Börger
Encyclopedia
Börger is a village and a municipality in the district Emsland
in Lower Saxony
, Germany
. Börger is part of the administrative unit of Sögel
.
(Northern Emsland
) about the birth of Christ, and it is commonly believed that the first documented mentioning of Börger was around the year AD 854. Therefore the village celebrated its 1150 years of existence in 2004.
Nevertheless it is known that people must have lived in the region of the Nordhümmling for about 4000 years because of archaeological discoveries dating to this time period. For instance, "Großsteingräber" and "Hügelgrabfelder" (Stone Tombs) can still be found in the area.
About AD 1 so called "Amsivarier" (people of the region of the Ems river called
by the Romans
) lived in the Emsland
and on the Hümmling. The Romans, acting out of revenge after losing the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
, enslaved this small tribe. Shortly afterwards, at around 50AD the Germanic tribe of the Chauken (or Chatten) took over the region. At around 400AD the Saxons
started to push into the region from the east, while the Frisians
moved in from the north. Both tribes disputed the region through the Middle Ages
, though the Saxons
are believed to have had the control. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to say that all four tribes (Saxons
, Frisians
, Amsivians and Chauken) are ancestors of modern-day residents of Börger.
. In 854AD is was potentiall mentioned for the first time; at that time it was referred to as "Burgiri" and several decades later in 879 being renamed "Burgium". In the year 1160 another document called the village "Bürgeren". Linguists translate "Burgiri" with "high birch".
There were originally 18 farms in Börger, from which the village developed. The first settlement in Börger was probably a group of farms in the middle of the village (Dorfbusk). Later a nucleated village
, Haufendorf
, developed. According to rumor, two neighbourhoods developed and persist to this day.
The people of the region never truly accepted the authority of the nobility, because settlements were difficult to travel between and often subject to pillages. Several revolts erupted due to the protest of imposed taxes and the lack of protection against pillaging neighbouring regions of the Dutch
, Frisians
and Stedinger
.
In 1266 the people of the Hümmling tried to achieve protection by subordinating themselves to the Frisians
. This resulted in failure; revolts occurred in 1340 and 1449.
In 1394, the region was subjected to another law. In this document the farmers of the North Hümmling subordinated themselves to the bishop of Münster when he gained power over Cloppenburg. According to the law, the bishop must provide protection from the pillaging of the settlements by other kings as well as roving gangs.
, in 1647 Wahn, Lorup and six other villages at the Ems were burned down by pillaging soldiers. The population of Börger went into hiding in the swamps. It is being handed down that a inhabitant of Börger (Albert Dillen) was abducted and released after promising not to pillage the village by paying a ransom.
After the war, the Plague
struck several times and especially in 1666. The population of Hümmling was devastated. The plague occurred in intervals since the 14th century and also hit Börger.
existed since before the year 1500: Bernhard Holtmann mentions the year 1490. The church was dedicated to the holy Joist (Jodokus). Its own religious district was granted in 1573; previously, it was a member of the district of Sögel.
In 1543 the Reformation
arrived at the Hümmling. After a while the people of the Hümmling followed this movement and at this time Börger had a Protestant preacher, a former farmer and soldier. At around 1600 the entire Hümmling was protestant. In 1614 several farmers returned to the Catholic Church. In 1633 the Swedish
entered the area and began persecuting the Catholic population. In 1659 it was declared that Börger would become Catholic again.
Börger could not sustain its own priest until 1652 because there was little or no surplus of food. The first priest was Matthäus Bödeker, who preached from 1652 to about 1658. The old church (Eschkirche) and the cemetery in Börger were expanded several times. In 1804, a major increase was necessary due to an increase of the population of the village. In 1890 the church was torn down because the new major St. Jodokus church was inaugurated in the centre of the village.
) Most of the region is sand and swamp, which is unusable for farming without fertilizer. The population of the region barely survived on crops grown in suitable regions, as well as cattle. Many citizens became beekeepers
as well.
Still, the population was poor: There were many years of starvation, especially between 1840 and 1880. The poorest farmers, as well as hired help, were hit the hardest. Because of this, many residents moved to the Netherlands during the spring as peat
diggers and mowers, until the crops were ready at home. The situation was still dire, and many decided to move across the Atlantic
to the United States
for a better life.
After ten years of free use the settlers had to pay high tributes to the nobility, the duchy of Arenberg
, but also to the municipal of Börger. In the following years many settlers of the new villages had to sell their plots.
Although new villages were formed in the region in 1830, it still lost population because America seemed to be a more appealing place to live. With end of the feudal system in 1887 and the distribution of ownership of land to the small farmers, the economy began to improve. Following the example of the Netherlands
, the northern part of Börger the cutting of peat
became an integral part of the economy.
In 1879, farmers settled in the forest, establishing the village of "Börgerwald". In this year the population of Börger increased; this was the blooming time of artisanship. From 1930 to 1940 new settlements were established in Börgermoor. Börgerwald and Börgermoor are currently joined to form Surwold
, with a population of approximately 5000 inhabitants. In 2004, Börger had about 3000 inhabitants, Neubörger about 1600 and Breddenberg nearly 1000. Börgermoor acquired worldwide prominence as the location of one of the first Nazi concentration camps, where the famous song of the Peat Bog Soldiers
originated.
Emsland
Landkreis Emsland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany named after the river Ems. It is bounded by the districts of Leer, Cloppenburg and Osnabrück, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia , the district of Bentheim and the Netherlands .- History :For a long time the region of the Emsland was...
in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, 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...
. Börger is part of the administrative unit of Sögel
Sögel
Samtgemeinde Sögel is a Samtgemeinde in the district Emsland in Lower Saxony, Germany.The following towns are situated in Sögel:...
.
Early history
An exact age of the village cannot be given. Northern European Germanic tribes may have settled in the area of the Northern HümmlingHümmling
Hümmling district existed 1815 to 1932 and was a district in nowaday's western Lower Saxony, Germany.It was named after Hümmling hills, a ground moraine landscape in Emsland region- History :...
(Northern Emsland
Emsland
Landkreis Emsland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany named after the river Ems. It is bounded by the districts of Leer, Cloppenburg and Osnabrück, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia , the district of Bentheim and the Netherlands .- History :For a long time the region of the Emsland was...
) about the birth of Christ, and it is commonly believed that the first documented mentioning of Börger was around the year AD 854. Therefore the village celebrated its 1150 years of existence in 2004.
Nevertheless it is known that people must have lived in the region of the Nordhümmling for about 4000 years because of archaeological discoveries dating to this time period. For instance, "Großsteingräber" and "Hügelgrabfelder" (Stone Tombs) can still be found in the area.
About AD 1 so called "Amsivarier" (people of the region of the Ems river called
by the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
) lived in the Emsland
Emsland
Landkreis Emsland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany named after the river Ems. It is bounded by the districts of Leer, Cloppenburg and Osnabrück, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia , the district of Bentheim and the Netherlands .- History :For a long time the region of the Emsland was...
and on the Hümmling. The Romans, acting out of revenge after losing the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest took place in 9 CE, when an alliance of Germanic tribes led by Arminius of the Cherusci ambushed and decisively destroyed three Roman legions, along with their auxiliaries, led by Publius Quinctilius Varus.Despite numerous successful campaigns and raids by the...
, enslaved this small tribe. Shortly afterwards, at around 50AD the Germanic tribe of the Chauken (or Chatten) took over the region. At around 400AD the Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
started to push into the region from the east, while the Frisians
Frisians
The Frisians are a Germanic ethnic group native to the coastal parts of the Netherlands and Germany. They are concentrated in the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen and, in Germany, East Frisia and North Frisia, that was a part of Denmark until 1864. They inhabit an area known as Frisia...
moved in from the north. Both tribes disputed the region through the Middle Ages
Middle 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...
, though the Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
are believed to have had the control. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to say that all four tribes (Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
, Frisians
Frisians
The Frisians are a Germanic ethnic group native to the coastal parts of the Netherlands and Germany. They are concentrated in the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen and, in Germany, East Frisia and North Frisia, that was a part of Denmark until 1864. They inhabit an area known as Frisia...
, Amsivians and Chauken) are ancestors of modern-day residents of Börger.
Foundation of the village
Börger is believed to have originated with Kaiser Karl the GreatCharlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
. In 854AD is was potentiall mentioned for the first time; at that time it was referred to as "Burgiri" and several decades later in 879 being renamed "Burgium". In the year 1160 another document called the village "Bürgeren". Linguists translate "Burgiri" with "high birch".
There were originally 18 farms in Börger, from which the village developed. The first settlement in Börger was probably a group of farms in the middle of the village (Dorfbusk). Later a nucleated village
Nucleated village
A nucleated village is one of the main types of settlement pattern found in England and other parts of the world. It is one of the terms used by landscape historians to classify settlements. An idealised village, in which the houses cluster around a central church which is often close to the...
, Haufendorf
Haufendorf
A Haufendorf is an enclosed village with irregular plots of land and farms of greatly differing scale, usually surrounded by a stockade fence . They are typically found in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, whence the name. Haufendörfer differ from most other types of village in that they are...
, developed. According to rumor, two neighbourhoods developed and persist to this day.
Farmers of the Hümmling
Contrary to other riverside areas of the Middle Ages, the Hümmling was very scarcely populated and forested. Most of the population held cattle and farmed the fields.The people of the region never truly accepted the authority of the nobility, because settlements were difficult to travel between and often subject to pillages. Several revolts erupted due to the protest of imposed taxes and the lack of protection against pillaging neighbouring regions of the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Frisians
Frisians
The Frisians are a Germanic ethnic group native to the coastal parts of the Netherlands and Germany. They are concentrated in the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen and, in Germany, East Frisia and North Frisia, that was a part of Denmark until 1864. They inhabit an area known as Frisia...
and Stedinger
Stedingen
Stedingen is an area north of Bremen in the delta of the Weser river in north-western Germany.-Founding:In the year 1106, five Dutchmen made a long journey from the mouth of the Rhine to Bremen. They wanted to talk to the Archbishop of Bremen about taking over settling land on the Weser River,...
.
In 1266 the people of the Hümmling tried to achieve protection by subordinating themselves to the Frisians
Frisians
The Frisians are a Germanic ethnic group native to the coastal parts of the Netherlands and Germany. They are concentrated in the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen and, in Germany, East Frisia and North Frisia, that was a part of Denmark until 1864. They inhabit an area known as Frisia...
. This resulted in failure; revolts occurred in 1340 and 1449.
In 1394, the region was subjected to another law. In this document the farmers of the North Hümmling subordinated themselves to the bishop of Münster when he gained power over Cloppenburg. According to the law, the bishop must provide protection from the pillaging of the settlements by other kings as well as roving gangs.
Wars and the Plague
During the Thirty Years' WarThirty 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....
, in 1647 Wahn, Lorup and six other villages at the Ems were burned down by pillaging soldiers. The population of Börger went into hiding in the swamps. It is being handed down that a inhabitant of Börger (Albert Dillen) was abducted and released after promising not to pillage the village by paying a ransom.
After the war, the Plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
struck several times and especially in 1666. The population of Hümmling was devastated. The plague occurred in intervals since the 14th century and also hit Börger.
The Church of Börger
The church tower in Börger was first mentioned in 1523, when the chapel was renovated. Therefore it may be concluded that a church tower or chapelChapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
existed since before the year 1500: Bernhard Holtmann mentions the year 1490. The church was dedicated to the holy Joist (Jodokus). Its own religious district was granted in 1573; previously, it was a member of the district of Sögel.
In 1543 the 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...
arrived at the Hümmling. After a while the people of the Hümmling followed this movement and at this time Börger had a Protestant preacher, a former farmer and soldier. At around 1600 the entire Hümmling was protestant. In 1614 several farmers returned to the Catholic Church. In 1633 the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
entered the area and began persecuting the Catholic population. In 1659 it was declared that Börger would become Catholic again.
Börger could not sustain its own priest until 1652 because there was little or no surplus of food. The first priest was Matthäus Bödeker, who preached from 1652 to about 1658. The old church (Eschkirche) and the cemetery in Börger were expanded several times. In 1804, a major increase was necessary due to an increase of the population of the village. In 1890 the church was torn down because the new major St. Jodokus church was inaugurated in the centre of the village.
Life of the general population
The region of Börger used to be 130 square kilometres in size before the daughter communities of Neubörger and Breddenberg formed. (The biggest community in the Kingdom of HanoverKingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
) Most of the region is sand and swamp, which is unusable for farming without fertilizer. The population of the region barely survived on crops grown in suitable regions, as well as cattle. Many citizens became beekeepers
Beekeeping
Beekeeping is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. A beekeeper keeps bees in order to collect honey and other products of the hive , to pollinate crops, or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers...
as well.
Still, the population was poor: There were many years of starvation, especially between 1840 and 1880. The poorest farmers, as well as hired help, were hit the hardest. Because of this, many residents moved to the Netherlands during the spring as peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
diggers and mowers, until the crops were ready at home. The situation was still dire, and many decided to move across the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for a better life.
Towns in the Börger Region
In the year 1788 two more villages were founded about 6 km northeast and northwest of the village. New farmers (Neubauern) and small farmers from Börger settled there. Out of these settlements the villages "Neubörger" and "Breddenberg" developed.After ten years of free use the settlers had to pay high tributes to the nobility, the duchy of Arenberg
Arenberg
Arenberg, also spelled as Aremberg or Ahremberg, is a historic county, principality and finally duchy located in modern Germany. The Dukes of Arenberg remain a prominent Belgian aristocratic family.- History :...
, but also to the municipal of Börger. In the following years many settlers of the new villages had to sell their plots.
Although new villages were formed in the region in 1830, it still lost population because America seemed to be a more appealing place to live. With end of the feudal system in 1887 and the distribution of ownership of land to the small farmers, the economy began to improve. Following the example of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the northern part of Börger the cutting of peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
became an integral part of the economy.
In 1879, farmers settled in the forest, establishing the village of "Börgerwald". In this year the population of Börger increased; this was the blooming time of artisanship. From 1930 to 1940 new settlements were established in Börgermoor. Börgerwald and Börgermoor are currently joined to form Surwold
Surwold
Surwold is a municipality in the Emsland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
, with a population of approximately 5000 inhabitants. In 2004, Börger had about 3000 inhabitants, Neubörger about 1600 and Breddenberg nearly 1000. Börgermoor acquired worldwide prominence as the location of one of the first Nazi concentration camps, where the famous song of the Peat Bog Soldiers
Peat Bog Soldiers (song)
Peat Bog Soldiers is one of Europe's best-known protest songs. It exists in countless European languages and became a Republican anthem during the Spanish Civil War. It was a symbol of resistance during the Second World War and is popular with the Peace movement today...
originated.