Osterholz
Encyclopedia
Osterholz is a district
(Landkreis) in Lower Saxony
, Germany
. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the districts of Wesermarsch
, Cuxhaven
, Rotenburg
and Verden
, and by the city of Bremen.
ruled the area comprising today's district. In 1648 the Prince-Archbishopric was transformed into the Duchy of Bremen, which was first ruled in personal union by the Swedish and from 1715 on by the Hanoverian Crown. In 1807 the ephemeral Kingdom of Westphalia
annexed the Duchy, before France
annexed it in 1810, there comprising a part of the département Bouches-du-Weser
. In 1813 the Duchy was restored to the Electorate of Hanover
, which - after its upgrade to the Kingdom of Hanover
in 1814 - incorporated the Duchy in a real union and the Ducal territory became part of the Stade Region, established in 1823. In 1866 the Kingdom of Hanover fell to Prussia
, forming the Province of Hanover
. The Prussian administration established districts in 1885, among them the district of Osterholz.
("dead moor"), one of the largest existing fen
s in Germany. Large marshes extend on both sides of the River Hamme
, which runs through the district from north to south to join the River Wümme. The Wümme forms the southern border and is a tributary of the Weser; the Weser forms the western border of Osterholz.
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The coat of arms displays:
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Free municipalities
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1. Hambergen
1seat of the Samtgemeinde
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Districts of Germany
The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....
(Landkreis) 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...
. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the districts of Wesermarsch
Wesermarsch
Wesermarsch is a Kreis in the northwestern part of Lower Saxony, Germany. Neighboring are the districts of Cuxhaven and Osterholz, the city of Bremen in the state of Bremen, the urban district of Delmenhorst, the district of Oldenburg and the urban district of Oldenburg, and the districts of ...
, Cuxhaven
Cuxhaven (district)
Cuxhaven is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Stade, Rotenburg, Osterholz and Wesermarsch, the city of Bremerhaven and the North Sea.- History :...
, Rotenburg
Rotenburg (district)
Rotenburg is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Stade, Harburg, Heidekreis, Verden, Osterholz and Cuxhaven.-History:...
and Verden
Verden (district)
Verden is a Kreis in the centre of Lower Saxony, Germany. Adjoining it are the districts of Osterholz, Rotenburg, Heidekreis, Nienburg and Diepholz, as well as the city of Bremen.-Geography:...
, and by the city of Bremen.
History
Originally the prince-archbishops of BremenArchbishopric of Bremen
The Archdiocese of Bremen was a historical Roman Catholic diocese and formed from 1180 to 1648 an ecclesiastical state , named Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen within the Holy Roman Empire...
ruled the area comprising today's district. In 1648 the Prince-Archbishopric was transformed into the Duchy of Bremen, which was first ruled in personal union by the Swedish and from 1715 on by the Hanoverian Crown. In 1807 the ephemeral Kingdom of Westphalia
Kingdom of Westphalia
The Kingdom of Westphalia was a new country of 2.6 million Germans that existed from 1807-1813. It included of territory in Hesse and other parts of present-day Germany. While formally independent, it was a vassal state of the First French Empire, ruled by Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte...
annexed the Duchy, before France
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
annexed it in 1810, there comprising a part of the département Bouches-du-Weser
Bouches-du-Weser
Bouches-du-Weser is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Germany. It is named after the mouth of the river Weser. It was formed in 1811, when the region was annexed by France...
. In 1813 the Duchy was restored to the Electorate of Hanover
Electorate of Hanover
The Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg was the ninth Electorate of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation...
, which - after its upgrade to the Kingdom of Hanover
Kingdom 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...
in 1814 - incorporated the Duchy in a real union and the Ducal territory became part of the Stade Region, established in 1823. In 1866 the Kingdom of Hanover fell to 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...
, forming the Province of Hanover
Province of Hanover
The Province of Hanover was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to 1946.During the Austro-Prussian War, the Kingdom of Hanover had attempted to maintain a neutral position, along with some other member states of the German Confederation...
. The Prussian administration established districts in 1885, among them the district of Osterholz.
Geography
The southern part of the district is part of the Bremen metropolitan area. In the north there is the TeufelsmoorTeufelsmoor
The Teufelsmoor is a region of bog and moorland north of Bremen, Germany. It forms a large part of the district of Osterholz, and extends into the neighbouring districts of Rotenburg .- Geography :...
("dead moor"), one of the largest existing fen
Fen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
s in Germany. Large marshes extend on both sides of the River Hamme
Hamme River
The Hamme is a 48 km long river in Germany, Lower Saxony, north-east of Bremen. Its source is north of Osterholz-Scharmbeck. It flows through the moors north-east of Bremen called Teufelsmoor , and meets the river Wümme in Ritterhude. From this junction, the river is called Lesum...
, which runs through the district from north to south to join the River Wümme. The Wümme forms the southern border and is a tributary of the Weser; the Weser forms the western border of Osterholz.
Coat of arms
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The coat of arms displays:
- the heraldic key from the arms of Bremen
- a ship on the water, symbolising the peat ships of the 19th century
Towns and municipalities
{|! align=left width=50%|Towns
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- Osterholz-ScharmbeckOsterholz-ScharmbeckOsterholz-Scharmbeck is a town and the capital of the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Osterholz-Scharmbeck is situated in between the cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven.-Neighbouring places:* Bremen * Delmenhorst...
Free municipalities
- GrasbergGrasbergGrasberg is a municipality in the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 13 km southeast of Osterholz-Scharmbeck, and 20 km northeast of Bremen.-History:...
- LilienthalLilienthal, Lower SaxonyThe municipality of Lilienthal belongs to the administrative district of Osterholz, Lower Saxony and borders Bremen.-History:Lilienthal belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. The history of the city of Lilienthal goes back to its founding as a monastery by the prince-archbishop Gerhard II...
- RitterhudeRitterhudeRitterhude is a municipality in the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the Hamme River, approx. 6 km southwest of Osterholz-Scharmbeck, and 13 km northwest of Bremen.- Geographical location :...
- SchwanewedeSchwanewedeSchwanewede is a municipality in the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 14 km west of Osterholz-Scharmbeck, and 22 km northwest of Bremen.It belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen...
- WorpswedeWorpswedeWorpswede is a municipality in the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Teufelsmoor, northeast of Bremen. The small town itself is located near the Weyerberg hill. It has been the home to a lively artistic community since the end of the 19th century, with over 130...
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1. Hambergen
Hambergen (Samtgemeinde)
Hambergen is a Samtgemeinde in the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Its seat is in the village Hambergen.The Samtgemeinde Hambergen consists of the following municipalities:# Axstedt# Hambergen# Holste...
- AxstedtAxstedtAxstedt is a municipality in the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany.It belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. In 1648 the Prince-Archbishopric was transformed into the Duchy of Bremen, which was first ruled in personal union by the Swedish and from 1715 on by the Hanoverian...
- HambergenHambergenHambergen is a municipality in the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 10 km north of Osterholz-Scharmbeck, and 25 km north of Bremen.It belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen...
1 - HolsteHolsteHolste is a municipality in the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany.It belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. In 1648 the Prince-Archbishopric was transformed into the Duchy of Bremen, which was first ruled in personal union by the Swedish and from 1715 on by the Hanoverian...
- LübberstedtLübberstedtLübberstedt is a town located in the district of Osterholz in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located north of Osterholz-Scharmbeck. Together with the villages of Hambergen, Axstedt, Holste and Vollersode, it forms the Samtgemeinde of Hambergen....
- VollersodeVollersodeVollersode is a municipality in the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany.It belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. In 1648 the Prince-Archbishopric was transformed into the Duchy of Bremen, which was first ruled in personal union by the Swedish and from 1715 on by the Hanoverian...
1seat of the Samtgemeinde
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