planning Weinstadt forms a local commercial center for 50,000 residents within the sub-metropolitan area of Waiblingen/Fellbach and the Stuttgart metropolitan area. History Weinstadt came into existence as part of a district reform on January 1, 1975, in which the then-independent towns of Beutelsbach, Endersbach, Großheppach, and Schnait were combined. Strümpfelbach had previously been annexed by Endersbach on January 1, 1973. Because of this earlier structure, there are now five town centers within Weinstadt. The town centers of Endersbach and Beutelsbach give the impression of independent cities. The newly created municipality of Weinstadt had more than 20,000 residents when it was founded. Even so, it wasn't until 1978 that the administration applied for so-called Große Kreisstadt status. The state government approved the application with an effective date of January 1, 1979. The original towns were old Württemberg settlements which have a long history. Prior to uniting to form the city of Weinstadt in 1975, all five then-towns were added to the newly created Rems-Murr district as part of a district reform in 1973. Beutelsbach Endersbach Endersbach was first identified as Andrespach in 1278 and probably joined Württemberg as part of Schorndorf. Unlike Beutelsbach, Endersbach belonged from 1762 until 1765 and then again from 1807 to the Oberamt Waiblingen (an administrative district within Württemberg), which in 1938 became the Waiblingen district. Großheppach Schnait Schnait was originally identified as Snait. The town likely joined Württemberg along with Beutelsbach, although other feudal lords had rights to the town until 1605. It belonged – like Beutelsbach – to Amt/Oberamt Schorndorf (an administrative district within Württemberg). After the dissolution of Oberamt Schorndorf in 1938, Schnait joined the Waiblingen district. Strümpfelbach Strümpfelbach was first identified as Striumphilbach in 1265 and likely became part of Württemberg in the 13th century. The town belonged to the Amt/Oberamt Schorndorf (an administrative district within Württemberg) and then from 1762 until 1765 and then again from 1807 to the Oberamt Waiblingen (an administrative district within Württemberg), which in 1938 became the Waiblingen district. Religions As a result of belonging to the Grafschaft and later Duchy of Württemberg, the Reformation was brought to all five of the now-Stadtteile of Weinstadt. For centuries the towns were almost exclusively Protestant. The five evangelical parishes belonged, in accordance with the town governance, to the respective ecclesiastical districts of the Oberamts of Waiblingen and Schorndorf under the auspices of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg. Endersbach, Großheppach and