Geography

GeographyGeographyLocationThe community lies in the Weschnitz valley in the Odenwaldsome 25km sum of Heidelbergand about 20km north eastmost of Mannheim. It is on Bundesstrae38, and the river Weschnitz flows through it. The land is hilly, green and dotted with horse farms and forests.Neighbouring communitiesBirkenau borders in the north on the community of Mrlenbach, in the east on the community ofAbtsteinach, in the south on the community ofGorxheimertaland in the west on the towns of Weinheimand Hemsbach(both in Rhein-Neckar-KreisinBaden-Wrttemberg).Constituent communitiesBirkenaus Ortsteileare Birkenau, Buchklingen, Hornbach, Kallstadt, Lhrbach, Nieder-Liebersbach, Reisen and Schnorrenbach.ClimateOwing to its attitude near the Bergstrae, a mild climate prevails in Birkenau, which can often be seen in what for Germany is a very early blossoming ofalmondtrees.History Schloss BirkenauBirkenau had its start-off documentary mention in 795 in the Lorsch Codexas a cell of the Lorsch A bbey. As one of the Abbeys holdings, it passed into the ownership of the Archbishopric of Mainz in 1232. The centres of Hornbach and Balzenbach, on the other hand, belonged to Electoral Palatinate, meaning that afterward the Reformation, they belonged to different denominations. In 1532 the town hall was built, and in 1771 the palace, Schloss Birkenau, of the Lords of Wambolt von Umstadt. By 1964, the population had grown to more than 5,000. In 1967 the community was recognized as a volunteer(a) resort (Erholungsort) and in 1979 as an open-air resort (Luftkurort). Owing to the only slight tourism, however, it has not reapplied for this designation. In 1995, Birkenau celebrated its 1,200-year jubilee.