Blankenburg am Harz
Encyclopedia
Blankenburg is a town
and health resort in the district of Harz
, in Saxony-Anhalt
, Germany
, at the north foot of the Harz Mountains, 12 miles (19.3 km) southwest of Halberstadt
.
It has been in large part rebuilt since a fire in 1836, and possesses a castle, with various collections, a museum of antiquities, an old town hall and churches. There are pine-needle baths and a hospital for nervous diseases. Gardening is a speciality. In the vicinity is a cliff or ridge of rock called Teufelsmauer (Devils Wall), from which fine views are obtained across the plain and into the deep gorges of the Harz.
, south of Halberstadt
and east of Wernigerode
. The stream known as the Goldbach
flows the district of Oesig northwest of the town centre.
In addition there are the following unofficial names for districts in the town:
, as count at the castle, which stood on a bare limestone rock on the site of the present castle. The name of the town derives from this castle.
Count Poppo I of Blankenburg
very probably came from the Frankish
noble family of Reginbodonen. His descendants were also subject to the nearby Regenstein Castle
. This was a fief from the Bishopric of Halberstadt
like the County of Blankenburg, also called the Hartingau.
In 1180/82 Frederick Barbarossa had Blankenburg devastated because it had pledged "sole allegiance" to the Welf, Henry the Lion
. In 1386 Blankenburg suffered heavy destruction again.
Following the death of the last count of Regenstein
, John Ernest, the county went in 1599 as an agreed enfeoffment (erledigtes Lehen) back to the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg
.
During the Thirty Years' War
Blankenburg was hard pressed by Wallenstein and was occupied in 1625. Nine cannonballs embedded in the walls of the town hall evince this difficult time.
The dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg
turned the place into a secondary residence in the 17th century and it enjoyed its heyday under Duke Louis Rudolf (1690–1731), the second son of Anthony Ulrich of Wolfenbüttel. Rudolf was given Blankenburg in 1707 as a paragium. At the same time the County of Blankenburg was elevated to the status of an imperial principality (Reichsfürstentum) which was ruled independently until 1731, but then, because Louis Rudolf became a duke, was reunited with Brunswick where it remained. The present-day Little Castle with its terraced garden and baroque pleasure garden
stems from that period. From 1807 to 1813 Blankenburg belonged to the Kingdom of Westphalia
.
In the Seven Years' War
the absolute neutrality of the town made it a safe refuge for the Brunswick court. Louis XVIII also stayed in Blankenburg under the name of Count of Lille from 24 August 1796 to 10 February 1798, after his escape from Dillingen.
In the early days of Nazi era, those who opposed the Nazi regime were persecuted and murdered. In a notorious campaign by Brunswick SS commander, Jeckeln, in September 1933, 140 communists and social democrats were herded together in the inn, Zur Erholung. Here and in the Blankenburger Hof they were severely beaten, some dying as a result. During the Second World War the Blankenburg-Oesig subcamp of Buchenwald concentration camp
was set up in the Dr. Dasch (Harzer Werke) Monastery Works and, shortly thereafter, subordinated to Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp. Here some 500 prisoners had to carry out forced labour in the monastery factory and Oda Works. In addition, there was a work camp run by the Gestapo
for "half-Jews" who were forced to do hard labour. Another camp was occupied in February 1945 by inmates of the Auschwitz subcamp of Fürstengrube
and managed as Blankenburg Regenstein subcamp.
As part of the division of Germany into occupation zones in 1945, Blankenburg district was actually assigned to the British zone in accordance with the Potsdam Conference
and London Protocol
. But because the larger eastern part of the district was linked to the rest of the British zone only by a road and a railway, the boundary was adjusted and Blankenburg incorporated into the Soviet zone. The largest part of the district thus ended up later in East Germany and became part of the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The main part of the former Free State of Brunswick
went to the British zone and thus became part of Lower Saxony
.
The tunnels of the Regenstein-Blankenburg facility were used from 1974 by the National People's Army
(NVA) in the GDR as a large ammunition depot. In 1992 the Bundeswehr were given the 8 km long tunnel system and established there, "the largest underground pharmacy in the world": both for routine Bundeswehr missions, but also for disaster relief around the world and for cases of serious military "operations".
in Blankenburg in the Middle Ages, is not clear.
In modern times, there was no longer a synagogue in Blankenburg. On Saturdays several Jewish families met in near Chrons zum Sabbat, including the family of businessman, Alexander Meyer, Moritz Westfeld and Conrad Hesse, as well as Anna Ewh and Lydia Rhynarsewsky. In the wake of Kristallnacht
on 9 November 1938, Jews were deported from Blankenburg to different camps. In the census on 17 May 1939 there were still twelve Jewish citizens registered, including five men.
.
is a terminus and has a bypass for goods traffic. There are connexions to the to Elbingerode (Rübeland Railway)
(only goods trains) and to Halberstadt. The Harz-Elbe Express has worked the line to Halberstadt since 15 December 2005. In the 20th century there was a line to Thale and Quedlinburg.
Blankenburg (Harz) is located next to the B 6n
, a newly built dual carriageway
, and is linked to it over two junctions: Blankenburg Ost and Blankenburg Zentrum. In addition the B 27 federal road runs southwest and the B 81
north to south through Blankenburg (Harz).
is a theatre which is to be restored again.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and health resort in the district of Harz
Harz (district)
- History :The district was established by merging the former districts of Halberstadt, Wernigerode and Quedlinburg as well as the city of Falkenstein as part of the reform of 2007.-Towns and municipalities:...
, in Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, at the north foot of the Harz Mountains, 12 miles (19.3 km) southwest of Halberstadt
Halberstadt
Halberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
.
It has been in large part rebuilt since a fire in 1836, and possesses a castle, with various collections, a museum of antiquities, an old town hall and churches. There are pine-needle baths and a hospital for nervous diseases. Gardening is a speciality. In the vicinity is a cliff or ridge of rock called Teufelsmauer (Devils Wall), from which fine views are obtained across the plain and into the deep gorges of the Harz.
Geography
The town of Blankenburg (Harz) lies on the northern edge of the Harz mountains at a height of about 234 metres. It is located west of QuedlinburgQuedlinburg
Quedlinburg is a town located north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. In 1994 the medieval court and the old town was set on the UNESCO world heritage list....
, south of Halberstadt
Halberstadt
Halberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
and east of Wernigerode
Wernigerode
Wernigerode is a town in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until 2007, it was the capital of the district of Wernigerode. Its population was 35,500 in 1999....
. The stream known as the Goldbach
Goldbach (Bode)
The Goldbach is a left tributary of the River Bode, about 30 km long, in the Harz Mountains of Germany.-Course:The Goldbach rises east of the uplands of Elbingerode , flows through the Silberborn Valley, past Michaelstein Abbey and the Blankenburg Monk's Mill , passes under the B 6 federal highway...
flows the district of Oesig northwest of the town centre.
Borough divisions
The borough includes the following parishes:- BörneckeBörneckeBörnecke is a village in the borough of Blankenburg in the northern Harz Foreland in the central German district of Harz in Saxony-Anhalt....
- CattenstedtCattenstedtCattenstedt is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Blankenburg am Harz....
- DerenburgDerenburgDerenburg is a town in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated north of the Harz, approx. 9 km east of Wernigerode, and 10 km west of Halberstadt. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the borough of Blankenburg am Harz....
- HeimburgHeimburgHeimburg is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Blankenburg am Harz....
- HüttenrodeHüttenrodeHüttenrode is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Blankenburg am Harz....
- TimmenrodeTimmenrodeTimmenrode is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Blankenburg am Harz....
- WienrodeWienrodeWienrode is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Blankenburg am Harz....
In addition there are the following unofficial names for districts in the town:
- Gehren
- Helsungen
- Michaelstein
- Oesig
- Regenstein
- Sonnenbreite
Neighbouring settlements
Clockwise from the north:- Municipality of NordharzNordharzNordharz was a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was situated north of the Harz mountain range and the town of Wernigerode. The seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft was in Veckenstedt...
- County town of HalberstadtHalberstadtHalberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
- Town of ThaleThaleThale is a town in the Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany.-Geography:It is situated on the river Bode, approximately 8 km west of Quedlinburg. It is the terminus of the Magdeburg–Thale railway.- History :...
- Municipality of Oberharz am BrockenOberharz am BrockenOberharz am Brocken is a town in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was formed on 1 January 2010 by the merger of the former municipalities:Benneckenstein,Elbingerode,Elend,Hasselfelde,Königshütte,Rübeland,Sorge,Stiege,Tanne,...
- Town of WernigerodeWernigerodeWernigerode is a town in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until 2007, it was the capital of the district of Wernigerode. Its population was 35,500 in 1999....
History
The first traces of settlement date to the Old Stone Age, but the first recorded mention of Blankenburg goes back to 1123. The Saxon duke, Lothair of Supplinburg, installed Poppo, a nephew of Bishop Reinhard of HalberstadtReinhard of Blankenburg
Reinhard of Blankenburg was Bishop of Halberstadt from 1107 to 1123.He was related to the later comital family. Reinhard may have not have been native in Saxony, but had Saxon relations. His nephew, who was not from Saxony, was Count Poppo I of Blankenburg. Reinhard assisted him by granting him an...
, as count at the castle, which stood on a bare limestone rock on the site of the present castle. The name of the town derives from this castle.
Count Poppo I of Blankenburg
Poppo I of Blankenburg
Poppo I of Blankenburg probably came from the House of Reginbodonen and was Count of Regenstein-Blankenburg in the Harz in central Germany....
very probably came from the Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
noble family of Reginbodonen. His descendants were also subject to the nearby Regenstein Castle
Regenstein Castle
Regenstein Castle is a ruined castle that lies three kilometres north of Blankenburg in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is a popular tourist destination where, each year, a knight's tournament and a garrison festival are held....
. This was a fief from the Bishopric of Halberstadt
Bishopric of Halberstadt
The Bishopric of Halberstadt was a Roman Catholic diocese from 804 until 1648 and an ecclesiastical state of the Holy Roman Empire from the late Middle Ages...
like the County of Blankenburg, also called the Hartingau.
In 1180/82 Frederick Barbarossa had Blankenburg devastated because it had pledged "sole allegiance" to the Welf, Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion was a member of the Welf dynasty and Duke of Saxony, as Henry III, from 1142, and Duke of Bavaria, as Henry XII, from 1156, which duchies he held until 1180....
. In 1386 Blankenburg suffered heavy destruction again.
Following the death of the last count of Regenstein
House of Regenstein
The House of Regenstein, also Reinstein, was a Lower Saxon family of counts, which was named after the eponymous Regenstein Castle near Blankenburg on the edge of the Harz Mountains of central Germany.- History :...
, John Ernest, the county went in 1599 as an agreed enfeoffment (erledigtes Lehen) back to the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Duchy of Brunswick
Brunswick was a historical state in Germany. Originally the territory of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in the Holy Roman Empire, it was established as an independent duchy by the Congress of Vienna in 1815...
.
During the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
Blankenburg was hard pressed by Wallenstein and was occupied in 1625. Nine cannonballs embedded in the walls of the town hall evince this difficult time.
The dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Duchy of Brunswick
Brunswick was a historical state in Germany. Originally the territory of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in the Holy Roman Empire, it was established as an independent duchy by the Congress of Vienna in 1815...
turned the place into a secondary residence in the 17th century and it enjoyed its heyday under Duke Louis Rudolf (1690–1731), the second son of Anthony Ulrich of Wolfenbüttel. Rudolf was given Blankenburg in 1707 as a paragium. At the same time the County of Blankenburg was elevated to the status of an imperial principality (Reichsfürstentum) which was ruled independently until 1731, but then, because Louis Rudolf became a duke, was reunited with Brunswick where it remained. The present-day Little Castle with its terraced garden and baroque pleasure garden
Garden à la française
The French formal garden, also called jardin à la française, is a style of garden based on symmetry and the principle of imposing order over nature. It reached its apogee in the 17th century with the creation of the Gardens of Versailles, designed for Louis XIV by the landscape architect André Le...
stems from that period. From 1807 to 1813 Blankenburg belonged to the Kingdom of Westphalia
Kingdom of Westphalia
The Kingdom of Westphalia was a new country of 2.6 million Germans that existed from 1807-1813. It included of territory in Hesse and other parts of present-day Germany. While formally independent, it was a vassal state of the First French Empire, ruled by Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte...
.
In the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
the absolute neutrality of the town made it a safe refuge for the Brunswick court. Louis XVIII also stayed in Blankenburg under the name of Count of Lille from 24 August 1796 to 10 February 1798, after his escape from Dillingen.
In the early days of Nazi era, those who opposed the Nazi regime were persecuted and murdered. In a notorious campaign by Brunswick SS commander, Jeckeln, in September 1933, 140 communists and social democrats were herded together in the inn, Zur Erholung. Here and in the Blankenburger Hof they were severely beaten, some dying as a result. During the Second World War the Blankenburg-Oesig subcamp of Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp was a German Nazi concentration camp established on the Ettersberg near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937, one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil.Camp prisoners from all over Europe and Russia—Jews, non-Jewish Poles and Slovenes,...
was set up in the Dr. Dasch (Harzer Werke) Monastery Works and, shortly thereafter, subordinated to Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp. Here some 500 prisoners had to carry out forced labour in the monastery factory and Oda Works. In addition, there was a work camp run by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
for "half-Jews" who were forced to do hard labour. Another camp was occupied in February 1945 by inmates of the Auschwitz subcamp of Fürstengrube
Fürstengrube subcamp
The Fürstengrube subcamp was organized in the summer of 1943 at the Fürstengrube hard coal mine in the town of Wesola near Myslowice , approximately from Auschwitz concentration camp. The mine, which IG Farbenindustrie AG acquired in February 1941, was to supply hard coal for the IG Farben...
and managed as Blankenburg Regenstein subcamp.
As part of the division of Germany into occupation zones in 1945, Blankenburg district was actually assigned to the British zone in accordance with the Potsdam Conference
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was held at Cecilienhof, the home of Crown Prince Wilhelm Hohenzollern, in Potsdam, occupied Germany, from 16 July to 2 August 1945. Participants were the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States...
and London Protocol
London Protocol
-1814:On June 21, 1814, a secret convention between the Great Powers: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Prussia, Austria, and Russia awarded the territory of current Belgium and the Netherlands to William I of the Netherlands, then "Sovereign Prince" of the United Netherlands...
. But because the larger eastern part of the district was linked to the rest of the British zone only by a road and a railway, the boundary was adjusted and Blankenburg incorporated into the Soviet zone. The largest part of the district thus ended up later in East Germany and became part of the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The main part of the former Free State of Brunswick
Free State of Brunswick
The Free State of Brunswick was the republic formed after the abolition of the Duchy of Brunswick in the course of the German Revolution of 1918–19. It was a state of the German Reich in the time of the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany.-History:...
went to the British zone and thus became part of Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
.
The tunnels of the Regenstein-Blankenburg facility were used from 1974 by the National People's Army
National People's Army
The National People’s Army were the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic .The NVA was established in 1956 and disestablished in 1990. There were frequent reports of East German advisors with Communist African countries during the Cold War...
(NVA) in the GDR as a large ammunition depot. In 1992 the Bundeswehr were given the 8 km long tunnel system and established there, "the largest underground pharmacy in the world": both for routine Bundeswehr missions, but also for disaster relief around the world and for cases of serious military "operations".
Jewish Life in Blankenburg
At end of the 12th century, the abbess of Quedlinburg pledged estates to Blankenburg Jews. These appear at the time to have been both in Blankenburg and in Quedlinburg. Whether there was a synagogueSynagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
in Blankenburg in the Middle Ages, is not clear.
In modern times, there was no longer a synagogue in Blankenburg. On Saturdays several Jewish families met in near Chrons zum Sabbat, including the family of businessman, Alexander Meyer, Moritz Westfeld and Conrad Hesse, as well as Anna Ewh and Lydia Rhynarsewsky. In the wake of Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass, and also Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht, and Novemberpogrome, was a pogrom or series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on 9–10 November 1938.Jewish homes were ransacked, as were shops, towns and...
on 9 November 1938, Jews were deported from Blankenburg to different camps. In the census on 17 May 1939 there were still twelve Jewish citizens registered, including five men.
Politics
On 25 May 2009 the title Ort der Vielfalt ("Place of Variety") was conferred on the town by the federal governmentCabinet of Germany
The Cabinet of Germany is the chief executive body of the Federal Republic of Germany. It consists of the Chancellor and the cabinet ministers. The fundamentals of the cabinet's organization are set down in articles 62 to 69 of the Basic Law.-Nomination:...
.
Town council
Since the local elections on 11 April 2010 the town council has been composed as follows:- CDUChristian Democratic Union (Germany)The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
: 10 seats - The LeftThe Left (Germany)The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
: 5 seats - Wählergruppe Pro Blankenburg: 3 seats
- SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
: 3 seats - FDPFree Democratic Party (Germany)The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
: 2 seats - Wählergemeinschaft für umweltfreundliche Landwirtschaft Derenburg WUL: 2 seats
- Wählergemeinschaft Timmenrode WGT: 2 seats
- Bürgeraktiv Wienrode BAW: 2 seats
- Interessengemeinschaft Pro Heimburg IGPH: 1 seat
- Gemeinsam für Kinder und Jugendliche /IG Kultur Derenburg GfKJ/IG-K: 1 seat
- Freiwillige Feuerwehr Derenburg: 1 seat
- Freie Wählergemeinschaft Harz FWH: 1 seat
- Einzelbewerber Frank Schade: 1 seat
- Wählergemeinschaft Cattenstedt WGC: 1 seat
- Alliance '90/The GreensAlliance '90/The GreensAlliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir...
: 1 seat
Twin towns
- HerdeckeHerdeckeHerdecke is a town in the district of Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Its located south of Dortmund in the Ruhr Area and is known as Die Stadt zwischen den Ruhrseen ....
, North Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the... - MeerbuschMeerbuschMeerbusch, a town in Rhein-Kreis Neuss, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, has been an incorporated city since 1970. Meerbusch is the municipality with the second most income millionaires in North Rhine-Westphalia.- Geography :...
, North Rhine-Westphalia - WolfenbüttelWolfenbüttelWolfenbüttel is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Oker river about 13 kilometres south of Brunswick. It is the seat of the District of Wolfenbüttel and of the bishop of the Protestant Lutheran State Church of Brunswick...
, Lower SaxonyLower SaxonyLower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
(twin townTwin TownTwin Town is a 1997 revenge comedy film made and set in South West Wales. It was directed by Kevin Allen and had a working title of Hot Dog; a hot dog van features in a number of scenes in the film. It stars real-life brothers Rhys Ifans and Llŷr Ifans and also features Dougray Scott...
) - GeorgsmarienhütteGeorgsmarienhütteGeorgsmarienhütte is a town in the district of Osnabrück, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Teutoburg Forest, approx. 7 km south of Osnabrück.- History :...
, Lower Saxony (twin town)
Economy and infrastructure
The most important economic factors for Blankenburg (Harz) are tourism and facilities for spa and health industry. In addition there are several small to medium sized businesses. The largest industrial concern in the town is the Harzer Werke Motorentechnik with about 60 employees, which grew out of a grey iron foundry founded in about 1870.Transport
Blankenburg (Harz) stationBlankenburg (Harz) station
Blankenburg station is the most important station in Blankenburg in the Saxony-Anhalt district of Harz in central Germany.- Location :The station lies in the north of the town...
is a terminus and has a bypass for goods traffic. There are connexions to the to Elbingerode (Rübeland Railway)
Rübeland Railway
The Rübeland Railway is a railway link from Blankenburg via Rübeland and Königshütte to Tanne in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It was built by the Halberstadt-Blankenburg Railway between 1880 and 1886. The route length is 30.6 kilometres, the height difference over 300 metres...
(only goods trains) and to Halberstadt. The Harz-Elbe Express has worked the line to Halberstadt since 15 December 2005. In the 20th century there was a line to Thale and Quedlinburg.
Blankenburg (Harz) is located next to the B 6n
Bundesstraße 6n
The Bundesstraße 6n is a German federal road which was originally planned to be the A 36 motorway and is still currently under construction.It is intended to have four lanes running from the A 395 near Vienenburg through Wernigerode, Blankenburg, Quedlinburg, Aschersleben over the A 14 to...
, a newly built dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
, and is linked to it over two junctions: Blankenburg Ost and Blankenburg Zentrum. In addition the B 27 federal road runs southwest and the B 81
Bundesstraße 81
The German Bundesstraße 81 acts as a main road link between the Magdeburg, Halberstadt and Nordhausen.- Course :...
north to south through Blankenburg (Harz).
Educational establishments
- Primary schools: Am Regenstein Primary School, Martin Luther School
- Secondary schools: August Bebel School, Heinrich Heine School
- Grammar school: Gymnasium Am Thie
- Yamaha Music School, Schicker
Culture and places of interest
- Above the town to the south on the hill of Blankenstein (334 m) is Blankenburg CastleBlankenburg Castle (Harz)Great Blankenburg Castle was built on the limestone hill of Blankenstein in the town of Blankenburg in the district of Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt...
- The Little Castle (Kleine Schloss) with its baroque gardens belongs to the network of Saxony-Anhalt Garden DreamsSaxony-Anhalt Garden DreamsThe Garden Dream project is a conservation and tourism network concerned with rediscovering the cultural heritage of gardens in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt....
- The town hall stems from the renaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
period (internally older, later converted). - Above the town hall is the medieval parish church of St. Bartholomew. In the tower and the chancel of the church there are late romanesque section of wall from around 1200. The statues of benefactors in the chancel, probably around 1300, belong to the other successors of the Naumburg benefactors statues.
- The town of Blankenburg (Harz) has picturesque villas from the turn of the 20th century.
- Also worth seeing are the historic gardens (baroque garden, castle park, pheasant garden, animal park).
- On the edge of the town lies the former robber baronRobber baronA robber baron or robber knight was an unscrupulous and despotic nobility of the medieval period in Europe, for example, Berlichingen. It has slightly different meanings in different countries. In modern US parlance, the term is also used to describe unscrupulous industrialists...
castle and fortress of RegensteinRegenstein CastleRegenstein Castle is a ruined castle that lies three kilometres north of Blankenburg in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is a popular tourist destination where, each year, a knight's tournament and a garrison festival are held....
. - Regenstein Mill (Regenstein-Mühle) in the woods west of Regenstein Castle, an old mill with water channels carved out of the rock (Harzer WandernadelHarzer WandernadelThe Harzer Wandernadel is a network of checkpoints for walkers in the Harz mountains in North Germany. It includes a system whereby the hiker can earn badges at different levels by walking to the various checkpoints in the network and recording them...
checkpoint no. 82). - The TeufelsmauerTeufelsmauer (Harz)The Teufelsmauer is a rock formation made of hard sandstones of the Upper Cretaceous in the northern part of the Harz Foreland in central Germany. This wall of rock runs from Blankenburg via Weddersleben and Rieder to Ballenstedt. The most prominent individual rocks of the Teufelsmauer have their...
(Devil's Wall), a bizarre sandstoneSandstoneSandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
rock formation and geological natural monumentNatural MonumentA natural monument is a natural or natural/cultural feature of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative of aesthetic qualities or cultural significance.... - The ZiegenkopfZiegenkopf (Harz)The Ziegenkopf is a hill, , near Blankenburg in the Harz mountains in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.- Geographical location :The Ziegenkopf lies just under 1 km southwest of Blankenburg and about 200 m south of the B 27 federal highway to Hüttenrode.- Observation tower :Over 100...
ridge and nature reserve. - Remains of the LuisenburgLuisenburg (Harz)The Luisenburg was a small palace that existed from 1728 to 1945 near Blankenburg in central Germany.It was built in 1728 on the Calviusberg hilltop above Blankenburg Castle as a belvedere for Duchess Christine Louise of Brunswick, and was named after her. The Luisenburg was a single-storey...
castle. - The sand caves of Sandhöhlen im Heers in the woods below Regenstein Castle which are also thought to be a Germanic cult site or thingstead (Harzer WandernadelHarzer WandernadelThe Harzer Wandernadel is a network of checkpoints for walkers in the Harz mountains in North Germany. It includes a system whereby the hiker can earn badges at different levels by walking to the various checkpoints in the network and recording them...
checkpoint no. 81).
Theatre
In the Great CastleBlankenburg Castle (Harz)
Great Blankenburg Castle was built on the limestone hill of Blankenstein in the town of Blankenburg in the district of Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt...
is a theatre which is to be restored again.
Museums
- The town museum for Blankenburg (Harz) is in the Little Castle, the former ducal LustschlossLustschlossA Lustschloss is a small palace which served the private pleasure of its owner, usually the ruler of the area. It is located in, and was inhabited for court, ceremonial, and state duties.A Lustschloss is often coupled with a Jagdschloss...
- Unique in Germany is the hostel museum. It contains a large collection of items, as well as a library of craft work.
- In addition there is Michaelstein AbbeyMichaelstein AbbeyMichaelstein Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery, now the home of the Stiftung Kloster Michaelstein - Musikinstitut für Aufführungspraxis , near the town of Blankenburg in the Harz in Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany.-History:In a deed of Emperor Otto I dated 956 giving property to...
with its herb garden and instrument museum.
Buildings
- Great CastleBlankenburg Castle (Harz)Great Blankenburg Castle was built on the limestone hill of Blankenstein in the town of Blankenburg in the district of Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt...
- Little Castle
- Town hall
- Church of St. Bartholomew
- Michaelstein AbbeyMichaelstein AbbeyMichaelstein Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery, now the home of the Stiftung Kloster Michaelstein - Musikinstitut für Aufführungspraxis , near the town of Blankenburg in the Harz in Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany.-History:In a deed of Emperor Otto I dated 956 giving property to...
- Ruins of Regenstein CastleRegenstein CastleRegenstein Castle is a ruined castle that lies three kilometres north of Blankenburg in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is a popular tourist destination where, each year, a knight's tournament and a garrison festival are held....
- Wilhelm Raabe TowerWilhelm Raabe TowerThe Wilhelm Raabe Tower is one of the few surviving Kaiser towers . It is located on the Eichenberg hill near Blankenburg on the edge of the Harz Mountains of central Germany. It is owned by the Harz Club branch in Blankenburg....
west of Blankenburg (Harz) on the Eichenberg
Historical monuments
- Memorial grove for concentration camp prisoners and forced labourers of various nationalities at the levelled cemetery of Alten Friedhof on Lühner-Tor-Platz
- Monument stone in memory of the concentration camp inmates of the subcamp near the present-day Diesterweg School in the district of Oesig
- Memorial board in Mauerstraße 14 to the sentencing of 63 anti-fascists in September 1933
Regular events
- Viking Festival (Easter)
- Country- and Trucker Festival
- Knight's Tournament (in July)
- Abbey Festival
- Historic weekends (railways and markets; baroque castle gardens and parks)
- Michaelstein Abbey concerts (all year)
- Sternthal Christmas market
Notable people
- Joseph von RadowitzJoseph von RadowitzJoseph Maria Ernst Christian Wilhelm von Radowitz was a conservative Prussian statesman and general famous for his proposal to unify Germany under Prussian leadership by means of a negotiated agreement among the reigning German princes.-Early years:Radowitz was born to Roman Catholic nobility on ...
, generalGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, born 6 February 1797, died 25 December 1853 in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... - Robert KoldeweyRobert KoldeweyRobert Johann Koldewey was a German architect, famous for his discovery of the ancient city of Babylon in modern day Iraq. He was born in Blankenburg am Harz in Germany, the duchy of Brunswick, and died in Berlin at the age of 70...
, architectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and archaeologistArchaeologyArchaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
, born 10 September 1855, died 4 February 1925 in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... - Oswald SpenglerOswald SpenglerOswald Manuel Arnold Gottfried Spengler was a German historian and philosopher whose interests also included mathematics, science, and art. He is best known for his book The Decline of the West , published in 1918, which puts forth a cyclical theory of the rise and decline of civilizations...
, philosopher, born 29 May 1880, died 8 May 1936 in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat... - Joachim Albrecht EggelingJoachim Albrecht EggelingJoachim Albrecht Leo Eggeling was the Nazi Gauleiter of Saxony and Anhalt and the High President of the Province of Halle-Merseburg.Eggeling was born in Blankenburg am Harz, Province of Saxony...
, NaziNazismNazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
GauleiterGauleiterA Gauleiter was the party leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP or the head of a Gau or of a Reichsgau.-Creation and Early Usage:...
, born 30 November 1884, died 15 April 1945 in Moritzburg (Halle)Moritzburg (Halle)The Moritzburg is a fortified castle in Halle , Germany. The cornerstone of what would later become the residence of the Archbishops of Magdeburg was laid in 1484; the castle was built in the style of the Early Renaissance and is one of the most imposing buildings of Halle today... - Frederika of HanoverFrederika of HanoverFrederica of Hanover was Queen consort of the Hellenes as the wife of King Paul of Greece.-Early life:...
, queen consortQueen consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Paul of GreecePaul of GreecePaul reigned as King of Greece from 1947 to 1964.-Family and early life:Paul was born in Athens, the third son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia. He was trained as a naval officer....
, born 18 April 1917, died 6 February 1981 in MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
Twin town
- HerdeckeHerdeckeHerdecke is a town in the district of Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Its located south of Dortmund in the Ruhr Area and is known as Die Stadt zwischen den Ruhrseen ....
, North Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the... - Meerbusch, North Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
- Wolfenbüttel, Lower SaxonyLower SaxonyLower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
(City Friendship) - Georgsmarienhütte, Lower SaxonyLower SaxonyLower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
(City Friendship)