Olpe, Germany

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Olpe


Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Administrative region	Arnsberg
District	Olpe
Population	26,231 (January 1st, 2005)
Area	85,6 km²
Population density	306 /km²
Elevation	307,5 m
Coordinates	51°01′ N 7°50′ E
Postal code	57462
Area code	02761, as well as 02722, 02764
Licence plate code	OE
Mayor	Horst Müller (CDU)
Website	olpe.de

Olpe is a town and a municipality in the district of Olpe, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approx. 20 km east of Gummersbach and 20 km north-west of Siegen.

[edit] Geography

[edit] Geographical location

The city lies at the southern edge of the natural preserve Ebbegebirge. At the northern boder of Olpe starts the largest man-made body of water within the southern half of North Rhine-Westphalia called Biggesee.

[edit] Streams and hills

The highest hills are:

Engelsberg (589 m)
Rother Stein (583 m)
Feld-Berg (556 m)
Hohe Rhonard (526 m)

The valley where within the city is located is formed by the following hills:

Imberg
Hatzenberg
Gallenberg
Lindenhardt
Eichhardt
Kimicker Berg
Bratzkopf
Kreuzberg

A number of streams and brooks run through the city and empty into the Biggesee:

Bigge the stream that is fed by
Olpe, which in turn is fed by:
Günse,
Felmicke (mostly underground),
Kortemicke (mostly underground),
Ahe

[edit] Geology

Olpe is situated within an area characterized by low hills. North of Olpe the sides of these hills get steeper and valleys narrower. To the South valleys widen and the hills end in small plateaus.

The area of the city is part of a mountain range called Rheinisches Schiefergebirge.

[edit] Neighbouring towns and municipalities

[edit] The greater city area

The greater city area of Olpe includes the following villages: Altenkleusheim, Dahl, Friedrichsthal, Eichhagen, Griesemert, Günsen, Hohl, Neuenkleusheim, Lütringhausen, Unterneger, Mittelneger, Oberneger, Oberveischede, Rehringhausen, Rhode, Rhonard, Rüblinghausen, Saßmicke, Sondern, Stachelau, Thieringhausen und Waukemicke (listed are only villages with a population of more than 50).

[edit] Climate

Olpes climate is very wet. Western winds bring clouds which formed over the Atlantic. Before they can pass over Olpe these clouds have to rise. In order to do so they have to get lighter which in turn means rain. The coldest month is January. July is the warmest month. During winter fog forms frequently out of the moist air.

[edit] History

Olpe is said to have taken its name from the confluence of the two streams Olpe and Bigge. („Ol-apa“ = brook in a wet swampy meadowland)

The oldest relicts found in excavations in the area of Olpe date back to about 900 A.D.: These are shards and slags from early iron smelting at the place of a former settlement, Kimickerberg, and coins found in Dahl (from after 1005).

1220: Name first documented.
1311: Is given its town charter by Heinrich II. von Virneburg (Archbishop Heinrich II. Graf von Virneburg).
1500: Kreuzkapelle (Chapel of the cross) first mentioned.
1525: A militia is first documented.
1587 - 1697 witch trial recorded for the judical district of Olpe.
1615: Olpe has its first teacher.
1634: A large part of the city is on fire.
1665: First vow of Agatha - a vow to protect the city from fire.
1673: First vow of Rochus to protect the people of Olpe from the plague.
1696: Last sentencing of a "witch" .
1711: Olpe is included in a postal service.
1795: The big fire of Olpe, 83% of the city is destroyed by flame. The medieval city isn't rebuilt in its original layout. Instead a new layout is chosen (a grid of three broad avenues connected by smaller roads running square to the avenues)
1819: Olpe becomes a district town, now District of Olpe .
1828: Refounding of the Schützenverein of Olpe (heritage of the old time militia). Its name is „St.-Sebastianus-Schützenverein“.
1842/44: Founding of the Protestant parish.
1863: Founding of the order Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration
1864: First telegraph office in Olpe.
1875: The railway comes to Olpe. First to Attendorn/Finnentrop, 1880 a line to Olpe-Rothemühle follows.
1888: First electric light.
1908/09: St.-Martinus-Church burns down to the ground (arson is suspected) / It is rebuilt in neo-gothic stile.
28. März 1945: Olpe suffers from a heavy bombardment
1965: Flooding of the reservoir Biggetalsperre.
1971: Bundesautobahn 45 is opened.
1976: Bundesautobahn 4 is opened.

[edit] Incorporations

In consequence of the municipal restructuring as of 1st July 1969 a number of formerly independent municipalities (Kleusheim, Olpe-Land und Rhode) and parts of the municipalities of Helden (Oberveischede, Tecklinghausen, Neuenwald), Rahrbach (Fahlenscheid) und Kirchveischede (Apollmicke) were incorporated into the city of Olpe. Thus the area of the city of Olpe grew from 12,78 to 85,65 km², the number of its inhabitants rose from 14.184 to 21.705.

[edit] Demographics

[edit] Religion

Roman Catholic - 67,99%
Protestant - 14,26%
Others - 17,75%

Patron Saint: St. Martin

[edit] Roman Catholic

With regard to church Olpe belongs to the archdiocese of Paderborn. At midlevel Olpe is administered by the deanery of Südsauerland. This deanery was formed out of the former deaneries of Dekanaten Attendorn, Elspe und Olpe and covers the same area as the district of Olpe.

At the lowest level there are two parish clusters:

Olpebach-Täler consists of St. Mariae Himmelfahrt Olpe with the parishes of Günsen, Lütringhausen, Rhonard, Stachelau, Thieringhausen and the parish of Kleusheim with the asscociated villages of lten- and Neuenkleusheim, Rehringhausen.
Olpe-Biggesee which consists of the parish of St. Martinus Olpe with its associated parishes of Dahl-Friedrichsthal and Saßmicke as well as the parishes of Heilig Geist in the western part of Olpe and the village of Rüblinghausen, Hatzenberg and the parish of St. Cyriakus in Rhode with its associated parishes of Sondern, Oberveischede and Neger.

There are also two monasteries:

the nunnery of The Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration
the monastery of Pallottines at Palloti House

[edit] Protestant

There has been a Protestant parish since 1844. It owns the oldest Olpe church which was built in 1898 from red bricks.

[edit] Other faiths

Church of God, Jehovah's Witnesses, New Apostolic Church, Islamic Congregation, Church of Greece

[edit] Historical populations

HISTORICAL POPULATIONS
Year	Population	Remarks
1781	1.354
1890	3.088
1910	5.334
1939	7.561
1950	10.280
1969	14.148	prior to structural reform
1970	21.164	after structural reform
1975	22.137
1980	22.351
1985	23.799
1990	24.708
1995	25.430
2000	25.660
2004	26.370
2005	26.440

[edit] Politics

[edit] City Council

Results of communal elections in 2004
Partei	Votes	Seats
CDU	49,9%	19
UCW	29,4%	11
SPD	15,1%	6
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen	5,6%	2

[edit] Youth parliament

There has been a youth parliament since 2005. The youth parliament of Olpe is a body made up of youths which represents the interests of its peers so that the the governing bodies and the administration of the city of Olpe can take these into account when deciding on issues concerning children and youths.

The youth parliament has 25 members. They are elected by students of secondary schools for a period of two years. Each school gets one seat per 150 students and a minimum of two seats. All students of the years 5 to 10 can vote even if they live in neighbouring communities. Candidates though have to reside within the city of Olpe.

There are a minimum of four sessions of the youth parliament per year. In general these are public. Working groups for varying projects can be formed in sessions. These working groups are open to non elected children and youths.

[edit] Mayors, heads of the city administration

From 1946 to 1997 office of city manager in Olpe was called Stadtdirektor. Mayors held an honorary position and mostly acted as representatives of their city.

Mayor (since 1800)	term of office	Remarks
Johannes Möllendik	1802, 1804, 1806	Mayor
Dr. Johann Edmund Funcke	1802	Deputy Mayor
Dr. Johann Edmund Funcke	1803	Mayor
Franz Josef Zeppenfeld	1804, 1806, 1811	Deputy Mayor
Jodocus Edmund Weber	1811 - 1823	city's sheriff
Schute	1824
Gottfried Anton Gerlach	1825
Johann Adam Halbfas	1825 - 1850	senior civil servant
	1851 - 1861	Mayor
Ernst Hermann Halbfas	1861 - 1879
Louis Wilhelm Liese	1880 - 1891
Ewald Röper	1891 - 1896
F. Josef Caspar Hundt	1896	on behalf of
Franz Karl Dütz-Josun	1897 - 1901
Heinrich Sommerhoff	1901 - 1933
Theodor Schulte	1933 - 1943
Josef Wurm	1943 - 1945
Dr. Heinrich Otto Spies	April 1945
Josef Schrage	1945 - 1946	full-time
Dr. Adolf Bieker	1946
Franz Adam	1946 - 1947
Franz Stork	1948 - 1952
Ignatz Müller	1952 - 1964
Alfred Enders	1964 - 1979
Wilma Ohly	1979 - 1997
Horst Müller	since 1997	full-time

city managers (from 1946 - 1996)	term of office
Josef Klein	1946 - 1949
Paul Habbel	1949 - 1968
Dr. Ernst Elbers	1968 - 1988
Karl- Josef Leyendecker	1989 - 1996

[edit] The Coat of Arms of Olpe

The coat of arms shows a scene from the life of St. Martin who as a beggar himself shared part of his coat. This scene was already found on the oldest seal of the city of Olpe from 1360. In 1911 after a long period of belonging to the principality of the elector of Cologne (1180 to 1802) the cross of the elector arch-bishops of Cologne was added in the top left corner.

[edit] Sister cities

A partnership was formed with the French city of Gif-sur-Yvette in July 2001. Since then the Städtische Gymnasium keeps up a school exchange with the Collège in Gif-sur-Yvette.

[edit] Member of Parliament

[edit] European Parliament

Peter Liese (EVP) hailing from Olsberg has been Olpe's elected representative at the European Parliament since 1994. His constituency includes all cities and municipalities of the districts of Olpe, Soest, Siegen-Wittgenstein, as well as Märkische Kreis and Hochsauerlandkreis.

[edit] Lower House of Parliament

Hartmut Schauerte (CDU) has been elected representative von Constituency 150 since 1994. Constituency 150 includes all cities and municipalities of the districts of Olpe and of the southern part of Märkische Kreise (Halver, Herscheid, Kierspe, Lüdenscheid, Meinerzhagen and Schalksmühle). Mr Schauerte lives in Kirchhundem-Flape his family.

[edit] State Parliament

Theodor Kruse (CDU) has been the representative in the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia for the district of Olpe since 1995. At the last state parliament elections in 2005 he gained 64 % of all votes.

[edit] Economy

A natural wealth of woods, ore and water favoured the foundig of ironworks and hammer mills, smithies specialized on producing pans and tanneries. Economical development was also fostered by the geographical location of Olpe in the half way between Siegerland and märkisches Sauerland. Olpe and its surroundings have been an economic center in the duchy of Westphalia from the 18th century on.

Production of pans (locally called „Panneklöpper“)

The production of pans in smithies had a long tradition and played an important part in the life of the city. In 1567 there had already been registered a blacksmiths guild, called "Schmiedeamt". Blacksmiths started to specialize in the production of sheet metal. They gained protected status by the Elector of Cologne who repeatedly granted privileges to their guild. In this way the Olpe blacksmiths could reach some kind of near monopoly regarding the production of sheet metal in southern Westphalia. To remember the old guild of the blacksmiths a bronze memorial was set up at the market square.

Hammer mills

They formed another guild in Olpe. Hammer mills were important for the production of pans as well as other types of smithies for they produced iron which could then be processed by the specialized blacksmiths. Hammer mills of the area were commonly powered by water.

Mining

There are traces of copper mining at Rhonard that date back from the 16th century. Amongst a number of smaller mines "Grube Rhonard" was the biggest. Up to 1805 it was in possion of the Brabeck family. Until closure in 1890 it was the oldest and last working mine in Olpe. Besides copper iron ore which was processed into pans was extraced from the mine. There were also small deposits of silver, mercury and cinnabar found.

Other branches of trade that once were important for Olpe and the surrounding area were charcoal burning and tanning.

The modern economy of Olpe consists mostly of medium-sized businesses and larger national operations of a number of trades. Amongst these the predominant ones are: foundries, manufacturing of seamless tubes, manufacturing of forged components, manufacturing of fittings and valves, engineering works, businesses that manufacture electronic products. Furthermore there are workshops, trade companies and service oriented companies. Tourism has an important part in regional economy.

Karl Jungbecker GmbH & Co, Olpe
Ohm & Häner GmbH & Co. KG, Olpe
Peterseim GmbH & Co. KG, Olpe
Gebr. Kemper GmbH & Co. KG, Olpe
Schell GmbH & Co. KG
Karl Imhäuser GmbH & Co. KG
Metallwerke Gustav Imhäuser GmbH & Co. KG

Coordinates: 51°01′N 7°50′E

[edit] Media

[edit] Newspapers

There are currently the following newspapers with local editions:

Siegener Zeitung
Westfälische Rundschau
Westfalenpost

Local edition means that these papers have local editorial departments or local branches in Olpe. All three papers are delivered early in the morning. Siegener Zeitung was delivered in the afternoon till 2001.

On Wednesdays and Sundays there are two ad based free papers. Sauerlandkurier offers information from all of Sauerland. Sonntags-Anzeiger and Siegerländer-Wochenanzeiger focus more on Siegerland.

[edit] Radio

Currently there is no local radio station in Olpe. Over the years there have been several attemps to set up a local station. The only station that covers Olpe is based in Siegen. WDR 2 broadcasts from its regional studio in Siegen news from the south of Westphalia every half hour,

Monday - Friday: from 6.31a.m. to 5.31 p.m.,
Saturday: from 7.31 a.m. to 1.31 p.m..

On April 28th, 2006 Olpe was given licence to set up a local station by LfM, the regulatory authority of North Rhine-Westphalia with regard of broadcasting. There has already been a body of people interested in operating a local radio for years.

[edit] Television

Olpe has no local TV station. The area is covered by the local TV station of the WDR in Siegen. News and reports about Olpe are broadcast daily

Mo-Fr: 6.00 p.m. - 6.05 p.m. a short overview about local news
Mo-Sa: 7.30 p.m. - 8.00 p.m. Lokalzeit Südwestfalen featuring reports, news and more from out of the area.

[edit] People

[edit] Sons and daughters of Olpe

Johann Bergmann (1460-1531) theologian and publisher
Rötger Hundt (1711-1773) theologian
Mutter Maria Theresia (geb. Wilhelmine) Bonzel (1830-1905) founder of order
Franz Hitze (1851-1921) politician and theologian
Anton Deimel (1865-1954) theologian and researcher;
Josef Schrage (1881-1953) chief administrative officer and member of state parliament
Adolf von Hatzfeld (1892-1957) poet
Johannes Rosenthal (1903-1975) Pallottine Bishop und and first Bishop of Queenstown in South_Africa
Paul-Werner Scheele (*6. April 1928 in Olpe) Bischof von Würzburg
Michael Kraus (1945-1978) artist and graphic designer
Monica Pick-Hieronimi (*14. Dezember 1943) sophrano and professor of music
Sigmar Solbach (3. Oktober 1946) actor
Jochen Feldmann (*03. August 1961) physicist
Michael Kügler (*3. September 1981) football player

[edit] Persons of note, who lived and worked in Olpe

Johann Nikolaus Düringer (um 1700-1756) sculptor
Wilhelm Marx (1851-1924) Lord Mayor of Düsseldorf (buried in Olpe)
Theodor Mietens (1804-1885) printer and one of the founders of the Protestant parish of Olpe
Otto Müller (1870-1944) priest and resistance fighter during reign of National Socialism
Lorenz Jaeger (1892-1975) cardinal
Hans Krüger (1902-1971) attorney in Olpe from 1957 on and Secretary of Displaced Persons in the administration of Ludwig Erhardt

[edit] Gallery

Holy Agatha, right outside St. Martinus Church.	The city hall of Olpe, one of the highest buildings of the city.	The only part of the old city wall of Olpe which made it through the centuries.	The central coach station with the railroad station in on the right
The last of a number of house where tanners used to live and work.	The new court house of the district court of Olpe.