2002–2014: Karl-Heinz Schäfer (SPD) 1994–2002: Gerhard Büchling (independent) Coat of arms The town's arms might be described thus: Or a rose azure sepalled vert surmounted by a lion rampant barry of eight argent and gules armed of the first. This description is based on the arms shown in this article. However, the German blazon specifies that the lion (which is the Lion of Hesse, the main charge in Hesse's state coat of arms) should be a neun Mal von Silber und Rot geteilter Löwe, or “barry of nine”, that is, with nine horizontal stripes. Town partnerships Vimoutiers, Orne, France since 1971 Tambach-Dietharz, Thuringia since 1999 Culture and sightseeing Buildings Historic town core with Town Hall from 1668 Boyneburg ruins owned by the family von Boyneburg near Wichmannshausen in the Ringgau range Evangelical town church from 1488 Museums Museum at the old Boyneburg Palace in the outlying centre of Wichmannshausen Kleines Bergbau-Museum (bituminous shale mining) of Sontra Steinmühlen-Museum in Sontra Sport Popular sports are practised in town by TV Sontra 1861 e.V. in several departments. Further sports can be played at the leisure and adventure pool (outdoor swimming pool) with its giant waterslide, a miniature golf course and a skittles centre. There are two shooting clubs in town, the Schützengilde Sontra and the Sportschützenverein 1958 Sontra e. V. On the Dornberg near Sontra, the Mittelhessischer Verein für Flugsport e.V. Sontra/Bebra (aerial sports) runs the Dornberg-Sontra gliding airfield. SG Sontra 1919 e.V. is the resident football club and currently plays in the Kreisliga A. Economy and infrastructure Transport Through the town run Bundesstraßen 27 and 7. The Autobahn A 44 (Kassel–Eisenach), which will lead around the outlying centres, is either in planning or under construction. There is a link to the A 4 (Aachen–Görlitz) at the Wommen/Sontra interchange. A railway connection is to be had at Sontra railway station on the Bebra–Göttingen line. State institutions In 1962, the Husarenkaserne (“Hussars’ Barracks”) was built. Stationed here was the Panzeraufklärungsbataillon 5 (“armoured reconnaissance battalion”). The property, which once had 780 service posts, was dissolved with effect from 30 June 2008. Education In Sontra there are the Adam von Trott-Schule (comprehensive school), two primary schools and the Barbaraschule (school for help with learning). Famous people Kurt Reuber (1906–1944) physician and Evangelical minister in the outlying centre of Wichmannshausen from 1933 to 1938, troops doctor in WWII, from him comes the famous Stalingrad Madonna, which he