Zella-Mehlis (German pronunciation: [ˈtsɛla ˈmeːlɪs]) is a town in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district of Thuringia, Germany. It is situated in the Thuringian Forest, approximately 5 km north of Suhl and 20 km east of Meiningen.
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History
Two of Germany's most notable firearm manufacturers, Walther and Anschütz, were founded in Zella-Mehlis. They operated there until the Soviet occupation of Eastern Germany at the conclusion of World War II caused both companies to move.
In January 2019, the former municipality of Benshausen was integrated into Zella-Mehlis, expanding the town's jurisdiction.
Twin towns
Zella-Mehlis is twinned with:
Andernach, Germany
Gemünden am Main, Germany
Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
People
Helmut Recknagel (* 1937), the first German Olympic ski jumping champion and world champion, started for SC Motor Zella-Mehlis
Johann Kaspar Friedrich Manso (1759-1826), teacher, historian and philologist
Johann Heinrich Ehrhardt (1805-1883), locomotive builder, engineer of the Saxon Railroad
Johann Peter Haseney (1812-1869), copper engraver, creator of the first German stamp "Schwarzer Einser" (Black one)
Karl Künstler (1901–1945), Nazi SS concentration camp commandant
Michael Schumann (1946-2000), professor of philosophy, politician (SED, PDS), Member of the Brandenburg Landtag, Member of the Bundestag
Anja Kampe (born 1968), opera singer
Carl Walther (1858-1915), gunsmith
Marcel Callo (1921-1945), beatified member of the Roman Catholic Church, a location in Zella-Mehlis was named after him
Horst Queck (born 1943), ski jumper
Reinhard Heß (1945-2007), ski jumping coach of the German national team
Fredi Albrecht (born 1947), wrestler and competitor, visited the children's and youth sports school here
Klaus-Peter Göpfert (born 1948), wrestler, attended the children's and sports school in Zella-Mehlis
Rainer Schmidt (born 1948), ski jumper, overall winner of the Four Hills Tournament, lives in Zella-Mehlis
Christoph Matschie (born 1961), politician, SPD Chairman of the State of Thuringia 1999–2014, minister and parliamentary secretary of state, received training as a mechanic in Zella-Mehlis
Kati Wilhelm (born 1976), biathlete
Sebastian Haseney (born 1978), Nordic Combined skier
Franz Göring (born 1984), cross-country skier, lives in Zella-Mehlis
Victoria Carl (born 1995), cross-country skier
Andi Langenhan (born 1984), luger
Frank Rommel (born 1984), skeleton racer
Tino Edelmann (born 1985), Nordic Combined skier