Ladbergen
Encyclopedia
Ladbergen is a municipality in the district of Steinfurt
, in North Rhine-Westphalia
, Germany. It is situated near the Dortmund-Ems Canal
, approximately 25 km south-west of Osnabrück
and 20 km north-east of Münster
.
. Because of its central location between these two cities Ladbergen is well accessible by the Autobahn (motorway/freeway) 1 (Ladbergen junction) and the Bundesstraße
(federal highway) 475. The Dortmund-Ems Canal
(canal port Ladbergen) situated on the western municipal border and Münster Osnabrück International Airport
(FMO) are located a few kilometers from the centre of Ladbergen.
Unlike the name part of "bergen" suggests, Ladbergen offers no mountainous or hilly landscape, but is situated at a relatively uniform level of about 50 m above sea level.
Two streams flow through Ladbergen, the Ladbergen Aa and the Ladbergen Mühlenbach that both flow eventually into the Glane stream
.
The municipality Ladbergen is subdivided in the village(centre) and the surrounding rural area's Hölter, Wester and Overbeck.
(just before Laer
with 6,355 inhabitants). 3,313 women and 3,118 men were living in the municipality.
The camping facilities offer about 700 more people a second home in Ladbergen.
Regarding religion the largest part of the population is Protestant (Lutheranism
), a smaller part is Roman Catholic.
. Ladbergen got mentioned first in 950 in a certificate of the Freckenhorst monastery
.
In the year 1149, the municipality was assigned as an independent parish by the Diocese of Münster. In 1170 the parish was taken over by the Diocese of Osnabrück.
In 1246 the Ladberger Marktbund (Ladbergen Marketfederation) was founded by representatives of the cities Münster
, Osnabrück
, Minden
and Herford
. This was a precursor of other forms of cooperation in Westphalia and the Hanseatic League
.
Around 1400, the western parts of the community were lost to the Diocese of Münster.
As a result, the population of Ladbergen until after World War II remained religiously almost exclusively Protestant (Lutheranism).
In the year 1650 Ladbergen gained political autonomy for the first time. In 1707 Ladbergen with the entire Duchy of Tecklenburg
got incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia
. After 1816 Ladbergen belonged to the Landkreis Münster and was later assigned to the Landkreis Tecklenburg.
In 1855 Ladbergen lost its political autonomy, and was administratively unified with the village Brochterbeck. This situation remained unchanged up to 1907, when Ladbergen was assigned to Tecklenburg.
During World War II the vicinity of Ladbergen was heavily bombed. Allied bombers tried to destroy the Dortmund-Ems Canal aqueduct
s near Ladbergen, where the canal passes over the Mühlenbach to render the canal useless for extended periods.[ To defend the canal there were two heavy 105 mm
Flak locations in Ladbergen, supported by smaller anti-aircraft guns. Batteries of 105 mm guns were usually left to defend major cities. This indicates the importance of the canal to the overall German war effort. Besides bombs and downed airplanes shrapnel fell onto Ladbergen during the air raids causing loses in property and lives. The air raids did not result in the destruction of the targeted aqueducts, but Tallboy bomb
s dropped by Avro Lancaster
bombers of No. 617 Squadron RAF
did breach the canal banks on 23/24 September 1944.
In September 1949 Ladbergen regained its political autonomy. In January 1975 Ladbergen was transferred from the then dissolved district of Tecklenburg into the newly founded district of Steinfurt
.
in the 20th century enabled the local peasant
s – who up to that moment had to deal with infertile sandy soil that yielded modest harvest
s – to escape from poverty. The infrastructural improvements and urbanization of the village after World War II and the West German Wirtschaftswunder
created new jobs in trade, industry, transport, tourism and the service sector and commuters settled in Ladbergen. These developments diversified and boosted the economic development of Ladbergen. The last decades the municipality itself also profited from the establishment of new successful businesses and companies in Ladbergen and general prosperity amongst its citizens, by a steady increase in local taxes revenues. This enabled the municipality to invest in the local infrastructure, education and (social) services for its citizens.
election of Ladbergen was conducted on 30 August 2009. The town council currently consists of 22 seats divided between several political parties.
These political parties are also represented in the Bundestag
(the German national parliament) in Berlin.
The next scheduled town council election is in 2014.
(mayor) of Ladbergen is since 1999 elected directly by the EU citizens living in the municipality. The mayor is elected for a 5 year term and regular elections are held every five years. The post may be said to be a professional one, the mayor being the head of the local government, and requiring, in order to be eligible, a training in administration.
The most recent election for mayor was conducted on 30 August 2009. The incumbent mayor did not seek reelection and resigned from office on 20 October 2009. Out of three candidates the independent candidate Mr. Udo Decker-König was elected as mayor of Ladbergen.
The next scheduled mayor election is in 2014.
Blazon
: Under a red shield top with two golden bees, in silver field three (2 : 1) red nymphaea leaves.
The bee
s refer to beekeeping
. On the heath
and moorland
of Ladbergen beekeeping was widespread for centuries. According to a historic certificate honey farmers from Ladbergen had to pay taxes to the monastery Freckenhorst in the year 950.
The three Nymphaea
or water lilies come from the seal of the Lord of Ladbergen from the year 1324. The water lilies symbol originates from the Duchy Lingen
, to which Ladbergen belonged during a medieval period. The leaf shape has its origin in the coat of arms of the Counts of Tecklenburg
.
, United States
A lot of emigrants originating from Ladbergen settled down in the area around New Knoxville in the state of Ohio
in the United States with which Ladbergen established a town partnership. New Knoxville is partly composed of the descendants of the Ladbergen emigrants. The typical Ladbergen Platt dialect is still spoken by some of the older citizens originating from Ladbergen.
Due to the interest of American descendants of emigrants from Ladbergen in their family genealogy
, more or less reliable private genealogical work was conducted after World War II. As Neil Armstrong
, whose great-grandfather Friedrich Wilhelm Kötter emigrated from Ladbergen to the United States in 1864, was the first man to walk on the moon in 1969, many citizens of Ladbergen became interested in their American "relatives". This resulted in a very close connection between Ladbergen and New Knoxville, which is especially cultivated by reciprocal visits.
Steinfurt (district)
Steinfurt is a Kreis in the northern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Bentheim, Emsland, district-free Osnabrück and the Osnabrück district, Warendorf, district-free Münster, Coesfeld, Borken.-Geography:...
, in North Rhine-Westphalia
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. It is situated near the Dortmund-Ems Canal
Dortmund-Ems Canal
The Dortmund–Ems Canal is a 269 km long canal in Germany between the inland port of the city of Dortmund and the sea port of Emden. The artificial southern part of the canal ends after 215 km at the lock of Herbrum near Meppen. From there, the route goes over a length of 45 km over...
, approximately 25 km south-west of Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
and 20 km north-east of Münster
Münster
Münster 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...
.
Geography
The village is situated in the Tecklenburg country in the middle between the cities Münster and OsnabrückOsnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
. Because of its central location between these two cities Ladbergen is well accessible by the Autobahn (motorway/freeway) 1 (Ladbergen junction) and the Bundesstraße
Bundesstraße
Bundesstraße , abbreviated B, is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.-Germany:...
(federal highway) 475. The Dortmund-Ems Canal
Dortmund-Ems Canal
The Dortmund–Ems Canal is a 269 km long canal in Germany between the inland port of the city of Dortmund and the sea port of Emden. The artificial southern part of the canal ends after 215 km at the lock of Herbrum near Meppen. From there, the route goes over a length of 45 km over...
(canal port Ladbergen) situated on the western municipal border and Münster Osnabrück International Airport
Münster Osnabrück International Airport
Münster Osnabrück International Airport or Flughafen Muenster/Osnabrueck , is the 4th largest international commercial airport in North Rhine-Westphalia...
(FMO) are located a few kilometers from the centre of Ladbergen.
Unlike the name part of "bergen" suggests, Ladbergen offers no mountainous or hilly landscape, but is situated at a relatively uniform level of about 50 m above sea level.
Two streams flow through Ladbergen, the Ladbergen Aa and the Ladbergen Mühlenbach that both flow eventually into the Glane stream
Glane (Ems)
Glane is a river of Lower Saxony, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Lower Saxony...
.
The municipality Ladbergen is subdivided in the village(centre) and the surrounding rural area's Hölter, Wester and Overbeck.
Neighboring municipalities and towns
Ladbergen borders on:- TecklenburgTecklenburgTecklenburg is a town in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:It is located at the foothills of the Teutoburg Forest, southwest of Osnabrück.-Division of the town:...
- Lengerich
- LienenLienenLienen is a municipality in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approx. 15 km south-east of Osnabrück and 30 km north-east of Münster....
- OstbevernOstbevernOstbevern is a municipality in the district of Warendorf, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Ostbevern is situated on the river Bever, approx...
- GrevenGrevenGreven is a medium-sized town in the district of Steinfurt, in Germany's most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia and close to the city of Münster.-Geography:Greven is situated on the river Ems, approx...
- SaerbeckSaerbeckSaerbeck is a municipality in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km west of Osnabrück and 25 km north of Münster....
Population
With a population of 6,431 (census of 30 June 2006) Ladbergen is the second smallest independent municipality in the district of SteinfurtSteinfurt (district)
Steinfurt is a Kreis in the northern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Bentheim, Emsland, district-free Osnabrück and the Osnabrück district, Warendorf, district-free Münster, Coesfeld, Borken.-Geography:...
(just before Laer
Laer
Laer is a municipality in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approx. south of Steinfurt and north-west of Münster....
with 6,355 inhabitants). 3,313 women and 3,118 men were living in the municipality.
The camping facilities offer about 700 more people a second home in Ladbergen.
Regarding religion the largest part of the population is Protestant (Lutheranism
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
), a smaller part is Roman Catholic.
History
Because of graves found, it is assumed that the territory of the municipality Ladbergen was already populated in the Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
. Ladbergen got mentioned first in 950 in a certificate of the Freckenhorst monastery
Monastery
Monastery 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...
.
In the year 1149, the municipality was assigned as an independent parish by the Diocese of Münster. In 1170 the parish was taken over by the Diocese of Osnabrück.
In 1246 the Ladberger Marktbund (Ladbergen Marketfederation) was founded by representatives of the cities Münster
Münster
Münster 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...
, Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
, Minden
Minden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
and Herford
Herford
Herford is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the lowlands between the hill chains of the Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. It is the capital of the district of Herford.- Geographic location :...
. This was a precursor of other forms of cooperation in Westphalia and the Hanseatic League
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
.
Around 1400, the western parts of the community were lost to the Diocese of Münster.
As a result, the population of Ladbergen until after World War II remained religiously almost exclusively Protestant (Lutheranism).
In the year 1650 Ladbergen gained political autonomy for the first time. In 1707 Ladbergen with the entire Duchy of Tecklenburg
Tecklenburg
Tecklenburg is a town in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:It is located at the foothills of the Teutoburg Forest, southwest of Osnabrück.-Division of the town:...
got incorporated into the Kingdom of 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...
. After 1816 Ladbergen belonged to the Landkreis Münster and was later assigned to the Landkreis Tecklenburg.
In 1855 Ladbergen lost its political autonomy, and was administratively unified with the village Brochterbeck. This situation remained unchanged up to 1907, when Ladbergen was assigned to Tecklenburg.
During World War II the vicinity of Ladbergen was heavily bombed. Allied bombers tried to destroy the Dortmund-Ems Canal aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
s near Ladbergen, where the canal passes over the Mühlenbach to render the canal useless for extended periods.[ To defend the canal there were two heavy 105 mm
10.5 cm FlaK 38
The 10.5 cm SK C/33 was a German anti-aircraft gun used during World War II by the Kriegsmarine on a number of their larger capital ships. It was later adapted for Luftwaffe as a competitor to the famed 8.8 cm FlaK 18 as the 10.5 cm FlaK 38...
Flak locations in Ladbergen, supported by smaller anti-aircraft guns. Batteries of 105 mm guns were usually left to defend major cities. This indicates the importance of the canal to the overall German war effort. Besides bombs and downed airplanes shrapnel fell onto Ladbergen during the air raids causing loses in property and lives. The air raids did not result in the destruction of the targeted aqueducts, but Tallboy bomb
Tallboy bomb
The Tallboy or Bomb, Medium Capacity, 12,000 lb, was an earthquake bomb developed by the British aeronautical engineer Barnes Wallis and deployed by the RAF in 1944...
s dropped by Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
bombers of No. 617 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. It currently operates the Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role...
did breach the canal banks on 23/24 September 1944.
In September 1949 Ladbergen regained its political autonomy. In January 1975 Ladbergen was transferred from the then dissolved district of Tecklenburg into the newly founded district of Steinfurt
Steinfurt (district)
Steinfurt is a Kreis in the northern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Bentheim, Emsland, district-free Osnabrück and the Osnabrück district, Warendorf, district-free Münster, Coesfeld, Borken.-Geography:...
.
Noticeable facts
- About 37% of the population of the village emigrated during the 19th century. This was the highest emigration rate in Germany during that era.
- Peasants from Ladbergen often gained extra income by working in the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
for extended periods. - Many families from Ladbergen have family names, which in the recent past only existed in Ladbergen – such as Gehde, Rahmeier, Schoppenhorst, Wibbeler, Wiethaupt and Wiethölter.
- The predominant spoken language in Ladbergen was up to the 1930s almost exclusively Ladbergen Platt, a variant of the established Low GermanLow GermanLow German or Low Saxon is an Ingvaeonic West Germanic language spoken mainly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands...
dialects. A 2009 survey concluded that just over 700 of the original inhabitants (11% of the population) still can speak this local dialect, though actively speaking the dialect is mostly reserved to the over 70 years olds. - Since the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany in the year 1949, Ladbergen is one of the "strongholds" of the Free Democratic PartyFree 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...
in the Münsterland and throughout Germany.
Economy
For centuries the economy of Ladbergen was based on agriculture. The introduction of fertilizerFertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
in the 20th century enabled the local peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
s – who up to that moment had to deal with infertile sandy soil that yielded modest harvest
Harvest
Harvest is the process of gathering mature crops from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper...
s – to escape from poverty. The infrastructural improvements and urbanization of the village after World War II and the West German Wirtschaftswunder
Wirtschaftswunder
The term describes the rapid reconstruction and development of the economies of West Germany and Austria after World War II . The expression was used by The Times in 1950...
created new jobs in trade, industry, transport, tourism and the service sector and commuters settled in Ladbergen. These developments diversified and boosted the economic development of Ladbergen. The last decades the municipality itself also profited from the establishment of new successful businesses and companies in Ladbergen and general prosperity amongst its citizens, by a steady increase in local taxes revenues. This enabled the municipality to invest in the local infrastructure, education and (social) services for its citizens.
Town council
The most recent town councilTown council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
election of Ladbergen was conducted on 30 August 2009. The town council currently consists of 22 seats divided between several political parties.
These political parties are also represented in the Bundestag
Bundestag
The 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...
(the German national parliament) in Berlin.
Election results
German town council members are elected for a 5 year term and regular elections are held every five years.| Town council of Ladbergen elections | 1994 | 1999 | 2004 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Political party | Seats / % | Seats / % | Seats / % | Seats / % |
| Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) | 9 / 41.0% | 8 / 37.6% | 8 / 35.9% | 7 / 33.1% |
| Social Democratic Party of Germany Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... (SPD) |
8 / 37.5% | 8 / 35.6% | 6 / 28.5% | 7 / 29.6% |
| Free Democratic Party Free 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... (FDP) |
1 / 8.3% | 4 / 16.3% | 5 / 22.4% | 5 / 17,7% |
| Alliance 90/The Greens (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) | 3 / 13.2% | 2 / 10.5% | 3 / 13.2% | 3 / 13.6% |
| Total | 21 / 100% | 22 / 100% | 22 / 100% | 22 / 100% |
The next scheduled town council election is in 2014.
Mayor
The BürgermeisterMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
(mayor) of Ladbergen is since 1999 elected directly by the EU citizens living in the municipality. The mayor is elected for a 5 year term and regular elections are held every five years. The post may be said to be a professional one, the mayor being the head of the local government, and requiring, in order to be eligible, a training in administration.
The most recent election for mayor was conducted on 30 August 2009. The incumbent mayor did not seek reelection and resigned from office on 20 October 2009. Out of three candidates the independent candidate Mr. Udo Decker-König was elected as mayor of Ladbergen.
Mayors of Ladbergen
- Wolfgang Menebröcker (independent) 1999 – 2009
- Udo Decker-König (independent) 2009 –
The next scheduled mayor election is in 2014.
Coat of arms
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
: Under a red shield top with two golden bees, in silver field three (2 : 1) red nymphaea leaves.
The bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s refer to beekeeping
Beekeeping
Beekeeping is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. A beekeeper keeps bees in order to collect honey and other products of the hive , to pollinate crops, or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers...
. On the heath
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...
and moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
of Ladbergen beekeeping was widespread for centuries. According to a historic certificate honey farmers from Ladbergen had to pay taxes to the monastery Freckenhorst in the year 950.
The three Nymphaea
Nymphaea
Nymphaea is a genus of aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. There are about 50 species in the genus, which has a cosmopolitan distribution.-Name:The common name, shared with some other genera in the same family, is Water Lily....
or water lilies come from the seal of the Lord of Ladbergen from the year 1324. The water lilies symbol originates from the Duchy Lingen
Lingen
Lingen is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. In 2008 the population was 52,353, and in addition there are about 5,000 people who have registered the city as their secondary residence...
, to which Ladbergen belonged during a medieval period. The leaf shape has its origin in the coat of arms of the Counts of Tecklenburg
Tecklenburg
Tecklenburg is a town in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:It is located at the foothills of the Teutoburg Forest, southwest of Osnabrück.-Division of the town:...
.
Sister village
New Knoxville, OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
A lot of emigrants originating from Ladbergen settled down in the area around New Knoxville in the state of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in the United States with which Ladbergen established a town partnership. New Knoxville is partly composed of the descendants of the Ladbergen emigrants. The typical Ladbergen Platt dialect is still spoken by some of the older citizens originating from Ladbergen.
Due to the interest of American descendants of emigrants from Ladbergen in their family genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
, more or less reliable private genealogical work was conducted after World War II. As Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
, whose great-grandfather Friedrich Wilhelm Kötter emigrated from Ladbergen to the United States in 1864, was the first man to walk on the moon in 1969, many citizens of Ladbergen became interested in their American "relatives". This resulted in a very close connection between Ladbergen and New Knoxville, which is especially cultivated by reciprocal visits.