Association of Cities of Baden-Württemberg

The Städtetag Baden-Württemberg (Association of Cities of Baden-Württemberg) is a municipal umbrella organisation and registered voluntary association (eingetragener Verein) based in Stuttgart, Germany. It represents the interests of 206 cities in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, which together have around 6.6 million inhabitants. Its members also include the Kommunalverband für Jugend und Soziales Baden-Württemberg, badenova AG & Co. KG, the Badischer Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband (BGV), the Württembergische Gemeinde-Versicherung a. G. (WGV), the Verband kommunaler Unternehmen e. V. (VKU), the Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen (VDV) and the three municipal computing centres. The association is independent of state supervision and receives no state subsidies. It is a member and state association of the Deutscher Städtetag (German Association of Cities). The association's core task is to represent its members' interests vis-à-vis the state of Baden-Württemberg, the federal government and the European Union. In doing so it fulfils a constitutional mandate under Article 71 (4) of the Baden-Württemberg state constitution, which requires that municipalities and their associations be heard before general matters affecting them are regulated by law or ordinance. It also has participation rights under §§ 50a and 30 of the state parliament's rules of procedure. Since 1999 it has maintained a joint office in Brussels together with the Baden-Württemberg Gemeindetag and Landkreistag, in a shared office with the Bavarian and Saxon Städtetage, reflecting the growing importance of European-level presence. The Städtetag informs its members about political developments and legislative and administrative matters, provides guidance for administration based on studies, surveys and projects, advises on individual municipal matters, and organises exchanges of experience among its members. It also represents cities vis-à-vis other associations, organisations and bodies. The association has eight specialist committees of the board as well as more than 70 standing working groups and further ad-hoc working groups, and is represented in around 120 bodies of other institutions and associations. Its members are divided into three size groups: Group A includes the state capital Stuttgart and the major cities (Stadtkreise); Group B comprises cities with more than 15,000 inhabitants; and Group C includes the remaining municipalities. The president of the Städtetag is Frank Mentrup, Lord Mayor of Karlsruhe. The organisation is structured as a private-law registered association. Its organs are the general assembly (Hauptversammlung), the board (Vorstand) and the managing board member (Hauptgeschäftsführer). The general assembly is the supreme organ, responsible for adopting the statutes, discharging the board and managing board member, deciding on motions from its midst, deciding on board proposals and dissolving the association. The board consists of six representatives from each city group, a total of 18 people plus the managing board member. The Städtetag is a member of several organisations including the Kommunaler Arbeitgeberverband, the Badischer Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband, the Württembergische Gemeinde-Versicherung a. G., the Unfallkasse Baden-Württemberg, the Rat der Gemeinden und Regionen Europas, the Landesverband der Schulfördervereine, the Bundesnetzwerk Bürgerschaftliches Engagement, Aktion Jugendschutz and the Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg.

Municipal associations have a long tradition in Baden-Württemberg and its predecessor states. In 1873 a city committee met in Karlsruhe Town Hall, modelled on cities in central German states and Prussian provinces. Its efforts led in 1880 to the founding of a loosely organised Badischer Städtetag of the larger cities in the Grand Duchy of Baden. In 1895 a association of medium-sized cities of Baden followed, comprising 29 Baden cities with a minimum population of 4,000. In 1897 the Württembergischer Städtetag was founded in Stuttgart as an association of cities with more than 15,000 inhabitants (later more than 10,000). In addition, an Oberschwäbischer Städteverband was formed in 1900. After the National Socialist seizure of power, the autonomous association structures were dissolved as early as 1933 and transferred into the 'Deutscher Gemeindetag', a compulsory amalgamation of all German municipalities and municipal associations. In October 1945 the Württembergisch-Badischer Städteverband was founded, to which the cities in the then American occupation zone belonged. In 1949 the Nordbadischer Städtebund was formed with 14 smaller municipalities. In South Baden the Badischer Städteverband was formed in 1951, followed by the Südbadischer Städtebund as an association of smaller cities in 1952. This Städtebund joined the Württembergisch-Badischer Städteverband in 1953. On 10 May 1954 the Städteverband Baden-Württemberg was founded in Baden-Baden in its present form. In 1971 a renaming to the current name was decided, to align the title with the other municipal umbrella and state associations. The association is organised under private law as a registered association (eingetragener Verein). It is independent of state supervision and state influence, and no subsidies are granted. It is a member and state association of the Deutscher Städtetag. Its members are divided into three size groups: Group A includes the state capital Stuttgart and the major cities (Stadtkreise); Group B organises cities with more than 15,000 inhabitants; and Group C includes the remaining municipalities. This division is particularly useful because different city sizes have different priority topics, so the Städtetag invites members to working conferences separately by city group. The Städtetag sees its task as representing the interests of its members vis-à-vis the state of Baden-Württemberg, the federal government and the European Union. In this function it also fulfils its constitutional mandate under Article 71 (4) of the Baden-Württemberg state constitution ('Before general matters affecting the municipalities and municipal associations are regulated by law or ordinance, they or their associations must be heard'). In addition, the Städtetag has a right of participation under §§ 50a and 30 of the state parliament's rules of procedure. Since 1999 the Städtetag, together with the Baden-Württemberg Gemeindetag and Landkreistag, has maintained an office in Brussels in a shared office with the Bavarian and Saxon Städtetage, thereby taking account of the growing need for a presence at the European level. The association informs its members about important political developments and current developments in the legislative and administrative field. It also informs its members about administrative guidance based on relevant studies, surveys or projects. The Städtetag also advises on individual municipal matters. It also organises and conducts exchanges of experience among its members, for example in the form of surveys on municipal-relevant and current topics. Another task is the representation of cities vis-à-vis other associations, organisations and bodies. There are eight specialist committees of the board as well as more than 70 standing working groups and further ad-hoc working groups. The association is also represented in around 120 bodies of other institutions and associations. The Städtetag is a member of, among others, the Kommunaler Arbeitgeberverband, the Badischer Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband, the Württembergische Gemeinde-Versicherung a. G., the Unfallkasse Baden-Württemberg, the Rat der Gemeinden und Regionen Europas, the Landesverband der Schulfördervereine, the Bundesnetzwerk Bürgerschaftliches Engagement, Aktion Jugendschutz and the Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg. The organs of the Städtetag are the general assembly (Hauptversammlung), the board (Vorstand) and the managing board member (Hauptgeschäftsführer). The general assembly is the supreme organ and is responsible for deciding on the statutes of the Städtetag, discharging the board and the managing board member, deciding on motions from the midst of the general assembly, deciding on proposals of the board and on the dissolution of the Städtetag. The board consists of six representatives from each city group, a total of 18 people plus the managing board member. The president of the Städtetag is Frank Mentrup, Lord Mayor of Karlsruhe.

• 1999

  Städtetag, together with the Baden-Württemberg Gemeindetag and Landkreistag, maintains an office in Brussels in a shared office with the Bavarian and Saxon Städtetage.

• 1971

  Renaming to the current name Städtetag Baden-Württemberg, to align the title with other municipal umbrella and state associations.

• 1954

  On 10 May, the Städteverband Baden-Württemberg is founded in Baden-Baden in its present form.

• 1953

  Südbadischer Städtebund joins the Württembergisch-Badischer Städteverband.

• 1952

  Südbadischer Städtebund formed as an association of smaller cities.

• 1951

  Badischer Städteverband formed in South Baden.

• 1949

  Nordbadischer Städtebund formed with 14 smaller municipalities.

• 1945

  Founding of the Württembergisch-Badischer Städteverband, to which the cities in the then American occupation zone belonged.

• 1933

  Autonomous association structures dissolved and transferred into the 'Deutscher Gemeindetag', a compulsory amalgamation of all German municipalities and municipal associations.

• 1900

  Oberschwäbischer Städteverband formed.

• 1897

  Württembergischer Städtetag founded in Stuttgart as an association of cities with more than 15,000 inhabitants (later more than 10,000).

• 1895

  Association of medium-sized cities of Baden founded, comprising 29 Baden cities with a minimum population of 4,000.

• 1880

  Founding of a loosely organised Badischer Städtetag of the larger cities in the Grand Duchy of Baden.

• 1873

  A city committee meets in Karlsruhe Town Hall, modelled on cities in central German states and Prussian provinces.

Municipal umbrella organisation and advocacy body for cities in Baden-Württemberg, independent of state supervision and funded by membership rather than state subsidies.

• Interest representation before the state of Baden-Württemberg

  Representing the interests of member cities vis-à-vis the state government and parliament.

• Interest representation before the federal government and the European Union

  Advocacy at federal and EU level, including through the Brussels office.

• Constitutional hearing rights

  Fulfilling the mandate under Article 71 (4) of the Baden-Württemberg state constitution to be heard before general matters affecting municipalities are regulated.

• Advisory services and information for members

  Informing members about political developments, legislative and administrative matters, and providing administrative guidance based on studies, surveys and projects.

• Experience exchange and working groups

  Organising exchanges of experience among members, including surveys on municipal-relevant topics, through eight specialist committees and over 70 standing working groups.

1. 1Städtetag Baden-Württemberg – official websitestaedtetag-bw.de
2. 2Städtetag Baden-Württemberg – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Städtetag Baden-Württemberg – Wikidatawikidata.org