Hallein
Hallein
Country	Austria
State	Salzburg
District	Hallein (district)
Mayor	Christian Stöckl (ÖVP)
Area	26.98 km2 (10 sq mi)
Elevation	447 m  (1467 ft)
Population	19,473  (31 December 2008)
- Density	722 /km² (1,869 /sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate	HA
Postal code	5400
Area code	06245
Website	www.hallein.gv.at Coordinates: 47°40′59″N 13°05′49″E / 47.68306°N 13.09694°E / 47.68306; 13.09694

Hallein is a historic town in the Austrian state of Salzburg, the capital of the Hallein district. It is located in the Tennengau region south of the City of Salzburg, along the Salzach river in the shadow of the Untersberg massif, near the border with Germany. With a population of c. 19,500, Hallein is the second largest town of the Salzburg state.

History

Long known for the Hallein Salt Mine in the Dürrnberg plateau, settlements in the area have been traced 4000 years back. It was a Celtic community from 600 BCE until the Romans took over their Noricum kingdom in 15 BCE. The name Hallein is derived from the Greek and the Celtic word hall for salt.

In the 11th century the extraction of salt at Hallein became crucial for the economic wealth of the Salzburg Archbishopric, competing the saline at Reichenhall in Bavaria. Archbishop Kuenburg had the Protestant miners expelled at the end of the 17th century, after which several hundred of them emigrated to Walcheren and Zeelandic Flanders in the Dutch Republic.

World War II

Hallein was the site of a work camp annex to the Dachau concentration camp during World War II. After the war, it was the site of a permanent Displaced Persons camp (Beth Israel). In mid-1947, ORT opened a school in two of the barracks, teaching tailoring, dressmaking, electrical and radio technology, baking, beautician training, and upholstery to over 200 students. Later ORT also offered English language classes. In 1948, with the closure of other DP camps, Hallein became the Austrian collection point for Jewish emigrees to Canada and the United States. The camp closed in 1954.

Politics

Seats in the municipal assembly (Gemeinderat) as of 2009 elections:

• Austrian People's Party (ÖVP): 15
• Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ): 6
• Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ): 2
• The Greens: 2

Transportation

Hallein can be reached by suburban S-Bahn railway from the city of Salzburg. It has also access to the A 10 Tauernautobahn (European route E55) from Salzburg to Villach.

Notable people

• Franz Xaver Gruber, composer of the Silent Night Christmas carol, born November 25, 1787 in Unterweitzberg, Hochburg-Ach, died June 7, 1863 in Hallein
• Clemens Holzmeister, architect, born March 27, 1886 in Fulpmes, died June 12, 1983 in Hallein
• Herbert Fux, actor and politician, born March 25, 1927 in Hallein, died March 13, 2007 at Zürich
• Judith Wiesner, tennis player, born March 2, 1966 in Hallein

See also

• Salzburgerland
• Salzburg