOK since 1925. Opposite it, in 1926, the American department store company F. W. Woolworth Company, which had been purchasing locally since 1880, built a trading and warehouse for the purchase and export of toys and Christmas tree decorations. The five-storey reinforced concrete building with its own siding was built according to plans by the Sonneberg architect Walter Buchholz. In divided post-war Germany, Sonneberg found itself within

847-534: A turnover of €295 million. Services in Suhl are including the typical regional supply (like retail, hospital, cinema etc.) and some preserved administrative functions over the surrounding districts like the Industrie- und Handelskammer and the regional centres of Arbeitsagentur and Rentenversicherung. Furthermore, tourism plays a role because of the beautiful landscape around. In 2012, there were 93,000 hotel guests having 245,000 overnight stays in Suhl. Suhl connected to

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924-451: Is twinned with: In October 2024 the city council voted to turn down a request from the Ukrainian city of Podilsk . Sauer %26 Sohn J. P. Sauer und Sohn GmbH ( Sauer & Sohn ) is a manufacturer of firearms and machinery and is the oldest firearms manufacturer still active in Germany. The products of this company are frequently referred to as Sauer . The first Sauer company

1001-406: Is 158.75mm, barrel length is 84 2/3mm, mass is 737.088g with a magazine capacity of eight. The action has a cocker/de-cocker lever that can control the concealed hammer. The handgun has a re-strike capability should the round in the chamber fail to fire on the first trigger pull. At the end of World War II, the original Sauer company is located in what will become East Germany (GDR). In April 1945

1078-534: Is in the Franconian south of Thuringia, neighboring its Upper Franconian twin town Neustadt bei Coburg . Sonneberg became known as the "world toy city", and is home to the German Toy Museum  [ de ] and the Sonneberg observatory, founded in 1925. The Thuringian Slate Mountains border the city, with the Franconian Forest to the east. "The Sonneberg Castle was also called Sonneberg Castle or

1155-523: Is marketed by SIG Sauer GmbH , as listed on their German website: Chamberings offered are .22 Long Rifle (calibre-changing system), 6mm Norma BR , 6.5×55mm Swedish , .308 Winchester , as single shot or with 5-round magazines. [REDACTED] Media related to JP Sauer und Sohn GmbH at Wikimedia Commons Sonneberg Sonneberg in Thuringia , Germany , is the seat of the Sonneberg district . It

1232-566: Is now the Upper City. In 1883 the industrial school was opened in Mühlgasse 4, where artistic porcelain, glass and toy design was taught. The term “world toy city” was coined around 1913 due to the share of Sonneberg's production on the world market. Before the First World War, around 20% of the toys traded on the world market in the Sonneberg area were mainly manufactured at home. In addition to

1309-586: Is overall a connection once an hour in both directions. Another railway to Schleusingen was opened in 1911 and closed in 1997. With a gradient of nearly 7%, it was one of the steepest regular railways in Germany. Stations in Suhl besides the main station are located in Heinrichs and Dietzhausen, whereas the Stations Suhler Neundorf and Friedberg at the Schleusingen line are abandoned. Suhl is situated at

1386-857: Is sold. In 2000–2008, production of "J. P. Sauer & Sohn", "Mauser Jagdwaffen" is relocated to "Blaser", Isny im Allgäu. Sauer & Sohn manufactured both handguns and long arms, including revolvers, semi-automatic pistols, rifles, and shotguns. The "J. P. Sauer & Sohn GmbH" manufactured a series of Weatherby Mark V rifles (1958 – early 1970s). Double rifles: Firearms lately and currently produced by J. P. Sauer & Sohn German, as listed on their website: Bolt-action rifles, entry level: Bolt-action rifles, mid-range: Bolt-action rifles, upper-range: Semi-automatic rifles: Shotguns, over/under: Shotguns, side-by-side: Semi-automatic shotguns: The "J. P. Sauer & Sohn Maschinenbau GmbH" (independent after 1975) produces high-pressure air and gas compressors. The following bolt-action rifle

1463-566: The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), who served from 1990 to 2006. He was succeeded by independent Jens Triebel from 2006 to 2018. André Knapp of the CDU was elected in 2018, and has since served as mayor. The most recent mayoral election was held on 26 May 2024, and the results were as follows: The most recent city council election was held on 26 May 2024, and the results were as follows: Agriculture plays no role in Suhl, only 17% of

1540-503: The Renaissance , to other major local industries, including gunsmithing and armoring. Suhl was a major producer of cannons throughout the seventeenth and subsequent centuries, and Suhl cannons were used by many European powers. A major arms company that was located in Suhl for almost 200 years was J.P. Sauer und Sohn GmbH , producer of hunting rifles, shotguns, and pistols, such as the Sauer 38H , until moving operations to Eckernförde at

1617-591: The SIG Sauer line of handguns began with the SIG P220 . The double-action trigger mechanism combined with advanced safety features, including the hammer lowering decocking lever, were contributed by 'Sauer' to the new P220 design. The "SIG" group originally operated diverse divisions, from packaging (first 1906) to railway cars, streetcars and bogies (from 1853), automobiles (first 1921, last 1953) to arms development and manufacturing (from 1860). Their railway tech division

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1694-647: The Thuringian Forest mountain range at Oberhof and continuing to the Henneberg's residence, Schleusingen . From 1500 onwards, the Henneberg lands belonged to the Franconian Circle of the Holy Roman Empire. Suhl has been a Flecken (small market town ) since 1445 and the full municipal rights were granted in 1527, making Suhl one of the youngest cities in present-day Thuringia. Iron ore mining created

1771-627: The Triassic period) over Zechstein ( evaporite deposits from the Permian period). The granite of the Suhler Scholle is capped with Permian sediments and igneous deposits. The higher hills to the northeast are part of the Beerberg Scholle , an irregularly cracked mass of quartz porphyry from the later Permian period. A band of iron ores follows the fault dividing the Suhler Scholle from

1848-598: The "Lüke & Ortmeier" holding. The parts "Lüke & Ortmeier" took over in 2000 from "SIG" included: In 2000, SIGARMS separated from "SIG Sauer GmbH" in Germany, both produce pistols. In 2001, SIGARMS expanded with contracts in law-enforcement market and new products for the civilian market. In 2007, former "SIGARMS, Inc.", renamed SIG Sauer, Inc. , invests in manufacturing facilities and equipment. In 2006, "Hämmerli" becomes part of "Carl Walther" (Ulm), also brand of Umarex (Arnsberg) (acquired "Walther" in 1993). Rest of "Kettner" trading company with rich tradition

1925-470: The 'SIG P210' and 'Sauer Modell 38H', simplified for more efficient cost of construction on the new 'SIG' developed machinery. Result was a new type of action for a locked-breech semi-automatic pistol, with a new high quality smooth operating double/single-action trigger, a safe hammer lowering device, automatic firing pin block, and easy disassembly for cleaning. This new concept handgun was named SIG Sauer P220 . Prior to World War II, Sauer had been primarily

2002-400: The 'Thälmann Works' as 'Produktionsbereiche' (PB, production areas). Now hunting weapons, later also small calibre and sporting firearms and airguns are being manufactured again. The firm Simson & Co. (renamed VEB Fahrzeug und Gerätewerk Simson Suhl ), first producing bicycles, then mopeds , motorbikes and also firearms, is included in the group. The weapons manufacturing is taken over by

2079-586: The 'Thälmann Works', until all companies mentioned are finally merged into the VEB Fahrzeug- und Jagdwaffenwerk " Ernst Thälmann " in 1968. The well-known trademarks were also still being used by the GDR to sell products abroad until 1970. With all the companies being united, use of the trade names 'Sauer und Sohn (Suhl)', 'Fortuna (Suhl)', 'C. G. Haenel (Suhl)', 'Gebr. Merkel (Suhl)', and 'Simson (Suhl)' (the latter only for weapons, not vehicles) were dropped. After

2156-402: The 1860s onwards. Swiss law of neutrality limits the ability of firearms manufacturers to export. Companies which wish to do so may by using a foreign partner. These restrictions prevented 'SIG' from exploiting a new design concept they had developed. The design resulted from the creation at that time of a new form of industrial production equipment, known as the "Automatic Screw Machine", which

2233-457: The Dressel company, and from 1873 Cuno & Otto Dressel, the largest manufacturer and exporter of toys was founded in Sonneberg. From 1805, with the introduction of paper mache, Sonneberg developed into a toy production center with international status, especially in the manufacture of dolls (see also: F. M. Schilling). In 1840 a city fire destroyed the old city center around the market square in what

2310-526: The GDR period, the upgraded city saw rapid urban growth, which is defining until today. After the German reunification in 1990, Suhl lost its administrative functions when Thuringia was refounded and replaced the Bezirks. Furthermore, the industry collapsed. Both led to a structural crises, which isn't overcome yet. The population of Suhl declined about 35% since 1988. The metal processing of Suhl naturally led, during

2387-605: The German standard rifle, the Karabiner 98k . Among the better known is the M30 Luftwaffe drilling , a survival gun for air crews. Meanwhile, the 'Maschinenkarabiner 42' (MKb 42) is developed by C. G. Haenel in the Suhl, and a competing model by Walther . It will become the 'Maschinenpistole 43' (MP 43) and later the Sturmgewehr 44 This weapon is manufactured in numbers by Sauer and other companies. Production will continue after

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2464-645: The Haus zu Sonneberg in old documents. In 480 Süne or Süno, Duke of Franconia , built this castle because of the Thuringian incursions ..." so it says on page 64 in the topography of the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen 's share in the Duchy of Coburg from the year 1781. This not uncritical representation is based on the history of the Franks by Abbot Johannes Trithemius from 1514. The name Sonneberg

2541-606: The Middle Ages around the Marktplatz and the Steinweg (as main street) next to the confluence of Lauter and Rimbach river. Later, the city grew to the east and south to the bordering hills and valleys. After World War II, Suhl became the capital of one of the 14 Bezirks in the GDR in 1952. During the following decades, the city doubled its population, many Plattenbau settlements developed at

2618-622: The Thuringian Day took place in Sonneberg. The city became a member of the European metropolitan region of Nuremberg in July 2012, initially on a trial basis, and has been a permanent member since October 2013. The 14th Franconian Day was celebrated on July 6 and 7, 2019 by the district of Upper Franconia together with the Bavarian state government and the two host cities Sonneberg and Neustadt bei Coburg for

2695-627: The Thuringian Forest. Public transport is carried out by a bus line network connecting the city centre with the outskirts, Zella-Mehlis and neighbouring villages. A trolleybus system was planned during the late 1980s, but not realized after the reunification. There is only one Gymnasium school left in Suhl, after others were closed due to the decline of the number of children after 1990. There are some museums and other cultural institutions in Suhl: The most significant sights in Suhl are: Suhl

2772-588: The U.S. Army arrives in Suhl, in early July the area is ceded to the Soviet Red Army. The company assets were seized without compensation end of October. This was confirmed by the German Communists in 1948, Rolf-Dietrich Sauer moving to West Germany (later FRG). Hans Sauer is deported by the Soviet occupational government and never heard from again, he probably died in 1946. The machinery, as happened with most of

2849-666: The Wettins, but to the Albertine cadet branch of Saxe-Zeitz from 1660, so that it had been a Saxonian and later Prussian exclave within Thuringia for nearly 300 years. During the 16th century, iron mining and metalworking saw a boom, finished by the Thirty Years' War , when marauding Croat mercenaries under Imperial general Johann Ludwig Hektor von Isolani burnt down the city in 1634. From about 1690, Duke Moritz Wilhelm of Saxe-Zeitz supported

2926-411: The administrative city borders. During the 1990s and the 2000s, many inhabitants left Suhl to search a better life in west Germany or other major east German cities like Erfurt , Jena or Leipzig . The birth deficit, caused by the high average age of the population, is getting a bigger problem because there is no immigration to compensate it yet. Urban planning activities to tear down unused flats led to

3003-410: The areas. A larger problem is vacancy in shops in the city centre, because the retail sector in Suhl has also been in a crisis for many years. ¹ Census The area around Suhl was settled during the later Middle Ages, nevertheless, Suhl stayed a village resp. small town of 1,000 to 2,000 inhabitants during this period. The growth of proto-industrial manufacturing businesses in 17th and 18th century led to

3080-502: The arm production for World War II brought an economic boom to Suhl and a growth of population up to 26,000 in 1940, which stayed the same until the early 1960s. Between 1960 and 1988, the population grew up to 56,000, forced by the government's expansion of Suhl as a capital of one of the 14 Bezirks in GDR . After the reunification in 1990, the city lost its administrative and economic functions, which led to an extreme decline in population. It shrunk to 48,000 in 2000 and 36,000 in 2012. With

3157-505: The basis for the development of Suhl as a centre of gunsmith trade. The Reformation was introduced in 1544. Several witch-hunts took place in the area from 1553 until the late 17th century. When the Henneberg counts became extinct in 1583, Suhl passed to the Wettin electors of Saxony , where it remained until 1815. Unlike most of present Thuringia, it didn't belong to the Ernestine line of

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3234-604: The borders of East Germany , cut off from its large neighbouring town of Coburg , Bavaria in West Germany and could only face north economically. It was served by an unnaturally winding railway route and thus became somewhat isolated from the rest of East Germany . Sonneberg Hauptbahnhof is served by the Coburg–Sonneberg line . After the fall of the Wall, toy shops were privatized or re-privatized, if they still existed. In 2002

3311-401: The city's arms industry after 1940. The US Army reached Suhl on 3 April 1945 and was replaced by Soviet troops on 1 July 1945. At the same year, Suhl became part of Thuringia, which was replaced by three Bezirks in 1952. Suhl became the capital of the south-western Bezirk Suhl , reaching from Bad Salzungen in the north-west to Sonneberg in the south-east with a population of 550,000. During

3388-830: The company was reestablished in Eckernförde , Schleswig-Holstein as J. P. Sauer & Sohn . Experienced workers from Suhl had joined, and the production of hunting firearms, and later pistols, was begun the same year. Export markets were a.o. Scandinavia and the US, Brasil and Pakistan. The company grew bigger soon, and employed over 400 people by the mid-1960s. In 1966 the Kompressorenfabrik Wilhelm Poppe in Kiel took over 'J. P. Sauer & Sohn'. In 1968 'Wilhelm Poppe' merged with other companies into J. P. Sauer & Sohn Maschinenbau GmbH , mechanical engineering becoming

3465-583: The connection to the railway in 1882 and the industrialisation of the metalworking business. About 1920, Suhl has been a centre of left-wing revolutionary groups, so that the Reichswehr occupied the city (and the neighbour-town Zella-Mehlis ) during the Kapp Putsch and ended the workers uprising. After 1935, the military industry saw another boom, caused by the Nazi armament. About 10,000 forced labourers had to work in

3542-623: The dissolution of the Soviet Union and other Communist regimes in the Revolutions of 1989 former East German companies like Simson & Co. continued to manufacture products separately again, with changing ownerships, sometimes well into the 2000s. In 1951, Rolf-Dietrich Sauer sold the rights of the name and trademark and formed a new enterprise with a partner in the FGR. First in Düsseldorf , and in 1952

3619-551: The end of World War II. Other prominent firearms manufacturers in Suhl included: During the Cold War , the East German national shooting arena was located at Suhl, and hosted many top-level competitions, including the 1986 ISSF World Championships . Although surpassed in this respect in the unified Germany by the Olympic shooting centre at Munich , Suhl remains an important place to

3696-563: The first time across borders with over 25,000 visitors under the motto: GEMEINSAM.FRÄNKISCH.STARK. Sonneberg is a location with a close network with hydrogen initiatives in the metropolitan region of Central Germany and it is a member of the European metropolitan region of Nuremberg. Thus, Sonneberg has a "hinge function" to the important economic areas between the Main and Elbe. The HySon Institute for Applied Hydrogen Research emerged in February 2021 from

3773-612: The industrial companies that had been located in the Soviet Occupation Zone , was mostly dismantled and moved east. From 1946 to 1948, formerly independent companies in East Germany, or what was left of them, were restructured and finally merged into industrial conglomerates . In Suhl the original J. P. Sauer und Sohn company (now renamed to VEB Fortuna ), along with other former weapons manufacturers like Greifelt & Compagnie and Gebrüder Merkel , were merged into

3850-410: The inner-German border cut it off in 1949. Since that time, there is only regional traffic on the line (except a short time in 1990s with long-distance trains). The express train runs every two hours to Erfurt in the north and Würzburg in the south, where connections to long-distance trains are given. Furthermore, there are local trains to Erfurt and Meiningen , running also every two hours, so that there

3927-570: The items it could produce 'SIG' chose the German firm of 'J. P. Sauer & Sohn'. In joining they also combined their expertise in firearms design. As a result, the SIG Sauer GmbH (Eckernförde) as small arms business was founded, the SAN SIG Arms AG (Neuhausen) as manufacturer being kept (later renamed to Swiss Arms AG ), and the SIG Sauer branch and brand name created. The declared goal

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4004-515: The junction of Bundesautobahn 71 (Erfurt–Würzburg) and Bundesautobahn 73 (Suhl–Nuremberg). Both got opened during the 2000s and host some impressive bridges and tunnels around Suhl, like the Rennsteig Tunnel in the north and the 82 m high Haseltalbrücke at Heinrichs district. A Bundesstraße through Suhl was the Bundesstraße 247 from Gotha in the north to Schleusingen in the south. It

4081-425: The municipal territory are in agricultural use. The soil isn't very fertile and the climate is harsh, the most cultivated strains are maize and rapeseed, furthermore there is cattle farming on some areas. On the other hand, 63% of the territory are forest, so that wood production plays a role in Suhl. Suhl's industry has always been based on metalworking. In the past, the city was a leading arms producer in Germany and

4158-466: The municipal territory is forested. There are a few small rivers running through Suhl: The Hasel rises at Friedberg in the south-east and runs westward through Suhl, Heinrichs, Mäbendorf, Dietzhausen and Wichtshausen. The Lauter rises on the southern slope of Großer Beerberg mountain and runs through Goldlauter, Lauter and the city centre, before it joins the Hasel behind the station. The Mühlwasser rises on

4235-473: The new name and trademark of J.P. Sauer & Sohn . In 1937 the Sauer 'Karabinerbau' is erected in Suhl. By 1938 about 1,450 employees are working for the company. With beginning of World War 2 Sauer & Sohn is manufacturing more military firearms again, after 1941 production serves the war effort almost exclusively. Next to Mauser the company 'Sauer & Sohn' became one of the most important manufacturers of

4312-942: The north-east, the Ringberg (745 m), the Döllberg (760 m), the Friedberg (649 m) and the Adlersberg (859 m) in the east, the Steinsburg (641 m) in the south, the Heiliger Berg (513 m), the Domberg (675 m) and the Berg Bock (709 m) in the north-west as well as the Bocksberg (609 m) and the Hoheloh (526 m) within the city. The centre itself is located in an elevation of 450 m and nearly the complete non-build on part of

4389-413: The periphery and the centre got largely converted. The old town around Friedrich-König-Straße was demolished during the 1960s, as were the quarters east of Topfmarkt later. They were rebuilt with contemporary concrete architecture and Plattenbau buildings. The new city centre with all the important public buildings was developed around Friedrich-König-Straße, even with large-scale high-rise buildings. After

4466-456: The railway quite late, because of its hilly terrain. The Neudietendorf–Ritschenhausen railway through the city was opened in 1882 (southern direction to Würzburg ) and in 1884 (northern direction to Erfurt ). It was one of only few main mountain railways in Prussia with the large, 3,039 metres (9,970 ft) long Brandleite Tunnel north of the city. Later, this railway became an important link between Berlin and south-western Germany, until

4543-403: The reconstruction of Suhl as a mining town. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 led to the Saxonian loss of Suhl, which became part of the Prussian Province of Saxony , where it remained from 1815 to 1944 and again shortly in 1945. Staying an exclave within Ernestine territories, Suhl was part of the Schleusingen district until the dissolution of Prussia in 1945. The later 19th century brought

4620-474: The reunification, the population shrunk heavily, leading to high vacancy rates. The government reacted to this by demolishing some of the Plattenbau settlements at the periphery; some buildings stood only for 20 years. Compared with other East German cities, the fight against vacancy was simpler in Suhl, because vacancy was concentrated at the periphery and not in the city centre (as in the most older cities in East Germany), which made it easy to demolish and renature

4697-485: The sedimentary rocks to the southwest, while the copper and silver deposits are to the northeast in the Permian deposits above the Suhler Scholle. Southeast of town, there is a significant uranium deposit in the Buntsandstein . Suhl abuts the following municipalities: Geratal , Elgersburg and Ilmenau within Ilm-Kreis district in the north-east, Nahetal-Waldau , Sankt Kilian , Eichenberg , Grub , Oberstadt and Schmeheim within Hildburghausen district in

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4774-413: The service of the Dukes of Andechs-Meranien, who, as a Bavarian noble family, established a lordly administration in the region around Sonneberg and Coburg . The quarrying of whetstones and slate for slates has been documented since 1500. From the long-established wooden goods manufacture, the production of the Sonneberg toys known as Nuremberg trinkets developed from the 16th century onwards. Around 1700,

4851-425: The south, Dillstädt and Schwarza in the west as well as Benshausen and Zella-Mehlis in the north within Schmalkalden-Meiningen district. Some villages were incorporated during the 20th and 21st century to form the present-day districts of Suhl: Suhl's cityscape is marked by the lack of flat ground to build on, which is why the city's morphology appears picked and incoherent. The city centre developed during

4928-405: The sport. It hosts Germany's only school for armorers, and a well equipped museum of weapons. Suhl is located on the south-western edge of the Thuringian Forest . To the south-west, the Small Thuringian Forest (some foothills of the Thuringian forest) is situated. The terrain is mountainous to all directions, some important mountains are: the Großer Beerberg (983 m, highest one in Thuringia) in

5005-414: The term world toy city, Sonneberg advanced to become the “workshop of the Santa Claus”. From the 1870s onwards, the toy industry did not respond to increasing demand and falling sales prices with a transition to industrial production in larger factories using innovative techniques. Even if exports to the US rose by around 600% between 1865 and 1885, in 1880 85% of the companies had just four employees. [10] It

5082-415: The unemployment rate declined from 16% in 2006 to 7% in 2013, which is one of the lowest rates among Thuringia's major cities. Due to the official atheism in former GDR , most of the population is non-religious. 12.6% are members of the Evangelical Church in Central Germany and 2.5% are Catholics (according to 2011 EU census). The first freely elected mayor after German reunification was Martin Kummer of

5159-502: The vehicle production was another pillar of the local industry. After the reunification in 1990, the industry collapsed and the most factories got closed. Important companies of today are CDA , a producer of data replication media, Zimbo , a meat producer, Gramss , an industrial bakery, Paragon , a car parts supplier, and Merkel , the last remained arms producer in Suhl. In 2012, there were 27 companies in industrial production with more than 20 workers employing 2,000 persons and generating

5236-431: The war for newly formed armed forces, e.g. the Volkspolizei of East Germany (DDR or GDR). Of particular note is the company's Sauer 38H , the first mass-produced semi-automatic pistol to feature a cocking/de-cocking lever. It was a very advanced pocket pistol design made in .25 ACP, .32 ACP, and .380 ACP. It was adopted as German alternate standard as 'Modell 38' and was widely used by air and tank forces. Full length

5313-408: The western German conurbations. Like other eastern German cities, Suhl has only a small amount of foreign population: around 1.5% are non-Germans by citizenship and overall 3.9% are migrants (according to 2011 EU census ). Differing from the national average, the biggest groups of migrants in Suhl are Russians and Vietnamese people . During recent years, the economic situation of the city improved:

5390-492: The western slope of Großer Beerberg and runs southward through the northern city parts before it joins the Lauter at the northern city centre. Suhl sits on the southern edge of the Suhler Scholle, an upthrust granite complex that is streaked by numerous dikes . This is part of the Ruhla-Schleusingen Horst that defines the southwest side of the Thuringian Forest . The southwest side of the Suhler Scholle abuts horizontal sedimentary layers, Buntsandstein ( sandstone from

5467-417: Was annulled after the opening of both Autobahns and is now a secondary road. Other important secondary roads run to Meiningen in the west and Ilmenau in the east. Biking is getting more and more popular since the construction of quality cycle tracks began in the 1990s. For tourism serve the Hasel track from Suhl to the Werra valley near Meiningen. Furthermore, there are some mountainbiking tracks within

5544-574: Was first mentioned in documents in 1207. It goes back to the noble family of the Lords of Sonneberg, which is documented in the 12th and 13th centuries and founded a settlement below the Sonneberg Castle, which originally consisted of the estate and two hamlets, the village of "Alt-Rötin, presumed to be in Herrnau "And the" Stätlein zu Rötin under the Sonneberg Castle". The Lords of Sonneberg were ministerials in

5621-455: Was founded in 1751 by Lorenz Sauer in Suhl in the duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen , this locality being known as Waffenstadt Suhl in the past because of its many gunmakers. J.P. Sauer & Sohn is the oldest recorded gun maker in Germany. In 1815 Johann-Gottlob Sauer started managing the firm; in 1835 Johann Paul Sauer became manager. In 1840 that Johann Paul and his son, Lorenz Sauer created

5698-424: Was introduced by the company. While 'SIG' had produced a very high quality handgun in their P210 model, it was also expensive to manufacture, required machining operations at high levels of precision. This produced a firearm that was known for its accuracy, but too expensive to be sold to a wider market. Spurred by the necessity to partner with a foreign company in order to profit from their production machinery and

5775-699: Was sold in 1995 to Fiat Ferroviaria , automation solutions and arms branches in 2000. Packaging technology is SIG's main business activity today. In the late 1990s the Swiss arms industry as a whole faced a period of thorough restructuring. In the autumn of 2000 the firearms divisions of "SIG", including their arms brand SIG Sauer , were sold to the Lüke & Ortmeier Gruppe . For some time renown names like "Hämmerli", "J. P. Sauer & Sohn", "Blaser", "Mauser" Jagdwaffen, and " Kettner International GmbH" (hunting, shooting, outdoors accessories) were consolidated under one roof by

5852-406: Was the number of these traditionally working small and micro-businesses that increased tremendously in response to the increased demand. In 1880 there were a total of 321 companies. 1899, almost 20 years later, 2395, an increase of 746%. One of the heydays of the toy industry led to the development of the station square with representative buildings in the 1920s. First, the US company Halbourn built

5929-507: Was to expand market share and to be of international relevance in the small arms industry. In 1985 the company SIGARMS, Inc. was established (in Virginia), to import and distribute firearms into the US market (later renamed to SIG Sauer, Inc. ). To satisfy the needs of Swiss military and police, a new handgun model was created by the SIG Sauer GmbH , which incorporated some features from

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