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Menden (Sauerland)
Encyclopedia
Märkischer Kreis
The Märkischer Kreis is a district in central North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighbouring districts are Unna, Soest, Hochsauerland, Olpe, Oberbergischer Kreis, Ennepe-Ruhr, and the city of Hagen.-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...
. It is located at the north end of the Sauerland
Sauerland
The Sauerland is a rural, hilly area spreading across most of the south-eastern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, in parts heavily forested and, apart from the major valleys, sparsely inhabited...
near the Ruhr river.
History
Menden's first churches were built in the 9th century. From 1180 on the area around Menden was part of the CologneCologne
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...
region, however, as it was on the border with the County of Mark, it was often fought over. In 1276, it received city rights. Industrialization started early: in 1695 needle production was the first industry, later followed by limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
products like cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
. In 1816 Menden was included within 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...
, after being part of 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...
for 13 years. In 1975 the city was merged with several previously independent municipalities, thus it grew in area as well as population.
Points of interest
The Hönnetal, a narrow valley with some beautiful cliffs carved into the limestone bedrock by the river HönneHönne
The Hönne is a left tributary river to the Ruhr, flowing through the northern Sauerland hills in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The spring of the Hönne is located in the west of Neuenrade at 437m above sea level. After 33 km the river ends near the town of Fröndenberg...
.
Secondary schools
Besides four hauptschulen, two realschulen, there are three grammar schools:- Heilig-Geist-GymnasiumHeilig-Geist-GymnasiumHeilig-Geist-Gymnasium is the name of at least three secondary schools in Germany, in Dormagen, in Menden, and in Broich in Würselen. They were formerly for boys only.-External links:*http://www.norbert-gymnasium.de*http://hgg-broich.de/homepage/...
, till 1977 only for boys - WalburgisgymnasiumWalburgisgymnasiumThe Walburgisgymnasium is a private secondary school and located in Menden , Germany, with 1,200 pupils and 78 teachers. The order is based in Bestwig.-Teacher:*Director: Sr. Maria Thoma Dikow SMMP**Dr. Udo Volkmann...
- Walramgymnasium
Culture
The theatre, managed by the city government, is the "Theater am Ziegelbrand" (TAZ). The director is Volker Fleige.Music
A festival is Menden à la carte. It is organized by the Initiativkreis Mendener Wirtschaft.Personalities
- DendemannDendemannDaniel Ebel, better known as Dendemann is a German rapper from Menden. He is known for his rough voice and his witty, wordplay-filled lyrics in which he mostly tells stories from everyday life.-Biography:...
, singer - Uli Borowka, footballer
- Augustin HenninghausAugustin HenninghausAugustin Henninghaus SVD was a German Roman Catholic missionary and bishop in China-Life:...
, missionary and bishop - Violetta Körner, actor
- Wolfram KuschkeWolfram KuschkeWolfram Kuschke is a politician. He is a member of the parliament in North Rhine-Westphalia for SPD.-Political career:...
, politician - Angelika Nützsche, actor and singer
- Mile Prerad, sculpturer
- Laura Narjes, Dancer and Greek TV host of Greek and German descent
Twin towns
Aire-sur-la-LysAire-sur-la-Lys
Aire-sur-la-Lys is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.-Geography:The commune is located 10 miles southeast of Saint-Omer, at the junction of the N43 with several departmental roads, by the banks of the Lys and the Laquette rivers.-History:Aire-sur-la-Lys is mentioned for...
, 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 1965 Ardres
Ardres
Ardres is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.Population : 4,198 inhabitants for the commune and 17,610 inhabitants for the canton.-Geography:...
, 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 1974/1975 Braine-l'Alleud
Braine-l'Alleud
Braine-l'Alleud is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant, about 20 kilometers south of Brussels. The Braine-l'Alleud municipality includes the former municipalities of Braine-l'Alleud proper, Ophain-Bois-Seigneur-Isaac, and Lillois-Witterzée. It also includes...
, 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...
, since 1978 Chalkida, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Delyn, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Eisenberg
Eisenberg
-In Germany:*Eisenberg, Thuringia, a town in the Saale-Holzland district, Thuringia.*Eisenberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, a town in the Donnersbergkreis, Rhineland-Palatinate.*Eisenberg, Bavaria, a municipality in the district of Ostallgäu in Bavaria.-In Austria:...
, 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...
Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, since 1980 Lestrem
Lestrem
Lestrem is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A small farming and light industrial town, situated some north of Béthune and west of Lille, on the D122, D178 and D975 roads, by the banks of the Lawe River.-History:The town was all but...
, 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 1971 Locon
Locon
Locon is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Locon is situated some north of Béthune and west of Lille, at the junction of the D945 and D178 road. The river Lawe flows through the eastern side of the commune.-Population:-Places of...
, 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 1964 Marœuil
Marœuil
Marœuil is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Marœuil is a large farming and light industrial village situated northwest of Arras, at the junction of the D55, D56 and the D60E roads.-History:First recorded as Maraculum around 680, then...
, 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 1984 Plungė
Plunge
Plungė is a city in Lithuania with 23,246 inhabitants. It has a crab stick factory which exports to many countries in Europe.Before World War II, Plunge had a large Jewish population.- History :...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, since 1992/1993 Lee's Summit, Missouri
Lee's Summit, Missouri
Lee's Summit is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Cass. As of the 2010 census found the population at 91,364 making it the sixth-largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and the sixth-largest city in Missouri...
, USA