Waldshut (district)
district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Waldshut (German pronunciation: [ˌvalt͡sˈhuːt]) is a Landkreis (district) in the south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighbouring districts are (clockwise from the west) Lörrach, Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald and Schwarzwald-Baar; followed in the south by the Swiss cantons of Schaffhausen, Zürich and Aargau.
History
The district dates to the Oberamt Waldshut, which was created when the area became part of the state of Baden in the beginning of the 19th century. After some changes it was converted to a district in 1938. In 1973 the districts Säckingen and Hochschwarzwald were dissolved and were partially added to the district Waldshut, which then grew to its current size.
Geography
The district covers the southern part of the Black Forest. The river Rhine forms most of the boundary to Switzerland.
Coat of arms
The present coat of arms was granted on December 11, 1973, superseding an older one. The bend wavy represents the river Rhine as the main river of the district. The wheel on a blue ground symbolizes the district's hydro-electric power industry (there was also a wheel in the old coat of arms).
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Waldshut (district)” is district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Waldshut, district and Baden-Württemberg, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Maps, plans, fabric surveys and administrative records can establish how the site’s name, extent and function changed over time. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 11, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q8200. VIAF identifies the subject as 312816297. The Library of Congress control number is n84238905. Authority coordinates are 47.630, 8.200. 4 of 4 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1938 and 1973.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Waldshut (district)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Waldshut (district) primary sources, Waldshut (district) archive and Waldshut research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Waldshut (district)”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Waldshut (district)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.