Böstlingen
Encyclopedia
Böstlingen was a village in the old district (Altkreis) of Fallingbostel, located in the Heidmark
in the north German state of Lower Saxony
. In 1935/36 it was abandoned because the German Wehrmacht
wanted to establish a major military training area, the Truppenübungsplatz Bergen
on the heath and forest of the Heidmark. The inhabitants were forcibly resettled.
n. Not until the 19th century, when they succeeded in breaking up the hardpan
and cultivating arable
land, did sheep farming decline.
A parish was created, based on the village of Böstlingen, which included the neighbouring villages of Böstlingen, Fahrenholz
, Pröbsten
and Deil
. At the time of the resettlement there were 208 parishioners.
Tradition has it that there were earth cellars (Erdkeller) in Böstlingen.
Heidmark
The Heidmark is an area of the Lüneburg Heath, much of which has not been accessible to the population since about 1935/1936. The establishment of a large military training area by the German armed forces, the Wehrmacht, as part of their rearmament and preparation for war resulted in the...
in the north German state 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...
. In 1935/36 it was abandoned because the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
wanted to establish a major military training area, the Truppenübungsplatz Bergen
Bergen-Hohne Training Area
Bergen-Hohne Training Area is a NATO military training area in the southern part of the Lüneburg Heath, in the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany. It covers an area of , which makes it the largest military training area in Germany.It was established by the German armed forces, the...
on the heath and forest of the Heidmark. The inhabitants were forcibly resettled.
History
Böstlingen was first documented in 1378. In the Celle treasury register (Schatzregister) in 1438 there is mention of 3 farms at Böstlingen. For centuries heath farmers earned a living here by keeping moorland sheep, known as HeidschnuckeHeidschnucke
The Heidschnucke is a group of three types of moorland sheep from northern Germany. Like a number of other types from Scandinavia and Great Britain, they are Northern European short-tailed sheep...
n. Not until the 19th century, when they succeeded in breaking up the hardpan
Hardpan
In soil science, agriculture and gardening, hardpan or ouklip is a general term for a dense layer of soil, usually found below the uppermost topsoil layer. There are different types of hardpan, all sharing the general characteristic of being a distinct soil layer that is largely impervious to water...
and cultivating arable
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
land, did sheep farming decline.
A parish was created, based on the village of Böstlingen, which included the neighbouring villages of Böstlingen, Fahrenholz
Fahrenholz (Heidmark)
Fahrenholz was a village in the former district of Fallingbostel, located in the Heidmark in the German state of Lower Saxony. It was abandoned in 1935/1936 when the German Wehrmacht created the Bergen Training Area. Its inhabitants were resettled.- History :...
, Pröbsten
Pröbsten
Pröbsten was a village in the former district of Fallingbostel, located in the Heidmark in the German state of Lower Saxony. Its inhabitants were resettled in 1935/36, because the German Wehrmacht wanted to establish a major military training area, the Truppenübungsplatz Bergen on the heathland...
and Deil
Deil (Heidmark)
Deil was a farm in the old district of Fallingbostel, located in the Heidmark region in the north German state of Lower Saxony. In 1935/36 the farm was commandeered by the barracks built in the vicinity and served as an officers mess. There were probably several farms in a village called Deil in...
. At the time of the resettlement there were 208 parishioners.
Tradition has it that there were earth cellars (Erdkeller) in Böstlingen.
Sources
- Hinrich Baumann: Die Heidmark - Wandel einer Landschaft. Geschichte des Truppenübungsplatzes Bergen. 2006
- Hans StuhlmacherHans StuhlmacherHans Albert Alexander Louis Carl Stuhlmacher was a German pedagogue, Wehrmacht officer and local historian.- Life and works :Hans Stuhlmacher was born on 16 May 1892 in Lüneburg, the son of a district court chancery clerk , Friedrich Stuhlmacher, and his wife, Emma, née Ebbeke...
: Die Heidmark. Schneeheide 1939