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 Twin towns Zella-Mehlis is twinned with: Andernach, Germany Gemünden am Main, Germany Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France Personalities Honorary citizen Helmut Recknagel (* 1937), the first German Olympic ski jumping champion and world champion, started for SC Motor Zella-Mehlis Sons and daughters of the city 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 Brandenburg Landtag, Member of Bundestag Anja Kampe (born 1968), Opera singer People associated with Zella-Mehlis Carl Walther (1858-1915), gunsmith Marcel Callo (1921-1945), blessed of the Roman Catholic Church, a place was named here 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 Combiner Franz Göring (born 1984), cross-country skier, lives in Zella-Mehlis Andi Langenhan (born 1984), Rennrodler Frank Rommel (born 1984), Skeleton Pilots Tino Edelmann (born 1985), Nordic Combiner References Schmalkalden-Meiningen Saxe-Coburg and Gotha