Walsrode (; nds, Wasra) is a town in the district of

Heidekreis Heidekreis ("Heath district") is a district (''Landkreis'') in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Harburg, Lüneburg, Uelzen, Celle, Hanover, Nienburg, Verden and Rotenburg. History Hi ...

, in

Lower Saxony Lower Saxony (german: Niedersachsen ; nds, Neddersassen; stq, Läichsaksen) is a German state (') in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

. The former municipality Bomlitz was merged into Walsrode in January 2020.

History

Middle Ages

986 Foundation of

Walsrode Abbey Walsrode Abbey (German: ''Kloster Walsrode'') in Walsrode, Germany, is one of the historic monasteries of Benedictine nuns on the Lüneburg Heath in North Germany which are collectively known as the ''Lüneklöster''. Today it is a Lutheran wome ...

by Count Walo. The first recorded mention of the town is dated May 7, 986. 1383 The dukes of Brunswick and Lüneburg grant Walsrode a town charter. 1479 First recorded instance of Walsrode's

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

. At the end of the 15th century the sculptor Hans Brüggemann, creator of the renowned Bordesholm Altar of Schleswig Cathedral, is born in the town.

Early modern times

1626 Extensive destruction in the town by the troops of Count Tilly during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of batt ...

. 1757 The town is totally destroyed by a catastrophic fire. 1811 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 wh ...

ic era, Walsrode becomes a border town between

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

and the

Kingdom of Westphalia The Kingdom of Westphalia was a kingdom in Germany, with a population of 2.6 million, that existed from 1807 to 1813. It included territory in Hesse and other parts of present-day Germany. While formally independent, it was a vassal state of the ...

. 1814 Walsrode is incorporated in the

Kingdom of Hanover The Kingdom of Hanover (german: Königreich Hannover) was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Ha ...

. 1866 Annexation of Walsrode by

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...

. 1890

Railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...

first extends to Walsrode.

20th century

1957 The German border patrol agency (

Bundesgrenzschutz Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS; en, Federal Border Guard) is the former name of the German ''Bundespolizei'' (Federal Police). Established on 16 March 1951 as a subordinate agency of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the BGS originally was prima ...

) establishes a training school in the town. 1984 The state

legislature A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known ...

allows the town to incorporate as an "independent community".

Places of interest

Rischmannshof Heath Museum The Rischmannshof Heath Museum (German: ''Heidemuseum Rischmannshof'') is an open-air museum in Walsrode, Germany. History Rischmannshof was opened in 1912 as one of the first open-air museums in Germany. The museum consists of a rural farmya ...

Weltvogelpark Walsrode Weltvogelpark Walsrode, known as Walsrode Bird Park or Jubs in English until 2010, is a bird park located in the middle of the Lüneburg Heath in North Germany within the municipality of Bomlitz near Walsrode in the state of Lower Saxony, Germany ...

Twin towns – sister cities

Walsrode is twinned with: * Blainville-sur-Orne, France * Gernrode (Quedlinburg), Germany * Hibbing, United States *

Kępice Kępice ( csb, Kãpice, or ''Hômer''; german: Hammermühle) is a town and seat of Gmina Kępice in Słupsk County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It has 3,646 inhabitants and is in size. Kępice was granted town rights Town pr ...

, Poland *

Kovel Kovel (, ; pl, Kowel; yi, קאוולע / קאוולי ) is a city in Volyn Oblast (province), in northwestern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Kovel Raion (district). Population: Kovel gives its name to one of the oldest ru ...

, Ukraine * Zaltbommel, Netherlands

Notable people

Hans Brüggemann Hans Brüggemann (ca. 1480 – after 1521) was a German artist who is remembered above all for the large carved altarpiece which now stands in Schleswig Cathedral. Biography Brüggemann is believed to have been born in Walsrode near Hanover aro ...

(c. 1480–1521), artist *

Louis Harms Georg Ludwig Detlef Theodor Harms (baptised as Ludwig, but called Louis during his life) (1808–1865) was a German Lutheran pastor who was nicknamed the "Reviver of the Heath" (''Erwecker der Heide''). One of the most significant Christian reviv ...

(1808–1865), lutheran pastor *

Hermine Overbeck-Rohte Hermine Overbeck-Rohte (24 January 1869, Walsrode - 29 July 1937, Bremen) was a German landscape painter. Biography She was born to a family of leather manufacturers. She expressed an early desire to be a painter and received some lessons, bu ...

(1869–1938), landscape painter *

Maren Kroymann Maren Kroymann (; born 19 July 1949) is a German actress, comedian and singer. Career Kroymann was born in Walsrode. She studied English studies, English, Roman studies, and American studies at University of Tübingen. After spending time in ...

(born 1949), actress and singer *

Gaby Papenburg Gaby Papenburg (born 27 February 1960 in Walsrode) is a German sport television reporter and television presenter. Life Papenburg studied Comparative literature in Bonn The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the ...

(born 1960), sports journalist * Frank Glorius (born 1972), chemist * Onur Ayık (born 1990), footballer

References

External links

{{Authority control Towns in Lower Saxony Heidmark