Walldorf

For the municipality in Thuringia, see Walldorf, Thuringia.

For the community in Hesse, see Mörfelden-Walldorf

Walldorf
Town
Astorhaus
Coat of arms
Location of Walldorf within Rhein-Neckar-Kreis district
Walldorf Walldorf
Coordinates: 49°18′0″N 08°39′0″E
Land	Deutschland
State	Baden-Württemberg
Admin. region	Karlsruhe
District	Rhein-Neckar-Kreis
Regierung
• Mayor	Christiane Staab (CDU)
Area
• Total	19.91 km2 (7.69 sq mi)
Elevation	110 m (360 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	15,892
• Density	800/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	69190
Dialling codes	06227
Vehicle registration	HD
Website	www.walldorf.de

Walldorf is a town in the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis district in the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany.

Walldorf is home to the world's seventh largest software company SAP, and the birthplace of the entrepreneur John Jacob Astor, of the Astor family.

The town is referred to, though not actually named, in John le Carré's novel Absolute Friends (2003), much of which is set in Heidelberg.

Geography

The neighbouring town to the east is Wiesloch. Both towns are strongly linked economically. Adjacent municipalities are Sandhausen, Leimen, Nußloch, St. Leon-Rot and Reilingen. The train station, named Wiesloch-Walldorf, is located between the two towns.

History

There is a group of Hallstatt culture barrows in the Hochholz woods, near the offices of SAP Deutschland. The earliest documentary mention of the settlement occurs as Waltorf in a 770 deed issued by the Abbey of Lorsch. The Electorate of the Palatinate received Walldorf as an Imperial fief in 1230. The town suffered much during the Thirty Years' War of 1618-1648, and in 1689 was completely destroyed in the course of the French invasion during Nine Years' War. The area was settled anew by religious refugees, among them the predecessors of John Jacob Astor, Waldensians from Piedmont. With the 1803 German Mediatisation Walldorf fell to Baden. 1843 saw the building of the Rheintalbahn: this railway decisively promoted economic development. In 1901 Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden granted Walldorf town privileges. After World War II, the establishment of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen (founded 1850) and of SAP (founded 1972; moved to Walldorf in 1977) made Walldorf one of the most prosperous towns of Germany.

Politics

Town hall

Seats in the municipal assembly (Gemeinderat) as of 2009 elections:

• Christian Democratic Union: 7 (33,0%)
• Free Democratic Party: 6 (25,1%)
• Social Democratic Party of Germany: 5 (23,4%)
• Alliance '90/The Greens: 4 (18,5%)

Economy

SAP SE head office

SAP SE has its headquarters in the city.

Twin cities

• Astoria, Oregon, United States, since 1963
• Kırklareli, Türkei, since 1970
• Saint-Max, France, since 1985
• Waldorf, Maryland, United States, since 2002
• Freeport, New York, United States, since 2003

Sights

The Astorhaus was built in 1854, from a pecuniary legacy of the deceased John Jacob Astor to his hometown. For decades, it served as an almshouse, and now hosts the register office and a museum.

The 19th century synagogue was devastated in the 1938 Kristallnacht, and is now in use as a New Apostolic church.

Walldorf is most famous for its white asparagus, which one may enjoy in the months of April through June.

Notable people

• Joseph Anton Sambuga, theologian, born 1752 in Walldorf, died 1815 at the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich
• John Jacob Astor, at the time of his death the wealthiest man in the United States
• Dietmar Hopp, billionaire software entrepreneur
• Timo Jouko Herrmann, composer, musicologist and conductor

External links

• Official Homepage