University town, plum town or wine-growing community? Creativity is required when it comes to titles for place names. In 2024, seven more municipalities in BW will receive an additional title.
Whether it’s the plum town of Bühl (Rastatt district) or the Schiller town of Marbach (Ludwigsburg district) – you can always spot some strange place-name signs at the entrances to towns. From October 1, 2024, there will be even more such signs in Baden-Württemberg. Seven towns or communities will be allowed to write a corresponding title on their place-name signs.
More and more municipalities want additional place titles
Almost four years ago, the Baden-Württemberg state parliament made it easier for municipalities to use additional place names in addition to the municipality name. “I am very pleased that this new regulation has been so well received by the Baden-Württemberg municipalities,” said BW Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) in a statement. “We continue to receive inquiries from municipalities that are interested in highlighting local peculiarities, historical references and unique selling points with an additional name.”
Which places in BW will receive a new place title?
In Baden-Württemberg, seven more municipalities will join the ranks of towns with additional titles from October. For example, the town of Aalen in the Ostalb district will be able to officially call itself a “university town”. In Karlsruhe, two districts will receive new titles: Grötzingen will then be given the title of “historical artist colony”, while Palmbach will be christened a “Waldensian town”. There will soon be two more “Waldensian towns” in Wiernsheim (Enzkreis). The districts of Pinache and Serres will receive this designation.
Meanwhile, the town of Kenzingen in the district of Emmendingen is given the title of “Breisgau town”. In the district of Rottweil, Schiltach can call itself “rafting town” from October onwards, and Weilheim an der Teck (district of Esslingen) is officially named “Zähringer town”.
Buehl
Ministry of the Interior approves additional name Bühl is officially Zwetschgenstadt from January
The town of Bühl (Rastatt district) can officially call itself Zwetschgenstadt from January 1st. The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior gave the green light for the additional designation.
Sa.31.12.2022 6:00 a.m. SWR4 BW on Saturday morning SWR4 Baden-Württemberg
Additional place titles can have a positive impact on city marketing
From a marketing perspective, a location addition can create positive associations both internally and externally, said Jörg Tropp from Pforzheim University to the German Press Agency. Ideally, the addition should point to an attractive, unique selling point of the city or municipality – that is not always easy, because there are multiple additions such as university town and resort. This can diminish the effect, Tropp continued.
According to the BW Ministry of the Interior, 120 cities, towns and districts in Baden-Württemberg now have such an additional name. Last year, 15 official additional names were approved.
