Kirchhundem
Encyclopedia
Kirchhundem is a community in North Rhine-Westphalia
, Germany
. It belongs to the Olpe district
.
and belongs to the so-called Bilsteiner Bergland (mountain region). The Kirchhundem rural areas also include, in the east, the West (Rüsper) Rothaar
and part of the Auer Ederbergland, in the south the Brachthäuser Hohe Waldberge (all mountain ranges), in the west the Rahrbacher Mulde (basin) and in the north the Hundemgrund. The crest of the Rothaar forms a watershed between the Rhine and the Sieg
. The community’s highest elevation can be found here, the Hohe Hessel at 743 m. The Kirchhundem area is drained by the Hundem, which rises near Oberhundem and flows northwest to the Lenne
. The Hundem is fed from the south by the Heinsberger Bach – also known as the Albaumer Bach (Bach is German
for “brook”) – whose mouth is near Würdinghausen, the brook variously known as the Brachthauser-, Wirmer- or Flaperbach and the Olpe, whose mouth is in Kirchhundem. The Silberger Bach empties into the Olpe near Heidschott. The Rüspe area east of the Rothaar crest is drained by streams flowing to the Eder
.
Kirchhundem is roughly 20 km east of Olpe
and 25 km north of Siegen
.
and Lennestadt
and in the far northeast on the town of Schmallenberg
in the Hochsauerlandkreis. In the east and south, the towns of Bad Berleburg
, Erndtebrück
, Hilchenbach
and Kreuztal
, all lying in Siegen-Wittgenstein
district, also abut Kirchhundem.
has more than one function: in the east, it is the watershed between the Rhine and Weser and in the west between the Sieg and Ruhr. It is also a dialectal
boundary, with Franconian speech heard to the south and Saxon to the north, and a religious boundary, with areas to the south traditionally Evangelical
and those to the north Catholic. Historically it was also the border between the Duchy of Westphalia
, a possession of the Electorate of Cologne in the north, and the Principality of Nassau-Siegen and the County of Wittgenstein-Berleburg in the south. This time is still witnessed by many historic border stones and old fortification walls known to people in the victorious lands as the Kölsches Heck (roughly “Cologne Hedge”).
averages between 900 and 1 300 mm while the average temperature for the year as a whole ranges between 6 and 8 °C.
Up until roughly the 8th century, thick broadleaf forests blanketed what is now Kirchhundem’s municipal area. Beech
es dominated the hills and slopes while oak
s, elm
s, maple
s and other kinds of trees held sway in the dales.
The first people are believed to have settled in the area of the Altes Feld (“Old Field”) near Kirchhundem and in the Olpe Valley. About the 9th century they began clearing and settling activities, which lasted until the 13th century.
The Hundem area’s – “curia nomine homede” – first documentary mention might be the one found in one of Emperor Frederick I’s
documents from the year 1153. This attribution, however, is as much disputed as the other documents. The oldest undisputed reference is a document from the Kirchhundem parish archive from the year 1249, in which the conditions are laid out whereby Vogt
(roughly “reeve
”) Widekind of Hundem (a mediaeval name for Kirchhundem’s main centre) was to allow his people and others to make the Margaretenaltar at Hundem their own.
As a second centre, Würdinghausen was mentioned in 1270. Only nine years later, so were Bettinghusen (Bettinghof), Böminghausen, Emlinghausen and Flape. In the two centuries that followed, almost all the centres that now make up today’s community were mentioned in documents. Furthermore, many other centres are named that have since been forsaken.
At its beginnings, the area was held by the Noble Lords of Gevore-Bilstein. Johann II von Bilstein relinquished his lordly claim to Count Gottfried IV of Arnsberg in 1350. After Johann’s death in 1363, however, Gottfried could not assert his claim to the land of Bilstein and it fell to Count Engelbert III von der Mark. As a result of the Soest Feud, the land of Bilstein, and thereby also the area that is now the community of Kirchhundem, ended up in the ownership of the Archbishop of Cologne in 1445. The area was held by the Electorate of Cologne right up until 1802-1803, its overlordship ending only with Secularization
. The former Duchy of Westphalia
passed to the Landgrave at Hesse-Darmstadt. He introduced, through many reforms after 350 years of church control, the end of the Middle Ages
in the southern Sauerland. After Napoleon’s
abdication, Grand Duke Ludwig I
also had to relinquish his holdings in Prussia
, which he had only acquired a few years earlier. The area was incorporated into the newly formed Prussian Province of Westphalia
. Under Prussian governance, other reforms were implemented. Among other things, the Amt of Kirchhundem, the current community’s forerunner, was brought into being in the course of the introduction of the Landgemeindeordnung (“Rural Community Ordinance”) in 1843.
The community of Kirchhundem in its current form came into being on 1 July 1969 on the occasion of municipal reforms. Kirchhundem was assigned areas formerly belonging to the communities of Heinsberg, Kohlhagen and Oberhundem in the old Amt of Kirchhundem, parts of the former community of Kirchhundem and the community of Rahrbach (excepting the villages of Fahlenscheid and Benolpe), formerly belonging to the Amt of Bilstein.
Siegerland, there were only a few Evangelical inhabitants here in the past. A considerable mix of the two denominations came about only through the population shifts that resulted from the Second World War.
es (Albaum, Benolpe, Heinsberg, Hofolpe, Kirchhundem, Kohlhagen, Marmecke, Oberhundem, Rahrbach, Silberg, Welschen-Ennest and Würdinghausen). The oldest parishes in Kirchhundem, Oberhundem and Rahrbach, have existed since at least the 13th century. Two parishes split away from the parish of Kirchhundem in the 17th century to form separate parishes: Heinsberg (1628) and Kohlhagen (1655).
Owing to a dearth of priests and money over the last few years, it has been impossible to fill some ecclesiastical posts. Instead, the Church has organized groups of parishes into clusters called Pastoralverbunde, each overseen by several priests. The parishes of Albaum, Heinsberg, Hofolpe, Kirchhundem, Marmecke, Oberhundem and Würdinghausen form one such cluster, named the Pastoralverbund Hundemtal and another such cluster is made up of the parishes of Benolpe, Kohlhagen, Rahrbach, Silberg and Welschen-Ennest and named the Pastoralverbund Am Cölschen Heck.
, which might have influenced the election’s outcome.
In 1946 came the separation of administration (Amtsdirektor) and representation (Bürgermeister, or mayor).
In 1969, the Amt of Kirchhundem was dissolved. Great parts of the Amt area passed to the newly created community of Kirchhundem. At the same time, the official nomenclature changed.
The municipal arms
were conferred on the community of Kirchhundem on 24 February 1972, and they are those formerly borne by the old Amt of Kirchhundem. The billets (small rectangles) are an historical reference; they were taken from the coat of arms borne by the Knights of Hundem. The hart
’s antlers refer to the wealth of red deer
in the Kirchhundem area. The Wolfsangel
symbolizes the community’s agricultural
character.
town of Houplines
. The partner community lies in the northeast of France near Lille
. Contacts between Kirchhundem and Houplines take place mainly at the club level. On the occasion of a visit by members of the Kirchhundem municipal council to Houplines in November 2006, a new housing estate there called the Résidence Kirchhundem was dedicated by both communities’ mayors. To strengthen the town partnership, the club Freunde von Houplines (“Friends of Houplines”) has been founded.
Kirchhundem offers, with its location on the Rothaarsteig
trail, which runs from Brilon
to Dillenburg
, recreational activity that is especially interesting for hikers. As well, there is another trail, the Kirchhundemer Rundwanderweg running for roughly 90 km along the municipal limits. A favourite hiking destination is the Rhein-Weser-Turm (tower) near Oberhundem, from which there are good views over the southern Sauerland.
Also in Oberhundem are found the Schloss Adolfsburg, a Baroque
residential castle with a moat, and the amusement park Panorama-Park Sauerland, which is even open in the winter. Entrance to the wilderness park area is then free.
. It supports schools, holds exhibitions and acts as adviser in the remodelling of the spa gardens.
town hall built between 1903 and 1905 and the many timber-frame houses in the community’s various centres. The Heitmickeviadukt in Kirchhundem, the Kirchhundem-Flape railway station reception building, the aqueduct in the Krenkel Valley near Heinsberg and the portals of the Heinsberger Tunnel are witnesses to the old Altenhundem–Birkelbach Railway, most of which ran through Kirchhundem’s current municipal area. The community’s hallmark is the Rhein-Weser-Turm, an observation tower built in 1932 to afford views of the Rhine-Weser watershed.
and the tower’s foundation, which according to cornerstones were built in 1340 and 1470. The old organ with its carving work comes from the years 1701/02 from the Sasse sculpture studio in Attendorn. Today’s Late Gothic parish church was built between 1915 and 1917 by Prof. Joseph Buchkremer during the First World War crosswise to the old Romanesque church. The old church had three naves each with four bays. The south nave’s west bay had two floors and a groin vault
.
Most of these conservation areas are made up of juniper
heathlands
. The Sellenbruch conservation area, on the other hand, also harbours widespread royal fern
growth. Some of the areas mentioned above were given conservation area status under initiatives by Wilhelm Münker (1874-1970) from Hilchenbach. At the Albaumer Klippen (cliffs), which are composed of silicate
, is found crevice vegetation that has been deemed worthy of protection, surrounded by mixed forests on the slopes full of ravines and oaktrees. The Stelborner Klippen are only moderately shaded silicate cliffs made up of cinder and crystal tuff
s with crevice vegetation and partly beech and oak forests growing on scree.
Artificial turf
fields have been built in Albaum, Brachthausen, Heinsberg, Kirchhundem, Oberhundem and Rahrbach. Gym
nasia exist at the Gemeinschaftshauptschule
Kirchhundem (triple gymnasium) and at primary schools in Heinsberg, Kirchhundem, Oberhundem and Welschen Ennest. Also, the TuS Silberg-Varste e. V. (gymnastic and sport club) has a gymnasium in Silberg. There is an athletics facility at the Gemeinschaftshauptschule Kirchhundem. The TC Rot-Weiß Kirchhundem (tennis
club) owns tennis courts.
In Kirchhundem-Silberg, each year on 1 May, the Großer Preis von Silbergstone (“Grand Prix of Silbergstone”). This event is the origin of what is now the Europe-wide pastime of Bobbycar
racing.
With its Kirchhundem and Welschen Ennest stations, Kirchhundem lies on the Ruhr-Sieg line from Hagen
to Siegen
. Furthermore, bus
lines of the Verkehrsbetriebe Westfalen-Süd (VWS, “Westphalia-South Transport Services”) and Busverkehr Ruhr-Sieg (BRS, “Ruhr-Sieg Bus Transport”) run to Lennestadt, Olpe and Hilchenbach.
Bundesstraße
517 runs through the community.
Kirchhundem belongs to the Westdeutscher Rundfunk Siegen
studio area. News from the South Sauerland is broadcast on WDR 2
and in local broadcasts on WDR Fernsehen
.
n or Gymnasien
at its disposal. Instead, students must go to the ones in neighbouring Lennestadt
and Olpe
.
North Rhine-Westphalia
North 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...
, 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...
. It belongs to the Olpe district
Olpe (district)
Olpe is a Kreis in the south-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Märkischer Kreis, Hochsauerland, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Altenkirchen, Oberbergischer Kreis.- History :...
.
Location
The community of Kirchhundem lies in the Olpe district’s southeast in the south SauerlandSauerland
The Sauerland is a rural, hilly area spreading across most of the south-eastern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, in parts heavily forested and, apart from the major valleys, sparsely inhabited...
and belongs to the so-called Bilsteiner Bergland (mountain region). The Kirchhundem rural areas also include, in the east, the West (Rüsper) Rothaar
Rothaargebirge
The Rothaargebirge is a low mountain range reaching heights of up to 843.1 m in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, Germany....
and part of the Auer Ederbergland, in the south the Brachthäuser Hohe Waldberge (all mountain ranges), in the west the Rahrbacher Mulde (basin) and in the north the Hundemgrund. The crest of the Rothaar forms a watershed between the Rhine and the Sieg
Sieg
The Sieg is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany named after the Sigambrer. It is a right tributary of the Rhine and 153 kilometres in length....
. The community’s highest elevation can be found here, the Hohe Hessel at 743 m. The Kirchhundem area is drained by the Hundem, which rises near Oberhundem and flows northwest to the Lenne
Lenne
The Lenne is a river in the Sauerland area in North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany, a left tributary of the Ruhr.Having its source on top of the Kahler Asten near Winterberg in an intermittent spring at an elevation of 2,687 feet, the Lenne ends after a course of 128 km flowing into the...
. The Hundem is fed from the south by the Heinsberger Bach – also known as the Albaumer Bach (Bach is German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for “brook”) – whose mouth is near Würdinghausen, the brook variously known as the Brachthauser-, Wirmer- or Flaperbach and the Olpe, whose mouth is in Kirchhundem. The Silberger Bach empties into the Olpe near Heidschott. The Rüspe area east of the Rothaar crest is drained by streams flowing to the Eder
Eder
The Eder is a 177 km long river in Germany, and a tributary of the Fulda River. It was first mentioned by the Roman historian Tacitus as the Adrana in the territory of the Chatti....
.
Kirchhundem is roughly 20 km east of Olpe
Olpe, Germany
Olpe is situated in the foothills of the Ebbegebirge in North Rhine-Westphalia, roughly 60 km east of Cologne and 20 km northwest of Siegen. It is part of the Regierungsbezirk of Arnsberg and is the seat of the district of Olpe.- Location :...
and 25 km north of Siegen
Siegen
Siegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
.
Municipal area’s extent
Kirchhundem, with an area of 147.9 km², is the Olpe district’s biggest municipality by land area. It stretches for 12 km from north to south and 22 km from east to west.Neighbouring communities
The community of Kirchhundem lies in the east of the district area. It borders in the west and north on the towns of OlpeOlpe, Germany
Olpe is situated in the foothills of the Ebbegebirge in North Rhine-Westphalia, roughly 60 km east of Cologne and 20 km northwest of Siegen. It is part of the Regierungsbezirk of Arnsberg and is the seat of the district of Olpe.- Location :...
and Lennestadt
Lennestadt
Lennestadt lies in the Sauerland in southeast North Rhine-Westphalia and is a community in Olpe district. It is the district’s most populous municipality....
and in the far northeast on the town of Schmallenberg
Schmallenberg
Schmallenberg is a town in the district of Hochsauerland. Relating to its area of 188 square miles it is the largest town belonging to an administrative Kreis in the federal state of North Rhine/Westphalia, Germany....
in the Hochsauerlandkreis. In the east and south, the towns of Bad Berleburg
Bad Berleburg
Bad Berleburg is a town, in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of Germany's largest towns by land area. It is located approx...
, Erndtebrück
Erndtebrück
Erndtebrück is a municipality in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Location:Erndtebrück situated on the river Eder in the Rothaargebirge, approx...
, Hilchenbach
Hilchenbach
Hilchenbach is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein Kreis of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Location: The map shows Hilchenbach's location in Siegen-Wittgenstein district. It is about 15 km northeast of Siegen...
and Kreuztal
Kreuztal
Kreuztal is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Location:Kreuztal is a town in the low mountains of the northern Siegerland and lies at the western edge of the Rothaargebirge about 10 km north of Siegen....
, all lying in Siegen-Wittgenstein
Siegen-Wittgenstein
Siegen-Wittgenstein is a Kreis in the southeast of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Olpe, Hochsauerlandkreis, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Lahn-Dill, Westerwaldkreis, Altenkirchen.-History:...
district, also abut Kirchhundem.
Municipal limit
The community’s southern limit with the neighbouring district of Siegen-WittgensteinSiegen-Wittgenstein
Siegen-Wittgenstein is a Kreis in the southeast of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Olpe, Hochsauerlandkreis, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Lahn-Dill, Westerwaldkreis, Altenkirchen.-History:...
has more than one function: in the east, it is the watershed between the Rhine and Weser and in the west between the Sieg and Ruhr. It is also a dialectal
German dialects
German dialect is dominated by the geographical spread of the High German consonant shift, and the dialect continuum that connects the German with the Dutch language.-German dialects in relation to varieties of standard German:...
boundary, with Franconian speech heard to the south and Saxon to the north, and a religious boundary, with areas to the south traditionally Evangelical
Evangelical Church in Germany
The Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 22 Lutheran, Unified and Reformed Protestant regional church bodies in Germany. The EKD is not a church in a theological understanding because of the denominational differences. However, the member churches share full pulpit and altar...
and those to the north Catholic. Historically it was also the border between the Duchy of Westphalia
Duchy of Westphalia
The Duchy of Westphalia was a historic territory in the greater region of Westphalia, located in the east of modern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Originally, Westphalia formed with Angria and Eastphalia one of the three main regions of Saxony...
, a possession of the Electorate of Cologne in the north, and the Principality of Nassau-Siegen and the County of Wittgenstein-Berleburg in the south. This time is still witnessed by many historic border stones and old fortification walls known to people in the victorious lands as the Kölsches Heck (roughly “Cologne Hedge”).
Constituent communities
The community of Kirchhundem consists of the following centres:
|
|
|
Climate
Yearly precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
averages between 900 and 1 300 mm while the average temperature for the year as a whole ranges between 6 and 8 °C.
History
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
es dominated the hills and slopes while oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
s, elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
s, maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
s and other kinds of trees held sway in the dales.
The first people are believed to have settled in the area of the Altes Feld (“Old Field”) near Kirchhundem and in the Olpe Valley. About the 9th century they began clearing and settling activities, which lasted until the 13th century.
The Hundem area’s – “curia nomine homede” – first documentary mention might be the one found in one of Emperor Frederick I’s
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
documents from the year 1153. This attribution, however, is as much disputed as the other documents. The oldest undisputed reference is a document from the Kirchhundem parish archive from the year 1249, in which the conditions are laid out whereby Vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
(roughly “reeve
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
”) Widekind of Hundem (a mediaeval name for Kirchhundem’s main centre) was to allow his people and others to make the Margaretenaltar at Hundem their own.
As a second centre, Würdinghausen was mentioned in 1270. Only nine years later, so were Bettinghusen (Bettinghof), Böminghausen, Emlinghausen and Flape. In the two centuries that followed, almost all the centres that now make up today’s community were mentioned in documents. Furthermore, many other centres are named that have since been forsaken.
At its beginnings, the area was held by the Noble Lords of Gevore-Bilstein. Johann II von Bilstein relinquished his lordly claim to Count Gottfried IV of Arnsberg in 1350. After Johann’s death in 1363, however, Gottfried could not assert his claim to the land of Bilstein and it fell to Count Engelbert III von der Mark. As a result of the Soest Feud, the land of Bilstein, and thereby also the area that is now the community of Kirchhundem, ended up in the ownership of the Archbishop of Cologne in 1445. The area was held by the Electorate of Cologne right up until 1802-1803, its overlordship ending only with Secularization
Secularization
Secularization is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions...
. The former Duchy of Westphalia
Duchy of Westphalia
The Duchy of Westphalia was a historic territory in the greater region of Westphalia, located in the east of modern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Originally, Westphalia formed with Angria and Eastphalia one of the three main regions of Saxony...
passed to the Landgrave at Hesse-Darmstadt. He introduced, through many reforms after 350 years of church control, the end of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
in the southern Sauerland. After Napoleon’s
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
abdication, Grand Duke Ludwig I
Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse
Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse was Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and later the first Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine....
also had to relinquish his holdings in Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, which he had only acquired a few years earlier. The area was incorporated into the newly formed Prussian Province of Westphalia
Province of Westphalia
The Province of Westphalia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:Napoleon Bonaparte founded the Kingdom of Westphalia, which was a client state of the First French Empire from 1807 to 1813...
. Under Prussian governance, other reforms were implemented. Among other things, the Amt of Kirchhundem, the current community’s forerunner, was brought into being in the course of the introduction of the Landgemeindeordnung (“Rural Community Ordinance”) in 1843.
The community of Kirchhundem in its current form came into being on 1 July 1969 on the occasion of municipal reforms. Kirchhundem was assigned areas formerly belonging to the communities of Heinsberg, Kohlhagen and Oberhundem in the old Amt of Kirchhundem, parts of the former community of Kirchhundem and the community of Rahrbach (excepting the villages of Fahlenscheid and Benolpe), formerly belonging to the Amt of Bilstein.
Religion
Owing to its long historical connection with possessions of the Archbishop of Cologne, the community of Kirchhundem is overwhelmingly Catholic in character. Although it is right near the overwhelmingly EvangelicalEvangelical Church in Germany
The Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 22 Lutheran, Unified and Reformed Protestant regional church bodies in Germany. The EKD is not a church in a theological understanding because of the denominational differences. However, the member churches share full pulpit and altar...
Siegerland, there were only a few Evangelical inhabitants here in the past. A considerable mix of the two denominations came about only through the population shifts that resulted from the Second World War.
Catholic
Within the municipal area are twelve Catholic parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es (Albaum, Benolpe, Heinsberg, Hofolpe, Kirchhundem, Kohlhagen, Marmecke, Oberhundem, Rahrbach, Silberg, Welschen-Ennest and Würdinghausen). The oldest parishes in Kirchhundem, Oberhundem and Rahrbach, have existed since at least the 13th century. Two parishes split away from the parish of Kirchhundem in the 17th century to form separate parishes: Heinsberg (1628) and Kohlhagen (1655).
Owing to a dearth of priests and money over the last few years, it has been impossible to fill some ecclesiastical posts. Instead, the Church has organized groups of parishes into clusters called Pastoralverbunde, each overseen by several priests. The parishes of Albaum, Heinsberg, Hofolpe, Kirchhundem, Marmecke, Oberhundem and Würdinghausen form one such cluster, named the Pastoralverbund Hundemtal and another such cluster is made up of the parishes of Benolpe, Kohlhagen, Rahrbach, Silberg and Welschen-Ennest and named the Pastoralverbund Am Cölschen Heck.
Evangelical
The greater part of the Evangelical parishioners within Kirchhundem’s municipal area are served by the parish of Lennestadt-Kirchhundem while a smaller number are served by the parish of Krombach. In Würdinghausen stands the Emmauskirche, Kirchhundem’s only Evangelical church.Municipal council
| Results of the municipal election on 26 September 2004 | |||
| Party | Votes | ± as against 1999 | Seats |
| CDU | 42.6% | -19.9% | 11 |
| SPD | 27.1% | +0.3% | 7 |
| UK | 25.7% | 7 | |
| Grüne | 4.6% | 1 |
Mayor
The elected mayor is Michael Grobbel (SPD) with 56.2% of the vote after the second round of voting against Gerhard Stamm of the Unabhängige Kirchhundemer (“Independent Kirchhundemers”, UK). A Social-Democratic mayor is rather a rare thing in the southern Sauerland, as Christian Democrats are often in the majority, which the council seat apportionment shows is true for Kirchhundem. Grobbel’s predecessor, Elmar Greiten (CDU), did not take part in the election. Instead, the CDU entered a candidate whose origin was in the old East GermanyNew federal states
The new federal states of Germany are the five re-established states in the former German Democratic Republic that acceded to the Federal Republic of Germany with its 10 states upon German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, which might have influenced the election’s outcome.
Mayors of the Bürgermeisterei and of the Amt of Kirchhundem
- 1829–1830: Schwermer (Heinsberg)
- 1830–1851: Johann Adam Engelbert Sommer (Kirchhundem)
- 1851–1859: Haverkamp (Würdinghausen)
- 1859–1872: Engelbert Brüning (Vasbach)
- 1872–1902: Friedrich Brüning (Vasbach)
- 1902–1912: Clemens Statzner
- 1912–1931: Johann Henken
- 1931–1934: Dr. Adolf Marx (on leave by 1933)
- 1934–1945: Dr. Siegfried Hucke (as of 1942 called into the forces)
- 1942–1943: Wurm (Wenden) commissary
- 1943-1945: Fritz Contzen (Attendorn) commissary
- 1945–1945: Josef Schmidt (Altenhundem)
In 1946 came the separation of administration (Amtsdirektor) and representation (Bürgermeister, or mayor).
Honorary Amtsbürgermeister
- 1946–1946: Bernhard Oppenheim (Kirchhundem)
- 1946–1948: Dr. Wilhelm Deitmer (Saalhausen)
- 1948–1961: Johann Stangier (Altenhundem)
- 1961–1969: Karl Nöcker (Altenhundem, later Selbecke)
Amtsdirektoren
- 1947–1961: Ernst Großheim
- 1961–1969: Franz-Josef Hackmann
In 1969, the Amt of Kirchhundem was dissolved. Great parts of the Amt area passed to the newly created community of Kirchhundem. At the same time, the official nomenclature changed.
Community Directors
- 1969–1982: Franz-Josef Hackmann
- 1982–1992: Rudolf Lange
- 1993–1999: Hans-Adolf Bender
Coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
were conferred on the community of Kirchhundem on 24 February 1972, and they are those formerly borne by the old Amt of Kirchhundem. The billets (small rectangles) are an historical reference; they were taken from the coat of arms borne by the Knights of Hundem. The hart
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
’s antlers refer to the wealth of red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
in the Kirchhundem area. The Wolfsangel
Wolfsangel
The Wolfsangel is a symbol. It is also known as the Wolf's Hook or Doppelhaken. The upright variant is also known as "thunderbolt" and the horizontal variant as "werewolf"....
symbolizes the community’s agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
character.
Town partnerships
Since 1989 there has been a partnership arrangement with the FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
town of Houplines
Houplines
Houplines is a communes in the Nord department in northern France.It is part of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole.Adjoining the communal cemetery is the Houplines Communal Cemetery Extension, a Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintained cemetery containing the graves of 466 identified...
. The partner community lies in the northeast of France near Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
. Contacts between Kirchhundem and Houplines take place mainly at the club level. On the occasion of a visit by members of the Kirchhundem municipal council to Houplines in November 2006, a new housing estate there called the Résidence Kirchhundem was dedicated by both communities’ mayors. To strengthen the town partnership, the club Freunde von Houplines (“Friends of Houplines”) has been founded.
Culture and sightseeing
Rothaarsteig
The Rothaarsteig is a 154.80 km long hiking trail along the crest of the Rothaargebirge mountain range in Germany in the border region between the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse...
trail, which runs from Brilon
Brilon
Brilon is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that belongs to the Hochsauerlandkreis.- Geography :Brilon is situated on the Brilon Heights at an altitude of about 450 m on the upper reaches of the river Möhne...
to Dillenburg
Dillenburg
Dillenburg is a town in Hesse's Gießen region in Germany. The town was formerly the seat of the old Dillkreis district, which is now part of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis....
, recreational activity that is especially interesting for hikers. As well, there is another trail, the Kirchhundemer Rundwanderweg running for roughly 90 km along the municipal limits. A favourite hiking destination is the Rhein-Weser-Turm (tower) near Oberhundem, from which there are good views over the southern Sauerland.
Also in Oberhundem are found the Schloss Adolfsburg, a Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
residential castle with a moat, and the amusement park Panorama-Park Sauerland, which is even open in the winter. Entrance to the wilderness park area is then free.
Conservation
The Biologische Station Initiative Oberhundem e.V. occupies itself with conservationConservation biology
Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...
. It supports schools, holds exhibitions and acts as adviser in the remodelling of the spa gardens.
Theatre
- The Theaterverein Oberhundem, an amateur theatrical troupe, presents a folk play every year at ChristmasChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
time at the village community hall (Dorfgemeinschaftshalle) in Oberhundem. - The community of Kirchhundem lies within the area served by the Kulturgemeinde Hundem-Lenne e. V. (“Cultural Community”) which customarily offers high-class theatre and concert programmes at the educational centre (pädagogisches Zentrum) in LennestadtLennestadtLennestadt lies in the Sauerland in southeast North Rhine-Westphalia and is a community in Olpe district. It is the district’s most populous municipality....
-Meggen.
Museums
- The Steinacker family’s Oberhundem Embroidery Museum presents embroideryEmbroideryEmbroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins....
works from several centuries in the historical surroundings of a more than 300-year-old timber frameTimber framingTimber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
house. Address: Stickereimuseum Oberhundem, Rüsper Straße 1, 57399 Kirchhundem.
Choirs
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Music clubs
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Modern music groups
- And Bob's y'r uncle – rockRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, Wirme - Horizont – new spiritual, Welschen Ennest
- Wild bunch – countryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, Benolpe - Naturtrüb - rock, Rahrbach/Welschen Ennest
- Social Distrust – punkPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, Flape - Dirty Pins – bam bam rock, Flape
Historic organs
- Brachthausen, Nikolaus-Kapelle, historic ranks of pipes, likely from the 17th century. Although it is unexplained where they came from, they might be from DürenDürenDüren is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, capital of Düren district. It is located between Aachen and Cologne on the river Rur.-Roman era:Celts inhabited Düren's area before the Romans. They called their small settlement Durum . After the Celts other Germanic tribes settled this area...
in the RhinelandRhinelandHistorically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
.
- Kirchhundem, Pfarrkirche St. Peter und Paul, BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
organ from 1701 by the BielefeldBielefeldBielefeld is an independent city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 323,000, it is also the most populous city in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold...
organ builder Peter Henrich Varenholt. Considerable changes made in 1814 by Christian Roetzel. Stately Baroque housing by cabinetmaker Johann Viegener from NetphenNetphenNetphen is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It lies on the river Sieg, roughly 7 km northeast of Siegen.-Location:...
with carving by sculptor Johann Sasse, AttendornAttendornAttendorn is a German town in the Olpe district in North Rhine-Westphalia.As of 2008 it had a population of 24, 801.- History :The town’s location was favoured by the good climate in the Attendorn-Elsper Limestone Double Basin , the fruitful soil and favourable transport potential, and was already...
. As well, the church owns an organ from the firm Feith, PaderbornPaderbornPaderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
from 1940 made to imitate those of the Late RomanticRomanticismRomanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
period in Germany.
- Kohlhagen, Pfarr- und Wallfahrtskirche St. Mariae Heimsuchung, Baroque organ from 1745, probably by Johann Heinrich Kleine from Eckenhagen. At the turn of the 19th century the organ’s whole aspect was changed and the consoleOrgan consolethumb|right|250px|The console of the [[Wanamaker Organ]] in the Macy's department store in [[Philadelphia]], featuring six manuals and colour-coded stop tabs....
, once built onto the back of the housing, was moved to the short side on the north end. The addition of a further windchest was likely done at the same time.
- Oberhundem, Pfarrkirche St. Lambertus, 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...
organ, built in 1650 for the parish church in Stockum coming in 1811 to Oberhundem. The organ has undergone many changes, such as the one in 1772 when the windchest was expanded to 49 tones by organ builder Gerhard Nohl, and another in 1811 which saw a further five-tone windchest and an independent four-rank pedalboard. In 1907 a far-reaching overhaul of the organ’s aspect was done by Gerhard Peekel from HagenHagenHagen is the 39th-largest city in Germany, located in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the eastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne, Volme and Ennepe meet the river Ruhr...
as well as the installation of a four-rank addition with pneumatic tracker actionTracker actionTracker action is a term used in reference to pipe organs and steam calliopes to indicate a mechanical linkage between keys or pedals pressed by the organist and the valve that allows air to flow into pipe of the corresponding note...
.
- Rahrbach, Pfarrkirche St. Dionysius, Baroque organ by organ builder Ruhm from 1700/1701. In 1835 came a thorough overhaul by Christian Roetzel that removed or rearranged one rank. He also moved the console to the instrument’s south end. After many changes, the most serious of which was undertaken by the Kemper firm of LübeckLübeckThe Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
in 1953, there came in 1992 a thorough restoration bearing in mind that there were historic and monumental considerations to be observed in the work.
Buildings
Currently, 97 buildings in Kirchhundem are on the community’s monument list (Denkmalliste), among them the parish churches in the centres of Albaum, Benolpe, Heinsberg, Kirchhundem, Kohlhagen, Oberhundem, Rahrbach and Welschen Ennest as well as the chapels in Brachthausen, Emlinghausen, Kruberg and Selbecke. The private chapel on the Vasbach estate near Kirchhundem is likewise listed. One of the most outstanding monumental building works is the Adolfsburg, a residential castle built in the 1670s, near Oberhundem. Important buildings in the community of Kirchhundem are the art nouveauArt Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
town hall built between 1903 and 1905 and the many timber-frame houses in the community’s various centres. The Heitmickeviadukt in Kirchhundem, the Kirchhundem-Flape railway station reception building, the aqueduct in the Krenkel Valley near Heinsberg and the portals of the Heinsberger Tunnel are witnesses to the old Altenhundem–Birkelbach Railway, most of which ran through Kirchhundem’s current municipal area. The community’s hallmark is the Rhein-Weser-Turm, an observation tower built in 1932 to afford views of the Rhine-Weser watershed.
Kirche St. Peter und Paul
As the oldest parish in the eastern part of the lordly domain of Bilstein, having split away from the mother parish of Wormbach, “Hundem’s” own church, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, is known to history as far back as 1261. Of the forerunner building, all that still stands now is two baysBay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
and the tower’s foundation, which according to cornerstones were built in 1340 and 1470. The old organ with its carving work comes from the years 1701/02 from the Sasse sculpture studio in Attendorn. Today’s Late Gothic parish church was built between 1915 and 1917 by Prof. Joseph Buchkremer during the First World War crosswise to the old Romanesque church. The old church had three naves each with four bays. The south nave’s west bay had two floors and a groin vault
Groin vault
A groin vault or groined vault is produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults. The word groin refers to the edge between the intersecting vaults; cf. ribbed vault. Sometimes the arches of groin vaults are pointed instead of round...
.
Further reading (churches)
- Overmann, Anton, 1940, Teil II, Die kirchlichen Baudenkmäler des Kreises Olpe
- Dehio/Gall,1935, Erster Band, Handbuch der Deutschen Kunstdenkmäler in Niedersachsen und Westfalen
- Ludorf, Bau- und Kunstdenkmäler des Kreises Olpe
- Breer und Höffer, 1999, Kirchen und Kapellen in Attendorn. Lennestadt, Kirchhundem
Conservation areas
The following areas in the community of Kirchhundem are set aside as conservation areas (Naturschutzgebiete): Albaumer Klippen, Danzplatz, Dollenbruch, Haberg, Hardt, Kihlenberg, Krähenpfuhl, Krenkeltal, Schwarzbachtal, Sellenbruch, Stelborner Klippen, Vorspanneiche and Teufelsbruch.Most of these conservation areas are made up of juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
heathlands
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
. The Sellenbruch conservation area, on the other hand, also harbours widespread royal fern
Royal fern
Osmunda regalis, the Old World Royal fern, is a species of Osmunda, native to Europe, Africa, and Asia, growing in woodland bogs. The species is sometimes known as flowering fern due to the appearance of its fertile fronds.-Description:...
growth. Some of the areas mentioned above were given conservation area status under initiatives by Wilhelm Münker (1874-1970) from Hilchenbach. At the Albaumer Klippen (cliffs), which are composed of silicate
Silicate
A silicate is a compound containing a silicon bearing anion. The great majority of silicates are oxides, but hexafluorosilicate and other anions are also included. This article focuses mainly on the Si-O anions. Silicates comprise the majority of the earth's crust, as well as the other...
, is found crevice vegetation that has been deemed worthy of protection, surrounded by mixed forests on the slopes full of ravines and oaktrees. The Stelborner Klippen are only moderately shaded silicate cliffs made up of cinder and crystal tuff
Tuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
s with crevice vegetation and partly beech and oak forests growing on scree.
Sport
For various sporting activities, a great number of sport clubs have been founded.Artificial turf
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
fields have been built in Albaum, Brachthausen, Heinsberg, Kirchhundem, Oberhundem and Rahrbach. Gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasia exist at the Gemeinschaftshauptschule
Hauptschule
A Hauptschule is a secondary school in Germany and Austria, starting after 4 years of elementary schooling, which offers Lower Secondary Education according to the International Standard Classification of Education...
Kirchhundem (triple gymnasium) and at primary schools in Heinsberg, Kirchhundem, Oberhundem and Welschen Ennest. Also, the TuS Silberg-Varste e. V. (gymnastic and sport club) has a gymnasium in Silberg. There is an athletics facility at the Gemeinschaftshauptschule Kirchhundem. The TC Rot-Weiß Kirchhundem (tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
club) owns tennis courts.
Regular events
Among the community’s regular events are the shooting festivals held in all the bigger centres each year.In Kirchhundem-Silberg, each year on 1 May, the Großer Preis von Silbergstone (“Grand Prix of Silbergstone”). This event is the origin of what is now the Europe-wide pastime of Bobbycar
Bobbycar
A Bobby-Car is a toy car designed for children from the age of around two. The Classic model is red, made of plastic and is about 60 cm long and 40 cm high. It has four wheels. The car has been produced by the BIG company since 1972 at sites in Fürth and Burghaslach in Germany. After the...
racing.
Transport
Hagen
Hagen is the 39th-largest city in Germany, located in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the eastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne, Volme and Ennepe meet the river Ruhr...
to Siegen
Siegen
Siegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
. Furthermore, bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
lines of the Verkehrsbetriebe Westfalen-Süd (VWS, “Westphalia-South Transport Services”) and Busverkehr Ruhr-Sieg (BRS, “Ruhr-Sieg Bus Transport”) run to Lennestadt, Olpe and Hilchenbach.
Bundesstraße
Bundesstraße
Bundesstraße , abbreviated B, is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.-Germany:...
517 runs through the community.
Media
The Westfalenpost and the Westfälische Rundschau appear in Kirchhundem as daily newspapers. As well, the advertising sheets Sauerlandkurier and Sauerländer Wochenanzeiger come out on Wednesdays and Sundays.Kirchhundem belongs to the Westdeutscher Rundfunk Siegen
Siegen
Siegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
studio area. News from the South Sauerland is broadcast on WDR 2
WDR 2
WDR 2 is a radio channel produced by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk public broadcasting organization in Germany. It focuses on contemporary pop music for an adult audience.-FM:*Aachen / Euregio 100.8 MHz*Eifel 101.0 MHz*Monschau 94.2 MHz*Kölner Bucht 100.4 MHz...
and in local broadcasts on WDR Fernsehen
WDR Fernsehen
WDR Fernsehen is a regional public service television station owned & operated by Westdeutscher Rundfunk and serving North Rhine-Westphalia. It is one of the seven regional "third programmes" that are offered within the federal ARD network....
.
Public institutions
Albaum is the seat of the Landesanstalt für Ökologie, Bodenordnung und Forsten NRW (“North Rhine-Westphalia State Institute for Ecology, Land Division and Forests”), fishery and waterway ecology department.Businesses
- balcom electronic GmbH, electrical articles
- Bals Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG, electrical articles
- Egon Behle GmbH & Co. KG, building company
- Gebr. Grünewald GmbH und Co. KG, papermaking
- MennekesMennekesMENNEKES Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG is a leading manufacturer of industrial plugs and connectors with headquarters in Kirchhundem/Sauerland region and in Neudorf/Erzgebirge....
Elektrotechnik GmbH und Co. KG, electrical articles - Straßen- und Tiefbau GmbH
- DURA Automotive in Selbecke, vehicle supplier
Kindergartens and daycare
- Kindergarten "Kleine Strolche", Brachthausen
- Kindergarten "Wilma's Kuckucksnest" Heinsberg
- Kath. Kindergarten Hofolpe
- Kath. Kindergarten, Kirchhundem
- Kath. Kindergarten, Oberhundem
- Kath. Kindergarten, Welschen Ennest
- Montessori-Kinderhaus, Schwerpunkteinrichtung für Integration, Welschen Ennest
- Kindergarten "Rappelkiste", Würdinghausen
Primary schools
- St. Nikolaus, Brachthausen
- St. Katharina, Heinsberg
- St. Christophorus, Kirchhundem (open, all-day school)
- St. Lambertus, Oberhundem
- St. Johannes, Welschen Ennest
- Gemeinschaftsgrundschule, Würdinghausen
Realschulen and Gymnasien
The community of Kirchhundem has no RealschuleRealschule
The Realschule is a type of secondary school in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia , Denmark , Sweden , Hungary and in the Russian Empire .-History:The Realschule was an outgrowth of the rationalism and empiricism of the seventeenth and...
n or Gymnasien
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
at its disposal. Instead, students must go to the ones in neighbouring Lennestadt
Lennestadt
Lennestadt lies in the Sauerland in southeast North Rhine-Westphalia and is a community in Olpe district. It is the district’s most populous municipality....
and Olpe
Olpe, Germany
Olpe is situated in the foothills of the Ebbegebirge in North Rhine-Westphalia, roughly 60 km east of Cologne and 20 km northwest of Siegen. It is part of the Regierungsbezirk of Arnsberg and is the seat of the district of Olpe.- Location :...
.
Educational institutions
- Institut für Lernen & Entwicklung. development of talents, attention training, creative learning. Dr. Judith Pasquale, Schlerreweg 1, Brachthausen.
- Josef-Gockeln-Haus der KAB, Josef-Gockeln-Str. 23, Rahrbach
- Jugendbildungsstätte Benolpe, Zur Nothelle 23, Benolpe
- Studienhaus Rüspe, Rüspe
Youth clubs
- Kleine offene Tür in Kirchhundem
- Jugendtreff der kath. Kirchengemeinde St. Peter und Paul, Kirchhundem
- Jugendtreff "Blue Ocean", Brachthausen (Catholic parish St. Mariae Heimsuchung Kohlhagen)
- Jugendtreff der kath. Kirchengemeinde Heinsberg
- Jugendtreff der evangelichen Kirchengemeinde Lennestadt-Kirchhundem, Würdinghausen
- Katholische Landjugendbewegung (KLJB), Welschen Ennest
Homes for the aged
- Alten- und Pflegeheim Haus Sauerland, Ortsteil Kirchhundem
- Seniorenheim Bremm'sche Stiftung, Ortsteil Silberg
Honorary citizens
- Paul Josef Kardinal CordesPaul Josef CordesPaul Josef Cordes is a German Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum , and was elevated to the cardinalate in 2007.-Youth:...
(born 5 September 1934 in Kirchhundem, main centre) is a CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, President of the papal council Cor Unum and is said to be one of the founding fathers of World Youth DayWorld Youth DayWorld Youth Day is a youth-oriented Catholic Church event. While the event itself celebrates the Catholic faith, the invitation to attend extends to all youth, regardless of religious convictions....
. On 24 November 2007 Pope Benedict XVIPopeThe Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
appointed him Cardinal Deacon with the titular diaconiaDiaconiaA diaconia was originally an establishment built near a church building, for the care of the poor and distribution of the church's charity in medieval Rome or Naples...
of San Lorenzo in Piscibus in the College of CardinalsCollege of CardinalsThe College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
. Since 13 December 2007, Paul Josef Cardinal Cordes has been an honorary citizen of the community of Kirchhundem. - Josef Schmelzer (born 30 July 1876 in Oberhundem; died 8 October 1962 in Oberhundem), known in his hometown simply as Tiennes Papa, was member of the Prussian Landtag (1920–1933), from September 1930 to July 1932 member of the German ReichstagReichstag (Weimar Republic)The Reichstag was the parliament of Weimar Republic .German constitution commentators consider only the Reichstag and now the Bundestag the German parliament. Another organ deals with legislation too: in 1867-1918 the Bundesrat, in 1919–1933 the Reichsrat and from 1949 on the Bundesrat...
for the Centre Party (Germany)Centre Party (Germany)The German Centre Party was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich and the Weimar Republic. Formed in 1870, it battled the Kulturkampf which the Prussian government launched to reduce the power of the Catholic Church...
and Member of the Landtag (1946–1950). He worked on the so-called Lex Schmelzer as part of the reforms to the dissolution of the Fideikommiss (an old fee tailFee tailAt common law, fee tail or entail is an estate of inheritance in real property which cannot be sold, devised by will, or otherwise alienated by the owner, but which passes by operation of law to the owner's heirs upon his death...
law in Germany) and was a tireless promoter for development in the mountainous regions. He was also the initiator behind the building of the Rhein-Weser-Turm. - Dr. Dr. h. c. Wilhelm Arnoldi (born 30 December 1884 in SiegenSiegenSiegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
; died 18 April 1965 in Altenhundem) was a Centre Party politician and ministerial director from Altenhundem. As Prussian representative on the state board for agricultural emergency programmes, he safeguarded many local families during the Great DepressionGreat DepressionThe Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
in the late 1920s, a livelihood in which he had an experimental station for birdlife conservation built near Altenhundem and also an experimental farm in what was then the community of Rahrbach. Furthermore, he was also the driving force behind the building of the viewing tower on the Hohe Bracht.
Sons and daughters of the community
- Jacob von Albaum, abbotAbbotThe word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of the Grafschaft MonasteryMonasteryMonastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only... - Heinrich Bals (born 18 October 1868 in Oberalbaum; died after 1958), writer
- Dorothea Becker (born about 1536 in Kirchhundem; died May 1609 in Bilstein) survived a witch trialWitch trialA witch trial is a legal proceeding that is part of a witch-hunt. * Witch trials in Early Modern Europe, 15th–18th centuries** Salzburg witch trials - 1675-1690, Salzburg, Austria** Spa witch trial - 1616, Belgium...
despite heavy tortureTortureTorture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
. - Paul Josef CordesPaul Josef CordesPaul Josef Cordes is a German Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum , and was elevated to the cardinalate in 2007.-Youth:...
(born 5 September 1934 in Kirchhundem main centre), Cardinal - Joachim Grünewald (born 21 November 1933 in Kirchhundem), politician (CDU)
- Ulla HahnUlla HahnUlla Hahn is a German poet and novelist.- Poetry collections :* Herz über Kopf , ISBN 3-421-06073-8* Spielende , ISBN 3-421-06155-6* Unerhörte Nähe , ISBN 3-421-06310-9...
(born 30 April 1946 in Brachthausen), writer - Johannes Hatzfeld (born 14 April 1882 in Benolpe; died 5 July 1953 in PaderbornPaderbornPaderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
), musician - Chrysologus Heimes (born 2 April 1765 in Oberhundem; died 2 May 1835 in Reiste), organ expert
- Kerstin JürgensKerstin JürgensKerstin Szymkowiak is a German skeleton racer who has competed since 2002...
(born 19 December 1977), skeletonSkeleton (sport)Skeleton is a fast winter sliding sport in which an individual person rides a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g. It originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland as a spin-off from the popular British sport of Cresta Sledding...
competitor - Wilhelm Liese (born 27 April 1876 in Würdinghausen; died 19 March 1956 in PaderbornPaderbornPaderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
), Catholic priest, writer, editor and archivist. - Benedikt Lindemann, abbot
- Ina-Maria Mihályhegyi-Witthaut (born 20 March 1946 in Kirchhundem; died 5 October 1987 in SiegenSiegenSiegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
), artist - Mediatrix Nies, Superior General of the Sisterhood of Olpe Franciscans
- Helmut Josef Patt (born 23 July 1926 in Flape; died 11 June 2003 in LippstadtLippstadtLippstadt is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the largest town within the district of Soest.-Geography:Lippstadt is situated in the Lippe valley, roughly 70 kilometres east of Dortmund and roughly 30 kilometres west of Paderborn...
), clergyman - Hartmut Schauerte (born 13 September 1944 in Kirchhundem), politician
- Johann Friedrich Joseph Sommer (born 26 January 1793 in Kirchhundem; died 13 November 1856 in ArnsbergArnsbergArnsberg is a town in the Hochsauerland district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the location of the Regierungsbezirk Arnsberg's administration and one of the three local administration offices of the Hochsauerlandkreis.-Geography:...
), lawyer - Heinrich Steinhoff (born about 1550 in Würdinghausen; died 20 October 1611), abbot of the Grafschaft Monastery
- Willi Weiskirch (born 1923 in Welschen Ennest; died 1996 in LennestadtLennestadtLennestadt lies in the Sauerland in southeast North Rhine-Westphalia and is a community in Olpe district. It is the district’s most populous municipality....
), Wehrbeauftragter (≈ armed forces commissioner) of the German BundestagBundestagThe Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier... - Petra Weschollek, biathleteBiathlonBiathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
Famous people connected with the community
- Johann Adolf von Fürstenberg (born 16 March 1631 in CologneCologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
; died 15 April 1704 in Herdringen), Capitular in MünsterMünsterMünster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
, HildesheimHildesheimHildesheim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the district of Hildesheim, about 30 km southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste river, which is a small tributary of the Leine river...
and Paderborn, Drost of the Ämter of Bilstein, Fredeburg and Waldenburg, builder of the Adolfsburg near Oberhundem. - Heinrich Luhmann (born 22 December 1890 in Hultrop, died 6 May 1978 in HammHammHamm is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany. It is located in the northeastern part of the Ruhr area. As of December 2003 its population was 180,849. The city is situated between the A1 motorway and A2 motorway...
), writer. In his novels Wo die Wälder Wache halten (“Where the Forests Keep Watch”, 1920) and Walddoktor Willibald (“Forest Doctor Willibald”, 1921) Lumann describes life in fictional villages in the Rüspe Forest, which lies in today’s community of Kirchhundem.
Community
- A. Ludorff: Die Bau- und Kunstdenkmäler des Kreises Olpe. Kommissions-Verlag von Ferdinand Schöningh, Verlagsbuchhandlung in Paderborn, Münster i. W. 1903
- Wilhelm Liese: Geschichte der Pfarrei Kirchhundem und ihrer Tochterpfarreien Altenhundem, Heinsberg, Kohlhagen. printed as manuscript, Paderborn 1920
- Otto Lucas: Das Olper Land – Arbeiten der Geographischen Kommission im Provinzialinstitut für westfälische Landes- und Volkskunde. Universitätsbuchhandlung Franz Coppenrath, Münster 1941
- Albert K. Hömberg: Heimatchronik des Kreises Olpe. Archiv für Deutsche Heimatpflege, Köln 1958, 2. expanded edition 1967
- Martin Vormberg: Kirchhundem in alten Ansichten. Europäische Bibliothek, Zaltbommel/NL 1983, ISBN 90-288-2320-4.
- Martin Vormberg: Beiträge zur Geschichte des Bergbaus im Kreis Olpe – Teil 1: Der Bergbau in der Gemeinde Kirchhundem. In: Der Oberkreisdirektor des Kreises Olpe (Hrsg.): Schriftenreihe des Kreises Olpe Nr. 11. Olpe 1985, ISSN 0177-8153
- Ernst Henrichs (ed.): Die Protokollbücher des ehemaligen Amtes Kirchhundem, der zugehörigen Gemeinden und der früheren Gemeinde Rahrbach, Band 1: Die Protokollbücher von 1843–1869, publisher: Verkehrs- und Verschönerungsverein Kirchhundem 1881, Kirchhundem 1988
- Ernst Henrichs (ed.): Die Protokollbücher des ehemaligen Amtes Kirchhundem, der zugehörigen Gemeinden und der früheren Gemeinde Rahrbach, Band 2: Die Protokollbücher von 1870–1899, publisher: Verkehrs- und Verschönerungsverein Kirchhundem 1881, Kirchhundem, 1989
- Ernst Henrichs (ed.): Die Protokollbücher des ehemaligen Amtes Kirchhundem, der zugehörigen Gemeinden und der früheren Gemeinde Rahrbach, Band 3: Die Protokollbücher von 1900–1924, publisher: Verkehrs- und Verschönerungsverein Kirchhundem 1881, Kirchhundem 1990
- Claus-Dieter Clausen: Erläuterungen zu Blatt 4914 Kirchhundem – Geologische Karte von Nordrhein-Westfalen 1:25.000. Geologisches Landesamt Nordrhein-Westfalen, Krefeld 1991
- Günther Becker, Martin Vormberg: Kirchhundem – Geschichte des Amtes und der Gemeinde. Gemeindedirektor der Gemeinde Kirchhundem, Kirchhundem 1994, ISBN 3-923483-15-5
- Martin Vormberg: 100 Jahre Rathaus Kirchhundem. Festschrift zum Tag des offenen Denkmals am 11. September 2005. Kirchhundem 2005
Individual centres
- Claus Heinemann: Ein kleines Dorf und die große Geschichte – Herrntrop im Sauerland. Hilbeck 1981
- Various authors: Unser Dorf Kruberg – 1340–1990 – Beiträge zum 650-jährigen Jubiläum. published by the Dorfgemeinschaft Kruberg e. V., Kirchhundem-Kruberg 1990
- Jochen Krause: Geschichten aus dem Sauerland – Ein Dorf erzählt – Würdinghausen im Hundemtal. Heike Schriever, Plettenberg, 1998, ISBN 3-9806543-0-3