Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 28, 2026

Wertach

Wertach is a small town in the Oberallgäu district, southern Bavaria, Germany. It is located in the German Alps, situated on the river Wertach, southeast of Kempten. The town was the childhood home of the writer W. G. Sebald.

Last revised
Jun 28, 2026
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Wertach
Municipality
Wertach
Wertach
Coat of arms of Wertach
Coat of arms
Location of Wertach within Oberallgäu district
AustriaBaden-WürttembergLindau (district)Kempten (Allgäu)UnterallgäuOstallgäuKempter WaldWildpoldsriedWiggensbachWertachWeitnauWaltenhofenSulzbergSonthofenRettenbergOfterschwangOberstdorfOberstaufenObermaiselsteinOy-MittelbergMissen-WilhamsLaubenImmenstadtBad HindelangHaldenwangFischenDurachDietmannsriedBurgberg im AllgäuBuchenbergBolsterlangBlaichachBetzigauBalderschwangAltusried
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Map
Location of Wertach
Wertach
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Wertach
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Coordinates: 47°36′N 10°24′E / 47.600°N 10.400°E / 47.600; 10.400
CountryGermany
StateBavaria
Admin. regionSchwaben
DistrictOberallgäu
Government
 • Mayor (2020–26) Gertrud Knoll1 (CSU)
Area
 • Total
45.65 km2 (17.63 sq mi)
Elevation
915 m (3,002 ft)
Population
 (2024-12-31)2
 • Total
2,749
 • Density60.22/km2 (156.0/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
87497
Dialling codes08365
Vehicle registrationOA
Websitewww.wertach.de

Wertach (German pronunciation: [ˈveːɐ̯tax]) is a small town in the Oberallgäu district, southern Bavaria, Germany. It is located in the German Alps, situated on the river Wertach, southeast of Kempten. The town was the childhood home of the writer W. G. Sebald.

History

Wertach was first mentioned in 955 and received in 1423 the town privileges. The market Wertach belonged to the Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg. Since the German mediatization and the secularization of 1803 the place belongs to Bavaria. As part of the administrative reforms in the Kingdom of Bavaria and the Gemeindeedikt of 1818 the current municipality was formed. In 1893 a fire destroyed most of the town, with only a few houses surviving.

Coat of arms

Blazon (description): "In green an obliquely left silver wave beam which is occupied by three black mill wheels."

Population development

Year 1970 1990 2009 2013 2014
Residents 1558 2059 2390 2532 2467

Politics

Result of the local elections in March 20143

  • Mayor Eberhard Jehle (independent)
  • Deputy Mayor: Norbert Gebhart (Free electorate Wertach)
  • Third Mayor Alex Wittwer (Christian Social Union in Bavaria, CSU)

The council of Wertach has 14 members.

  • Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU): 32.45%, 5 seats
  • Independents electorate and tourism: 21.49%, 3 seats
  • Electorate of employees: 17.90%, 2 seats
  • Independent Women's Group Wertach: 14.39%, 2 seats
  • Free electorate Wertach: 13.77%, 2 seats

Buildings

  • St. Sebastian Chapel: The St. Sebastian Chapel was designed according to the plans of the famous Wieskirche in 1763 by Dominikus Zimmermann.
  • Local History Museum: The museum was founded in 1931. Besides crafting equipment, weapons and animals is an art gallery of the painter Franz Sales Lochbihler.
  • In 1874 the brothers Kramer produced worldwide for the first time the Weisslacker – Cheese.
References

References