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Where is Wirtemberg?

 

wirtemberg (as from 1806 Württemberg) is a historical region in southwest Germany, bordered by Bavaria, Baden and Lake Constance. From here my ancestors emigrated at the end of the 18th century.

position of Wirtemberg in the 19<sup>th</sup> century
position of Wirtemberg in the 19th century

 

Wappen
coat of arms
of Wirtemberg

 

Today Wirtemberg is part of the State of Baden-Württemberg. The capital was and is Stuttgart.

 

Choice of the name

castle Wirtemberg
castle Wirtemberg

Wirtemberg is a mountain (411 meters above sea level) located in Stuttgart-Rotenberg (Stuttgart-Untertürkheim District), between Bad Cannstatt and Esslingen am Neckar. From the 11th century until 1819 stood here the main castle of the House Württemberg.

Katharina Pawlowna - Queen of Württemberg
Katharina Pawlowna -
Queen of Württemberg

In 1824 a grave chapel was built at its place for queen Catharine of Württemberg.

 

It is unclear if the name of the castle derived from Wirdeberg or Wirdeberch, mountain in Luxembourg, the possible home of the House Württemberg.

Burg Wirtemberg -  Kupferstich von Daniel Meisner`s Sciographia 1678
Castle Wirtemberg -
copperplate print of Daniel Meisner`s Sciographia 1678

According to other views the castle's name contains an old German personal name Wirtino or Virodunum (Viros: Celtic personal name + dunum: Gallic for castle, fortress), a Celtic name for a mountain and a castle used several times in ancient Gaul.

 

seal of count Ulrich I 1259
seal of count Ulrich I
1259

Ancient documents bring the signature of a certain Conradus de Wirtinisberk (1092), in 1139 the signature of Wirdenberc, in 1153 that of Ludewicus de Werdeneberch and in 1475 that of Wirtemperg. From that moment documents are found only with the signature Wirtenberg. Probably the spelling "m" as in "Wirtemberg" it is found for the relation that had with French, because in French language before the letter "b" can stand only a "m".

 

The manner of writing Württemberg changed with the survey of the Kingdom of Württemberg by Napoleon I. In 1806.

 

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