Erndtebrück

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Coordinates: 50°59′N 8°15′E

Erndtebrück
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Administrative region	Arnsberg
District	Siegen-Wittgenstein
Population	7,636 (30/06/2004)
Area	70.86 km²
Population density	109 /km²
Elevation	597 m
Coordinates	50°59′ N 8°15′ E
Postal code	57339
Area code	02753
Licence plate code	SI
Mayor	Karl-Ludwig Völkel (SPD)
Website	Gemeinde Erndtebrück

Erndtebrück is a community in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in Siegen-Wittgenstein district.

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Location 1.2 Neighbouring communities 1.3 Constituent communities 2 History 3 Politics 3.1 Municipal council 3.2 Mayor 3.3 Coat of arms 3.4 Town partnerships 4 Economy and infrastructure 4.1 Transport 4.2 Public institutions 5 Personalities 5.1 Sons and daughters of the community 6 Reference 7 External links

[edit] Geography

[edit] Location

Erndtebrück lies in the Rothaargebirge, on the river Eder, about 20 km northeast of Siegen.

[edit] Neighbouring communities

Erndtebrück borders on Netphen, the communities of Hilchenbach, Bad Berleburg, Bad Laasphe and Kirchhundem in the district of Olpe, and Schmallenberg in the Hochsauerlandkreis.

[edit] Constituent communities

Balde Benfe Birkefehl Birkelbach Röspe Schameder Womelsdorf Zinse

[edit] History

Erndtebrück had its first documentary mention in 1256, celebrating 750 years of existence in 2006. The village was first known by the name Ermingardibruggern, and was the seat of a knightly family, and later a customs office with market rights.

[edit] Politics

[edit] Municipal council

The council's 22 seats are apportioned thus, in accordance with municipal elections held on 26 September 2004:

• CDU 8 seats
• SPD 6 seats
• Greens 1 seat
• FDP 4 seats
• UWG 3 seats

Note: UWG is a citizens' coalition.

[edit] Mayor

Since the municipal elections in 2004, Karl-Ludwig Völkel (SPD) has been Erndtebrück's directly elected mayor.

[edit] Coat of arms

Erndtebrück's civic coat of arms might heraldically be described thus: Party per fess, above in azure a bridge Or, below in argent two pallets sable.

The community was granted these arms in 1958. The bridge in the chief is a canting symbol, referring to Erndtebrück's last syllable (Brücke is "bridge" in German), but also to an actual bridge built over the river Eder at Erndtebrück in 1830. Below in the shield are the arms of the Counts of Wittgenstein.[1]

[edit] Town partnerships

• Bergues, France, since 1973

[edit] Economy and infrastructure

[edit] Transport

The community is connected to its neighbours by Federal Highways (Bundesstraßen) 62 and 480. Furthermore, trains run on the Rothaarbahn railway to both Siegen and Bad Berleburg, and on the Obere Lahntalbahn to Marburg. Until 1944, there was also a rail connection to Altenhundem with the Erndtebrück-Altenhundem line, but this came to an end late in the Second World War as retreating German Army units blew its bridges up. Some of the tunnels along the line are still preserved.

[edit] Public institutions

Erndtebrück is home to the German Air Force's Reserve Range of Command 2 (Einsatzführungsbereich 2), formerly 5th Teaching Group of Technical School 1 (V. Lehrgruppe der Technischen Schule 1), the Air Force's programming centre for air defence and a health squad to take care of the airmen.

[edit] Personalities

[edit] Sons and daughters of the community

• Wilhelm Busch (1861-1929), instrument builder and father of musicians and actors Fritz, Adolf, Willi, Hermann and Heinrich Busch.

[edit] Reference

This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia.

[edit] External links

• Erndtebrück
• Photos of Erndtebrück's 750-year celebration (historical market, festive procession, closing fireworks)