View source for Zwiesel

{{For|the mountain in southern Bavaria|Zwiesel (mountain)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Expand German|topic=geo|date=March 2009|Zwiesel}}
{{Refimprove|date=February 2024}}
}}
{{Infobox German location
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 09 2 76 148
|type              = Stadt
|name              = Zwiesel
|image_photo       = Zwiesel 003.jpg
|image_caption     = The town with the Church of Saint Nicholas
|image_coa         = DEU Zwiesel COA.svg
|coordinates       = {{coord|49|01|N|13|14|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan        = Zwiesel in REG.svg
|state             = Bayern
|region            = Niederbayern
|district          = Regen
|elevation         = 580-750
|area              = 41.16
|postal_code       = 94227
|area_code         = 09922
|licence           = REG
|divisions         = 8 districts
|website           = {{url|www.zwiesel.de}}
|mayor             = Karl-Heinz Eppinger<ref>[https://www.statistik.bayern.de/wahlen/kommunalwahlen/bgm/ Liste der ersten Bürgermeister/Oberbürgermeister in kreisangehörigen Gemeinden], [[Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik]]. Retrieved 5 September 2023.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2022&ndash;28
|party             = SPD
}}

'''Zwiesel''' ({{IPA|de|ˈtsviːzl̩|-|De-Zwiesel.ogg}}) is a town in the lower-Bavarian district of [[Regen (district)|Regen]], Germany, and since 1972 is a [[Luftkurort]] with particularly good air. The name of the town was derived from the Bavarian word stem {{Lang|bar|zwisl}} which refers to the form of a fork. The fork of the rivers [[Regen (river)|Großer Regen and Kleiner Regen]] and the land that lies between these two rivers were called Zwiesel.

==Geography==
The [[Town#Germany|town]] of Zwiesel is situated in an extensive valley basin at the foot of the mountain range formed by the peaks of the [[Großer Arber]] (1,456 m), [[Großer Falkenstein]] (1,315 m) and [[Kiesruck]] (1,265 m), exactly at the spot where the two rivers, the Großer Regen and the Kleiner Regen join and form the Black Regen. It is located {{cvt|10|km}} to the north-east of the district town of [[Regen]], {{cvt|35|km}} from the town of [[Deggendorf]], {{cvt|30|km}} from the town of [[Grafenau, Bavaria|Grafenau]] and {{cvt|15|km}} from the border crossing point at [[Bayerisch Eisenstein]], entry point to the [[Czech Republic]]. In addition to be accessed by the federal road B11, the town of Zwiesel has a main railway station run by the [[Bavarian Forest Railway]], where trains depart for Plattling, Bayerisch Eisenstein or Bodenmais at hourly intervals, and for Grafenau at two-hour intervals.

===Division of the town===
Zwiesel consists of 11 districts:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zwiesel, St |url=https://www.bayerische-landesbibliothek-online.de/orte/ortssuche_action.html?modus=automat&attr=OBJ&val=792 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121105818/https://www.bayerische-landesbibliothek-online.de/orte/ortssuche_action.html?modus=automat&attr=OBJ&val=792 |archive-date=21 November 2020 |access-date=27 February 2024 |website=[[Bayerische Landesbibliothek]] |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Urban districts - Stadt Zwiesel, County Regen |url=https://www.bayernportal.de/dokumente/behoerde/42886722467/ortsteile?locale=EN&sprachwahl=true# |access-date=27 February 2024 |website=BayernPortal}}</ref>
* Ableg
* Bärnzell
* Glasberg
* Griesbach
* Innenried
* Klautzenbach 
* Lichtenthal
* Rabenstein
* Theresienthal
* Zwiesel
* Zwieselberg

===Mineralogy===
In the area of Zwiesel a great diversity of mineralogical compositions can be found; glass manufacturing companies in particular benefited from the outstanding amount of quartz. The most famous mining site is probably the quartz quarry at [[Hennenkobel]] mountain (the name translates as 'chicken coop') where many rare and popular minerals were found. The mineral [[Zwieselite]], which can be found there, was named after the glass town of Zwiesel.

===Climate===
Zwiesel has an [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Dfb''; [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Dclo''). The Zwiesel weather station is located at an altitude of {{convert|615|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The temperature is significantly lower than in most parts of Germany by several degrees. At the same time, the average annual precipitation exceeds {{convert|1000|mm|in|abbr=on}}, which is relatively rare in Germany.

The Zwiesel weather station has recorded the following extreme values:<ref name=sklima/>
* Its highest temperature was {{convert|36.2|C|F}} on 21 July 1998.
* Its lowest temperature was {{convert|-24.8|C|F}} on 24 December 2001.
* Its greatest annual precipitation was {{convert|1304.5|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 2023.
* Its least annual precipitation was {{convert|804.4|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 2015.
* The longest annual sunshine was 2,045.9 hours in 2018.
* The shortest annual sunshine was 1,446.2 hours in 2013.

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Zwiesel: 615m  (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1998–present)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan record high C = 17.5
|Feb record high C = 17.8
|Mar record high C = 22.4
|Apr record high C = 29.6
|May record high C = 31.5
|Jun record high C = 34.3
|Jul record high C = 36.2
|Aug record high C = 34.2
|Sep record high C = 31.7
|Oct record high C = 26.8
|Nov record high C = 22.1
|Dec record high C = 14.7
|year record high C = 36.2
|Jan avg record high C = 9.1
|Feb avg record high C = 11.8
|Mar avg record high C = 17.5
|Apr avg record high C = 22.9
|May avg record high C = 27.0
|Jun avg record high C = 30.2
|Jul avg record high C = 31.8
|Aug avg record high C = 30.7
|Sep avg record high C = 26.4
|Oct avg record high C = 22.2
|Nov avg record high C = 16.3
|Dec avg record high C = 9.7
|year avg record high C = 32.9
|Jan high C = 1.8
|Feb high C = 3.7
|Mar high C = 8.2
|Apr high C = 14.2
|May high C = 18.0
|Jun high C = 21.8
|Jul high C = 23.6
|Aug high C = 23.2
|Sep high C = 18.4
|Oct high C = 13.2
|Nov high C = 7.5
|Dec high C = 2.7
|year high C = 13.1
|Jan mean C = -2.1
|Feb mean C = -0.5
|Mar mean C = 2.7
|Apr mean C = 8.0
|May mean C = 12.2
|Jun mean C = 15.7
|Jul mean C = 17.4
|Aug mean C = 16.7
|Sep mean C = 12.2
|Oct mean C = 7.8
|Nov mean C = 2.8
|Dec mean C = -0.9
|year mean C = 7.9
|Jan low C = -5.5
|Feb low C = -5.1
|Mar low C = -2.1
|Apr low C = 1.4
|May low C = 5.9
|Jun low C = 9.7
|Jul low C = 11.1
|Aug low C = 10.5
|Sep low C = 6.8
|Oct low C = 2.7
|Nov low C = -0.9
|Dec low C = -3.7
|year low C = 2.8
|Jan avg record low C = -16.5
|Feb avg record low C = -13.3
|Mar avg record low C = -9.1
|Apr avg record low C = -4.7
|May avg record low C = -0.4
|Jun avg record low C = 3.2
|Jul avg record low C = 5.2
|Aug avg record low C = 4.5
|Sep avg record low C = 0.5
|Oct avg record low C = -3.5
|Nov avg record low C = -7.6
|Dec avg record low C = -13.8
|year avg record low C = -18.5
|Jan record low C = -24.2
|Feb record low C = -22.3
|Mar record low C = -21.7
|Apr record low C = -8.6
|May record low C = -3.7
|Jun record low C = 0.4
|Jul record low C = 3.4
|Aug record low C = 1.5
|Sep record low C = -2.8
|Oct record low C = -8.4
|Nov record low C = -15.4
|Dec record low C = -24.8
|year record low C = -24.8
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 112.9
|Feb precipitation mm = 76.7
|Mar precipitation mm = 84.6
|Apr precipitation mm = 44.6
|May precipitation mm = 89.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 101.2
|Jul precipitation mm = 93.4
|Aug precipitation mm = 107.2
|Sep precipitation mm = 75.7
|Oct precipitation mm = 72.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 83.5
|Dec precipitation mm = 105.1
|year precipitation mm = 1046.3
|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 18.3
|Feb precipitation days = 14.7
|Mar precipitation days = 15.7
|Apr precipitation days = 11.6
|May precipitation days = 16.5
|Jun precipitation days = 15.9
|Jul precipitation days = 16.2
|Aug precipitation days = 15.1
|Sep precipitation days = 13.5
|Oct precipitation days = 13.9
|Nov precipitation days = 14.7
|Dec precipitation days = 18.6
|year precipitation days = 184.7
|Jan snow depth cm = 35.1
|Feb snow depth cm = 39.9
|Mar snow depth cm = 20.3
|Apr snow depth cm = 3.0
|May snow depth cm = 0
|Jun snow depth cm = 0
|Jul snow depth cm = 0
|Aug snow depth cm = 0
|Sep snow depth cm = 0
|Oct snow depth cm = 1.0
|Nov snow depth cm = 5.7
|Dec snow depth cm = 19.7
|year snow depth cm = 47.9
|humidity colour = green
|Jan humidity = 89.1
|Feb humidity = 83.3
|Mar humidity = 78.3
|Apr humidity = 71.6
|May humidity = 73.9
|Jun humidity = 74.8
|Jul humidity = 75.3
|Aug humidity = 77.6
|Sep humidity = 82.3
|Oct humidity = 86.0
|Nov humidity = 90.3
|Dec humidity = 91.1
|year humidity = 81.1
|Jan sun = 62.2
|Feb sun = 91.5
|Mar sun = 143.6
|Apr sun = 185.8
|May sun = 195.8
|Jun sun = 204.2
|Jul sun = 220.8
|Aug sun = 213.9
|Sep sun = 164.8
|Oct sun = 117.9
|Nov sun = 80.8
|Dec sun = 58.2
|year sun = 1780.7
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Zwiesel_10796.csv
|title = Zwiesel Climate Normals 1991-2020
|publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
|access-date = September 5, 2023}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] / SKlima.de<ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.wetterzentrale.de/extremes_mon.php?station=5800&maand=1&country=1&order=1&extreem=X_TX
|title = Extremwertanalyse der DWD-Stationen, Tagesmaxima, Dekadenrekorde, usw. 
|publisher = DWD
|language = de
|access-date = 10 December 2023}}</ref><ref name=sklima>{{cite web 
|url = http://sklima.de/datenbank_auswertung.php?tab=2
|title = Monatsauswertung 
|website = sklima.de 
|publisher = SKlima 
|language = de 
|access-date = 13 October 2024}}</ref>
}}

==History==
According to the legend, the first settlers were gold diggers. It was in 1255 that Zwiesel was first mentioned as a village with a wooden chapel. In 1280 the area was an important trading centre for goods to and from Bohemia. From 1313 on, Zwiesel was designated as a [[market municipality]]. On 11 September 1560, the municipality of Zwiesel was granted the coat of arms by the [[Duke of Bavaria]], [[Albert V, Duke of Bavaria|Albert V]], which is valid still today. [[Philipp Apian]] indicated the place on his map of 1568 calling it "Zwisel".

The development of Zwiesel was frequently hampered by wars and epidemic plagues. I.e. the area was destroyed in 1431 by the [[Hussites]], in 1468 during the {{Ill|Böckler War|de|Böcklerkrieg}} and in 1633 by the Swedish Army during the [[Thirty Years' War]]. In 1741 it was invaded by the [[Trenck's Pandurs|Pandurs]] and in 1809 there was a great battle at the {{Lang|de|Landwehrbergl}} against a horde of Bohemian plunderers.

It was as early as in the 16th century that mining started in Zwiesel at the {{Ill|Rotkot Mine|de|Bergwerk Rotkot}}.
In 1767 another church was built, known as {{Ill|Bergkirche (Zwiesel)|lt=Bergkirche|de|Bergkirche (Zwiesel)}}, and in 1838 the present town hall was constructed. Serious fires raged in the municipality in 1825, 1832, 1846, 1849 and 1870. With the latter fire, on 19 August 1876, the parish church burst into flames too. Water pipes were laid in 1888, electricity was available from 1896. Between 1891 and 1896 the main {{Ill|Parish Church of Saint Nicholas|de|Stadtpfarrkirche St. Nikolaus (Zwiesel)}} was built. In 1904 Zwiesel was raised to the status of a town and quickly became the economic and cultural centre of the middle part of the [[Bavarian Forest]].

From the very beginning development was driven by glass and timber. The regional glass industry around Zwiesel dates back to the 15th century (the glass hut of Rabenstein was founded in 1421). In 1836 the glass factory of Theresienthal was founded and in 1872 the master glass maker, Anton Müller, started to build the glass works Annathal, which later became the Schott-Werke. Today this factory operates under the name of [[Zwiesel Kristallglas]] and is an important producer of goblets in Germany. In 1904 the technical school for glass manufacturing and decorating professions was founded, which continuously developed into a national training centre for glass-related professions.

Near the end of World War II, at noon on 20 April 1945, several houses were destroyed in a bombing raid on the railroad bridges, killing 15 civilians. On 22 April 1945 Zwiesel was handed over to the American Army without any further bloodshed.

An event in recent town history was the Bavarian State Exhibition "Bavaria – Bohemia: 1500 Years of Neighborliness". Many visitors to the exhibition also came from the neighbouring Czech Republic.

===Etymology===
The name of the town was mentioned in 1254 as "Zwisel", soon after in 1301 as "Zwiseln", in 1738 as "Zwisl" and in 1832 as "Zwiesel" or "Zwisel". The Middle High German word {{Lang|mhg|zwisel}} means 'fork' and refers to the merging of the rivers [[Regen (river)|Großer Regen and Kleiner Regen]] as well as to a junction of streets.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Freiherr von Reitzenstein |first=Wolf-Armin |title=Lexikon bayerischer Ortsnamen. Herkunft und Bedeutung |date=1991 |publisher=C.H. Beck |isbn=9783406353307 |edition=2nd |location=Munich |language=de}}</ref>

===Incorporations===
In the course of regional reforms the community of Klautzenbach was incorporated on 1 October 1971.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Handbuch der bayerischen Ämter, Gemeinden und Gerichte 1799–1980 |date=1983 |publisher=C. H. Beck |isbn=9783406096693 |editor-last=Volkert |editor-first=Wilhelm |location=Munich |pages=553 |language=de}}</ref> On 1 January 1978 the larger part of the community of Rabenstein was added as well. The community of Bärnzell spanning over {{Convert|1250|ha|acre}} with 652 inhabitants, was incorporated on 1 May 1978.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Historisches Gemeindeverzeichnis für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Namens-, Grenz- und Schlüsselnummernänderungen bei Gemeinden, Kreisen und Regierungsbezirken vom 27.5.1970 bis 31.12.1982 |date=1983 |publisher=W. Kohlhammer |isbn=9783170032637 |editor-last=[[Federal Statistical Office of Germany]] |location=Stuttgart / Mainz |pages=622 |language=de}}</ref>

===Religions===
As early as 1356, the area had its own pastoral worker who was subordinate to the [[vicar]] of Regen. In 1558 the church district, lacking its own administration, was raised to the status of [[Parish (Catholic Church)|parish]]. The Augustinian monastery Maria Trost ([[Order of Saint Augustine]]), founded by [[Sudeten Germans|Sudeten German]] monks and belonging to the Vicariate of Vienna, has been located here since 1962.

After the 1803 Bavarian Edict of Religion by [[Prince Elector Maximilian IV Joseph|Prince-Elector Maximilian]], Protestant Christians started settling in Zwiesel. In 1885, the Evangelical Association of Zwiesel was founded, which succeeded in making Zwiesel the seat of a traveling preacher's office in 1889. On May 29, 1895, the neo-Gothic church in Bahnhofstraße (today Dr.-Schott-Straße) was consecrated. It was elevated to the status of a parish in 1922.

A [[New Apostolic Church]] with its own church building was also established in Zwiesel.

===Demographic development===
In the year of 1800 Zwiesel had 803 inhabitants living in 140 houses. The town reached 1000 inhabitants as early as 1810. In 1867 the market municipality of Zwiesel had 2,303 inhabitants living in 243 houses. By 1900 the number of inhabitants had increased to 3,760 with 333 houses. After World War II the number increased to 5,885 inhabitants. The population peaked in 1984 with 10,670 residents. Currently{{As of?|date=February 2024}} 9,257 people live in the town of Zwiesel and its surrounding neighbourhoods.

==Politics==

===Town council===
Since the [[2020 Bavarian local elections|local election of 15 March 2020]], the town council of Zwiesel is formed as follows:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wahl des Stadtrats - Kommunalwahlen 2020 in Zwiesel - Gesamtergebnis |url=https://wahlen.zwiesel.de/okvote/live/Kommunalwahl2020/09276148/html5/Gemeinderatswahl_Bayern_15_Gemeinde_Stadt_Zwiesel.html |access-date=27 February 2024 |website=Stadt Zwiesel |language=de}}</ref>
* [[Christian Social Union in Bavaria]] (CSU): 7 seats
* [[Free Voters of Bavaria]] (FW): 4 seats
* [[SPD Bavaria]]: 3 seats
* [[Alliance 90/The Greens]]: 3 seats
* Nonpartisan Voters' Association: 3 seats

===Mayor===
The mayor is Karl-Heinz Eppinger (SPD), elected in December 2022. He succeeded Franz Xaver Steininger, who had been in office since 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liste der ersten Bürgermeister/Oberbürgermeister in kreisangehörigen Gemeinden |url=https://www.statistik.bayern.de/mam/wahlen/kommunalwahlen/bgm/ob_bgm.xlsx |access-date=26 August 2023 |website=Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik |language=de |format=XLS |archive-date=12 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112064230/https://www.statistik.bayern.de/mam/wahlen/kommunalwahlen/bgm/ob_bgm.xlsx |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitterer |first=Harald |date=2 March 2023 |title=Ex-Bürgermeister von Zwiesel zu Bewährungsstrafe verurteilt |url=https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/ex-buergermeister-von-zwiesel-zu-bewaehrungsstrafe-verurteilt,TXAROyl |access-date=26 August 2023 |website=[[Bayerischer Rundfunk]] |language=de}}</ref>

===Twin towns===
Since May 2006 Zwiesel has been [[Town twinning|twinned]] with the port town of [[Brake, Lower Saxony]], at the river Weser. Brake is approximately {{Convert|800|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Zwiesel.

==Economy==
Glassmaking, brewing, and tourism are the most important industries in the town. Every two years the [[Glass Queen]] is elected to represent the glassmaking industry of the region.<ref>[https://glaskoenigin.zwiesel.de/ ''Glaskönigin Zwiesel, Bayerischer Wald''] at glaskoenigin.zwiesel.de. Retrieved 28 August 2023.</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Dragan Holcer]] (1945–2015), Yugoslavian footballer
* [[Franz Bernreiter]] (born 1954), biathlete, Olympic medalist
* [[Klaus Gattermann]] (born 1961), ski racer
* [[Susanne Kiermayer]] (born 1968), sport shooter, Olympic medalist
* [[Lutz Pfannenstiel]] (born 1973), footballer
* [[Tessa Ganserer]] (born 1977), politician
* [[Josef Wenzl]] (born 1984), cross-country skier
* [[Lukas Mühl]] (born 1997), footballer

===Associated with the town===
* [[Walter Demel]] (born 1935), cross-country skier
* [[Klaus Fischer]] (born 1949), national footballer
* [[Heinz Wittmann]] (born 1943), footballer (started his career at SC Zwiesel)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Rathaus von Zwiesel.jpg|Town hall
Zwiesel, ehemaliges Landgericht.jpg|Former district court
Glasfachschule Zwiesel.JPG|School for glassmakers
Evangelische Pfarrkirche, Zwiesel.jpg|Evangelical church
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official|https://www.zwiesel.de/}}
*[http://www.zwiesel-tourismus.de Zwiesel tourist office] {{in lang|de}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110808012644/http://www.zwiesel-kristallglas.com/index_e.htm Schott glassmakers]

{{Cities and towns in Regen (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Regen (district)]]
[[Category:Bavarian Forest]]