Calw is a municipality in the middle of Baden-Württemberg in the south of Germany, capital of the district Calw. It is located in the northern Black Forest.

History
Calw was first mentioned in records in 1075. In the 11th century the city grew around the older castle of the Grafen (Earls) of Calw. In the Middle Ages Calw was an important commercial town especially for the trade of cloth and leather. In the 18th century Calw flourished from lumbers trade and rafting of timber on the Nagold river. During World War II, a small subcamp of Natzweiler-Struthof Concentration camp, where parts for aircrafts where assembled by female forced laborers, was located here.

Important Facts and Figures on Calw

• Outlying districts: Alzenberg, Wimberg, Heumaden
• Town districts: Altburg, Hirsau, Stammheim, Holzbronn
• Labor force: Compulsorily insured employees 8,014.
• Manufacturing industries: 2,763
• Service industries: 5,251
• Waterways - Nagold river, Tälesbach, Ziegelbach, Wurstbrunnenbach, Schießbach, Schlittenbach, Schweinbach
• Base of the KSK (Special Forces Command)

Tourism and Importance
Calw is heavily pedestrianised, and has begun catering for the tourist trade with numerous shops, restaurants, bistros and ice-cream parlours being opened. This growth has allowed Calw to be considered a large town at the centre of its district.