Bad Säckingen is a little gem - tucked away at the southern foot of
the Black Forest, directly on the High Rhine and thus on the Swiss
border. The town of Säckingen was first mentioned in a document in 876.
It developed in the vicinity of a convent founded by an itinerant Irish
monk named Fridolin.
Prior to this, Fridolin set up his hermitage
on an island in the Rhine due to disregard. In 1250 Säckingen was raised
to the status of a town. Säckingen came under the rule of the Habsburgs,
and in 1806 it was ceded to the Grand Duchy of Baden.
In 1935
Obersäckingen was incorporated. The formerly independent towns of
Harpolingen, Rippolingen and Wallbach have been districts of Säckingen
since 1973.
In 1978, Säckingen was given the title "Bad".
By plane
The nearest airports are EuroAirport
Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (IATA: BSL, MLH, EAP) and Zurich Airport (IATA:
ZRH) .
By train
The large long-distance train station in the
region is located in Basel and can be reached directly from western and
northern Germany. Trains from Germany and to Bad Säckingen stop at
Deutsche Bahn's Badischer Bahnhof, not Basel SBB.
From Basel
Badischer Bahnhof the trains of the Hochreinbahn go to Bad Säckingen and
further east via Waldshut - Singen and partly further to Ulm. For the
connection to Munich) you can choose the connection via Ulm, but then
you have to change trains there and/or in Ravensburg. If you enjoy the
landscape, you should sit at the right-hand window in the direction of
travel when coming from Basel, then you have a beautiful view of the
Rhine, when coming from Waldshut the Rhine is on the left.
The
best way to get there from the Swiss side is from Zurich via Baden AG,
the route via Schaffhausen (and from there the Hochrheinbahn of the DB)
is a little longer. With the Interregio to Baden AG, change there to the
regional train to Koblenz AG, then take the S41 to the other side of the
Rhine to Waldshut-Tiengen, where you have to change to the High Rhine
line of the DB in the direction of Basel Bad Bf. If you are good on
foot, you can of course walk from the Swiss train station
Stein-Säckingen to Bad Säckingen.
With several people or if you
want to criss-cross, the Baden-Württemberg ticket may be worthwhile
With the bike bus
The Südbadenbus runs a cycle bus to the
Hotzenwald on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from May to October
and every day during the summer holidays.
By bicycle
Rhine
Cycle Path (D8, EV15)
Southern Black Forest Cycle Path - Southern
Black Forest Nature Park
In the street
From the north / west
(north of the Rhine): Drive on the A5 motorway in the direction of
Basel, there shortly before Basel change to the well-developed A98 / 861
to Rheinfelden, from there then eastwards on the B34.
From the south:
from Basel on the A2 eastbound, then continue on the A3 towards Zurich.
Leave the A3 at the EIken junction, then take the main road 7 to Stein
AG, in the west the Rhine is then crossed on the modern Fridolinsbrücke.
From the east: From the direction of Waldshut-Tiengen, the B34 runs
west.
All major sights are located in the city center and are easily
accessible on foot. To explore the area and, for example, to visit the
romantic suburbs of Wallbach or Obersäckingen, a bicycle is also a good
idea. Otherwise, the suburbs can also be easily reached by SBG buses or
the city bus. Information about current timetables can be found at
www.bahn.de.
Wallbach, to the west of Bad Säckingen, can also be
reached by boat "Trompeter von Säckingen".
Säckingen became a term for a broader public through the first work
Der Trompeter von Säkkingen by Joseph Victor von Scheffel, which was
published in 1854.[11] After the factory had only sold sluggishly at
first, after 1870 sales skyrocketed. At times it was one of the most
widely read books in Germany, and in 1921 the 322nd edition was
published. Scheffel used a real event from the 17th century as
inspiration for this “epic poem”, the love affair of the bourgeois Franz
Werner Kirchhofer (1633–1690) with the noble Maria Ursula von Schönau
(1632–1691) (at Scheffel Margaretha). However, while Scheffel was not
allowed to marry the couple at first, the trumpeter then emigrated to
Rome and only his ennobling by the Pope made the marriage possible, the
real couple ignored the resistance of the Schönau family, married
against their will and then led a respectable life in Säckingen. They
had five children and the husband became a successful merchant,
councilor and schoolmaster. He also directed the boys' choir of the St.
Fridolinsmünster and was undoubtedly musical, but he was not a
"trumpeter". The couple's tombstone is now in a niche on the outside of
the cathedral chancel.
Based on Scheffel's book, Victor Ernst
Nessler composed an opera of the same name, which premiered in Leipzig
in 1884. The libretto was written by Rudolf Bunge. From the opera, the
aria Behut dich Gott, it would have been so nice is still best known
today.
Hermann Riedel created the song cycle Songs Jung Werner's
and Margaretha's from Scheffel's Trompeter von Säkkingen.
In
1918, The Trumpeter von Säckingen was also filmed. The director was
Franz Porten and the film was produced by Berlin-based Eiko-Film GmbH.
The shooting took place in Säckingen from May 28th to June 6th, 1918,
almost 200 Säckingen were involved as extras. It was shown in Säckingen
on December 21, 1918 in the hall of the Schützenlichtspiele. Today he is
missing, only photographs with scenes still exist.
The work found
widespread approval in the German cultural sphere and its cities in its
day. The motif of the trumpeter from Säckingen found its way onto the
hand-woven tablecloths of the 19th century in the distant former
German-Latvian Libau.
Brennet-Areal: Brennet AG manufactures colorfully woven clothing
fabrics and has existed since the end of the 19th century. In the course
of the textile crisis, the Bad Säckingen location was given up in the
1970s. In the meantime, the factory buildings, including a listed villa,
have been demolished.[12] The former industrial monument, an area of
50,000 square meters, is now a business park.
The late Gothic abbey
building was built in 1565-1575 on behalf of the prince-abbess. In 1806,
when the monastery was dissolved, the grand ducal district office was
added. From 1936 to 1972 the district office of Säckingen was housed
there. The road construction office has been located there since 1974.
The "Hallwyler Hof", also called Scheffelhaus, was built as a station
for the Teutonic Knights around 1600. Joseph Victor von Scheffel lived
there from 1850 to 1851. Today the Hallwyler Hof is used as a guest
house and the rooms are rented out to tourists and vacationers.
The
"Rococo House" is dated 1762 and contains stucco work and a portrait of
the Virgin Mary.
Parts of the city's oldest draw well still exist
today. There was no spring water on the now-defunct Rhine island. The
monastery was responsible for the drinking water supply and, after its
dissolution, the city. From the 16th century, water pipes with spring
water led over the two bridges.
wooden bridge
Fridolin Bridge
Fridolin Munster
Schoenau Castle
Saint Martin's Church in
Obersäckingen, important late work by Heinrich Hübsch
thief storm
tea house
Au Cemetery
Gallus tower
St. Gallus Chapel
The
fountain "Kater Hiddigeigei" was created in 1978 by Alfred Sachs. It
contains a depiction of the epic character cat in Joseph Victor von
Scheffel's Trompeter von Säckingen
Villa Berberich, now used as a
cultural center
Gloria Theater
Above the city center is a five-hectare dammed mountain lake. There
is a pedal boat rental and a small restaurant that invites you to stop
by. Fishing is also possible on the mountain lake with the appropriate
authorization. In the immediate vicinity of the lake there is a game
reserve that is accessible free of charge. A barefoot path with a water
treading pool begins directly opposite the lower entrance to the game
reserve. In 2019, a modern climbing forest opened at the mountain lake
("Kletterwald Hochempor").
In summer, regular open-air events
take place in the park of Schönau Castle, such as music festivals,
open-air cinema screenings, country evenings and, from May to September,
the popular promenade concerts with local and regional music groups on
Sundays.
The Golf and Leisure World Hochrhein in Obersäckingen
offers a large indoor playground, an adventure golf and mini golf course
as well as a golf course for professional athletes. It is also home to
the Wildlife Natural History Museum.
The Aqualon Therme in the
spa center offers several thermal mineral pools and a large Japanese
sauna village. In addition, various wellness treatments are offered and
the offer is rounded off by a large fitness center. The thermal baths
were awarded five wellness stars in 2019.
Bad Säckingen has been
home to a trumpet museum since 1985. This is located in the
Hochrheinmuseum Schloss Schönau, which can be found in the castle park.
In addition to a trumpet collection that is more than 400 years old, the
Schönau Castle High Rhine Museum is also home to an archaeological
department with finds and exhibits from the High Rhine region, a small
local history museum and the "ScheffelRäume", which tells the story of
the "Trumpeter von Säckingen" and its author Joseph Victor von Scheffel.
The Mumpf-Bad Säckingen ferry can certainly be considered a summer
attraction. This ferry across the Rhine dates back to the Middle Ages.
In the months of May to September, it is popular with hikers and
cyclists on Sundays for the crossing. The cable ferry is operated by the
pontoonists Mumpf.
In the Wolfsrütte area there is a group of Mittelwald oaks. Four particularly powerful specimens standing on a forest path are known as wolf oaks. Three of these trees are designated as natural monuments. The largest of the wolf oaks has a diameter of 1.80 meters at breast height and a height of around 30 meters. The age of the trees is estimated at around 400 to 500 years. The wolf oaks are the oldest and strongest oaks in the Waldshut district.
A walk to the mountain lake (attention! Out of town), exploration of
the game reserve
Walk on the Kneipp path (at the mountain lake)
A
visit to Aqualon: Aqualon Therme
Swimming in the Rhine
In summer
visit to the outdoor pool in the city forest (forest pool) with wellness
pool, leisure pool, children's paddling pool and sports pool including
diving board
Round trip with the passenger ship "Trompeter von
Säckingen" on the High Rhine to the power station and downstream to
Schwörstadt
Extensive mountain bike rides through the southern
Hotzenwald ("Sabine Spitz" mountain bike park above the outdoor pool)
In winter, the Hotzenwald cross-country skiing center can be reached in
less than 30 minutes by car
Hiking with representatives of the local
Black Forest Association
Golf http://www.golfparkbs.de;
info@golfwelt-hochrhein.de
with children
indoor - jungle - playground wildkids
Aqualon: no age limit mostly not overcrowded, also textile sauna
City
tour with the trumpeter or city founder Fridolin at the weekend
Pedal
boating on the mountain lake
Garbage Museum see below
Hangover
Hiddigeigei fountain
The Hotzenwald, which starts north of the city, can be described as a hiker's paradise on numerous tours with a length of more than 200 kilometers, while cyclists appreciate the varied play between the mountains and the Rhine Valley.
Bad Säckingen is an excellent starting point for demanding mountain bike tours in the southern Black Forest. The flank of the Hotzenwald, which drops steeply to the Rhine, enables the ambitious driver to climb a few hundred meters on each tour. You can choose between steep and more leisurely variants. Thrill-seekers can let off steam in the Sabine Spitz MTB Arena, which was created for the German Cross-Country MTB Championships in 2012 and can be used free of charge.
It has been proven that Carnival has been celebrated every year since 1272. The fifth season traditionally begins with the "First Fair", the third Thursday before Carnival. Then the "Wäler" in the finest, old, black suit bring the fool's tree to Münsterplatz with great cheering and cheered on by the "Narri Narro". On the 3rd of Faißen, the "Wiieber" take over the fool's scepter. Dressed in floor-length dresses and hats the size of a wagon wheel, they party through the city center and then to the big Wiiberklatsch in the Kursaal. Witches, ghosts, joggers and Gugge bands populate the streets on the Saturday of Carnival. The carnival parade is small but mighty. On Tuesday, the Bad Säckingen carnival ends with the loud wailing of the Hüüler, who, wrapped in white cloaks and with white painted faces, carry their “Böög” to the pyre in the light of the torches.
Trumpet run
The "Rheinkiesel" candy, which actually looks like a small stone from
the Rhine, is available in bakeries. The bakeries also sell sweets with
a picture of the trumpeter from Säckingen - highly recommended as a
souvenir.
1 EDEKA Schmidts Markt, Schützenstraße 10, 79713 Bad
Säckingen. Tel.: +49 (0)7761 553230. Open: Mon – Sat 7.30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
2 EDEKA Schmidts Markt, Tullastraße 12, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Open: Mon –
Sat 7.30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
3 REWE, Glarnerstraße 4, 79713 Bad Säckingen
(in the Rheincenter). Tel.: +49 (0)7761 9991509. Open: Mon – Sat 7 a.m.
– 10 p.m.
4 Kaufland, Schaffhauser Str. 90, 79713 Bad Säckingen.
Tel.: +49 (0)7761 92950. Open: Mon – Sat 7 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Actually, so close to the Black Forest, the cherry cake of the same
name, the ham, a Maultaschen dish and / or a Zibärtle (fruit brandy)
should not be missing.
High price range
1 Fox Cave,
Rheinbrückstr. 7, 79713 Bad Saeckingen. Tel: (0)7761 5599829, Fax:
(0)7761 5599830, Email: mail@fuchshoehle.com. Gourmet restaurant with a
venerable dining room with three entrances (hence the name Fox Cave -
but beware, only two entrances are open to guests). Right on
Munsterplatz. Open: Tue – Sat 11.30 a.m. – 11.00 p.m., Sun + Mon are
days off.
2 Ringhotel Goldener Knopf, Rathausplatz 9, 79713 Bad
Säckingen. Phone: (0)7761 5650, Fax: (0)7761 565444, Email:
info@goldenerknopf.de. Hotel restaurant in the city center, beautiful
terrace on the Rhine in summer. Open: 12.00 - 14.00 + 18.00 - 21.30.
Price: Single room from €90, double room from €145.
3 Hotel zur Flüh,
Weihermatten 40, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel.: (0)7761 924480, fax: (0)7761
9244824, e-mail: info@hotel-flueh.de. Hotel restaurant quietly located
in the northern part of town. Open: Restaurant: Tue – Sat 11.30 a.m. –
2.00 p.m. + 5.30 p.m. – midnight (warm food until 9.30 p.m.), Sun 11.30
a.m. – 2.00 p.m., closed on Mondays (only restaurant). Price: Single
room from €70, double room from €105.
Home cooking
4 Marco
Polo specialty restaurant & steakhouse, Münsterplatz 20, 79713 Bad
Säckingen. Tel.: (0)7761 5532680, Fax: (0)7761 5532681, Email:
info@marco-polo.es.
5 Hotel Restaurant Kater Hiddigeigei, Tanzenplatz
2, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel: (0)7761 556440. Outside terrace available.
Open: Restaurant: Mon + Wed – Sat 9.00 a.m. – 12.00 a.m., Sun 9.00 a.m.
– 11.00 p.m. (kitchen Mon + Wed – Sat 11.30 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. + 6.00 p.m.
– 10.00 p.m., Sun + public holidays 11.30 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. + 5.00 p.m .
6 Hotel-Restaurant "Zum Schwarzen Whale", Münsterplatz 30, 79713 Bad
Säckingen. Tel.: (0)7761 919454, fax: (0)7761 919573, e-mail:
info@hotel-restaurant-schwarzer-walfisch.de. Open: Restaurant: Mon – Sat
11.30 a.m. – 2 p.m. + 6 p.m. – 10.30 p.m., Sun 11.30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Price: single room from €57.50, double room from €130.
7 Old Guild,
Metzgergasse 12, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel: (0)7761 913720. Open: Sat
10am - 1am, Sun - Tue 11am - 1am, Wed closed, Thu + Fri 11am - 1am.
Crown. Cozy inn right on Münsterplatz.infoedit
Trumpeter.
Gasthof
Zur Traube, Hauptstr. 90, 79713 Bad Sackingen. Tel: (0)7761 2069.
Gasthaus Engel last modified: Dec 2015
coffee shops
Café
Heinritz, Waldshuter Strasse 22-26, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel.: (0)7761
6513. The best cakes in Bad Saeckingen, from our own production, on the
outskirts of the city center opposite the train station. Open: Tue – Sat
8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sun + public holidays 12.30 p.m. – 6 p.m., closed on
Mondays.
Café Melange, Basler Strasse 1, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel:
(0)7761 913143.
Schloßpark-Café, Schönaugasse 5, 79713 Bad Säckingen.
Tel: (0)7761 936004. This little café tucked away in the castle part is
particularly recommended in the summer. Be sure to secure a seat on the
outdoor terrace with a view of the Rhine and Fridolins Island!
nationalities
Italian:
Vingioia, Friedrichstrasse 36, 79713 Bad
Säckingen. Phone: +49 (0)7761 7868, fax: +49 (0)7761 9994891, email:
restaurant@vingioia.de. Open: Thu – Tue 11.45 a.m. – 2 p.m. + 5 p.m. –
10.30 p.m., Sat 11.45 a.m. – 2 p.m. + 5 p.m. – 11 p.m., Wed closed
St. Fridolin. Small, well-run Ristorante, with friendly staff, always
busy (reserve a seat in advance!).
Ristorante Pizzeria Da Gabriele,
Schaffhauser Str. 55, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel.: (0)7761 8732. In
Obersäckingen for over 30 years. Open: Wed, Thu 5 p.m. – midnight, Fri
11.30 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sat, Sun 11.30 a.m. – midnight, closed on Mondays.
Pizzeria La Rustica, Bauvereinstr. 2, 79713 Bad Sackingen. Tel: (0)7761
913355. Tucked away behind a former gas station, delicious salads.
Margarethenschlößle, Baltherplatz 1, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel: (0)7761
1525. Cafe, restaurant, pizzeria, doubles as a daytime cafe with
delicious cakes and 'non-Italian' food too. Very romantically situated
in a park with an outdoor restaurant in summer. Open: Mon – Sat 11:30
a.m. – 2:30 p.m. + 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. (warm kitchen until 10:30
p.m.), Sun 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (warm kitchen until 9:30 p.m.,
Tuesday is a day off.
Lantern Restaurant, Friedrichstr. 38, 79713 Bad
Saeckingen. Tel: (0)7761 7868. Reasonably priced classic pizzeria, 5
minute walk from train station.
Chinese:
Hong Kong Chinese
Restaurant, Schulhausstraße 7, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel: (0)7761 59209.
Panda Chinese Restaurant, Bergseestraße 11, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Phone:
(0)7761 59209, Email: info@panda-saeckingen.de. Only 2 minutes walk from
the train station. Open: daily 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. + 5:00 p.m. –
10:30 p.m.
Asia Restaurant Bambusgarten, Glarnerstr. 4, 79713 Bad
Saeckingen. Tel: (0)7761 933414.
Greek:
Acropolis,
Friedrichstr. 87, 79713 Bad Saeckingen. Tel.: +49 (0)7761 3539. Open:
Thu – Tue 11.30 a.m. – 3 p.m. + 5.30 p.m. – midnight, Wed is closed.
Restaurant - cafe - bar
Flora, Münsterplatz 32, 79713 Saeckingen.
Tel.: (0)7761 5536098, e-mail: info@ristorante-flora.de. Good, cheap
kitchen. Modern interior, cozy outdoor gastronomy in summer. Open: Sun +
Mon are days off, Tue – Fri 11 a.m. – 2.30 p.m. + 5 p.m. – 11 p.m., Sat
10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Fast food
Snack at the Rheincenter. Burgers,
fries, sausages.
China Wok, Rheinbrückstr. 42, 79713 Bad Saeckingen.
Tel: (0)7761 5536557. Chinese for in between.
Snack at the wooden
bridge. Doner kebabs, salads, pizzas, currywurst and much more are
always freshly prepared.
Gloria Theater, Friedrichstrasse 21, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Phone: +49 (0)7761 6490.
1 Hotel Schweizerblick, Spiral Halde 1, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel.:
(0)7761 92520, fax: (0)7761 925250, e-mail: info@schweizerblick.de.
Directly at the spa establishments. Open: Bistro: Mon – Thu 9.30 a.m. –
11.00 p.m., Fri 9.30 a.m. – 11.30 p.m., Sat 10.30 a.m. – 11.00 p.m., Sun
10.30 a.m. – 11.00 p.m.; Restaurant: Mon – Sat 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. (hot
food 5 p.m. – 9.30 p.m., Sun is closed. Price: single room from €70,
double room from €99. Edit info
Haus Wassmer, Bergseestr. 92, 79713
Bad Saeckingen. Phone: (0)7761 1446, Fax: (0)7761 9379007, Email:
info@agwfewo.de. Holiday apartments, spa apartments and rooms in the spa
area. Feature: pension.
2 Hotel St. Fridolin, Hasenrütte 4, 79713 Bad
Säckingen. Phone: (0)7761 931100, email: info@HotelStFridolin.de.
integration of disabled people is practiced here. Price: single room
from €49, double room from €92.
3 Hotel Schneider, Gießenstrasse 21,
79713 Bad Säckingen. Phone: +49 (0)7761 7017, fax: +49 (0)7761 7019,
email: info@hotel-schneider.net.
Guesthouse Palme, Weingarten 15,
79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel.: +49 (0)7761 50797. Feature: Pension.
Police station, Rathausplatz 3, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Phone: +49 (0)7761 9340.
Hospitals
Bad Säckingen Hospital, Meisenhartweg 14, 79713 Bad
Säckingen. Phone: +49 (0)7761 53-0, Fax: +49 (0)7761 53-1005. With
emergency station.
Rehabilitation Clinic Bad Säckingen GmbH,
Bergseestrasse 61, 79713 Bad Säckingen. Phone: +49 7761 554 -0, email:
info@rkbs.de. The rehabilitation clinic with a focus on rheumatology and
orthopedics is a reason for many to stay in Bad Säckingen; no emergency
care.
Pharmacies
Black Forest Pharmacy, Schützenstrasse 16/1,
79713 Bad Säckingen. Tel.: +49 (0)7761 553550, fax: +49 (0)7761 58490,
e-mail: info@schwarzwaldapotheke-bs.de. Open: Mon - Fri 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.,
Sat 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Bergsee Pharmacy, Bahnhofplatz 1, 79713 Bad
Säckingen. Phone: +49 (0)7761 7486, fax: +49 (0)7761 58957, email:
apo@bergsee-apotheke.de. Open: Mon - Fri 8 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sat 8 a.m. - 2
p.m.
Fridolins Pharmacy, Steinbrückstraße 12, 79713 Bad Säckingen.
Phone: +49 (0)7761 57657, fax: +49 (0)7761 6993, e-mail:
info@fridolins-apotheke.de. Open: Mon - Fri 8.30 a.m. - 6.30 p.m., Sat
8.30 a.m. - 2.00 p.m.
Tourismus GmbH Bad Säckingen, Waldshuter Str. 20, 79713 Bad
Säckingen. Phone: +49 (0) 7761-5683-0, fax: +49 (0) 7761-5683-17,
e-mail: tourismus@bad-saeckingen.de.
You can charge e-bikes at the
Sparkasse, here you can also get SFr from the machines.
Säckingen (since 1978 Bad Säckingen, first mentioned in 878 as
Seckinga) is traditionally considered to have been founded by an
Alemanni named Secco. However, the name of the city is very likely to
have come from the Germanization of a Roman place name (Sanctio)
(similar to Aachen, Baden-Baden and others), possibly from the name of
the Diocletian province Maxima Sequanorum founded in 297 AD.
In
the spring of 361, the Alamanni tribe of the Brisgavi, who were forced
into an alliance with the Romans in 354, undertook an invasion of
neighboring Raetia. The Roman general, Caesar, commander in Gaul, and
the later Emperor Julian “sent a small band against them; but their
leader was killed in the very first attack, and [...] the plunderers
were able to carry their booty across the Rhine undamaged. They belonged
to the tribe of King Vadomar, who ruled in the southern Black Forest.”
Julian had Vadomar “captured and brought him to Spain. Then he himself
unexpectedly broke across the Rhine, punished the Alemanni for their
raid, took the booty from them again and asked for security for their
future behavior.” According to information from local history, the
killing of the leader of the first troop is confirmed and their approach
to Säckingen localized: under the leadership of comes Libino, the Roman
troops reached Säckingen prope oppidum Sanctio, which at that time
probably belonged to the Breisgau.
In the Latin text of
Fridolinsvita (970) Säckingen is called Secanis and Seconis (sounding
a>o) and documented in 1207 also Seconia. Seconis is to be interpreted
as a local case of Seconia, which can be derived from Sequaniacum (=
sanctuary of Sequana) without any problems in terms of linguistic
history. According to the beliefs of the Celts, the goddess of springs,
healing arts and health revealed herself in the swampy soil of
Säckingen's salt thermal baths (seik – “flowing trickling”, Sequana –
“daughter of the springs”).
The author of the Fridolinsvita
relied on a concept that had probably emerged as early as the 8th
century and had preferred the pre-Alamannic place name. However, the
resulting tax register of the Franks could not do without Seckinga.
In the documents of the 13th century, the Celto-Roman place name was
then used again as a sign of learning: 1275 Sigillum Civium Seconiensium
= seal of the citizens of the city of Seconis (Seconiis = "at the
Seconia temple").
The town of Säckingen came into being in the
vicinity of the monastery of the same name, the founding of which is
attributed to St. Fridolin. The life of the saint of Fridolin, which is
estimated to be uncertain in its source value, reports that the founding
of the monastery was under the protection of the Frankish king Clovis I.
Such an early emergence is now doubted. Instead, the founding of the
monastery is assumed to have taken place in the 7th century, i.e. during
the reign of Clovis II. The monastery is attested to be remarkably close
to the Carolingians in the 9th century, when at least one daughter of
Louis the German, Bertha, and the wife of Charles III. named Richardis
were abbesses. There was also a distant connection to the ruling family
of the Ottonians. In the 10th century, Reglind, grandmother of Adelheid,
the wife of Otto the Great, was abbess of Säckingen Abbey. When a fire
destroyed large parts of the city (including the collegiate church) in
1272, work began around 1300 on the construction of the Gothic
cathedral, which bears the name Fridolinsmünster.
After the
Battle of Rheinfelden and after the death of Bernhard von Sachsen-Weimar
in July 1639 at the age of 35, the Bernese Johann Ludwig von Erlach was
given supreme command of his troops and became his successor as Major
General in Breisach. When Säckingen was plundered by 300 imperial
horsemen in 1639, he immediately sent help to the forest towns under
Colonel Rosen. Things remained quiet in Rheinfelden until the peace
negotiations in Münster in 1646; the four forest towns were to be traded
to France for Breisach. This project did not succeed. The war devastated
Germany for almost 10 years until the Peace of Westphalia was announced
on October 24, 1648. But the Franco-Dutch War from 1672 to 1679 soon
followed. Duke Charles of Lorraine and Marshal Créquy took up quarters
in Rheinfelden and at Beuggen Castle. This was followed in 1688 by the
Palatinate War of Succession and then the Spanish War of Succession. The
abbesses of this era had to flee, the relics (the coffin with St.
Fridolin) and other things were taken to friendly monasteries (Baden im
Aargau, later also to Bernau Castle and Klingnau).
In 1796 the
city was occupied by French troops during the French Revolutionary War.
In 1805 the city came under the Grand Duchy of Baden. The monastery was
dissolved in 1806.
Before the right arm of the Rhine was filled
in in 1830, the city was on an island in the Rhine and was connected to
the surrounding area by bridges. Today there are two bridges from the
German side (Bad Säckingen) to the Swiss side (Stein): At 203.7 meters,
the wooden bridge is the longest covered wooden bridge in Europe. The St
Fridolins Bridge for motor vehicle traffic was inaugurated in 1979. On
this bridge stands a statue of Fridolins by the Swiss sculptor Rolf
Brem.
In 1973 the district of Säckingen was dissolved. Since
then, the city has belonged to the district of Waldshut. On April 1,
1972, the previously independent municipalities of Rippolingen and
Wallbach were incorporated. Harpolingen followed on January 1, 1973.
The title "Bad" was awarded to the city on June 1, 1978. In 1997, the
Baden-Württemberg Homeland Days took place in Bad Säckingen and the
neighboring weir.
As part of the Europe-wide competition Entente
Florale Europe, Bad Säckingen was voted one of the five most beautiful
cities in Europe on September 19, 2003. The international jury
particularly emphasized the location on the Rhine, the magnificent parks
(including the palace gardens), the restored buildings, the renatured
watercourses in the city area (Schöpfebach), the revitalization of the
mountain lake shore and the sustainably designed city center.
Bad Säckingen is located on the High Rhine, which forms the Swiss border here. The city is located on the southern edge of the Hotzenwald, which is the southern foothills of the Black Forest. The city also includes part of the Fridolin Island in the Rhine, whose territory was long unclear. In 2013, a new state treaty stipulated that it should belong to Germany in the future.
The town of Bad Säckingen consists of the following former
communities (core towns with their districts):
Harpolingen with the
Lochmühle and Rüttehof farms and the Holdmatt houses
Rippolingen with
the Flut farm and the Santihof houses
Säckingen with the district
Obersäckingen and the houses at the mountain lake
Wallbach
In Bad Säckingen, the municipal council is elected using the procedure of spurious local elections. The number of municipal councils can change due to overhang mandates. After the last election, the municipal council in Bad Säckingen has 22 members (2014: 24). The local elections on May 26, 2019 led to the following final result. The municipal council consists of the elected voluntary municipal councilors and the mayor as chairman. The mayor has voting rights in the municipal council.
The blazon of the coat of arms reads: "Under a red shield head in black, a (leather) silver purse (sack)."
Since 1973, Bad Säckingen has had twin towns with Sanary-sur-Mer in southern France and with Purkersdorf in Lower Austria. In 1983, town twinning relationships with the Japanese Nagai and Santeramo in Colle in Italy were also established. The partnership with the Swiss town of Näfels, which has existed since 1988, was transferred to the new unitary municipality of Glarus Nord on January 1, 2011 as part of the Glarner municipal reform.
Hydropower is used intensively in Bad Säckingen. The Bad Säckingen cavern power plant is a pumped storage power plant that was built in a cavern with a storage reservoir in Egg (Eggberg basin) (inaugurated in 1967). The Rheinkraftwerk Säckingen is located a few hundred meters east of the old town. Construction started in 1961 and it was commissioned in 1966. It is owned by German and Swiss companies (EnBW AG, Energiedienst Holding AG, Axpo AG and AEW Energie AG).
Bad Säckingen has a district court that belongs to the district of
Waldshut-Tiengen and the higher regional court in Karlsruhe.
The
town also has a children's and youth center (in the old prison).
There are numerous educational institutions in Bad Säckingen:
Elementary schools: Anton Leo School, Weihermatten School, Obersäckingen
Elementary School, Wallbach Elementary School, Josef Anton Sickinger
Elementary School
Rudolf Graber Special School
Hans Thoma
Community School
Werner Kirchhofer Realschule
Scheffel High School
trade school
Home Economics School
Commercial school
Rudolf-Eberle-School
GATEX (Joint Textile Training Center)
Commercial vocational training center of the DHV e. V
adult education
center (VHS)
After the Spitäler Hochrhein GmbH had fought its way through against resistance in the city and population to close the Bad Säckingen hospital at the end of 2017 following a decision by the district council of the Waldshut district on November 8, 2017, the establishment of a medical care center (MVZ) was planned for the city and construction began on June 26, 2020. For this purpose, the former hospital building was gutted and restructured and a large number of medical facilities and practices were temporarily housed in a container park. Completion of the Bad Säckingen health campus is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2021. The patron of the project is Minister of Health Jens Spahn. The campus, as well as the Klinikum Hochrhein in Waldshut, will bridge the period of time until the completion of a central clinic in the district near Albbruck.
Wibrandis Rosenblatt (1504-1564), was the wife of three important
reformers, Ökolampad, Capito and Bucer, respectively
Johann Jakob
Beurer (1550–1605), professor and dean at the University of Freiburg
Jakob Keller (1568–1631), theologian and writer
Karl Agricola
(1779–1852), painter and engraver
Fridolin Spenner (1798–1841),
professor of botany and director of the botanical garden in Freiburg
Hermann Leo (1839–1903), priest and author
Otto Bally (1839-1908),
manufacturer, councilor and local historian
Ludwig Vollmar
(1842–1884), genre painter
Emil Gersbach (1885–1963), local historian
Robert Spreng (1890–1969), photographer
Rudolf Graber (1899–1958),
Swiss writer
Josef Wasmer (1902–1934), politician (NSDAP), member of
the Landtag and Reichstag
Oskar Hüssy (1903-1964), politician
(NSDAP), 1938-1945 Lord Mayor of Karlsruhe
Hansjörg Oeschger
(1908–1998), forester and activist in the Catholic youth movement during
the Nazi era
Fridolin Jehle (1908–1976), historian and local
historian, mayor
Elisabeth Schwander (1917-2001), founder of the
village helpers' work in Sölden near Freiburg
Egon Gersbach
(1921–2020), prehistoric archaeologist and longtime excavator of the
Heuneburg
Heinrich Mutter (1924–1999), painter, graphic artist,
draftsman
Norbert Nothhelfer (* 1937), district administrator and
politician (CDU)
Meinhard Ade (born 1944), administrative lawyer
Karl Schmitt (* 1944), political scientist, university lecturer
Christian Peschke (1946–2017), sculptor and painter
Konrad Hilpert
(born 1947), Roman Catholic theologian
Wilhelm Gräb (1948–2023),
Protestant theologian
Elisabeth Gräb-Schmidt (* 1956), Professor at
the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Peter Prügel (born 1958),
diplomat
Markus Daum (born 1959), sculptor and graphic artist
Thomas Körner (born 1960), comic artist
Nana Krueger (born 1962),
actress
Salvatore Caronna (* 1964), former Member of the European
Parliament D
Jorge García del Valle Méndez (born 1966), composer
Axel Neumann (born 1966), actor
Christian Gutfleisch (born 1968),
jazz musician
Baki Davrak (born 1971), actor
Matthias Reményi
(born 1971), fundamental theologian
Sabine Spitz (* 1971),
professional cyclist
Thorsten Frei (* 1973), deputy chairman of the
CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, a. D. of
Donaueschingen
Mikael Vogel (born 1975), poet, writer and translator
Matthias Huber (born 1977), Ju-Jutsu World Champion and World Games
winner
Thomas Ays (born 1977), freelance writer
Jochen Frank
Schmidt (* 1979), composer, librettist, director and theater manager
Stefanie Böhler (born 1981), cross-country skier
Menzel Mutzke (born
1984), jazz musician
Marc Pelosi (born 1994), American soccer player
Fabian Kaskel (born 2003), biathlete, gourmet
Marianna Franziska von Hornstein (1723–1809), last abbess of the
Säckingen convent
Raphael von Weinzierl (1782 – 1864), administrative
officer
Joseph Victor von Scheffel (1826-1886), writer and poet,
author of Trumpeter von Säckingen
Ursula von Mangoldt (1904–1987),
writer, translator and publisher.
Rudolf Eberle (1926-1984),
economist and politician (CDU), former Economics Minister of the State
of Baden-Württemberg
Wolfgang Burger (born 1952), crime writer
Hidir Gürakar (* 1953), social advisor, translator and politician (SPD),
former member of the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg
Hennadiy
Vorobyov, sports teacher and canoeist, has lived in Obersäckingen since
2011
Miriam Davoudvandi (* 1992), music journalist, grew up in Bad
Säckingen