Kirchhain
Encyclopedia
Kirchhain is a town in Marburg-Biedenkopf district in Hesse, Germany
.
on the rivers Ohm
and Wohra.
, in the east on the town of Stadtallendorf
, in the south on the town of Amöneburg
and the community of Cölbe
(all Marburg-Biedenkopf
communities).
(5th century BC). The first territorial development however began only in the 12th century; in 1146 the settlement was first mentioned in a document under the name "Werphloh". The region belonged at that time to the landgravates of Thuringia
and Hesse
, whereas the neighbouring Amöneburg
and vast parts of the surrounding lands belonged to the Archbishops of Mainz
. Time and again, the Hessians and Mainzers came to blows over who had ascendancy over these lands. As of the 13th century, the landgrave
s of Hesse further upgraded Kirchhain as a Hessian bulwark against Mainz's centre of Amöneburg so that they could control the region. Kirchhain then developed into the economic centre of the Amöneburg Basin. Kirchhain was presumably given town rights before 1348, but without any earlier documentary proof, the year 1352 has come to be seen as the official year of the town's founding.
From the 15th century, the important Lange Hessen and Cologne
-Leipzig
trade roads made of Kirchhain a road hub and thereby spurred on the town's further economic development. Its good traffic connections, however, led to Kirchhain's being occupied a few times during the Thirty Years' War
, becoming for a time the headquarters of various armies, and thereby having to suffer as troops were billeted in the town. In 1636, about 12,000 to 14,000 soldiers were being housed in and around the town. For the 1,000 or so townsfolk at that time, this was a tremendous burden.
Kirchhain likewise had to put up with such troubles in the Seven Years' War
as its good traffic connections once again led troops to the town.
From 1821 on, Kirchhain was the district seat (Kreisstadt) of the newly created Kirchhain administrative district, until this was combined with the Marburg district in 1932.
, Brittany, France (since 1966) Doberlug-Kirchhain
, Brandenburg (since 1989)
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...
.
Geography
Kirchhain is located in the heart of the state of Hesse in Marburg-Biedenkopf County. Geographically, it is surrounded by the Amöneburg Basin on the southeast edge of the Burgwald (a low mountain range) about 15 km east of MarburgMarburg
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 :...
on the rivers Ohm
Ohm River
The Ohm, the right tributary of the Lahn, is a river in Hesse, Germany, Its total length is 59 km. The Ohm originates in the Vogelsberg Mountains, east of the town Ulrichstein. It flows generally northwest through Ulrichstein, Mücke, Homberg , Amöneburg, and Kirchhain. The Ohm joins the Lahn...
and Wohra.
Neighbouring communities
In the north, Kirchhain borders on the town of RauschenbergRauschenberg, Hesse
-Location:Rauschenberg lies at the southern edge of the Burgwald, a low mountain range, near Marburg and Kirchhain.-Neighbouring communities:Rauschenberg borders in the north on the town of Rosenthal as well as on the communities of Wohratal and Gilserberg , in the east on the town of...
, in the east on the town of Stadtallendorf
Stadtallendorf
Stadtallendorf is a town in Marburg-Biedenkopf, Hesse, Germany, which lies about east of Marburg.- Location :Under the German system of Naturräume, Stadtallendorf lies in the West Hesse Depression Zone which is divided into basins and ridges...
, in the south on the town of Amöneburg
Amöneburg
Amöneburg is a town in the Marburg-Biedenkopf district in Hesse, Germany. It lies on a mountain and is built around the castle of the same name, Burg Amöneburg.- Location :...
and the community of Cölbe
Cölbe
Cölbe is a community in Marburg-Biedenkopf district in Hesse, Germany.- Location :Cölbe's municipal area lies on the southern edge of the Burgwald, a low mountain range and part of the Hessisches Bergland , and borders directly on the university city of Marburg to the south...
(all Marburg-Biedenkopf
Marburg-Biedenkopf
Marburg-Biedenkopf is a Kreis in the west of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Waldeck-Frankenberg, Schwalm-Eder, Vogelsbergkreis, Gießen, Lahn-Dill, Siegen-Wittgenstein.- History :...
communities).
Town divisions
Besides the main centre of Kirchhain with about 8,300 inhabitants, 12 further constituent communities share another 8,900 people:
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History
In prehistoric times a network of long-distance and connecting trails crossed back and forth over the area where the town of Kirchhain was later to be founded. Since the early New Stone Age, there is evidence of almost continuous settlement in the area through various epochs. The high point of the expansion of settlement was in the early Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
(5th century BC). The first territorial development however began only in the 12th century; in 1146 the settlement was first mentioned in a document under the name "Werphloh". The region belonged at that time to the landgravates of Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
and Hesse
Landgraviate of Hesse
The Landgraviate of Hesse was a Landgraviate of the Holy Roman Empire. It existed as a unity from 1264 to 1567, when it was divided between the sons of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse.-History:...
, whereas the neighbouring Amöneburg
Amöneburg
Amöneburg is a town in the Marburg-Biedenkopf district in Hesse, Germany. It lies on a mountain and is built around the castle of the same name, Burg Amöneburg.- Location :...
and vast parts of the surrounding lands belonged to the Archbishops of Mainz
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
. Time and again, the Hessians and Mainzers came to blows over who had ascendancy over these lands. As of the 13th century, the landgrave
Landgrave
Landgrave was a title used in the Holy Roman Empire and later on by its former territories. The title refers to a count who had feudal duty directly to the Holy Roman Emperor...
s of Hesse further upgraded Kirchhain as a Hessian bulwark against Mainz's centre of Amöneburg so that they could control the region. Kirchhain then developed into the economic centre of the Amöneburg Basin. Kirchhain was presumably given town rights before 1348, but without any earlier documentary proof, the year 1352 has come to be seen as the official year of the town's founding.
From the 15th century, the important Lange Hessen and Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
-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...
trade roads made of Kirchhain a road hub and thereby spurred on the town's further economic development. Its good traffic connections, however, led to Kirchhain's being occupied a few times 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....
, becoming for a time the headquarters of various armies, and thereby having to suffer as troops were billeted in the town. In 1636, about 12,000 to 14,000 soldiers were being housed in and around the town. For the 1,000 or so townsfolk at that time, this was a tremendous burden.
Kirchhain likewise had to put up with such troubles in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
as its good traffic connections once again led troops to the town.
From 1821 on, Kirchhain was the district seat (Kreisstadt) of the newly created Kirchhain administrative district, until this was combined with the Marburg district in 1932.
Town council
As of municipal elections held on 26 March 2006, seats on town council are apportioned thus:| 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... |
15 seats |
| SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
15 seats |
| 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... |
4 seats |
| 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... |
2 seats |
| UWG (citizens' coalition) | 1 seat |
Town partnerships
PlomelinPlomelin
Plomelin is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.It lies near the Odet river, about southwest of Quimper.-International relations:Plomelin is twinned with the village of Crymych in Wales....
, Brittany, France (since 1966) Doberlug-Kirchhain
Doberlug-Kirchhain
Doberlug-Kirchhain is a town in the district of Elbe-Elster, Brandenburg, Germany. -History:937. The town of Kirchhain was built by Margrave Gero. A document written in 1005 mentions the town Doberlug for the first time. In 1165 the Cistercian Dobrilugk Abbey was founded by Margrave Dietrich of...
, Brandenburg (since 1989)
Buildings
- Town Hall (Rathaus), the town's landmark, built about 1450 with timber framingTimber framingTimber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
. - The Haus „Zum blauen Löwen“, built 1612, birth house of the poet Eberhard Werner HappelEberhard Werner HappelEberhard Werner Happel was a German author, novelist, journalist and polymath.Happel wrote both fiction and nonfiction...
- Evangelische Stadtkirche St. Michael, a 15th century church
Sons and daughters of the town
- Eberhard Werner HappelEberhard Werner HappelEberhard Werner Happel was a German author, novelist, journalist and polymath.Happel wrote both fiction and nonfiction...
(1657–1690), Poet - Leo StraussLeo StraussLeo Strauss was a political philosopher and classicist who specialized in classical political philosophy. He was born in Germany to Jewish parents and later emigrated to the United States...
(1899–1973), Philosopher - Wilhelm Noll (1926- ), Motorcycle-sidecar world champion