Stadtlohn
Encyclopedia
Stadtlohn is a town in the north-west of 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...

, part of the district Borken
Borken (district)
Borken is a Kreis in the northwestern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in the Region Münsterland. Neighboring districts are Bentheim, Steinfurt, Coesfeld, Recklinghausen, Wesel, Cleves, and the Dutch provinces Gelderland and Overijssel....

. The Berkel
Berkel
The Berkel is a river in the Netherlands and Germany. It is a right tributary of the River IJssel.The river rises in Billerbeck, near the German city of Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia, and crosses the border with the Netherlands near Vreden and Rekken...

 river flows through it on its way to 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...

.

Division of the town

Stadtlohn consists of 9 districts:
  • Almsick
  • Büren
  • Estern
  • Hengeler
  • Hordt
  • Hundewick
  • Stadtlohn
  • Wendfeld
  • Wenningfeld

History

The town was founded as Lohn by Liudger, the first Bishop of Münster about the year 800
800
Year 800 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. It was around this time that the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years, so from this time on, the years began being known as 800 and onwards.- Europe :* December 25 - Pope Leo III...

. About 985
985
Year 985 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Barcelona is sacked by Al-Mansur....

 Gescher
Gescher
Gescher is a municipality in the district of Borken, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located near the border with the Netherlands.It is most often known for its bell work, and it includes a Museum of Bells. It also has bus services to...

 was split form Lohn, which in turn (1231) split into Südlohn
Südlohn
Südlohn is a municipality in the district of Borken in the northwestern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located right at the border with the Netherlands, approx. 10 km east of Winterswijk. It consists of the villages Südlohn and Oeding....

 (literally "South-Lohn") and Nordlohn (literally "North-Lohn"). The name Stadtlohn (literally "Town-Lohn") is first mentioned in 1389 after the small town Nordlohn was secured by a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...

, a defensive wall
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...

 and gates and gained the town rights. About 1406 Stadtlohn was burned down by Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...

 Heinrich I of Solms-Ottenstein because he feuded with the bishop of Münster. Bishop Heinrich III of Münster  verified its town rights in 1491.

In 1584 Stadtlohn was pillaged by the troops of Duke Ernest of Bavaria
Ernest of Bavaria
Ernest of Bavaria was Prince-elector-archbishop of the Archbishopric of Cologne from 1583 to 1612 as successor of the expelled Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg. He was also bishop of Münster, Hildesheim, Freising and Liège....

 and again in 1588 by 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...

 soldiers. In 1591 Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 soldiers attacked the town. For a few months of 1598 Spanish troops were stationed in the town during the Eighty Years' War. In 1611 a serious fire destroyed 225 of 235 houses.

On August 6, 1623 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....

 the Battle of Stadtlohn
Battle of Stadtlohn
The Battle of Stadtlohn was fought on August 6, 1623 between the armies of Christian of Brunswick and of the Catholic League during the Thirty Years' War...

 (German: Schlacht im Lohner Brook) saw Johan Tzerclaes, Count of Tilly's imperial troops victorious over Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...

 Christian of Brunswick's men. About 6.000 soldiers died that day. In 1742 regular pilgrimages started to a statue of Mary in a small chapel in Stadtlohn form various towns in the Münsterland. The adoration of the virgin Mary ended in 1886 when the statue was stolen from the Hilgenbergchapel.

In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, Stadtlohn was hit by bombs as early as 1940 and 1942, but the damage was limited. In March 1945, however, Stadtlohn was affected by two massive allied airstrikes that destroyed 86% of the town. About 600 inhabitants lost their lives. On March 31, 1945 British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 forces marched into the town.

Sights

  • Former Jewish Cemetery in the town center. Close by there is a sightworthy commemorative plaque in Hagenstrasse street reminding on the synagogue which was destroyed in 1938.
  • Former pilgrimage chapel Marienkapelle on Hilgenberg hill.
  • Saint Otger Church, rebuilt after the war.
  • Town Hall, destroyed in 1945 and rebuilt in 1953.
  • Hünenburg
  • Dicke Eiche

International relations

Stadtlohn is twinned
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

 with: Weerselo
Weerselo
Weerselo is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 6 km northwest of Oldenzaal.Weerselo was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Denekamp....

, 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...

 San Vito al Tagliamento
San Vito al Tagliamento
San Vito al Tagliamento is a comune in the Province of Pordenone in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 80 km northwest of Trieste and about 20 km southeast of Pordenone.-Main sights:...

, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 Altlandsberg
Altlandsberg
Altlandsberg is a historic town in the district of Märkisch-Oderland, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated about east of Berlin.-History:Altlandsberg was first mentioned in a 1230 deed, it was located at the site of a former Slavic settlement...

, 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

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK