Wikipedia

Bergneustadt

Bergneustadt (German pronunciation: [bɛʁkˈnɔʏʃtat] ⓘ) is a municipality in the eastern part of the Oberbergischer Kreis (district), in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located 50 km east of Cologne. It is part of the Berg region.

Bergneustadt
Town
Coat of arms of Bergneustadt
Coat of arms
Location of Bergneustadt within Oberbergischer Kreis district
Rhein-Sieg-KreisOberbergischer KreisRheinisch-Bergischer KreisNorth Rhine-WestphaliaRemscheidWuppertalEnnepe-Ruhr-KreisMärkischer KreisOlpe (district)Siegen-WittgensteinRhineland-PalatinateWaldbrölMorsbachNümbrechtWiehlReichshofGummersbachMarienheideBergneustadtEngelskirchenLindlarHückeswagenWipperfürthRadevormwald
Bergneustadt is located in Germany
Bergneustadt
Bergneustadt
Bergneustadt is located in North Rhine-Westphalia
Bergneustadt
Bergneustadt
Coordinates: 51°2′N 7°39′E / 51.033°N 7.650°E / 51.033; 7.650
CountryGermany
StateNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. regionKöln
DistrictOberbergischer Kreis
Government
 • Mayor (2020–25) Matthias Thul[1] (CDU)
Area
 • Total
37.86 km2 (14.62 sq mi)
Highest elevation
500 m (1,600 ft)
Lowest elevation
206 m (676 ft)
Population
 (2023-12-31)[2]
 • Total
18,621
 • Density490/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
51702
Dialling codes02261
Vehicle registrationGM
Websitewww.bergneustadt.de

History

edit

In 1301, the drost Rutger of Altena started with the construction of the Niestat,[3] as an outpost of the County of Mark against the archbishop of Cologne, on the request of Eberhard II, Count of the Mark. The new "Veste" soon received the same rights as Lüdenscheid. Together with Wipperfürth, Lüdenscheid and Lennep, it belongs to a series of town foundations of the 13th century in the border region of the County of Mark and the County of Berg.

The new town had impressive fortifications, including the town castle on a mountain spur above the river Dörspe. Parts of the town walls have survived. After early 17th century Neustadt went into decline, due to war, epidemics, fires and decreased strategic importance. After 1830 the construction of major roads and the railway lines from Siegburg and Cologne to Olpe (1896-1903) helped the town to new growth, further aided by strong industrial growth since the 1950s. The main activities were car industry, paper treatment, metal treatment and plastic treatment as well as mechanical engineering.

Older than the main town are Wiedenest (1154), Altenothe (1237), Belmicke (1296); they all are a part of Bergneustadt since 1969. The decorated church (Bunte Kirche) in Wiedenest dates from the 12th century and is one of the most beautiful churches in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Geography

edit
 
Map of the municipality Bergneustadt

Bergneustadt is situated in the Bergisches Land, an area of low hills east of the river Rhine and west of the higher Sauerland hills. The town lies in the valley of the small river Dörspe, a tributary of the Agger. Neighbouring municipalities are Gummersbach to the west, Drolshagen to the east, and Reichshof to the south.

The municipality Bergneustadt consists of the main town Bergneustadt and 22 Ortsteile (districts): Altenothe, Attenbach, Auf dem Dümpel, Baldenberg, Belmicke, Bösinghausen, Brelöh, Freischlade, Geschleide, Hackenberg, Höh, Hüngringhausen, Immicke, Leienbach, Neuenothe, Niederrengse, Pernze, Pustenbach, Rosenthal, Rosenthalseifen, Wiedenest and Wörde. The largest of these are Hackenberg (pop. 3,326 in 2005), Wiedenest (pop. 3,029) and Pernze (pop. 1,071).

Politics

edit

Bergneustadt has a youth council which allows the council to participate in decision-making for the city.[4]

The coat of arms

edit

The arms were granted on December 24, 1876.

The town developed around a castle built in 1301 by Rüttger von Altena ordered by Earl Eberhard II of the Mark. The oldest seals of the city date from the middle of the 14th century and already show the present arms. The upper part of the arms shows the arms of the Counts of the Mark, the lower part the older arms of the (oldest) Counts of Berg, from which the Counts of the Mark descended. From 1922-1969 the city used a mural crown on the arms.

Buildings and institutions

edit

Historical buildings

edit
  • In the district Wiedenest stands a "colored church" with colorful medieval paintings at the ceiling.

Public utilities

edit

Libraries

edit
  • Public library Bergneustadt

Banks

edit
  • Sparkasse (Savings bank) Gummersbach-Bergneustadt with four offices (city centre, district Stadtwald, district Wiedenest, district Pernze)
  • Commerzbank with one office
  • Deutsche Bank with one office
  • Volksbank Oberberg e.V. with one office

Schools

edit
  • "Gemeinschaftsgrundschule Bergneustadt 'Auf dem Bursten' " (primary school)
  • "Katholische Grundschule Bergneustadt" (catholic primary school)
  • "Gemeinschaftsgrundschule Bergneustadt-Hackenberg" (primary school)
  • "Gemeinschaftsgrundschule Bergneustadt-Wiedenest" (primary school)
  • "Wüllenweber Gymnasium" (grammar school/high school Bergneustadt)
  • "Städtische Realschule Bergneustadt" (city secondary school)
  • "Gemeinschaftshauptschule" (general school Bergneustadt)

Religious groups and communities

edit

Protestant parishes and churches

edit
  • Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Bergneustadt (Lutheran denomination) with
    • Altstadtkirche (17th century)
    • Versöhnerkirche, district Stadtwald (1966)
    • Gemeindecentrum Hackenberg (1976)
  • Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Wiedenest (Lutheran denomination) with churches in
    • Wiedenest (Bunte Kerk, 11th century)
    • Neuenothe (chapel, 1960s)
    • Pernze (1960s)

Roman Catholic parishes and churches

edit
  • Roman Catholic parish Saint Stephanus, Bergneustadt
  • Roman Catholic parish Saint Matthias, Hackenberg
  • Roman Catholic parish Saint Anna, Belmicke, with a chapel in Wiedenest/Pernze

Evangelical parishes

edit

Other religious groups

edit

Associations

edit
  • FC Wiedenest-Othetal (football) www.fc-wiedenest-othetal.de
  • TV Bergneustadt (different sports, e.g. handball, gymnastics, karate)
  • Chess association Bergneustadt/Derschlag
  • Stamp collector's association Bergneustadt
  • Baris Spor Hackenberg (football)
  • SSV Bergneustadt (football)
  • Bodyguard (kickboxing, Thai-boxing, boxing, yoga)
  • Table tennis association "Schwalbe" Bergneustadt ("Schwalbe" being the main sponsor)
  • Soar club Bergneustadt
  • German Red Cross Bergneustadt
  • HSG Bergneustadt-Gummersbach
  • BSV (swimming)
  • THW-Bergneustadt
  • The Voices (choir with newer repertoire)

Economy

edit

The city's major employer is Metalsa Automotive GmbH (formerly Innomotive Systems Europe GmbH or briefly called ISE) - a supplier of the automotive industry which is specialized in the development and production of innovative structural and safety systems for automobiles. With 2000 employees in Germany and 12200 globally.

Population

edit
Year Population
1871
1.549
1900
3.518
1939
4.183
1950
6.330
1969
16.256
2003
20.853
2004
20.601

 

Transport

edit

Road

edit

Bergneustadt is connected to the Bundesautobahn 4 (Cologne - Olpe) by a feeder road. The Bundesstraße 55 runs through the city centre, through the district Wiedenest and along the district Pernze. It connects the town with Gummersbach (in the West) and Drolshagen (in the East).

Public transport

edit

At the bus stop Graf-Eberhard-Platz in the city centre are stopping the following bus lines:

  • No. 301 : Gummersbach —- Bergneustadt —- Olpe
  • No. 313 : Bergneustadt (city centre) —- Attenbach
  • No. 314 : Bergneustadt (city centre) —- Hackenberg (district)
  • No. 315 : Bergneustadt (city centre) —- Stadtwald (district)

Air transport

edit

There is an airfield with a 600 m (1968.5 ft) long grass airstrip in the district Auf dem Dümpel. Planes with one motor and a maximal weight of 3,400 pounds and helicopters with a maximal weight of 11,400 pounds are allowed to alight.[5]

Town twinnings

edit
Châtenay-Malabry and Landsmeer are also twinned since 1986

Notable people

edit

References

edit
  • Günther Aders, Quellen zur Geschichte der Stadt Bergneustadt und des alten Amtes Neustadt von 1109 bis 1630 = Sources for the History of the City of Bergneustadt and the old Amtes Neustadt from 1109 to 1630, pg. 71, 1951, 7-268
  • Marianne Hack and Hubertus Dan - Literaturverzeichnis zur Geschichte Bergneustadts im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert = Bibliography to the History of Bergneustadts in the 19th and the 20th centuries, Gummersbach, 1991
  • Bergneustadt 1301-1951, Festschrift, Bergneustadt 1951

Sources

edit
  1. ^ Wahlergebnisse in NRW Kommunalwahlen 2020, Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, accessed 29 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden Nordrhein-Westfalens am 31. Dezember 2023 – Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes auf Basis des Zensus vom 9. Mai 2011" (in German). Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  3. ^ Klaus Pampus: "Documentary first namings of Oberbergischer places"
  4. ^ Griebeler, Monika (20 September 2011). "Kids make their voices heard in youth legislatures around the world". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  5. ^ "German description of the airfield". Segelflieger-Club Bergneustadt e.V. 2006. Retrieved 2007-09-30. [dead link‍]
edit
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bergneustadt.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bergneustadt&oldid=1241311307"