Sindelfingen at the beginning of the 20th century

At the beginning of the 20th century, Sindelfingen was a small town with just 4,300 inhabitants, who mostly made a living from agriculture and weaving. A few hundred people found work in factories, which were primarily located along Bahnhofstraße, leading to Böblingen Station.

Before World War I, the young and dynamic Mayor Hörmann managed to implement a series of infrastructure projects such as the construction of a water supply network, a gasworks, a new elementary school, and electrification, thereby giving Sindelfingen a boost in modernization.

However, the lack of its own railway connection, which the town had to wait for until 1914, hindered further industrialization. With the start of World War I in August 1914, all development efforts initially came to a halt.

GOOD TO KNOW…

You are currently at the Sindelfingen Marktplatz. Here, you can buy fresh regional products at the weekly market every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
At the upper end of the Marktplatz, you can see the Galerie Stadt Sindelfingen. There, you will find the next station of this tour.

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The establishment of the Daimler-Motorengesellschaft in 1915

In the summer of 1915, the construction of a military airfield began on the plain between Böblingen and Sindelfingen, now known as the Flugfeld. Sindelfingen asked the military administration for assistance, offering the land in return to promote industrial settlement. In June 1915, a contract was swiftly concluded between the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) and the city of Sindelfingen for the establishment of a new factory dedicated to aircraft and aircraft engines on the edge of the planned airfield.

The Sindelfingen city council was elated that such a “world-class company” was setting up operations in their town. The contract itself was just four typewritten pages long.

No one at the time could have anticipated the rapid development of the factory and the profound changes it would bring to the city. By the end of the war in November 1918, the factory had more employees than the entire population of Sindelfingen.

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The neoclassical building in front of you was constructed as a town hall in 1845 and converted into a museum in the 1980s by architect Josef Paul Kleihues. It represents the first development outside the old town after the city walls were torn down around 1830. Today, the building houses the Galerie Stadt Sindelfingen and the tourist information i-Punkt. There, you will find significant works of modern and contemporary art. In the foyer, you can visit the tourist information center for advice on current events, various excursions, and attractions. Feel free to stop by!

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Prosperity and influence of the factory on the city of Sindelfingen

In the 1980s, the Sindelfingen zebra crossings made of Carrara marble became a nationwide symbol of the “legendary” wealth that the city owed to the Daimler plant at the time. With the establishment of the vehicle manufacturer, the city experienced rapid growth, especially after 1945, from just under 10,000 to more than 65,000 residents.

Thanks to high business tax revenues, Sindelfingen was able to build a generous infrastructure that far exceeded the standard of a medium-sized town.

However, the existing pools, sports facilities, educational and cultural institutions also require high maintenance costs. In times of lower tax revenues, the dependence becomes painfully obvious. Today, the city and the plant cooperate more closely than ever and complement each other to secure Sindelfingen’s future.

GOOD TO KNOW…

Marble zebra crossings can also be found in other locations – the small white stones had less of a luxury touch; rather, they were cost-effective and easy to maintain.

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Religious and cultural diversity

The Martinskirche is the spiritual center of Sindelfingen and one of the best-preserved Romanesque churches in the southwest of Germany. For many centuries, the church was the only house of worship in our city. It was only with the influx of migrant workers that Catholics initially, and later people of various denominations and religions, arrived in the predominantly Protestant Sindelfingen.

For many years, over 130 nationalities have lived together peacefully. The Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, with its several thousand employees, has significantly contributed to making Sindelfingen an international city with great cultural diversity.

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The Martinskirche, a significant architectural monument in Baden-Württemberg, was completed in 1133 and features a Lombard chancel and tower. Originally, it was the center of a secular canon monastery, which was relocated to Tübingen in 1477 to establish the university. A sandstone relief in the northwest corner of the church commemorates this event.

“GHOST of Sindelfingen”

In 1954, the famous photographer David Douglas Duncan created an artwork that references the connection between the factory and the (old) town. Like a shadow, a red Mercedes sports car darts out of the image, depicting a former old town situation against the ancient city wall, with no other indication of the modern industrial age.

Thus, the famous photo becomes a symbol of the rapid development Sindelfingen underwent due to Mercedes-Benz, illustrating the intriguing juxtaposition of old and new. The term “Ghost” gains even more meaning when translated into the German word “Geist”.

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You are currently at Schaffhauser Platz. Here, you can still see parts of the historic city wall from the 13th century. At this location, the city wall formed the northern boundary of the old town.

Only local stone materials were used in its construction, primarily sandstone and limestone from the quarries in the Sindelfingen Forest and from Darmsheim, which is five kilometers away.

In 1952, this square was renamed to mark the town's friendship with the Swiss city of Schaffhausen. Besides Schaffhausen, Sindelfingen has eight sister cities.

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The S-Class of Sindelfingen

The S-Class is the flagship model of the Mercedes-Benz brand. The designation originally dates back to the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz 170 S in 1949, where the “S” (then derived from “Super” or “Special”) was used for the first time to denote the most premium model line in the Mercedes-Benz range. In 1972, the term “S-Class” was officially introduced with the 116 series of the luxury class and unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. The employees often interpret the “S” as “Sindelfingen's Finest Star” and take great pride in the fact that their plant is the exclusive production site for the S-Class.

AUGMENTED REALITY

Immerse yourself in the history of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class with Augmented Reality (AR). Simply scan the QR code below and explore a historic S-Class to gain insights into its design and features.

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The beautiful old building next to you is the Old Town Hall, along with the adjacent Salt House, built in 1470 and 1592, respectively. Today, it houses the City Museum, where you can experience the city's history from its founding to the present day up close.

The International Street Festival

If you’ve already reached Stele Four, you know that more than 130 nationalities live together in Sindelfingen. Many of them also work at the Mercedes-Benz factory. The ethnic and cultural diversity of the factory’s employees is also reflected in the city’s life.

A striking example of this is the Internationales Straßenfest, well-known and beloved far beyond the city limits, which has attracted tens of thousands of visitors from near and far to Sindelfingen every year since 1977. The event brings people together from different countries to celebrate and to get to know each other better. Cultural and culinary contributions from around the world turn diversity into a benefit for everyone.

Wettbachplatz, on the southern edge of the old town, serves as a daily reminder of this vibrant life. So, make sure to mark it in your festival calendar!

AUGMENTED REALITY

Experience the past of Wettbachplatz with Augmented Reality (AR). Simply scan the provided QR code and take a virtual stroll through history, where you can observe the transformation of the square.

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You are currently standing at Wettbachplatz. Surrounded by historic half-timbered houses and a variety of dining options, it is known for its lively atmosphere and invites you to come together in a cozy setting and enjoy the vibrant life of the city.

Air raids and forced labor

Since the establishment of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft in 1915, Sindelfingen has experienced both prosperous and challenging times. The city enjoyed significant financial flexibility due to substantial business tax revenues. However, during World War II, Sindelfingen faced the darker sides of both the city and the factory.

As the demand for labor increased for the war industry under the Nazi regime, Daimler-Benz, like many other companies, employed forced laborers from various countries.

Consequently, Sindelfingen, particularly in 1944, became a target of Allied air raids. In the Lower Town district especially, numerous bombs caused extensive destruction. Over 50 forced laborers lost their lives in Sindelfingen, and 60 local residents were killed during these air attacks.

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Behind the southern row of houses in the Untere Vorstadt, Sindelfingen’s first mechanized weaving mill was established in 1863. Later, drive belts for the war were produced there, and from 1920, the small car "Libelle" was manufactured. Until 1965, the Suevia watch company used the building before relocating to Goldberg.

Mercedes-Benz factory Sindelfingen today

The Mercedes-Benz factory in Sindelfingen, with its over century-long history, is one of the most traditional vehicle manufacturing locations of Mercedes-Benz and serves as the home for producing upper and luxury-class (electric) vehicles within the global production network. In addition to traditional vehicle manufacturing, Sindelfingen also houses the Mercedes-Benz research and development department.

Since 2020, Sindelfingen has hosted “Factory 56,” a state-of-the-art production facility renowned for its flexibility, efficiency, digitalization, and sustainability. Alongside “Factory 56,” the factory includes other modern production areas, such as the highly efficient body shop.

In the immediate vicinity of the Mercedes-Benz factory is the Mercedes-Benz Customer Center Sindelfingen, which opened on March 16, 1981. Here, a wide variety of new vehicles are delivered daily, and unique brand experiences are offered.

From exciting discovery tours to exclusive events, guests gain in-depth insights into the fascinating world of automotive production at Mercedes-Benz. In addition to tours through the vehicle manufacturing halls, guests can explore the shop and enjoy the in-house restaurant. Feel free to visit; the Mercedes-Benz Customer Center is open to everyone. Further information about the brand experiences of the Mercedes-Benz Customer Center Sindelfingen can be found here:

GOOD TO KNOW…

You are currently standing on Planiestraße. The name traces back to the course of the city moat and the city wall, which were later leveled. The continuation of the street is Bahnhofstraße, which once led all the way to Böblingen Station.