Ballenstedt
Encyclopedia
Ballenstedt is a town
in the Harz district
, in the German
state of Saxony-Anhalt
. It is situated at the northern rim of the Harz
mountain range, about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Quedlinburg
. The municipality includes the villages of Badeborn and Oppenrode. The tourist route, the Romanesque Road, leads through Ballenstedt.
of Nienburg Abbey
, and Hidda, a daughter of Margrave Odo I of the Saxon Ostmark
. Esico (~1000-1059/60), whose sister Uta married Margrave Eckard II of Meissen
is considered the progenitor of the House of Ascania. He had a collegiate church
erected in Ballenstedt, that was dedicated to Saints Pancras and Abundius
in the presence of Emperor Henry III
in 1046. Esico's son Count Adalbert II
granted Ballenstedt to Nienburg Abbey in 1073. His descendant Albert the Bear, first ruler of the Margraviate of Brandenburg
, established a Benedictine
monastery at the site and was buried at the crypt of the abbey church in 1070. A monument for Albert is located in the town's park.
Severely damaged during the German Peasants' War
, the monastery was secularised
in 1525 by the Ascanian Prince Wolfgang von Anhalt-Köthen
in course of the Protestant Reformation
. Wolfgang chose Ballenstedt as a residence and granted it town privileges
in 1543. As a supporter of Protestant King Christian IV of Denmark
during the Thirty Years' War
, Ballenstedt was raided and plundered by the troops of Albrecht von Wallenstein
in 1626.
After the war, the town and the castle were rebuilt as the summer residence of the Ascanian Princes of Anhalt-Bernburg. In 1765 Prince Frederick Albert
completely moved his residence from Bernburg
to Ballenstedt and induced a time of prosperity, including the erection of the famous castle theatre in 1788, the oldest theatre in Saxony-Anhalt and the domain of composers like Albert Lortzing
and Franz Liszt
.
A part of the Duchy of Anhalt
from 1863 on, Ballenstedt became known as a residential town for the well-to-do retired
like Princess Friederike of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
, who died at Ballenstedt Castle in 1902, or the painter and author Wilhelm von Kügelgen
, whose house is now a museum.
The coat of arms is derived from the insignia of the Counts of Ballenstedt, which is also the origin of the coat of arms of Saxony
. It was first manifested in 1560 after Ballenstedt received town rights.
(federal highway) 185, leading to the Bundesstraße 6 and the Bundesautobahn 14
. Train service was suspended in 2003. A small asphalt runway is about 5 km (3 mi) outside the town.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the Harz district
Harz (district)
- History :The district was established by merging the former districts of Halberstadt, Wernigerode and Quedlinburg as well as the city of Falkenstein as part of the reform of 2007.-Towns and municipalities:...
, in the German
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...
state of Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
. It is situated at the northern rim of the Harz
Harz
The Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz...
mountain range, about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg is a town located north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. In 1994 the medieval court and the old town was set on the UNESCO world heritage list....
. The municipality includes the villages of Badeborn and Oppenrode. The tourist route, the Romanesque Road, leads through Ballenstedt.
History
Ballenstedt was first mentioned in a 1030 deed, issued by Count Esico of Ballenstedt, son of one Count Adalbert, who held the office of a VogtVogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
of Nienburg Abbey
Nienburg Abbey
Nienburg Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Nienburg in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.- Abbey :Nienburg was for centuries on the extreme eastern edge of the settled territory of Germany...
, and Hidda, a daughter of Margrave Odo I of the Saxon Ostmark
Odo I, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark
Odo I was the Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark from 965 until his death....
. Esico (~1000-1059/60), whose sister Uta married Margrave Eckard II of Meissen
Eckard II, Margrave of Meissen
Eckard II was the margrave of Meissen from 1038 until his death, succeeding his brother, Herman I. His line was descended from Eckard I...
is considered the progenitor of the House of Ascania. He had a collegiate church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
erected in Ballenstedt, that was dedicated to Saints Pancras and Abundius
Abundius
Saint Abundius was a Bishop of Como, Northern Italy.He was born at Thessalonica. Around 448 Abundius became the fourth Bishop of Como, succeeding Amantius...
in the presence of Emperor Henry III
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III , called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors...
in 1046. Esico's son Count Adalbert II
Adalbert II, Count of Ballenstedt
Adalbert II, Count of Ballenstedt from the House of Ascania, the 23rd Great-Grandfather of Elizabeth II, was Graf in Saxony and Vogt of Nienburg Abbey.-Biography:...
granted Ballenstedt to Nienburg Abbey in 1073. His descendant Albert the Bear, first ruler of the Margraviate of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
, established a Benedictine
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
monastery at the site and was buried at the crypt of the abbey church in 1070. A monument for Albert is located in the town's park.
Severely damaged during the German Peasants' War
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
, the monastery was secularised
Secularization
Secularization is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions...
in 1525 by the Ascanian Prince Wolfgang von Anhalt-Köthen
Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen...
in course of the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. Wolfgang chose Ballenstedt as a residence and granted it town privileges
German town law
German town law or German municipal concerns concerns town privileges used by many cities, towns, and villages throughout Central and Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.- Town law in Germany :...
in 1543. As a supporter of Protestant King Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, Ballenstedt was raided and plundered by the troops of Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein , actually von Waldstein, was a Bohemian soldier and politician, who offered his services, and an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men during the Danish period of the Thirty Years' War , to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II...
in 1626.
Frederick Albert, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Frederick Albert of Anhalt-Bernburg , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg....
completely moved his residence from Bernburg
Bernburg
Bernburg is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the district of Salzlandkreis. It is situated on the river Saale, approx. 30 km downstream from Halle. The town is dominated by its huge Renaissance castle featuring a museum as well as a popular, recently updated bear pit in its...
to Ballenstedt and induced a time of prosperity, including the erection of the famous castle theatre in 1788, the oldest theatre in Saxony-Anhalt and the domain of composers like Albert Lortzing
Albert Lortzing
Gustav Albert Lortzing was a German composer, actor and singer. He is considered to be the main representative of the German Spieloper, a form similar to the French opéra comique, which grew out of the Singspiel.-Biography:Lortzing was born in Berlin to Johann Gottlieb Lortzing and Charlotte Sophie...
and Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
.
A part of the Duchy of Anhalt
Anhalt
Anhalt was a sovereign county in Germany, located between the Harz Mountains and the river Elbe in Middle Germany. It now forms part of the state of Saxony-Anhalt.- Dukes of Anhalt :...
from 1863 on, Ballenstedt became known as a residential town for the well-to-do retired
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
like Princess Friederike of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Princess Friederike of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Princess Friederike of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg was the second-eldest daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel and an elder sister of Christian IX of Denmark...
, who died at Ballenstedt Castle in 1902, or the painter and author Wilhelm von Kügelgen
Wilhelm von Kügelgen
Wilhelm von Kügelgen was a Russian-born German painter.-External links:*...
, whose house is now a museum.
Politics
Seats in the municipal assembly (Stadtrat) as of 2004 elections:- Christian Democratic UnionChristian 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...
: 8 (41,2%) - The LeftThe Left (Germany)The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
: 4 (18,2%) - Free VotersFree VotersFree Voters is a German concept in which an association of persons participates in an election without having the status of a registered political party. Usually it is a locally organized group of voters in the form of a registered association . In most cases, Free Voters are active only at the...
: 3 (12,6%) - Free Democratic PartyFree 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...
: 3 (12,5%) - Social Democratic Party of GermanySocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
: 1 (7,5%) - Independent: 1 (5,4%)
The coat of arms is derived from the insignia of the Counts of Ballenstedt, which is also the origin of the coat of arms of Saxony
Coat of arms of Saxony
-See also:*Royal Arms of England*Coat of arms of Portugal*Coat of arms of Belgium*Coat of arms of Bulgaria...
. It was first manifested in 1560 after Ballenstedt received town rights.
Places of interest
- Ballenstedt Castle: Baroque three-winged building, renovated in the 18th century, grave of Albert the BearAlbert I of BrandenburgAlbert the Bear was the first Margrave of Brandenburg from 1157 to his death and was briefly Duke of Saxony between 1138 and 1142.-Life:...
- Castle Park: created by Peter Joseph LennéPeter Joseph LennéPeter Joseph Lenné was a Prussian gardener and landscape architect from Bonn who worked in the German classicist style.-Childhood and development:...
; castle and castle park belong to the Saxony-Anhalt Garden DreamsSaxony-Anhalt Garden DreamsThe Garden Dream project is a conservation and tourism network concerned with rediscovering the cultural heritage of gardens in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt....
project - Ballenstedt Castle Theatre: played by Albert LortzingAlbert LortzingGustav Albert Lortzing was a German composer, actor and singer. He is considered to be the main representative of the German Spieloper, a form similar to the French opéra comique, which grew out of the Singspiel.-Biography:Lortzing was born in Berlin to Johann Gottlieb Lortzing and Charlotte Sophie...
and Franz LisztFranz LisztFranz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age... - Großer Gasthof castle hotel: originally built in 1733 as an armoury, converted in 1756 by the Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel ducal master builder, Martin Peltier de Belfort, into a guest house
- Local History Museum, opposite the Großer Gasthof in the upper part of the avenue
- KügelgenWilhelm von KügelgenWilhelm von Kügelgen was a Russian-born German painter.-External links:*...
House, Kügelgenstr. 35a - Yellow House (Gelbes Haus), on the exit to the town towards RiederRiederRieder is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Quedlinburg....
, built as a roadside toll house - Allee: representative, a kilometre long approach to the castle, centre point of the town
- Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus): timber-framed building erected in 1683
- New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus): representative building, built in 1906 based on a design by Berlin architect Alfred MesselAlfred MesselAlfred Messel was one of the most well-known German architects at the turning point to the 20th century, creating a new style for buildings which bridged the transition from historicism to modernism...
- St. Nicholas' Church: Late Gothic church, built in 1326, burnt down in 1498, rebuilt in 1501
- Town wall, can still be seen in Wallstraße
- Wall towers along the town wall (Oberturm, Unterturm, Marktturm – the latter is accessible, key in the restaurant opposite)
- Swimming baths, built 1907-08
- Teufelsmauer (Harz)Teufelsmauer (Harz)The Teufelsmauer is a rock formation made of hard sandstones of the Upper Cretaceous in the northern part of the Harz Foreland in central Germany. This wall of rock runs from Blankenburg via Weddersleben and Rieder to Ballenstedt. The most prominent individual rocks of the Teufelsmauer have their...
- GegensteineGegensteineThe Gegensteine are crags near the town of Ballenstedt on the northern edge of the Harz Mountains in Germany. There are two: the Großer Gegenstein and Kleiner Gegenstein . They are striking, free-standing rock pinnacles and outliers of the Teufelsmauer...
nature reserve - Bismarck TowerBismarck Tower (Ballenstedt)The Bismarck Tower on the 268 metre high Stahlsberg above Opperode in the borough of Ballenstedt in Germany is a monument to the German chancellor, Bismarck. The tower can be used as an observation tower.- History :...
, Opperode - Roseburg (castle)
- Oberhof BallenstedtOberhof BallenstedtThe Oberhof Ballenstedt is a stately home next to the town hall in Ballenstedt in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.Today it is a schloss, but originally the Oberhof was a fortified town castle , that had been enfeoffed to the family of its builders, the lords of Stammern since its construction in...
Transportation
Ballenstedt is located at the BundesstraßeBundesstraße
Bundesstraße , abbreviated B, is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.-Germany:...
(federal highway) 185, leading to the Bundesstraße 6 and the Bundesautobahn 14
Bundesautobahn 14
is an autobahn in eastern Germany.Currently, the route comprises two disconnected sections:* The old A 241. A North-South route in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern which runs from Wismar to Schwerin....
. Train service was suspended in 2003. A small asphalt runway is about 5 km (3 mi) outside the town.
Born in Ballenstedt
- Johann ArndtJohann ArndtJohann Arndt was a German Lutheran theologian who wrote several influential books of devotional Christianity...
, theologian, born December 27, 1555, died May 11, 1621 in CelleCelleCelle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000... - Gustav StrubeGustav StrubeGustav Strube was a German-born conductor and composer. He was the founding conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 1916, and taught at the Peabody Conservatory. He wrote two operas, Ramona, which premiered in 1916, and The Captive, which premiered at the Lyric Theatre in Baltimore in...
, composer, born March 3, 1867, died February 2, 1953 in BaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore... - Princess Marie-Auguste of AnhaltPrincess Marie-Auguste of AnhaltPrincess Marie Auguste of Anhalt was the daughter of Eduard, Duke of Anhalt and his wife Princess Luise of Saxe-Altenburg.-Early life and family:...
, born June 10, 1898, died May 22, 1983 in EssenEssen- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of... - Justus PfaueJustus PfaueJustus Pfaue is a German writer and scriptwriter.-Biography:Pfaue studied law and forensic psychology. In 1965 he published his first novel, and later specialized in books on youth...
, author, born 1942
Died in Ballenstedt
- Karl Christian AgtheKarl Christian AgtheKarl Christian Agthe was a German organist and composer.Born in Hettstedt, Agthe served as court organist to Frederick Albrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg. Among his compositions are six Singspiele, a ballet, and piano sonatas. He died in Ballenstedt; a son, Albrecht Agthe, was a music...
, composer, born June 16, 1762 in HettstedtHettstedtHettstedt is a town in Mansfeld-Südharz district, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, on the Wipper.As of 1911, Hettstedt engaged in the manufacture of machinery, pianofortes, and artificial manure, and the surrounding district and villages were occupied with smelting due to the nearby mines of argentiferous...
, died November 27, 1797 - Wilhelm von KügelgenWilhelm von KügelgenWilhelm von Kügelgen was a Russian-born German painter.-External links:*...
, painter, born November 20, 1802 in Saint PetersburgSaint PetersburgSaint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, died May 25, 1867