Balingen (German pronunciation:[ˈbaːlɪŋən]^ⓘ;Swabian:Balenga) is a town inBaden-Württemberg,Germany, capital of thedistrict ofZollernalbkreis. It is located near theSwabian Jura, approx. 35 km to the south ofTübingen, 35 km northeast ofVillingen-Schwenningen, and 70 km south southwest ofStuttgart.

Balingen
Town
Zollernschloss in Balingen
Coat of arms
Location of Balingen within Zollernalbkreis district
Balingen Show map of Germany Balingen Show map of Baden-Württemberg
Coordinates:48°16′23″N08°51′02″E / 48.27306°N 8.85056°E /48.27306; 8.85056
Country	Germany
State	Baden-Württemberg
Admin. region	Tübingen
District	Zollernalbkreis
Government
• Mayor(2023–31)	Dirk Abel[1] (CDU)
Area
• Total	90.34 km2 (34.88 sq mi)
Elevation	517 m (1,696 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)[2]
• Total	34,945
• Density	390/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	72301–72336
Dialling codes	07433
Vehicle registration	BL
Website	www.balingen.de

Balingen is the second largest town in the Zollernalb district afterAlbstadt. It is a medium-sized center for the surrounding municipalities and was named a large district town in 1974. The town of Balingen has undergone dynamic development since 1945.^[3]

Balingen is home to theBizerba and Ideal companies.

Balingen is first mentioned in 863. Initially a possession of the lords of Haigerloch, in 1162 Balingen was acquired by thecount of Hohenberg. In the 13th century it received the title of city fromFriedrich der Erlauchte, it was largely rebuilt on the left bank of the riverEyach.

The earliest signs of settlement in what is now the town area are the Alemannic terraced graves. However, Balingen did not initially serve as the town's center; according to historical records, it was established in 1255 by Count Friedrich von Zollern.^[4] The town was fortified before 1377.

In 1403 it was sold to theCounty of Württemberg, whose chancellor maintained a residence there until the 18th century. When the entire territory was sold to Württemberg, it led to the establishment of the administrative district known as “Amt Balingen.” A legal officer took up residence in the official town, specifically in the castle built in 1372, and remained there until the mid-18th century. In 1973, Balingen became the seat of the newly formed district of Zollernalb, not least as a continuation of the old official town tradition.^[5]

Zollernschloss Balingen: The foundation walls of Zollern Castle in Balingen date back to the 13th century. Initially, it was a typical late medieval town castle designed for residential use. In 1403, the castle and the entire Schalksburg estate were acquired by Württemberg, where it was used as the official residence of the head bailiff. Following the Thirty Years' War, the castle was left in a state of disrepair, and it was not until spring 1651 that the new head bailiff, Count von Kandel, could take up residence after necessary renovations were completed. In 1403, the castle and the entire Schalksburg estate came to Württemberg and was used as the seat of the head bailiff.^[6]

Balingen has faced a challenging history marked by different devastating fires. As early as 1286, chroniclers tell that the town, which was only three decades old at the time, was engulfed in flames during a feud between the Zollern and Hohenberg families. Subsequent fires in 1546, 1607, 1672, 1724, and 1809 added to the town's sufferings, with the last blaze leaving only 55 out of 445 buildings standing.^[5] The fire in 1809 was particularly devastating, as it wiped out nearly the entire town.^[7] The efforts to rebuild after these disasters gave rise to the classicist character of the city.

The existence of a hospital in the 15th century was a clear reflection of the community spirit in the town.^[8] The Balingen Hospital was established in 1489 by a civic foundation to care for the poor and the elderly. Initially located just behind the town church, it later moved to the upper suburbs.^[5] This social institution served the community until the 20th century.

Balingen became part of the unified Germany in 1870.

During the Second World War (1939-1945) Balingen was the site of a sub-camp of the German death camp ofNatzweiler-Struthof in the occupied French region of Alsace. After the war this camp became a French internment camp for former Nazi war criminals, theCamp d’internement de Wurtemberg.

The town features the Zollern Castle, which is nestled alongside the historic tanners' district, often referred to as "Little Venice." The castle was reconstructed in 1935.

The city was destroyed by a fire in 1809, from which only the Protestant church, the castle and a few other edifices escaped. The Protestant church's construction finished in 1541; it has a characteristicsundial in the apse.

In Balingen there is the enclosed, publicly accessible sulfur spring, whose water is said to have healing powers and support the immune system.^[9] As with the medicinal springs in Bad Sebastiansweiler, the spring is made up of dissolved, sulfur-containing sodium hydrogen carbonate (Na-HCO3) from the rock (Black Jura).^[10] When the rock containing pyrites (pyrite) is weathered, the oxidation of the pyrite with subsequent bacterial reduction of the sulfate ion produceshydrogen sulfide (H2S). It gives the mineral water the smell of rotten eggs. It contains dissolved substances and hydrogen sulfide. Visitors who regularly drink from it should note that the daily intake of hydrogen sulfide does not exceed the limit of 100 mg.

Balingen is nicknamed "Waagenstadt", the metropolis ofscales. The fatherPhilipp Matthäus Hahn behind the original idea.^[11][12][13]

Frommern is nicknamed "Möbelstadt", the metropolis offurniture in the time ofWirtschaftswunder. In Frommern a line of high polished industrial production ( fine veneered wood) take up the ideas of the royalHofebenist. In theHaus der Volkskunstof theSchwäbischer Albverein the traditionalHimmelbett is use as a hotel bed.^[14][15]

• Gregor Reisch (ca.1467–1525), Carthusian monk and humanist, produced encyclopedia of general knowledge.^[16]
• Joseph Weiß (c. 1487–1565), localRenaissance painter, may be theMaster of Meßkirch
• Hans Maurer, (DE Wiki)^[17] (1490–1525), Lutherean priest, arrested at the Church of Balingen, prisoner in the tower of Balingen^[18]
• Marx Weiß (c. 1518–1580), the Younger, also Marx White from Balingen, painter ofLate Gothic
• Philipp Nicodemus Frischlin (1547–1590), philologist, poet, playwright, mathematician, and astronomer.^[19]
• Karl Friedrich Reinhard (1761–1837), French diplomat, statesman and writer, partly grew up locally
• Johann Tobias Beck (1804–1878), Protestant theologian.^[20]
• Heinrich Lang (1826–1876), Protestant theologian
• Martin Haug (1827–1876), orientalist, professor of Sanskrit inPoona.^[21]
• Andreas Bizer (1839–1914), mechanic and industrialist, co-founder ofBizerba
• Robert Wahl, (DE Wiki) (1882–1955), entrepreneur and local politician
• Heinrich Haasis, (DE Wiki) (born 1945), mayor, Member of Parliament, President of the German Savings Bank Association (2006–2012)
• Joachim Schmid (born 1955), artist who has worked withfound photography
• Michael Hennrich, (DE Wiki) (born 1965), politician (CDU), Member of Parliament

• Martin Schaudt (born 1958), dressage rider, team gold medallist at the1996 &2004 Summer Olympics
• Kathrin Lang (born 1986), retired biathlete
• Frank Lehmann (born 1989), soccer goalkeeper, played over 260 games
• Pascal Bodmer (born 1991), ski jumper
• Florian Kath (born 1994), former football player, played 153 times

Balingen has anoceanic climate (Köppen:Cfb).

Balingen istwinned with:^[25]

•  Royan, France

• trail mountainbike TieringenAlbtrauf to Balingen-WeilstettenLochenpass 4,7 km car road, bike trail 1,9 km downhill.^[26][27]

• Official website(in German)