Diesten is a village subordinated to the Lower Saxon

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...

 town of Bergen in the northern part of Celle district on the Lüneburg Heath

Lüneburg Heath

The Lüneburg Heath is a large area of heath, geest and woodland in northeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany. It forms part of the hinterland for the cities of Hamburg, Hanover, and Bremen and is named after the town of Lüneburg. Most of the area is a nature reserve...

 in northern Germany. It lies 20 km north of Celle

Celle

Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...

 on state road (Kreisstraße

Kreisstraße

A Kreisstraße is a class of road in Germany. It carries traffic between the towns and villages within a Kreis or district or between two neighbouring districts. In terms of importance, the Kreisstraße ranks below a Landesstraße , but above a Gemeindestraße or "local road"...

) K 240 and currently has 357 inhabitants.

History

Diesten was first mentioned in the records in 1235 under the name Dedesten. It has always had a rural character and, even today, has retained its original village layout. The hamlets of Huxahl, 1 km north of Diesten, and Lindhorst 2 km to the west, are administratively part of Diesten. In Lindhorst there is an old oak, protected by law, that was mentioned in a document as long ago as the 15th century. Based on that it is at least 700 years old.

Politics

Following the Lower Saxony district and administrative reform of 1973, the Diesten has been part of the borough of Bergen. It is represented by a parish council (Ortsrat) and the chairman (Ortsbürgermeister). The council is empowered, inter alia, to make decisions about public services in the village, is responsible for maintaining the appearance of the village and for overseeing its clubs and societies, and has to be consulted by the town of Bergen on all important matters affecting the village. It consists of five elected representatives who, together with the chair, sit on the Bergen town council. The parish council elects its own mayor. The current incumbent is Reinhard Blonn.

Literature

• Freiwillige Feuerwehr Diesten 1935-1985, 50th anniversary of the Diesten Volunteer Fire Service

External links

• Information about Diesten