Walldorf is a town in the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis of Baden-Württemberg in Germany.

Walldorf is currently probably best known as the city that headquarters the world's third largest software company SAP, but it is also the birthplace of the millionaire John Jacob Astor, at the time of his death the wealthiest man in the United States. Astor's descendants of the Astor family perpetuated the North-Americanized version Waldorf in the names of The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and Waldorf salad. It is also the origin of the name of the Waldorf-Astoria-Zigarettenfabrik and through it Waldorf education.

The town is referred to, though not actually named, in John le Carré's novel Absolute Friends (2003), much of which is set in Heidelberg.

Geography

The neighbouring town to the east is Wiesloch, both towns are strongly linked economically. Adjacent municipalities are
Sandhausen, Leimen, Nußloch, St. Leon-Rot and Reilingen. The train station, named Wiesloch-Walldorf, is located between the two towns.

History

There is a group of Hallstatt culture barrows in the Hochholz woods near the offices of SAP Deutschland. The settlement was first mentioned as Waltorf in a 770 deed issued by the Abbey of Lorsch. The Palatinate of the Rhine received Walldorf as an Imperial fief in 1230. Thereafter it suffered hard during the Thirty Years' War and in 1689 was completely destroyed in the course of the Nine Years' War. The area was settled anew by religious refugees, among them the predecessors of John Jacob Astor, Waldensians from the Piedmont. With the 1803 German Mediatisation Walldorf fell to Baden. 1843 saw the building of the Rheintalbahn, which decisively promoted the economic development. In 1901 Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden granted Walldorf town privileges. After World War II the establishing of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen and of SAP made it one of the most prosperous towns of Germany.

Politics

thumb|200px|Town hall
Seats in the municipal assembly (Gemeinderat) as of 2004 elections:

• Christian Democratic Union: 8 (35,6 %)

• Social Democratic Party of Germany: 5 (23,2 %)

• Alliance '90/The Greens: 5 (20,7 %)

• Free Democratic Party: 4 (20,5 %)

Twin cities

• Astoria, Oregon, USA, since 1963

• Kırklareli, Turkey, since 1970

• Saint-Max, France, since 1985

• Waldorf, Maryland, USA, since 2002

• Freeport, New York, USA, since 2003

Sights

The Astorhaus was built in 1854 from a pecuniary legacy of deceased John Jacob Astor to his hometown. For decades it served as an almshouse and now hosts the register office and a museum.

The 19th century synagogue was devastated in the 1938 Kristallnacht and is now in use as a New Apostolic church.

Walldorf is most famous for its white asparagus which one may enjoy in the months of April through June.

Notable people

• Joseph Anton Sambuga, theologian, born June 9, 1752 in Walldorf, died January 15, 1815 at Nymphenburg Palace in Munich

• John Jacob Astor, at the time of his death the wealthiest man in the United States