Brakel, Germany
Encyclopedia
Brakel is a town in the district of Höxter
in North Rhine-Westphalia
, Germany
.
and the Weser in the Oberwälder Land
nature area in the old Saxon region of Nethegau.
by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff
. Bellersen is home to 704 inhabitants.
, Clemens von Brentano
and Josef Görres
. It is known today for its open-air stage. Bökendorf has 852 inhabitants.
Abbey founded in 1142 had great influence and several landholdings in the Warburger Land. Gehrden was amalgamated into the greater community of Brakel after the old Warburg district was dissolved in 1975. Until then, Gehrden had belonged to the Amt
of Dringenberg-Gehrden. The Romanesque monastery church has Westphalia
's greatest peal of bells. In the Klosterpark ("Monastery Park") is Germany's third oldest linden
tree, the Zwölfapostel Linde ("Twelve Apostles Linden"), which was planted by the Benedictines shortly after the monastery was founded. There are 961 inhabitants in Gehrden.
rich in tradition. The very tasty golden pilsener brewed here is very famous and is consumed by the locals at the several "Schützenfeste" in this region. Some say that Rhederpils is one of the best beers all over Germany, probably even the world.
Population figures are as at 31 December 2003.
. In the 14th century, this Hanseatic town was at the height of its boom, bearing the same rank as Paderborn
and Warburg
, bearing witness to which was the town's having its own court and market rights. The general situation worsened in the 15th century. In the outer regions, the Brede Monastery was founded.
The Thirty Years' War
also left traces in Brakel. In 1803, Prussia
took over the town and appointed Brakel a district seat. After a brief period of French
rule in Napoleonic times, the district seat had to be yielded permanently to Höxter
in 1832.
On 1 January 1970, the formerly independent communities of Beller, Bellersen, Bökendorf, Erkeln, Hembsen, Hinnenburg, Istrup, Rheder, Riesel and Schmechten merged with the town.
As part of the 5 November 1974 state law aimed at municipal reform, Höxter district and the old district of Warburg were amalgamated. The formerly independent communities of Auenhausen, Frohnhausen, Hampenhausen and Siddessen, along with the town of Gehrden were made parts of Brakel.
There was talk at the time of making Brakel the new district seat, its central location being seen as a point in its favour. However, any ambition that Brakel had to become the new district's capital was never realized, as Höxter kept the district seat.
Between 1966 and 1995, Brakel was a garrison town, hosting the 43rd Artillery Battalion from Belgium
.
The town's development strong points today are as follows:
. From the first written reference to "villa brechal" in 836 (in connection with transferring Saint Vitus's bones from Saint Denis, France
, to Corvey) through to the 12th century, when it was the seat of the Lords of Brakel, the town found itself centrally located by virtue of two old commercial roads that crossed here. Moreover, the topography made expansion possible in the Early Middle Ages.
Long-distance traders thereby had a decisive share in Brakel's development, being as they were part of the leading class in many Westphalian towns. The Hellweglinie, a mediaeval commercial road network that ran through Brakel, was the basis for long-distance trade.
As a principal town of the Hanseatic city of Paderborn, Brakel became a member of the Hanseatic League, putting Brakel in early contact with Hanseatic trade. Particularly in the 13th and 14th centuries, Brakel developed itself by fostering long-distance trade activities as far away as the Baltic Sea
coast. Bearing witness to these Hanseatic activities are Brakel coins showing up in Baltic Sea towns at the time (15th century).
On 25 June 1983, representatives from 20 former Hanseatic towns, in an initiative arising from the towns' common history, founded the Wesphalian Hanseatic League (Westfälischer Hansebund), with Brakel as one of the founding members. The number of members has since risen to 40. The League's goals are, among others, to foster Wesphalian Hanseatic towns' self-awareness, to contribute to their self-presentation and to emphasize commonalities among these Hanseatic towns. Already, since 1984, it has become traditional to hold a yearly Westphalian Hansetag (Hanseatic assembly). The Hansetage are made attractive and informative to visitors with interesting cultural, touristic and sporting events (parades, farmers', craftsmen's and merchants market, theatre, evening events)
Note: CWG is a citizens' coalition.
might heraldically be described thus: In gules two pointed-roofed towers argent joined at the tops by a decorative gable argent, beneath the gable and between the towers an inescutcheon, in which, in vert three pallets argent across which a raised fess gules, therein three orbs Or.
The inescutcheon – the smaller shield within the bigger one – which already appeared on Brakel's coins in 1227, is the arms of the Lords of Brakel, who were the town's overlords until their male line died out in 1268. On the south side of the Town Hall is found an armorial stone, believed to be from the 16th century, that only shows the Lords' arms. Even written records from Paderborn in the 18th century contain only this inner shield as Brakel's coat of arms. From the late 13th century, the town of Brakel used a seal whose composition matches the blazon given above. A seal stamp used beginning in 1316 is still kept in the town archive today. When the coat of arms was newly adopted in 1907, the town chose to have the 1316 seal stamp composition in its arms. The colours seen in the inescutcheon are simply the town's colours, as the old Lords' armorial colours are unknown. In this form, the coat of arms was given Royal approval on 18 March 1908.
The town's banner
is striped green and white lengthwise with the coat of arms in the middle of the upper half. Written above the coat of arms is "Stadt", and underneath "Brakel" ("Stadt Brakel" means "Town of Brakel")
The town's flag
is striped green and white lengthwise with the coat of arms in the middle, but towards the hoist.
-Paderborn
-Brakel-Seesen
-Halle
-Leipzig
) and B 252 (Blomberg
-Brakel-Korbach
-Marburg
).
The town also lies on the Paderborn
-Holzminden
-Braunschweig
railway line, and has a station. The station is served by, among others, hourly trains from the "Egge-Bahn" (Paderborn - Holzminden
), run by the NordWestBahn belonging to Connex
.
in Brakel is the biggest church fair in the Weserbergland
, held every year on the weekend of the first Sunday in August.
, Belgium
Zirkow
, Germany
Höxter (district)
Höxter is a Kreis in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Holzminden, Northeim, Kassel, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Hochsauerland, Paderborn, and Lippe.-History:...
in 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...
, 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
Brakel lies at the midpoint of the district of Höxter between the EggegebirgeEggegebirge
The Eggegebirge is a range of low, forested mountains in the very east of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.-Geography:The Eggegebirge extends from the southern tip of the Teutoburger Wald range near Horn-Bad Meinberg southwards to the northern parts of the Sauerland near Marsberg...
and the Weser in the Oberwälder Land
Oberwälder Land
The Oberwälder Land is a natural region in the extreme east of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia with small elements parts in Hesse and Lower Saxony...
nature area in the old Saxon region of Nethegau.
Heggedörfer
Auenhausen (population 130), Frohnhausen (population 309) and Hampenhausen (population 54) are Brakel's highest constituent communities, and are sometimes also known as the Heggedörfer. Between 1142 and 1147, these three villages had their first documentary mention. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Gehrden Monastery had holdings in these three villages. The Heggedörfer, along with the town of Gehrden, were amalgamated into the greater community of Brakel after the old district of Warburg was dissolved.Bellersen
Bellersen lies on the edge of the extensive woods in the Bruch Valley. Bellersen is said to be "North Rhine-Westphalia's Model Tourism Village". Bellersen has earned international fame as "Dorf B." in the JudenbucheDie Judenbuche
Die Judenbuche is a novella written by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff and first published in 1842. The beech tree becomes a significant symbol in the story....
by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff
Annette von Droste-Hülshoff
Anna Elisabeth von Droste-Hülshoff, known as Annette von Droste-Hülshoff , was a 19th century German author, and one of the most important German poets.-Biography:...
. Bellersen is home to 704 inhabitants.
Bökendorf
In 1965, this village celebrated its one-thousandth anniversary of existence. The Schloss Bökendorf (stately home) was the centre of the "Circle of Romantics" with Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, the Brothers GrimmBrothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
, Clemens von Brentano
Clemens Brentano
Clemens Brentano, or Klemens Brentano was a German poet and novelist.-Overview:He was born in Ehrenbreitstein, near Koblenz, Germany. His sister was Bettina von Arnim, Goethe's correspondent. His father's family was of Italian descent. He studied in Halle and Jena, afterwards residing at...
and Josef Görres
Johann Joseph von Görres
Johann Joseph von Görres was a German writer and journalist.-Early life:Görres was born at Koblenz. His father was moderately well off, and sent his son to a Latin college under the direction of the Roman Catholic clergy...
. It is known today for its open-air stage. Bökendorf has 852 inhabitants.
Erkeln
The village's forerunner, a group of farms, was first mentioned in the ninth century. There are 644 inhabitants in Erkeln.Gehrden
This titular town was first mentioned in 868. Idyllically set in the Oese Valley on the eastern slopes of the Eggegebirge, Gehrden is said to be a tourism destination. The BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
Abbey founded in 1142 had great influence and several landholdings in the Warburger Land. Gehrden was amalgamated into the greater community of Brakel after the old Warburg district was dissolved in 1975. Until then, Gehrden had belonged to the Amt
Amt (subnational entity)
Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only found in Germany, but formerly also common in northern European countries. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to a U.S...
of Dringenberg-Gehrden. The Romanesque monastery church has Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
's greatest peal of bells. In the Klosterpark ("Monastery Park") is Germany's third oldest linden
Tilia
Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The greatest species diversity is found in Asia, and the genus also occurs in Europe and eastern North America, but not western North America...
tree, the Zwölfapostel Linde ("Twelve Apostles Linden"), which was planted by the Benedictines shortly after the monastery was founded. There are 961 inhabitants in Gehrden.
Hembsen
Already first mentioned in the year 800, Hembsen lies in the middle of the heavily wooded heights of the Nethegau, and has 1,084 inhabitants.Rheder
Rheder has 324 inhabitants and is known for the Schlossbräuerei Rheder, a breweryBrewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
rich in tradition. The very tasty golden pilsener brewed here is very famous and is consumed by the locals at the several "Schützenfeste" in this region. Some say that Rhederpils is one of the best beers all over Germany, probably even the world.
Siddessen
Siddessen has 504 inhabitants.Population figures are as at 31 December 2003.
History
Brakel had its first documentary mention in 836 as "villa brechal" in writings by the Benedictine monks. Brakel developed itself into quite an important trading town that belonged to the Hanseatic LeagueHanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
. In the 14th century, this Hanseatic town was at the height of its boom, bearing the same rank as Paderborn
Paderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
and Warburg
Warburg
Warburg is a town in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia on the river Diemel near the three-state point shared by Hessen, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is in Höxter district and Detmold region...
, bearing witness to which was the town's having its own court and market rights. The general situation worsened in the 15th century. In the outer regions, the Brede Monastery was founded.
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....
also left traces in Brakel. In 1803, Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
took over the town and appointed Brakel a district seat. After a brief period of French
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...
rule in Napoleonic times, the district seat had to be yielded permanently to Höxter
Höxter
Höxter is the seat of the Höxter district, and a town in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia on the left bank of the river Weser, 52 km north of Kassel in the centre of the Weser Uplands...
in 1832.
On 1 January 1970, the formerly independent communities of Beller, Bellersen, Bökendorf, Erkeln, Hembsen, Hinnenburg, Istrup, Rheder, Riesel and Schmechten merged with the town.
As part of the 5 November 1974 state law aimed at municipal reform, Höxter district and the old district of Warburg were amalgamated. The formerly independent communities of Auenhausen, Frohnhausen, Hampenhausen and Siddessen, along with the town of Gehrden were made parts of Brakel.
There was talk at the time of making Brakel the new district seat, its central location being seen as a point in its favour. However, any ambition that Brakel had to become the new district's capital was never realized, as Höxter kept the district seat.
Between 1966 and 1995, Brakel was a garrison town, hosting the 43rd Artillery Battalion from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
The town's development strong points today are as follows:
- Bringing industrial concerns to town, especially in woodworking, metalworking, textile-working and plastics;
- Being named a climatic spa, and expanding tourism;
- Offering multifaceted educational opportunities, favoured by Brakel's central location.
Hanseatic League
Brakel's Hanseatic roots go back to its early history and stretch through the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. From the first written reference to "villa brechal" in 836 (in connection with transferring Saint Vitus's bones from Saint Denis, 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...
, to Corvey) through to the 12th century, when it was the seat of the Lords of Brakel, the town found itself centrally located by virtue of two old commercial roads that crossed here. Moreover, the topography made expansion possible in the Early Middle Ages.
Long-distance traders thereby had a decisive share in Brakel's development, being as they were part of the leading class in many Westphalian towns. The Hellweglinie, a mediaeval commercial road network that ran through Brakel, was the basis for long-distance trade.
As a principal town of the Hanseatic city of Paderborn, Brakel became a member of the Hanseatic League, putting Brakel in early contact with Hanseatic trade. Particularly in the 13th and 14th centuries, Brakel developed itself by fostering long-distance trade activities as far away as the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
coast. Bearing witness to these Hanseatic activities are Brakel coins showing up in Baltic Sea towns at the time (15th century).
On 25 June 1983, representatives from 20 former Hanseatic towns, in an initiative arising from the towns' common history, founded the Wesphalian Hanseatic League (Westfälischer Hansebund), with Brakel as one of the founding members. The number of members has since risen to 40. The League's goals are, among others, to foster Wesphalian Hanseatic towns' self-awareness, to contribute to their self-presentation and to emphasize commonalities among these Hanseatic towns. Already, since 1984, it has become traditional to hold a yearly Westphalian Hansetag (Hanseatic assembly). The Hansetage are made attractive and informative to visitors with interesting cultural, touristic and sporting events (parades, farmers', craftsmen's and merchants market, theatre, evening events)
Town council
Town council's 32 seats are apportioned as follows, in accordance with municipal elections held on 26 September 2004:- CDUChristian 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...
17 seats - SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
7 seats - GreensAlliance '90/The GreensAlliance '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 seats - FDPFree 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 seat - CWG 5 seats
Note: CWG is a citizens' coalition.
Coat of arms, banner and flag
Brakel's civic 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...
might heraldically be described thus: In gules two pointed-roofed towers argent joined at the tops by a decorative gable argent, beneath the gable and between the towers an inescutcheon, in which, in vert three pallets argent across which a raised fess gules, therein three orbs Or.
The inescutcheon – the smaller shield within the bigger one – which already appeared on Brakel's coins in 1227, is the arms of the Lords of Brakel, who were the town's overlords until their male line died out in 1268. On the south side of the Town Hall is found an armorial stone, believed to be from the 16th century, that only shows the Lords' arms. Even written records from Paderborn in the 18th century contain only this inner shield as Brakel's coat of arms. From the late 13th century, the town of Brakel used a seal whose composition matches the blazon given above. A seal stamp used beginning in 1316 is still kept in the town archive today. When the coat of arms was newly adopted in 1907, the town chose to have the 1316 seal stamp composition in its arms. The colours seen in the inescutcheon are simply the town's colours, as the old Lords' armorial colours are unknown. In this form, the coat of arms was given Royal approval on 18 March 1908.
The town's banner
Banner
A banner is a flag or other piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or other message. Banner-making is an ancient craft.The word derives from late Latin bandum, a cloth out of which a flag is made...
is striped green and white lengthwise with the coat of arms in the middle of the upper half. Written above the coat of arms is "Stadt", and underneath "Brakel" ("Stadt Brakel" means "Town of Brakel")
The town's 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...
is striped green and white lengthwise with the coat of arms in the middle, but towards the hoist.
Transportarion
Brakel lies at the crossroads of Federal Highways (Bundesstraßen) B 64 (MünsterMünster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
-Paderborn
Paderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
-Brakel-Seesen
Seesen
Seesen is a town and municipality in the district of Goslar, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the northwestern edge of the Harz mountain range, approx...
-Halle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
-Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
) and B 252 (Blomberg
Blomberg
Blomberg is a town in the Lippe district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with c. 17,000 inhabitants.-External links:*...
-Brakel-Korbach
Korbach
Korbach is the district seat of Waldeck-Frankenberg in northern Hesse, Germany. It is over a thousand years old and a former Hanseatic town. It is located on the German Framework Road.- Geography and geology :...
-Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
).
The town also lies on the Paderborn
Paderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
-Holzminden
Holzminden
Holzminden is a town in southern Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Holzminden. It is located directly on the river Weser, which here is the border to North Rhine-Westphalia.-History:...
-Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
railway line, and has a station. The station is served by, among others, hourly trains from the "Egge-Bahn" (Paderborn - Holzminden
Holzminden
Holzminden is a town in southern Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Holzminden. It is located directly on the river Weser, which here is the border to North Rhine-Westphalia.-History:...
), run by the NordWestBahn belonging to Connex
Veolia Verkehr
Veolia Verkehr GmbH is a private operator of passenger buses and trains in Germany. On April 3, 2006, Connex Verkehr GmbH was renamed Veolia Verkehr GmbH, but the sister companies kept their current names....
.
Education
- Städtisches Petrus-Legge GymnasiumGymnasium (school)A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
- FachhochschuleFachhochschuleA Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
für Finanzen, Brakel branch - Adolph KolpingAdolph KolpingAdolph Kolping was a German Catholic priest.-Life:Kolping grew up as the son of a shepherd. At the age of 18 he went to Cologne as a shoemaker’s assistant. He was shocked by the living conditions of most people living there, which influenced his decision to become a priest...
Berufsbildungswerk Brakel ("professional education works") - Gymnasium Brede (free school in Catholic sponsorship)
- Berufskolleg Brede ("professional college")
Famous people
- Jürgen Herrmann, German politician
- Claus-Dieter WollitzClaus-Dieter WollitzClaus-Dieter "Pele" Wollitz is a retired German football player and a football manager currently managing Energie Cottbus.-Personal life:...
, German footballFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and trainer - Michael Wollitz, German football player
- Petrus Legge, former Bishop of Meissen
- Johann Georg Rudolphi, important BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
painter - Solomon BiboSolomon BiboSolomon Bibo was a Jewish trader in the American Old West who became governor of Acoma Pueblo, equivalent of the tribal chief. He was the only non-Indian ever to serve as a governor of an Indian Pueblo.-Early life:...
Jewish/Native Indian leader
Annentag
The AnnentagAnnafest
The Annafest is a Franconian folk festival held yearly about 26 July in the Kellerwald – not to be confused with the Kellerwald in Hesse - in the town of Forchheim...
in Brakel is the biggest church fair in the Weserbergland
Weserbergland
The Weser Uplands is a hill region in Germany The Weser Uplands (German: Weserbergland) is a hill region (Bergland = uplands, hills or hill region) in Germany The Weser Uplands (German: Weserbergland) is a hill region (Bergland = uplands, hills or hill region) in Germany (Lower Saxony, Hesse,...
, held every year on the weekend of the first Sunday in August.
Town partnerships
Brakel maintains partnership links with the following places: WetterenWetteren
Wetteren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Massemen, Westrem and Wetteren proper. On January 1, 2006 Wetteren had a total population of 23,209. The total area is 36.68 km² which gives a population density of 633 inhabitants...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Zirkow
Zirkow
Zirkow is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.-External links:*...
, 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...
External links
- Brakel
- Bellersen
- Bökendorf
- Bökendorf outdoor stage
- Hembsen
- Erkeln
- Gehrden
- Hembsen
- Istrup
- Riesel
- Brakel in the Kulturatlas Westfalen
- Modern-day Hanse
- Brakel trade federation
- Städtisches Petrus-Legge Gymnasium
- Fachhochschule für Finanzen, Außenstelle Brakel
- Fachschule für Sozialpädagogik
- Adolph Kolping Berufsbildungswerk Brakel
- Gymnasium Brede
- Berufskolleg Brede