Goldbach, Bavaria

Goldbach
Coat of arms
Goldbach
Location of Goldbach within Aschaffenburg district
Coordinates: 49°59′20″N 09°11′11″E / 49.98889°N 9.18639°E / 49.98889; 9.18639Coordinates: 49°59′20″N 09°11′11″E / 49.98889°N 9.18639°E / 49.98889; 9.18639
Country	Germany
State	Bavaria
Admin. region	Unterfranken
District	Aschaffenburg
Government
• Mayor	Thomas Krimm
Area
• Total	10.97 km2 (4.24 sq mi)
Elevation	148 m (486 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
• Total	9,929
• Density	910/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	63773
Dialling codes	06021
Vehicle registration	AB
Website	markt-goldbach.de

Goldbach is a market community in the Aschaffenburg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia (Unterfranken) in Bavaria, Germany.

The market community is one of the most heavily populated communities in the Aschaffenburg district and is well known for the “housing” that encloses the Autobahn A 3. It is believed that the name has its roots in the yellow loess soil, which during heavy rainfalls colours the local brook, also called the Goldbach, with a somewhat golden tinge. Gold is also the German word for gold, and Bach means “brook”. Supposedly, the place was first called Gelbbach, gelb being the word for “yellow”.

On 1 July 1971, the formerly self-administering community of Unterafferbach was amalgamated with Goldbach.

In 1218, Goldbach had its first documentary mention. From the mid 15th century, Goldbach was under the authority of the Archbishop of Mainz. In 1814, Goldbach was transferred to Bavaria. On 26 May 1995, Goldbach was granted the designation Markt (“Market”).

The council is made up of 24 council members, not counting the mayor.

(as at municipal election held on 2 March 2008)

The community’s arms might be described thus: Gules a bend wavy Or, in chief a noble coronet argent set with colourful stones, in base a wheel spoked of six of the third.

The German blazon describes the coronet as a Laubkrone, or “leaf crown”.

The “bend wavy Or” – that is to say, wavy slanted golden stripe – is canting. As explained above, the community’s name means “Gold Brook”, and this bend is a visual representation of just such a thing. From the 7th to the 11th century, Goldbach belonged to the area of the Frankish royal estate, which is what the crown symbolizes. Until 1803, Goldbach found itself under Electoral Mainz hegemony, a fact recalled by the Wheel of Mainz on the other side of the bend. The tinctures Or and gules (gold and red) are taken from the arms once borne by the Counts of Rieneck, who until they died out in 1559 held the Vogtei as the vassals of the Archbishop of Mainz.