Aßlar
Encyclopedia
Aßlar is a town near Wetzlar
in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis
in Hesse
, Germany
.
range as well as on the river Dill
, which empties into the Lahn
in neighbouring Wetzlar, about 5 km to the southeast. It is also not far from the "three-state-border", a geographical point common to Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia
and Rhineland-Palatinate
, lying to the west.
The constituent community of Werdorf also lies on the Dill, as do Klein-Altenstädten and Berghausen. Bechlingen, Oberlemp and Bermoll lie north of the main town, away from the river.
and Hohenahr
, in the east on the town of Wetzlar, in the south on the town of Solms
, and in the west on the community of Ehringshausen
(all in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis).
Actually, the two communities of Werdorf and Berghausen lie so near each other that a casual observer would only perceive one community. Nevertheless, they are officially two of Aßlar's Stadtteile (roughly "wards" or perhaps "boroughs").
(or Codex Laureshamensis in Latin
).
Like many other places, Aßlar grew out of a few great yards, growing to a size of about 5,000 inhabitants by the time of the First World War, always forming a community with Klein-Altenstädten on the other side of the Dill. A great inflow of people – refugees expelled from lost German territory – followed the Second World War. This, along with the amalgamation of Bechlingen, Berghausen, Bermoll, Oberlemp and Werdorf under municipal reforms in 1977, yielded today's town of Aßlar.
Aßlar was granted town rights on 1978.
, people settled on the Schönbach, which ran through the area, as this was more easily crossed than the broader Dill. In 772, Werdorf had its first documentary mention.
, and can also be seen in the English
words "wergild" and "werewolf
". Dorf is still the German
word for village today. It, too, has cognates in other Germanic languages, including "thorp
" in English.
about how Werdorf got its name, which goes rather like this:
Note: FWG is a citizens' coalition.
and a flag
was granted the town in 1959 and 1960 by the Hessian government. The colours and heraldic composition of the arms, as far as can be ascertained, go back to the Counts of Solms
and the Lords of Bicken (represented in the arms by the lion and the lozenge) who were the guiding forces in the surrounding area's life. The hazel
nut refers to the interpretation of the town's name, namely the one that holds that it comes from the word "Haselare" ("hazel" is "Hasel" in German). This word was used in early historical times to describe a holy place surrounded with hazel rods. This was made into a memorial by building a church, still found on this spot today, with services held weekly.
, France
, since 1966 Jüterbog
, Brandenburg
, since 1991
, for instance) with well-developed infrastructure. The roughly 80 clubs offer opportunities to take part in cultural or sporting activities right up to barbecue
s and hiking
trails.
The firm Huck, which among other things makes the well known Huck nets, has its head office in Berghausen. Also at Berghausen's disposal is a civic wireless local network
using the 802.11g
standard, thus giving the area almost seamless, wireless access to the Internet
. The network is administered by HCHS (see External links).
Wetzlar
Wetzlar is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. Located at 8° 30′ E, 50° 34′ N, Wetzlar straddles the river Lahn and is on the German Timber-Framework Road which passes mile upon mile of half-timbered houses. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis on the north edge of...
in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis
Lahn-Dill-Kreis
Lahn-Dill is a Kreis in the west of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Siegen-Wittgenstein, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Gießen, Wetteraukreis, Hochtaunuskreis, Limburg-Weilburg, Westerwaldkreis.-History:...
in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Location
Aßlar lies on a foothill of the WesterwaldWesterwald
The Westerwald is a low mountain range on the right bank of the River Rhine in the German federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a part of the Rhine Massif...
range as well as on the river Dill
Dill (river)
The Dill is a long river, flowing through central Hesse in Germany. It is a tributary to the Lahn, joining it on the right bank at the town of Wetzlar.-Course:The Dill flows exclusively through the Lahn-Dill-Kreis district in Hesse...
, which empties into the Lahn
Lahn
The Lahn River is a -long, right tributary of the Rhine River in Germany. Its course passes through the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia , Hesse , and Rhineland-Palatinate ....
in neighbouring Wetzlar, about 5 km to the southeast. It is also not far from the "three-state-border", a geographical point common to Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
and Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
, lying to the west.
The constituent community of Werdorf also lies on the Dill, as do Klein-Altenstädten and Berghausen. Bechlingen, Oberlemp and Bermoll lie north of the main town, away from the river.
Neighbouring communities
Aßlar borders in the north on the communities of MittenaarMittenaar
-Municipal area's extent:On Mittenaar's 3 518 ha live more than 5,000 people. About 45 km of roads connect the various centres. More than half the municipal area is wooded.-Neighbouring communities:...
and Hohenahr
Hohenahr
-Location:Hohenahr lies in the Lahn-Dill Highland at a height of between 260 and 440 m above sea level. Its constituent communities of Ahrdt and Mudersbach are on the shores of the Aartalsee .-Neighbouring communities:...
, in the east on the town of Wetzlar, in the south on the town of Solms
Solms
Solms is a town west of Wetzlar in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis, Hesse, Germany.In the constituent community of Burgsolms once stood the ancestral castle of the Counts and Princes of Solms, whose main lines were Solms-Braunfels, with their seat in Braunfels, and Solms-Hohensolms-Lich, with their seat in...
, and in the west on the community of Ehringshausen
Ehringshausen
-Location:Ehringshausen lies in the valley of the Dill between Wetzlar and Herborn.-Neighbouring communities:Ehringshausen borders in the north on the community of Mittenaar, in the east on the town of Aßlar, in the south on the towns of Solms and Leun, and in the northwest on the community of Sinn...
(all in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis).
Constituent communities
Aßlar is divided into the following communities:- Aßlar with Klein-Altenstädten
- Bechlingen
- Berghausen
- Bermoll
- Oberlemp
- Werdorf
Actually, the two communities of Werdorf and Berghausen lie so near each other that a casual observer would only perceive one community. Nevertheless, they are officially two of Aßlar's Stadtteile (roughly "wards" or perhaps "boroughs").
History
Aßlar had its first documentary mention in 783 in a donation document in the Lorsch codexLorsch codex
The Lorsch Codex is an important historical document created between about 1175 to 1195 AD in the Monastery of Saint Nazarius in Lorsch, Germany. It consists of 460 pages in large format containing more than 3800 entries...
(or Codex Laureshamensis in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
).
Like many other places, Aßlar grew out of a few great yards, growing to a size of about 5,000 inhabitants by the time of the First World War, always forming a community with Klein-Altenstädten on the other side of the Dill. A great inflow of people – refugees expelled from lost German territory – followed the Second World War. This, along with the amalgamation of Bechlingen, Berghausen, Bermoll, Oberlemp and Werdorf under municipal reforms in 1977, yielded today's town of Aßlar.
Aßlar was granted town rights on 1978.
Werdorf
In the Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, people settled on the Schönbach, which ran through the area, as this was more easily crossed than the broader Dill. In 772, Werdorf had its first documentary mention.
Werdorf's name
"Werdorf" comes from an Old Germanic root "Wero", meaning "man". This root is common to many Germanic languagesGermanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
, and can also be seen in the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
words "wergild" and "werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
". Dorf is still the German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
word for village today. It, too, has cognates in other Germanic languages, including "thorp
Thorp
Thorp is a Middle English word for a hamlet or small village, from Old English /Old Norse þorp . There are many place names in England with the suffix "-thorp" or "-thorpe". Most are in East Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk but some are in Surrey.Old English þorp is cognate...
" in English.
The legend of Werdorf's founding
There is, however, a quaint legendLegend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
about how Werdorf got its name, which goes rather like this:
- There were once two countesses who were riding together along the Dill, when they found a place they rather liked, and they had a stately home built there. Since now the workmen were living here, one countess said "May it become a town!". The other answered "No, may it become a village!" (in German: "Nein, es werde ein Dorf!")
- And so, from "Werd-Dorf" came the village's name.
Town council
The municipal elections on 26 March 2006 yielded the following results:| FWG | 14 |
| SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
11 |
| CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
9 |
| Greens Alliance '90/The Greens Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir... |
2 |
| FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
1 |
Note: FWG is a citizens' coalition.
Coat of arms
Approval to bear a coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
and a flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
was granted the town in 1959 and 1960 by the Hessian government. The colours and heraldic composition of the arms, as far as can be ascertained, go back to the Counts of Solms
Solms
Solms is a town west of Wetzlar in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis, Hesse, Germany.In the constituent community of Burgsolms once stood the ancestral castle of the Counts and Princes of Solms, whose main lines were Solms-Braunfels, with their seat in Braunfels, and Solms-Hohensolms-Lich, with their seat in...
and the Lords of Bicken (represented in the arms by the lion and the lozenge) who were the guiding forces in the surrounding area's life. The hazel
Hazel
The hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
nut refers to the interpretation of the town's name, namely the one that holds that it comes from the word "Haselare" ("hazel" is "Hasel" in German). This word was used in early historical times to describe a holy place surrounded with hazel rods. This was made into a memorial by building a church, still found on this spot today, with services held weekly.
Town partnerships
Saint-AmbroixSaint-Ambroix
Saint-Ambroix is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Saint-Ambroix, in the Cher department* Saint-Ambroix, in the Gard department...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, since 1966 Jüterbog
Jüterbog
Jüterbog is a historic town in north-eastern Germany, located in the Teltow-Fläming district of Brandenburg. It is located on the Nuthe river at the northern slope of the Fläming hill range, about southwest of Berlin.-History:...
, Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, since 1991
Museums
- Museum for Local History, at the Werdorfer Schloss
- "Grube Fortuna" visitor mine, in the countryside near Berghausen
Buildings
Well worth seeing in Werdorf is the Werdorfer Schloss, a stately home built between 1680 and 1700 by the Counts of Solms-Greifenstein.Economy and infrastructure
Today, Aßlar is a small industrial town (with Pfeiffer VacuumPfeiffer Vacuum
Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology AG is a German manufacturer of vacuum pumps. It is headquartered in Asslar in Germany with 70% of the total production catering to the export market....
, for instance) with well-developed infrastructure. The roughly 80 clubs offer opportunities to take part in cultural or sporting activities right up to barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
s and hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails.
The firm Huck, which among other things makes the well known Huck nets, has its head office in Berghausen. Also at Berghausen's disposal is a civic wireless local network
Wireless LAN
A wireless local area network links two or more devices using some wireless distribution method , and usually providing a connection through an access point to the wider internet. This gives users the mobility to move around within a local coverage area and still be connected to the network...
using the 802.11g
IEEE 802.11
IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for implementing wireless local area network computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands. They are created and maintained by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee . The base version of the standard IEEE 802.11-2007 has had subsequent...
standard, thus giving the area almost seamless, wireless access to the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. The network is administered by HCHS (see External links).