District of Germersheim – Rhine and vines

Experience natural diversity and a wide variety of activities in a picturesque river landscape: lush forests, untouched brooks, magnificent vineyards, fertile orchards and extensive meadows are waiting to be explored, by bikers, hikers or Nordic walkers. Bathed in sunlight, the vines are responsible for the regional wines’ unrivalled smoothness. Each year, the district's vintners win many awards for their first-class products.

The west of the district borders the Southern Wine Route with its wondrous sea of vines. The south benefits from French joie de vivre imported from the neighboring idyllic Alsace, while the north is home to the historic cathedral city of Speyer. 

The District of Germersheim's cultural highlights include the impressive fortress of Germersheim – the largest Bavarian fortress outside Bavaria – or the Terra-Sigillata Museum in Rheinzabern, whose famous exhibits include dishes produced by Romans in the 2nd and 3rd century. Also, the locals are renowned party people. The many traditional folk and wine festivals are cozy get-togethers where citizens and tourists alike can enjoy a hearty Palatinate meal and some local wine. There is plenty for art and music lovers, too: for example, the Summer of Culture festival held in Germersheim's historic city walls. The varied cultural life also includes boutique galleries, music, cabaret and literature events.

Ideally located

The District of Germersheim is located in the heart of Europe, and has excellent infrastructure connections by road, rail and water. National route 9 and the A65 highway are two major north-south routes which pass through the district, while junctions to the A5, A8 and A61 highways are close to hand. Industrial companies, and in particular the logistics sector benefit greatly from the inland ports in Wörth and Germersheim. The high-speed rail stations in Mannheim and Karlsruhe are connected directly with the local regional railway network. Urban and suburban trains connect directly to the conurbations of Karlsruhe and Ludwigshafen/Mannheim.

Economy – The growth region

The structural diversity in the District of Germersheim makes it an ideal location for a wide range of companies.

People passing through the beautiful landscapes of southern Palatinate, which some call the German Tuscany, find it hard to believe that such commercial heavyweights operate from the District of Germersheim. Some examples with a key role for the economic development of the District of Germersheim:

• The Mercedes Benz Global Logistics Center on Grün Island in Germersheim, with a million square meters of warehouse space, is the largest automobile spare parts warehouse in the world. 
• Another flagship is the world's largest truck assembly plant in the world, Daimler AG in Wörth. It employs a staff of 12,000.
• The world's largest paper machine runs at a record speed in the Palm paper factory. Corrugated base paper is produced using 100% recycled paper in Wörth.
• Nolte Holzwerkstoff produces 1,500 cubic meters of particle board every day. With a turnover of over € 500 million, and 3,000 employees, the Nolte Group from Germersheim is one of the leading furniture producers in Europe, which is still family-run after four generations.

The list of successful companies of all sizes from the industrial, trade, crafts and service sectors located in Germersheim goes on and on. One thing is certain: The diverse economic structure featuring many small and medium-sized companies and selected major corporations proves that we are doing something right, and is a strong backbone for future development of the district.