Detmold

This article is about the German town. For other uses, see Detmold (disambiguation).
Detmold

The princely castle.

Coat of arms
Detmold

Coordinates: 51°56′N 8°53′E / 51.933°N 8.883°ECoordinates: 51°56′N 8°53′E / 51.933°N 8.883°E
Country Germany
State North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region Detmold
District Lippe
Government
 • Mayor Rainer Heller (SPD)
Area
 • Total 129.39 km2 (49.96 sq mi)
Population (2013-12-31)[1]
 • Total 73,449
 • Density 570/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 32701–32760
Dialling codes 05231/05232
Vehicle registration LIP
Website www.detmold.de

Detmold (German pronunciation: [ˈdɛtmɔlt]) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with a population of about 74,000. It was the capital of the small Principality of Lippe from 1468 until 1918 and then of the Free State of Lippe until 1947. Today it is the administrative center of the district of Lippe and of the Regierungsbezirk Detmold. The Church of Lippe has its central administration located in Detmold. The Reformed Redeemer Church is the preaching venue of the state superintendent of the Lippe church.

History

Hermann

About 3 miles (4.8 km) to the southwest of Detmold is the Grotenburg and the Hermann monument (German: Hermannsdenkmal).[2] The monument commemorates a battle in 9 A.D. which was fought near where Detmold is now located. In this encounter, Germanic tribes led by Hermann (Latin: Arminius) defeated Roman legions under the command of Publius Quinctilius Varus.[3] In that occasion the Roman commander was betrayed by the Germanic hero Hermann, who attracted the legions in a colossal well-prepared ambush.

Middle Ages

Detmold was first mentioned as Theotmalli in 783, the year of a battle between the Saxons and Charlemagne's forces nearby.[2][3] This was an event in the Saxon Wars. In 1005 a Tietmelli or Theotmalli region (Gau) is referred to in documents. In 1263, Bernard III of Lippe fortified the settlement at the crossing of the trade route from Paderborn to Lemgo over the Werre River with stone walls and granted it a municipal charter. Its population was reported in 1305 as 305. Market rights granted in 1265 led to rapid economic development. Its defenses were greatly strengthened after severe damage had been inflicted on the town during the conflict with Soest in 1447. A major fire in 1547 destroyed more than 70 houses.

Engraving of a view of the town of Detmold by Matthäus Merian, 1647

In 1550, Detmold became the permanent residence of Count Simon III of Lippe. The counts were elevated to princes in 1789, and Detmold remained the capital of the small Principality of Lippe until the end of the First World War in 1918, when all princely states in Germany were abolished. Today, Armin, Prince of Lippe is the owner of Detmold Castle.

Modern era

Street lighting was introduced in 1809, with oil-fired lanterns. By 1835, the town had become the most populous in Lippe, with over 4,000 residents. It grew to 12,000 in 1900 and over 30,000 in 1950.

From 1919 to 1947, Detmold was the capital of the Free State of Lippe. When Lippe was incorporated into the new German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the town became the seat of the Lippe district, and since 1972 it has been the seat of the county administration of Lippe. With the administrative reform of 1970, 25 nearby villages were incorporated into the city.

Main sights

Hiddeser Bent, moor near Donoper Teich
Building on the Campus Detmold of the Hochschule OWL (2010)
Market and town hall.

Culture

The town supports the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie for regular symphony concerts.

Twin towns — sister cities

Detmold is twinned with:

People

Ferdinand Freiligrath

Well-known people born in Detmold include:

Important people who lived and worked in Detmold for a long time include:

Amongst the honorary citizens of Detmold, besides politicians are scientists and artists who have served in Detmold. The best-known are the builder of the Hermannsdenkmal, Ernst von Bandel (1871), Reich Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck (1895), and Reich President, Paul von Hindenburg (1917).

References

  1. ↑ "Amtliche Bevölkerungszahlen". Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW (in German). 4 September 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Detmold". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1  "Detmold". The American Cyclopædia. 1879.
  4. ↑ "Savonlinnan ystävyyskaupungit". savonlinna.fi. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  5. ↑  "Freiligrath, Ferdinand". New International Encyclopedia. 1905.
  6. ↑ Friedrich Engels. Routledge. November 5, 2013. p. 253. ISBN 9781136629181.
  7. ↑ The Rough Guide to Germany. Penguin. July 5, 2012. ISBN 9781409359265.
  8. ↑ Judy Dempsey (October 17, 2005), A promotion to cabinet for Schröder's top aide New York Times.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Detmold.