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Emden () is an independent city and seaport in Lower Saxony in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of
East Frisia East Frisia or East Friesland (german: Ostfriesland; ; stq, Aastfräislound) is a historic region in the northwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is primarily located on the western half of the East Frisian peninsula, to the east of West Frisia ...
and, in 2011, had a total population of 51,528.


History

The exact founding date of Emden is unknown, but it has existed at least since the 8th century. Older names for Emden are Setutanda, Amuthon, Embda, Emda, Embden and Embderland. Town privilege and the town's coat of arms, the ''Engelke up de Muer'' (The Little Angel on the Wall) was granted by Emperor
Maximilian I Maximilian I may refer to: *Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, reigned 1486/93–1519 *Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria, reigned 1597–1651 *Maximilian I, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1636-1689) *Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, reigned 1795 ...
in 1495. In the 16th century, Emden briefly became an important centre for the Protestant Reformation under the rule of Countess
Anna von Oldenburg Anna of Oldenburg (14 November 150124 September 1575) was a Countess consort of East Frisia as the spouse of Count Enno II of East Frisia. She was the Regent of East Frisia in 1542–1561 as the guardian for her minor sons, Johan II and Edzard II. ...
who was determined to find a religious "third way" between Lutheranism and Catholicism. In 1542 she invited the Polish noble
John Laski John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
(or ''Johannes a Lasco'') to become pastor of a Protestant church at Emden; and for 7 years he continued to spread the new religion around the area of
East Frisia East Frisia or East Friesland (german: Ostfriesland; ; stq, Aastfräislound) is a historic region in the northwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is primarily located on the western half of the East Frisian peninsula, to the east of West Frisia ...
. However, in 1549 following pressure from the Emperor Charles V, the Countess was forced to ask Laski to leave for England and the experiment came to an end. Nevertheless, the legacy was important for the reformation in the Netherlands. At the end of the 16th century Emden experienced a period of great prosperity. Due to the Spanish blockade of Flemish and Brabant ports at the start of the
Dutch Revolt The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) (Historiography of the Eighty Years' War#Name and periodisation, c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and t ...
, Emden became the most important transshipment port on the North Sea. Thousands of Protestant refugees came from Flanders and the Duchy of Brabant to the Protestant city Emden to escape persecution by the Spanish rulers of the Low Countries. During this period, the predominantly Calvinist Emden came into conflict with the Lutheran counts of East Friesland. The
Emden Revolution The Emden Revolution of 18 March 1595 marked the beginning of the status of Emden as a quasi-autonomous city-state. In 1595, after Count Edzard II had increased the tax burden several times and passed new laws, disregarding their effect on the ...
in 1595 resulted in Emden becoming a distinct city-state. With the support of the Dutch Republic, Emden became a free government city under the protection of the Dutch Republic. The Brabantian dialect became the official language of trade and civil administration. Emden was a very rich city during the 17th century, due to large numbers of Dutch and Flemish immigrants such as
Diederik Jansz. Graeff Dirck Jansz Graeff, also Diederik Jansz Graeff, Lord of the manors Valckeveen and Vredenhof (Amsterdam 1532 – 27 July 1589), was a patrician, wholesaler, shipowner, politician and large landowner. He was also a member of the Reformed Chur ...
. It was a centre of reformed Protestantism at that time. The political theorist
Johannes Althusius Johannes Althusius (1563 – August 12, 1638). was a German jurist and Calvinist political philosopher. He is best known for his 1603 work, ''"Politica Methodice Digesta, Atque Exemplis Sacris et Profanis Illustrata"''. revised editions were publi ...
served as
Syndic Syndic (Late Latin: '; Greek: ' – one who helps in a court of justice, an advocate, representative) is a term applied in certain countries to an officer of government with varying powers, and secondly to a representative or delegate of a universi ...
from 1604 to 1638. In 1744 Emden was annexed by Prussia. In 1752 Frederick the Great chartered the
Emden Company The Emden Company was a Prussian trading company which was established on 24 May 1751 to trade primarily with the city of Canton in China. Its full name was the Royal Prussian Asiatic Company in Emden to Canton and China (''Königlich Preußische ...
to trade with
Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ent ...
, but the company was ruined when Emden was captured by French forces in 1757 during the Seven Years' War. The city was recaptured by Anglo-German forces in 1758 and for the rest of the conflict was used as a major supply base by the British to support the ongoing war in Westphalia. During the
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
ic French era, Emden and the surrounding lands of
East Frisia East Frisia or East Friesland (german: Ostfriesland; ; stq, Aastfräislound) is a historic region in the northwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is primarily located on the western half of the East Frisian peninsula, to the east of West Frisia ...
were part of the short-lived Kingdom of Holland. Industrialization started at around 1870, with a paper mill and a somewhat bigger shipyard. At the end of the 19th century, a big canal, the Dortmund-Ems Canal was constructed, which connected Emden with the
Ruhr The Ruhr ( ; german: Ruhrgebiet , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr area, sometimes Ruhr district, Ruhr region, or Ruhr valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 2,800/km ...
area. This made Emden the "seaport of the Ruhr area", which lasted until the 1970s. Coal from the south was transported to the North Sea port, and imported iron ore was shipped via the canal towards Rhine and the
Ruhr The Ruhr ( ; german: Ruhrgebiet , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr area, sometimes Ruhr district, Ruhr region, or Ruhr valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 2,800/km ...
. The last iron ore freighter was moored in the port of Emden in 1986. In 1903, a large shipyard ('' Nordseewerke'', "North Sea Works") was founded and was in operation until 2010. The city centre was almost completely wiped out as a result of
Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
bombing raids Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in total war with the goal of defeating the enemy by destroying its morale, its economic ability to produce and transport materiel to the theatres of military operations, or both. It is a systematica ...
during the Second World War, destroying nearly all historic buildings. The RAF first bombed Emden on 31 March 1940. The most severe bombing took place on 6 September 1944, when roughly 80 percent of all houses in the city centre were destroyed. In the collective memory of the city, this date still plays an important role. The shipyard area was largely untouched – the British targeted the civilian areas, apparently in response to the
bombing of Coventry The Coventry Blitz (blitz: from the German word ''Blitzkrieg'' meaning "lightning war" ) or Coventration of the city was a series of bombing raids that took place on the British city of Coventry. The city was bombed many times during the Seco ...
by the '' Luftwaffe''. The modern rebuilding of the city hall was opened on 6 September 1962, exactly 18 years after the bombing.


Climate


Economy

The main industries in Emden are automobile production and shipbuilding. Volkswagen runs a large production plant which builds the Volkswagen Passat car and which employs around 10,000 people. Emden harbor is also one of the three main ports for car shipping in Europe (together with Zeebrugge in Belgium and Bremerhaven in Germany). More than 1.4 million cars were imported and exported in 2017. The ''Nordseewerke'' shipyard, a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp, employs around 1,400 dockers and specializes in conventional submarines. It also produces different kinds of cargo ships as well as ships for special purposes such as icebreakers, dredgers and other ships of that type. Another important economic sector is tourism, mainly as a day trip destination for tourists staying in the surrounding villages on the North Sea coastline. A university of applied sciences (''
Fachhochschule A ''Fachhochschule'' (; plural ''Fachhochschulen''), abbreviated FH, is a university of applied sciences (UAS), in other words a German tertiary education institution that provides professional education in many applied sciences and applied arts ...
'') was opened in 1973. At present, around 4,240 students are enrolled, most of them studying for technical degrees. The airline Ostfriesische Lufttransport had its headquarters in Emden.


Sports

The highest playing association football club is BSV Kickers Emden. The capacity of the stadium is 7,200, due to safety objections of the
German Football Association The German Football Association (german: Deutscher Fußball-Bund ; DFB ) is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB has jurisdiction for the German football league system and is in charge of t ...
. In 1994, some 12,000 spectators followed a match against the reserves squad of Hamburger SV, which remains the record. In that season, Kickers Emden finished top of the 3rd League, but were not promoted to the Second League as they lost the promotion round. Since Emden is not only located close to the North Sea, but also to the river Ems and various small rivers and canals, boat sports are very popular among inhabitants and tourists.


Notable people

*
Johann van Lingen Johann, typically a male given name, is the German form of ''Iohannes'', which is the Latin form of the Greek name ''Iōánnēs'' (), itself derived from Hebrew name ''Yochanan'' () in turn from its extended form (), meaning "Yahweh is Gracious" ...
(1425–1481), Mayor of Emden * Jacob Emden, also known as Ya'avetz (1697–1776), leading German rabbi and talmudist *
Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser (occasionally Petrus Theodorus;  – 11 September 1596) was a Dutch navigator and celestial cartographer who mapped several constellations on the southern celestial hemisphere. Voyages and star observation Little is ...
(c. 1540–1596), sailor in Portuguese and Dutch service *
Johannes Althusius Johannes Althusius (1563 – August 12, 1638). was a German jurist and Calvinist political philosopher. He is best known for his 1603 work, ''"Politica Methodice Digesta, Atque Exemplis Sacris et Profanis Illustrata"''. revised editions were publi ...
(1563–1638), legal scholar, Calvinist political theorist, city counsel and politician *
Johann Heinrich Alting Johann Heinrich Alting (17 February 1583 – 25 August 1644), German divine, was born at Emden, where his father, Menso Alting (1541–1612), was minister. Heinrich studied with great success at the University of Groningen and the Herborn Academ ...
(1583–1644), reformed theologian *
Martin Hermann Faber Martin Hermann Faber (1586–1648), was a German painter, architect, and cartographer. He was born in Emden and made a trip southwards to Italy in 1611 where he met the "Caravaggist" Louis Finson.Ludolf Bakhuizen Ludolf BakhuizenLudolf Bakhuizen
at the
Eduard Norden Eduard Norden (21 September 1868 – 13 July 1941) was a German classical philologist and historian of religion. When Norden received an honorary doctorate from Harvard, James Bryant Conant referred to him as "the most famous Latinist in the worl ...
(1868–1941), philologist and religious historian *
Claude France Claude France (March 9, 1893 – January 3, 1928) born in Emden, Germany; was a German-born French actress. She was born Jane Joséphine Anna Françoise Wittig. She was discovered by Leon Gaumont who was impressed with her beauty. She had worked ...
(1893–1928), actor *
Hans Boelsen Hans Boelsen (6 March 1894 – 24 October 1960) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. During his time in command of the 114th Jäger Division, the unit wa ...
(1894–1960), general lieutenant in the Second World War *
Henri Nannen Henri Nannen (25 December 1913 in Emden – 13 October 1996 in Hanover) was a German journalist and art collector. He became one of the most prominent journalists and magazine publishers in Germany. His father was a police officer in Emden wh ...
(1913–1996), publisher and publicist, founder of ''
Stern The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Ori ...
'' magazine * Hans-Joachim Hespos (1938–2022), composer * Helma Sanders-Brahms (1940–2014), film director and actress *
Karl Dall Karl Bernhard Dall (, 1 February 1941 – 23 November 2020) was a German comedian, singer, and television presenter. His distinctive 'hanging' eye was caused by a congenital ptosis. Family Karl Dall was born in Emden, Germany, the son of ...
(1941–2020), presenter, singer and comedian * Wolfgang Petersen (1941–2022), film director and producer * Alwin Brinkmann (born 1946), Mayor of Emden * Otto Waalkes (born 1948), comedian, comic artist, singer and actor *
Eva Herman Eva Bischoff ( Feldker; 9 November 1958), known as Eva Herman, is a German author and former television presenter. She worked as a news presenter on the nationwide ''Tagesschau'' news programme from 1989 to 2006 and also presented various other ...
(born 1958), book author and former television presenter * Jan van Koningsveld (born 1969), mental calculator * Heidi Hartmann (born 1971), boxing champion * Stefan Lampadius (born 1976), actor and filmmaker * Ferydoon Zandi (born 1979),
football player A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...


Ships and places named after the city

Three German light cruisers were named after the city, two of which served in World War I and the third in World War II. Today, the fifth navy ship named after the city is in service. * SMS ''Emden'' (1906), a light cruiser in the Kaiserliche Marine, Bay of Bengal,
Battle of Cocos The Battle of Cocos was a single-ship action that occurred on 9 November 1914, after the Australian light cruiser , under the command of John Glossop, responded to an attack on a communications station at Direction Island by the German light c ...
* ''
Emden Emden () is an independent city and seaport in Lower Saxony in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia and, in 2011, had a total population of 51,528. History The exact founding date of E ...
'' (1911),
schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...
, renamed ''Duhnen'', then ''Brigantine Yankee''; made four circumnavigations * SMS ''Emden'' (1916), a light cruiser in the Kaiserliche Marine * ''Emden'' (1925), a light cruiser in the Kriegsmarine, used in the invasion of Norway and Denmark * F210 ''Emden'' (1979), ''Bremen''-class frigate of the German Navy A deep sea spot in the Pacific Ocean close to the Philippines is named after the first ship, and is therefore called ''Emdentief'' in German. The spot ( deep) was sounded in the 1920s (in 1920, 1923 or 1928—sources vary). In addition, the village of Emden, Illinois in the United States was named after Jacob Emden due to the large number of emigrants from Emden to the village in northwestern
Logan County, Illinois Logan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 30,305. Its county seat is Lincoln. Logan County comprises the Lincoln, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included i ...
. Other places in the U.S. named after the city include
Emden, Missouri Emden is an unincorporated village in eastern Shelby County, Missouri, United States. It is located on Route 168 approximately nine miles east of Shelbyville. There is a post office there, and two churches, plus houses and a few abandoned stor ...
;
Embden, Maine Embden is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 902 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Included in the town ...
; and
Embden, North Dakota Embden is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Cass County, North Dakota, United States. Its population was 59 as of the 2010 census. Demographics History Embden contained a post office between 1883 and 1969. The community ...
.


Twin towns – sister cities

Emden is twinned with: * Arkhangelsk, Russia *
Haugesund Haugesund () is a municipality on the North Sea in Rogaland county, Norway. While the population is greater in the neighboring Karmøy municipality, the main commercial and economic centre of the Haugaland region in northern Rogaland and southern ...
, Norway


References


External links

*
Kunsthalle Emden

Johannes a Lasco Library

Kickers Emden

Chess

Current weather data and forecast for Emden

Cruisers EMDEN, Frigates EMDEN – 5 warships named EMDEN until today
*
Google map gives German harbour to Netherlands
. BBC. 23 February 2011.—BBC article about an error in Google maps * * {{Authority control Port cities and towns in Germany Port cities and towns of the North Sea Towns and villages in East Frisia uz:Emden