Waltershausen is a town in the south-western part of the district of Gotha in the state of Thuringia, Germany. Geography Geographic location Located on the verge of the Thuringian Basin just before the Thuringian Forest, Waltershausen is sometimes referred to as the "gate to the Thuringian Forest". It is close to the Großer Inselsberg, the fourth-highest mountain in the state. Town structure The town is divided into the seven districts of Fischbach, Schmerbach, Schwarzhausen, Winterstein, Wahlwinkel, Schnepfenthal and Langenhain. Incorporations On July 1 in 1950, Langenhain, Schnepfenthal-Rödichen as well as Wahlwinkel became parts of Waltershausen. 63 years later, on December 31 in 2013, the district of Emsetal (consisting of Fischbach, Schmerbach, Schwarzhausen and Winterstein) was incorporated into the town. History The origin of the town's name can be traced back to the 8th-9th century when, during Franconian times, a settlement called Waltershausen existed. In 1167, the town's landmark Tenneberg Castle was first mentioned in a document. The first documentary mention of Waltershausen itself dates back to 1209, precisely under the name of „Ulricus, villicius de Waltherißhusin“. It was then a part of the county of Mühlburg under the electorate of Mainz. From 1640 onwards, Waltershausen, then a subordinate to the Amt Tenneberg, became a part of the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In the early nineteenth century, Waltershausen established its tradition of being a "city of dolls" due to the high number of toy and specifically doll factories in the area. In 1990, however, the industrial production of dolls came to an end. In 1929, the Thuringian forest railway was extended to Waltershausen, thus providing a direct connection to Bad Tabarz and Gotha. During World War II, on February 6 in 1945, Waltershausen was among several regional towns to be hit by an attack of U.S. Forces. 12 bombers dropped a total of 120 bombs on the town, causing the destruction of 21 buildings as well as 20 casualties. Culture Landmarks and sights , a baroque castle along with a local history museum. Klaustor, the main gate of the former city wall. Töpfersturm (German for pottery tower), the former workplace of medieval potters outside of the town's center. historic Townhall, built in 1441 and fundamentally restored in 1990, the second oldest half-timbered town hall in central Germany. Schnepfenthal Salzmann School (Salzmannschule Schnepfenthal), a boarding school specializing in foreign language education. the first outdoor gymnastic ground of Germany, founded by Johann