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The Johanneskirche, built between 1398 and 1440, is one of the oldest buildings in Crailsheim
Coat of arms of Crailsheim
Coat of arms
Crailsheim is located in Germany
Coordinates: 49°08′05″N 10°04′14″E﻿ / ﻿49.13472°N 10.07056°E﻿ / 49.13472; 10.07056Coordinates: 49°08′05″N 10°04′14″E﻿ / ﻿49.13472°N 10.07056°E﻿ / 49.13472; 10.07056
Country Germany
State Baden-Württemberg
Admin. region Stuttgart
District Schwäbisch Hall
Subdivisions Core city and 8 districts
 • Lord Mayor Rudolf Michl (SPD)
 • Total 109.08 km2 (42.12 sq mi)
Elevation 414 m (1,358 ft)
Population (2012-12-31)[1]
 • Total 32,417
 • Density 300/km2 (770/sq mi)
Postal codes 74564
Dialling codes 07951
Vehicle registration SHA

Crailsheim is a town in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Incorporated in 1338, it lies 32 kilometres (20 miles) east of Schwäbisch Hall and 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Ansbach in the Schwäbisch Hall district. The city's main attractions include two Evangelical churches, a Catholic church, and the 67 metre tower of its town hall.


Crailsheim is famed for withstanding a siege by forces of three imperial cities - Schwäbisch Hall, Dinkelsbühl, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber - lasting from 1379 until 1380, a feat which it celebrates annually. Crailsheim became a possession of the Burgrave of Nuremberg following the siege. In 1791 it became part of the Prussian administrative region, before returning to Bavaria in 1806 and becoming a part of Württemberg in 1810.

Crailsheim's railroad and airfield were heavily defended by the Waffen-SS in 1945 (World War II). Following an American Army assault in mid-April 1945 the town was occupied briefly by US forces before being lost to German counter-offensive. Intense US bombing and artillery shelling during a second US conquest destroyed much of the city, with subsequent fires consuming its historic inner city. Only the Johanneskirche (St. John's Church) escaped unharmed.[2]

Crailsheim became the postwar home to the U.S. Army's McKee Barracks until the facility closed in January 1994.[3]

Major employers in the Crailsheim area include:

The following boroughs comprise the Crailsheim municipality: Ingersheim, Altenmünster, Rotmühle, Tiefenbach, Onolzheim, Roßfeld, Jagstheim, Westgartshausen, Goldbach, Triensbach and Beuerlbach.

Twin towns[edit]

Crailsheim is twinned with

Crailsheim Merlins[edit]

The Crailsheim Merlins are basketball team in the city. Founded in 1986, they originally played in lower leagues. In 1995 they moved into a new sports hall, improved, and were promoted in 2001 to the 2.German Bundes League of basketball. In 2009 they rose to the Pro A league, fielding seventeen players.



  2. ^ The Struggle for Heilbronn and Crailsheim (p. 415)
  3. ^ Conversion and restoration
  4. ^ - Packaging machines

External links[edit]