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Schmalkalden-Meiningen Rural District facts for kids

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Landkreis Schmalkalden-Meiningen
District
Thuringia sm.png
Country  Germany
State Thuringia
Capital Meiningen
Area
 • Total 1,210 km2 (470 sq mi)
Population
 (2002)
 • Total 141,055
 • Density 116.6/km2 (301.9/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Vehicle registration SM
Website http://www.lk-sm.de

Schmalkalden-Meiningen is a Landkreis, which means a rural district, located in the western part of Thuringia, Germany. It's a region with a rich history and beautiful landscapes.

A Look at the History of Schmalkalden-Meiningen

This district was formed in 1994. It was created by combining three older areas: the districts of Schmalkalden, Meiningen, and a part of Suhl-Land. This joining helped bring different communities together.

Special Friendships: District Partnerships

The Schmalkalden-Meiningen district has special "partnerships" with other regions. These are like friendships between different places. They work together on projects and learn from each other.

One partnership is with the Vogelsbergkreis in Hesse, another German state. They also have a partnership with Komitat Pest in Hungary. These connections help build bridges between different cultures.

Understanding the Coat of Arms

A coat of arms is a special design that represents a family, city, or region. It often tells a story about its history. The coat of arms for Schmalkalden-Meiningen is made up of symbols from its past.

Coat of arms The symbols on the coat of arms come from the three old districts that formed this area. They also represent the historic states that once owned this land.
  • The rooster in the top-left corner comes from the coat of arms of the Counts of Henneberg. The hen stands on three green mounds. These mounds remind us of the hills and mountains in the area.
  • The lion of Hesse is shown in the top-right. This symbol is there because the area was owned by Hesse from 1360 to 1866.
  • The banner in the bottom-left comes from the old Meiningen district's coat of arms. It is linked to the city of Würzburg. The prince-bishops of Würzburg used to own Meiningen a long time ago.
  • The coat of arms of Saxony is in the bottom-right. This reminds us of the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. This duchy was a state that existed from 1680 to 1918.

Towns and Villages in the District

The Schmalkalden-Meiningen district is home to many towns and smaller communities. Some of these places are independent towns. Others are part of groups called Verwaltungsgemeinschaften, which are like administrative communities that work together.

Here are some of the towns and municipalities in the district:

Verwaltungsgemeinschaft-free towns and municipalities
  • Brotterode
  • Meiningen
  • Oberhof
  • Schmalkalden
  • Steinbach-Hallenberg
  • Zella-Mehlis
  • Benshausen
  • Breitungen
  • Fambach
  • Floh-Seligenthal
  • Grabfeld
  • Henneberg
  • Herpf
  • Heßles
  • Rhönblick
  1. Rippershausen
  2. Rosa
  3. Roßdorf
  4. Schwallungen
  5. Stepfershausen
  6. Sülzfeld
  7. Trusetal
  8. Untermaßfeld
  9. Wernshausen
Verwaltungsgemeinschaften (Administrative Communities)

1. Dolmar

  • Christes
  • Dillstädt
  • Kühndorf
  • Rohr
  • Schwarza1
  • Utendorf

2. Haselgrund

  • Altersbach
  • Bermbach
  • Oberschönau
  • Rotterode
  • Springstille
  • Unterschönau
  • Viernau1

3. Hohe Rhön

  • Aschenhausen
  • Birx
  • Erbenhausen
  • Frankenheim
  • Kaltensundheim1
  • Kaltenwestheim
  • Melpers
  • Oberkatz
  • Oberweid
  • Unterweid

4. Salzbrücke

  • Bauerbach
  • Belrieth
  • Einhausen
  • Ellingshausen
  • Leutersdorf
  • Neubrunn
  • Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal1
  • Ritschenhausen
  • Vachdorf
  • Wölfershausen

5. Wasungen-Amt Sand

  • Friedelshausen
  • Hümpfershausen
  • Mehmels
  • Metzels
  • Oepfershausen
  • Unterkatz
  • Wahns
  • Wallbach
  • Walldorf
  • Wasungen1, 2
1seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft;2town
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