Zella-Mehlis


Zella-Mehlis is a town in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated in the Thuringian Forest, 5 km north of Suhl, and 20 km east of Meiningen. The town of Zella-Mehlis is the site of the original Walther Arms and J.G. Anschütz weapons factories. They remained there until the Soviets occupied eastern Germany at the end of World War II. The former municipality Benshausen was merged into Zella-Mehlis in January 2019.

Historical Population

Population as of 31 December unless otherwise indicated.

1946 - 1984
  • 1946: 17,352 1)
  • 1950: 16,914 2)
  • 1960: 16,370
  • 1981: 14,444
  • 1984: 13,921
1994 - 1998
  • 1994: 13,401
  • 1995: 13,100
  • 1996: 12,990
  • 1997: 12,941
  • 1998: 12,933
1999 - 2003
  • 1999: 13,206
  • 2000: 13,036
  • 2001: 12,961
  • 2002: 12,726
  • 2003: 12,544
2004 - 2008
  • 2004: 12,495
  • 2005: 12,245
  • 2006: 12,095
  • 2007: 11,951
  • 2008: 11,910
2009 - 2013
  • 2009: 11,743
  • 2010: 11,747
  • 2011: 11,075
  • 2012: 10,855
  • 2013: 10,785
since 2014
  • 2014: 10,669
  • 2015: 10,631
  • 2017: 10,813
1) 29 October

2) 31 August

Twin towns

Zella-Mehlis is twinned with:

Personalities

Honorary citizen