Wankheim

Wankheim is the first town on the right hand side of Highway 28 coming from Tuebingen. Due to the close location to the city of Tuebingen the town have attracted a lot of new people. The core town is still dominated by larger farms.

The town of Wankheim is mentioned the first time in 1111. Hartmuot de Wachein did a testimony in Schaffhausen. In 1296 the Dukes Eberhard and Rudolf von Tuebingen have sold Wankheim to the Mayor of Reutlingen, Albrecht Becht. In 1482 the Obervogt Georg von Ehingen  purchased Wankheim via the Monastery of Bebenhausen. In the 17th century half of the town was in the possession of Sophie Marie von Hohenfeld, who bought 1711 the Kreßbach castle. In 1749 she was succeeded by the family of Saint-André, who governed the town until 1885. They also allowed the Israelites to settle down in Wankheim.

Johann Jacob Maz was the first, who emigrated in 1760 to America. In 1805 Wankheim became a part of Wuerttemberg.

The chord of the church in Wankheim called “Jakobuskirche” was built by Clas Binder. After a fire the main part of the church was rebuilt in 1781. Larger renovations took place in 1899, 1958 and 1997.

In 1776 the Jewish people got settling rights. In 1807 the first Jewish school was built and in 1833 the synagogue. In 1882 the Jewish community was revealed, because all have moved to the larger cities around Stuttgart, giving them better trading possibilities. The Jewish cemetery, which is located between Wankheim and Kusterdingen can still be visited after announcement of the visit.