Marl, Germany
Encyclopedia
Marl is a town and a municipality in the district of Recklinghausen
, in North Rhine-Westphalia
, Germany
. It is situated near the Wesel-Datteln Canal
, approx. 10 km north-west of Recklinghausen
. It has about 90,000 people.
Approximately 60 % of the total town area are fields, woods, watercourses, parks and other green areas.
At 300 BC celtic tribes settled in the area but were expelled by invading Germanic tribes. The Brukterer controlled thereupon the area north of the river Lippe and the Marser lived south of the Lippe.
The Germanic invasion was stopped by the advance of the Romans, who built a huge fort in Haltern. Remains of a smaller Roman fort were found at the city limit between Polsum and Herten.
After the Battle of the teutoburg forest
in 9AC the Romans lost most of their influence and retreated behind the Rhine river. The area was again in Germanic possession.
In 80 AC the Brukterer were expelled by rival tribes and moved to the today’s area of Recklinghausen.
In the 1920th archeological excavations proofed, that the Brukterer built an circular hillfort in the district of Sinsen to defend against the Saxon attacks.
Today the hillfort is only recognisable for the expert and lies in the nature reserve "Die Burg" (which means "the castle") which is named after the hillfort.
Archeologists consider the hillfort as an outstanding historical monument which is worth of protection.
The hillfort was used by the rural population as a protective barrier until the Late Middle Ages.
Assured written regional facts about the Early Middle Ages in the 9th and 10th century were however not documented till the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
of the benedictine abbey of Werden, which was founded in 799 during the Saxon wars. There is written, that a Dagubraht donated his possession and revenues to the abbey for his salvation.
The name of Marl derives from the medieval place name "meronhlare".
Linguists interpreted this name as "marshy range" or "range at a pond". The name changed over the centuries from "Marlar", "Maerl" to "Marler" and finally Marl
In the urbarium are furthermore found the names of nearby settlements which later became part of the town. They were called "Threviri (Drewer)", "Vrilinctorpe(Frentrop) und "Haranni (Hamm). In addition to the Werden Abbey there were other great land owners as the Cologne and Xanten chapter, the Essen abbey and some nobles.
This scattered property caused massive feuds and fighting in the Middle Ages.
In a manuscript from 1160 is written, that archbishop Heribert of Cologne donated the church to the Deutz Abbey.
In the 13th century it changed to a parish church when in 1228 the first priest is recorded.
From 1419 the church was under the patronage of the local noble family of Loe. This lasted till 1830. Then the patronage devolved to the Baron Twickel of Lüttinghoff.
From 1856 to 1859 the church was completely restored according to the construction plans of Emil von Manger, a builder of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Münster.
The romanic foundation walls from the 12th century were kept.
In 1378 the castle was signed over as an "Offenhaus" by the owner Wessel van Loe to the Archbishop of Cologne, Frederick III. of Saarwerden. "Offenhaus" means, that in the case of war, the owner can use the castle as a stronghold.
So the noble family of Loe was subject to the archbishop.
The family had very many properties in the region, several farms and mills, like the "Loemill", the "Sickingmill" and the Wermeling manor at the Lippe river.
Although the Loe-family got no male successor, the name lived on as in 1585 the daughter of Wolter van Loe married her cousin Baron Dietrich of Dorneburg-Loe from Eickel.
From 1705 to 1832 the castle and all properties were passed over to the noble Family of Wiedenbrück. They sold it to the baron of Twickel, who sold it on his part to Theodor Waldhausen from Essen. 30 years later it was sold to the Duke of Arenberg, who demolished the castle.
Today on the former site of the castle there is a grammar school and several sports grounds.
The noble Loe-family is borne in remembrance through several names like "Loe Street", "Grammar school at the Loefield" or "Loemill-Airport".
Between 1243 and 1384 there were many military operations between the Archbishop of Cologne and the Count of Mark among other things about the possession of the neighbor town of Recklinghausen.
1388 and 1389 Marl was involved in the "Great Dortmund feud" and in the fratricidal war between Adolf IV. of Kleve-Mark and Gerhard of the Mark from Hamm.
From 1442 to 1449 Marl suffered from the "Soest feud" in which the town of Soest defended her freedom against the Archbishop of Cologne.
At the end of the 16th century Marl had 800 inhabitants. Most of them lived in the farming community of Drewer.
In the "War of the Jülich-Cleves succession", the farming communities around Marl were plundered by the Dutch and Spanish troops who joined the war.
Directly following this war, the Thirty Years’ War began, where the plunderings continued.
After the war, there was peace for many centuries. During the French campaign of Charles, Prince of Soubise
, in the Seven Years’ War in 1758 the plundering of Marl started again. After the French troops, the Prussians came but without improvement for the situation of the inhabitants.
Until 1803 the insignificant village Marl was part of the Vest Recklinghausen
. Then the Duke of Arenberg owned the village. From 1810 to 1813, during the French occupation the village was renamed in "Mairie Marl" and belonged to the Grand Duchy
of Berg.
After the War of the Sixth Coalition
Marl got under Prussian reign and was part of the district Essen until 1816 and afterwards until now to the district Recklinghausen.
In this age, Marl had only village mayors, who were elected for one year and directly responsible to the governors of the Vest Recklinghausen.
The village mayors tasks were the collection of the taxes and managing the village real estates. Beside these village mayors there were two Prince-elector
ial representatives, the "Amtsfron"(village soccage) and the "Amtsführer"(village leader) (from 1785 both offices were combined ) whose task was to supervise the prince-electoral regulations.
From the 1st April 1816 Marl was consolidated with the town of Dorsten to the "Office of mayor Dorsten"("Bürgermeisterei Dorsten") with the mayor of Dorsten as provost.
In 1837, after the territorial reform of the Prussian state, Marl got autonomous again. The village area was enlarged and the village of Altendorf-Ulfkotte was suburbanized, though marl did not get his name back but was named "Dorsten-environs"("Dorsten-Land")
On the 31st October 1841 the Royal Administration in Münster founded the "Administration Marl" ("Amt Marl"), an in-between of town and village.
The administration area included Marl, the villages of Polsum, Hamm and Altendorf-Ulfkotte, plus the surrounding farming communities.
Agriculture has always been the main source of income in Marl. This becomes apparent in an official list from 1840.
The following is recorded there:
493 horses, 1879 cattle, 857 pigs, 98 goats and 4591 sheep.
Despite the muchness of sheep, the importance of sheep farming declined in later centuries.
As many farmers needed a sideline, many families weaved, mostly as wageworkers for drapers.
The former village mayor Bölling reports in his chronicle:
"…has built here some factories and kudos to the damask weaving mills, which deliver precious table-linen for high-standing persons and earned great reputation. It is an elegant weaving."
In the records of 1842 the following professions are listed:
3 bakers, 1 butcher, 17 shoemakers, 17 tailors, 17 carpenters, 5 cabinetmakers, 6 coopers, 1 bricklayer, 15 blacksmiths, 6 cellarmen, 60 weavers, 42 chandlers, 12 hawkers, 2 inns, 11 taverns, 6 brewer, 2 distilleries, 6 corn dealer, 5 wood dealer…
The turning point in Marls history was the 21st January 1875. On this day the
"Simson well-drilling Company" found a coal deposit in the depth of 514 meter in the urban district Polsum. Additional drillings in Marl resulted in the formation coalmines.
founded the coalmine "Auguste Victoria" in 1898 based in Düsseldorf and coal production was planned on the claims "Hansi 1" and "Hansi 2".
On 1 May 1900 the depths began and in 1903 the head office moved to Marls urban district Hüls.
At the end of 1905 coal production began on the pit "AV 1".
Eponym for the mine was Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, (1858–1921) the last German empress and wife of Emperor Wilhelm II.
Until today the coalmine is one of the highly productive mines in Germany.
Nevertheless it will be closed in 2015, because of the end of the coal production in Germany.
In 1910 the coal production began and in the 1950s about 5,000 people were employed "on Brassert". In 1972 the mine was closed and 2/3 of the mine area became a commercial park, the other 1/3 a recreation ground.
Some mining buildings have been saved. The old entrance buildings serve as an art studio and as bureau of the bicycle society.
The urban district around the mine was named "Brassert" as the mine built houses around the pit for their workers.
, linked with the Kapp Putsch
also had influence on Marl.
On the 1st April 1920 the so-called "Red Ruhr Army" occupied Marl and started a gunfight with the Reichswehr
at the Lippe river-crossing near Hamm-Bossendorf.
15 uninvolved channel diggers were also killed.
On 15 January 1923 Marl was occupied by French and Belgian troops.
On 1 April 1926 marl grew bigger as the surrounding villages of Sinsen, Hüls, Lenkerbeck and Löntrop were suburbanized.
In 1931 the "Handbook of all towns and villages in the Rhine province and Westpfalia" states, that Marl had 34102 inhabitants ( 19598 Roman Catholic, 12105 Protestants, 30 Jewish and 2309 other confessions)
There was no mayor at that time. The city council consisted of 18 people.
10 Centre Party (Germany)
, 2 Social Democratic Party of Germany
, 1 Reich Party of the German Middle Class, 4 Communist Party of Germany, 1 independent .
The total town area was 11.076 hectare, thereof 415 hectare build-up area, 3652 hectare farmland and 5574 hectare forests and meadows.
On the 20th April 1936 marl received ist town charter by the headpresident of the province of Westphalia, Ferdinand, Baron of Lüninck.
As other town in the Ruhr district Marl is grown very fast because of the coal mines and the chemical industry
After the Second World War the factories produced plastics, resources for cleaning agents and again "Buna".
In 1985 the company was merged with the Degussa AG and later in 2007 with the Evonik industries an is now called "Chemical Park Marl". The infrastructure of the park was taken over by the "infracor" company.
1938 led to the persecution of the Jewish inhabitants, who have resided in Marl since 1910. They worked mostly in the clothing trade or sold furniture. Several people were injured, their shops burned down and all 29 Jewish inhabitants had to leave the town. Most of them were deported to Riga and murdered.
These incidents were documented by the German artist Gunter Demnig
and his project "Stolpersteine" (stumbling blocks).
Between 1939 and 1945 many foreign forced workers worked in companies and private households.
Throughout the war especially the "Buna" factories were target of several allied air raids. Although the civilian areas of the town were relatively near to the factories civilian demolition was kept to a limit.
On the 31st March 1945 the American 8th Armored Division occupied the town.
As the town was merged from several farming communities with the mining settlements and houses of the chemical workers it has no real centre.
In the 1960th and 1970th a new centre was built in greenfield strategy as a new town hall, high-rise buildings and the shopping mall "Marler Stern" originated.
The following table shows the numbers of inhabitants. The value in 1600 is an estimate, afterwards the result of population counts or calculations of the Statistisches Landesamt. The specifications until 1871 show the "population in the area", from 1925 to 1987 they indicate the resident population and since then the main resident population. Before 1871 the means of measurement were without uniformity.
48.8% of the inhabitants are male, 51.2% female.
8.9% of the population are of foreign origin (Dec 2006), coming from about 130 different states. 52.5% are from Turkey, 7.5% from Ex-Yugoslavia, 5.6% from Poland.
Loremo
was planned for 2010 in a yet-to-be-constructed car factory in the industrial complex of Dorsten
/Marl, but looks now into uncertain future.
On the basis of the local elections 2009.
1 GREENS:
2 Linke: 2004: PDS, 2009: Linke
3 1994: FDP: 1,90 %, Republicans: 1,86 %
The Hüls synthetic rubber plant was a bombing target of the Oil Campaign of World War II
. The second largest producer of synthetic rubber (17% of Axis supply), the plant was 240 miles closer to Allied bomber bases than the larger synthetic rubber plant at Schkopau
. On June 22, 1943, the sole Eighth Air Force
operation against Nazi Germany
synthetic-rubber production during the first phase of the Combined Bomber Offensive
opened "a new chapter in aerial warfare" (RAF Fighter Commander Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory) with a bombing that destroying 6,200 of 8,380 built-up acres of "the city".
with: Bitterfeld
, Saxony-Anhalt
, Germany
Creil
, France
Herzliya
, Israel
Zalaegerszeg
, Hungary
Pendle
, United Kingdom
Kuşadası
, Turkey
Recklinghausen (district)
Recklinghausen is a Kreis in the middle of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Borken, Coesfeld, Unna,district-free cities Dortmund, Bochum, Herne, Essen, Gelsenkirchen and Bottrop, and the district Wesel.-History:...
, 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
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 is situated near the Wesel-Datteln Canal
Wesel-Datteln Canal
The Wesel-Datteln Canal is a 60 km long canal in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It runs along the northern edge of the Ruhr Area, from the Rhine near Wesel to the Dortmund-Ems Canal near Datteln...
, approx. 10 km north-west of Recklinghausen
Recklinghausen
Recklinghausen is the northernmost city in the Ruhr-Area and the capital of the Recklinghausen district. It borders the rural Münsterland and is characterized by large fields and farms in the north and industry in the south...
. It has about 90,000 people.
Location
The town adjoins in the north to the woodlands of the Haard and the natural park Hohe Mark. The town forms the smooth transition between the industrial Ruhrgebiet and the rural Münsterland. The northern town border coincides nearly completely with the course of the river Lippe.Approximately 60 % of the total town area are fields, woods, watercourses, parks and other green areas.
Town area
Marl has the following urban districts:
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Neighbour towns
In the north Marl adjoins to Haltern am See, in the east to Oer-Erkenschwick, in the southeast to Recklinghausen, in the south to Herten, in the southwest to Gelsenkirchen and in the west to DorstenNature reserves
- Braucksenke
- Die Burg (Natura 2000Natura 2000Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...
-area) - Lippeau (Natura 2000Natura 2000Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...
-area) - Loemühlenbachtal
Early History
The town area was already populated in the old and middle Stone Age, as many archeological finds in the district of Sinsen confirm. Remains of the first settlements are dated to 600 BC.At 300 BC celtic tribes settled in the area but were expelled by invading Germanic tribes. The Brukterer controlled thereupon the area north of the river Lippe and the Marser lived south of the Lippe.
The Germanic invasion was stopped by the advance of the Romans, who built a huge fort in Haltern. Remains of a smaller Roman fort were found at the city limit between Polsum and Herten.
After the Battle of the teutoburg forest
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest took place in 9 CE, when an alliance of Germanic tribes led by Arminius of the Cherusci ambushed and decisively destroyed three Roman legions, along with their auxiliaries, led by Publius Quinctilius Varus.Despite numerous successful campaigns and raids by the...
in 9AC the Romans lost most of their influence and retreated behind the Rhine river. The area was again in Germanic possession.
In 80 AC the Brukterer were expelled by rival tribes and moved to the today’s area of Recklinghausen.
Early Middle Ages
The next migration movement took place in the Marl area between the 5th and 7th century, when the Saxons invaded from the northeast across the Lippe into the former Brukterer area.In the 1920th archeological excavations proofed, that the Brukterer built an circular hillfort in the district of Sinsen to defend against the Saxon attacks.
Today the hillfort is only recognisable for the expert and lies in the nature reserve "Die Burg" (which means "the castle") which is named after the hillfort.
Archeologists consider the hillfort as an outstanding historical monument which is worth of protection.
The hillfort was used by the rural population as a protective barrier until the Late Middle Ages.
Assured written regional facts about the Early Middle Ages in the 9th and 10th century were however not documented till the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
Origin of the name
Marl was first documented in 890 in the urbariumUrbarium
Urbarium is a term that means a register of fief ownership and includes the rights and benefits that the fief holder has over his serfs and peasants. It is an important economic and legal source of medieval and early modern feudalism.Urbarium were also used to record land rent and stock...
of the benedictine abbey of Werden, which was founded in 799 during the Saxon wars. There is written, that a Dagubraht donated his possession and revenues to the abbey for his salvation.
The name of Marl derives from the medieval place name "meronhlare".
Linguists interpreted this name as "marshy range" or "range at a pond". The name changed over the centuries from "Marlar", "Maerl" to "Marler" and finally Marl
In the urbarium are furthermore found the names of nearby settlements which later became part of the town. They were called "Threviri (Drewer)", "Vrilinctorpe(Frentrop) und "Haranni (Hamm). In addition to the Werden Abbey there were other great land owners as the Cologne and Xanten chapter, the Essen abbey and some nobles.
This scattered property caused massive feuds and fighting in the Middle Ages.
Church history
In the urban district of "Alt-Marl"(Old Marl) the St.George Church is located, which belonged to the local Count Balderich of the Lower Rhine in the 11th century. Later he gave the church to the archbishop Heribert of Cologne.In a manuscript from 1160 is written, that archbishop Heribert of Cologne donated the church to the Deutz Abbey.
In the 13th century it changed to a parish church when in 1228 the first priest is recorded.
From 1419 the church was under the patronage of the local noble family of Loe. This lasted till 1830. Then the patronage devolved to the Baron Twickel of Lüttinghoff.
From 1856 to 1859 the church was completely restored according to the construction plans of Emil von Manger, a builder of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Münster.
The romanic foundation walls from the 12th century were kept.
The Counts of Loe
In the year 1111 the noble family of Loe built a castle with a moat named "Strevelsloe". In 1359 it was renamed to "Haus Loe". In official manuscripts of 1373 it was named as "castrum".In 1378 the castle was signed over as an "Offenhaus" by the owner Wessel van Loe to the Archbishop of Cologne, Frederick III. of Saarwerden. "Offenhaus" means, that in the case of war, the owner can use the castle as a stronghold.
So the noble family of Loe was subject to the archbishop.
The family had very many properties in the region, several farms and mills, like the "Loemill", the "Sickingmill" and the Wermeling manor at the Lippe river.
Although the Loe-family got no male successor, the name lived on as in 1585 the daughter of Wolter van Loe married her cousin Baron Dietrich of Dorneburg-Loe from Eickel.
From 1705 to 1832 the castle and all properties were passed over to the noble Family of Wiedenbrück. They sold it to the baron of Twickel, who sold it on his part to Theodor Waldhausen from Essen. 30 years later it was sold to the Duke of Arenberg, who demolished the castle.
Today on the former site of the castle there is a grammar school and several sports grounds.
The noble Loe-family is borne in remembrance through several names like "Loe Street", "Grammar school at the Loefield" or "Loemill-Airport".
Middle Ages and Early Modern Age
Throughout the Middle Ages Marl was involved in several wars.Between 1243 and 1384 there were many military operations between the Archbishop of Cologne and the Count of Mark among other things about the possession of the neighbor town of Recklinghausen.
1388 and 1389 Marl was involved in the "Great Dortmund feud" and in the fratricidal war between Adolf IV. of Kleve-Mark and Gerhard of the Mark from Hamm.
From 1442 to 1449 Marl suffered from the "Soest feud" in which the town of Soest defended her freedom against the Archbishop of Cologne.
At the end of the 16th century Marl had 800 inhabitants. Most of them lived in the farming community of Drewer.
In the "War of the Jülich-Cleves succession", the farming communities around Marl were plundered by the Dutch and Spanish troops who joined the war.
Directly following this war, the Thirty Years’ War began, where the plunderings continued.
After the war, there was peace for many centuries. During the French campaign of Charles, Prince of Soubise
Charles, Prince of Soubise
Charles de Rohan , duke of Rohan-Rohan, seigneur of Roberval, and marshal of France from 1758, was a military man, a minister to the kings Louis XV and Louis XVI, and a notorious libertine. The last male of his branch of the House of Rohan, he was also the great grandfather to the duc d'Enghien,...
, in the Seven Years’ War in 1758 the plundering of Marl started again. After the French troops, the Prussians came but without improvement for the situation of the inhabitants.
Until 1803 the insignificant village Marl was part of the Vest Recklinghausen
Vest Recklinghausen
Vest Recklinghausen was an ecclesiastical territory in the Holy Roman Empire, located in the center of today's North Rhine-Westphalia. The rivers Emscher and Lippe formed the border with the County of Mark and Essen Abbey in the south , and to the Bishopric of Münster in the north...
. Then the Duke of Arenberg owned the village. From 1810 to 1813, during the French occupation the village was renamed in "Mairie Marl" and belonged to the Grand Duchy
Grand duchy
A grand duchy, sometimes referred to as a grand dukedom, is a territory whose head of state is a monarch, either a grand duke or grand duchess.Today Luxembourg is the only remaining grand duchy...
of Berg.
After the War of the Sixth Coalition
War of the Sixth Coalition
In the War of the Sixth Coalition , a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and a number of German States finally defeated France and drove Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on Elba. After Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the continental powers...
Marl got under Prussian reign and was part of the district Essen until 1816 and afterwards until now to the district Recklinghausen.
In this age, Marl had only village mayors, who were elected for one year and directly responsible to the governors of the Vest Recklinghausen.
The village mayors tasks were the collection of the taxes and managing the village real estates. Beside these village mayors there were two Prince-elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
ial representatives, the "Amtsfron"(village soccage) and the "Amtsführer"(village leader) (from 1785 both offices were combined ) whose task was to supervise the prince-electoral regulations.
From the 1st April 1816 Marl was consolidated with the town of Dorsten to the "Office of mayor Dorsten"("Bürgermeisterei Dorsten") with the mayor of Dorsten as provost.
In 1837, after the territorial reform of the Prussian state, Marl got autonomous again. The village area was enlarged and the village of Altendorf-Ulfkotte was suburbanized, though marl did not get his name back but was named "Dorsten-environs"("Dorsten-Land")
On the 31st October 1841 the Royal Administration in Münster founded the "Administration Marl" ("Amt Marl"), an in-between of town and village.
The administration area included Marl, the villages of Polsum, Hamm and Altendorf-Ulfkotte, plus the surrounding farming communities.
Agriculture has always been the main source of income in Marl. This becomes apparent in an official list from 1840.
The following is recorded there:
493 horses, 1879 cattle, 857 pigs, 98 goats and 4591 sheep.
Despite the muchness of sheep, the importance of sheep farming declined in later centuries.
As many farmers needed a sideline, many families weaved, mostly as wageworkers for drapers.
The former village mayor Bölling reports in his chronicle:
"…has built here some factories and kudos to the damask weaving mills, which deliver precious table-linen for high-standing persons and earned great reputation. It is an elegant weaving."
In the records of 1842 the following professions are listed:
3 bakers, 1 butcher, 17 shoemakers, 17 tailors, 17 carpenters, 5 cabinetmakers, 6 coopers, 1 bricklayer, 15 blacksmiths, 6 cellarmen, 60 weavers, 42 chandlers, 12 hawkers, 2 inns, 11 taverns, 6 brewer, 2 distilleries, 6 corn dealer, 5 wood dealer…
The turning point in Marls history was the 21st January 1875. On this day the
"Simson well-drilling Company" found a coal deposit in the depth of 514 meter in the urban district Polsum. Additional drillings in Marl resulted in the formation coalmines.
Foundation of the "Auguste Victoria coalmine"
August Stein und Julius Schäfer from DüsseldorfDüsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
founded the coalmine "Auguste Victoria" in 1898 based in Düsseldorf and coal production was planned on the claims "Hansi 1" and "Hansi 2".
On 1 May 1900 the depths began and in 1903 the head office moved to Marls urban district Hüls.
At the end of 1905 coal production began on the pit "AV 1".
Eponym for the mine was Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, (1858–1921) the last German empress and wife of Emperor Wilhelm II.
Until today the coalmine is one of the highly productive mines in Germany.
Nevertheless it will be closed in 2015, because of the end of the coal production in Germany.
Foundation of the "Brassert coal mine"
In 1905 another coalmine was founded in Marl. It was named after Hermann Brassert, the "father of the common mining law of 1865".In 1910 the coal production began and in the 1950s about 5,000 people were employed "on Brassert". In 1972 the mine was closed and 2/3 of the mine area became a commercial park, the other 1/3 a recreation ground.
Some mining buildings have been saved. The old entrance buildings serve as an art studio and as bureau of the bicycle society.
The urban district around the mine was named "Brassert" as the mine built houses around the pit for their workers.
20th century
The Spartacist UprisingSpartacist uprising
The Spartacist Uprising , also known as the January uprising , was a general strike in Germany from January 5 to January 15, 1919. Its suppression marked the end of the German Revolution...
, linked with the Kapp Putsch
Kapp Putsch
The Kapp Putsch — or more accurately the Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch — was a 1920 coup attempt during the German Revolution of 1918–1919 aimed at overthrowing the Weimar Republic...
also had influence on Marl.
On the 1st April 1920 the so-called "Red Ruhr Army" occupied Marl and started a gunfight with the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
at the Lippe river-crossing near Hamm-Bossendorf.
15 uninvolved channel diggers were also killed.
On 15 January 1923 Marl was occupied by French and Belgian troops.
On 1 April 1926 marl grew bigger as the surrounding villages of Sinsen, Hüls, Lenkerbeck and Löntrop were suburbanized.
In 1931 the "Handbook of all towns and villages in the Rhine province and Westpfalia" states, that Marl had 34102 inhabitants ( 19598 Roman Catholic, 12105 Protestants, 30 Jewish and 2309 other confessions)
There was no mayor at that time. The city council consisted of 18 people.
10 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...
, 2 Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
, 1 Reich Party of the German Middle Class, 4 Communist Party of Germany, 1 independent .
The total town area was 11.076 hectare, thereof 415 hectare build-up area, 3652 hectare farmland and 5574 hectare forests and meadows.
On the 20th April 1936 marl received ist town charter by the headpresident of the province of Westphalia, Ferdinand, Baron of Lüninck.
As other town in the Ruhr district Marl is grown very fast because of the coal mines and the chemical industry
Foundation of the "Chemiepark Marl"
The "Chemical Park Marl" goes back to the foundation of the "Chemical Factories Hüls" in 1938. At the time of the Third Reich the factories produced synthetic rubber (called "Buna") for tires. Therefore a lot of forced labourers were used.After the Second World War the factories produced plastics, resources for cleaning agents and again "Buna".
In 1985 the company was merged with the Degussa AG and later in 2007 with the Evonik industries an is now called "Chemical Park Marl". The infrastructure of the park was taken over by the "infracor" company.
Second World War
The KristallnachtKristallnacht
Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass, and also Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht, and Novemberpogrome, was a pogrom or series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on 9–10 November 1938.Jewish homes were ransacked, as were shops, towns and...
1938 led to the persecution of the Jewish inhabitants, who have resided in Marl since 1910. They worked mostly in the clothing trade or sold furniture. Several people were injured, their shops burned down and all 29 Jewish inhabitants had to leave the town. Most of them were deported to Riga and murdered.
These incidents were documented by the German artist Gunter Demnig
Gunter Demnig
Gunter Demnig is a German artist. He is best known for his "Stolperstein" memorials to the victims of Nazi persecution and oppression in Nazi Germany.- Biography :...
and his project "Stolpersteine" (stumbling blocks).
Between 1939 and 1945 many foreign forced workers worked in companies and private households.
Throughout the war especially the "Buna" factories were target of several allied air raids. Although the civilian areas of the town were relatively near to the factories civilian demolition was kept to a limit.
On the 31st March 1945 the American 8th Armored Division occupied the town.
As the town was merged from several farming communities with the mining settlements and houses of the chemical workers it has no real centre.
In the 1960th and 1970th a new centre was built in greenfield strategy as a new town hall, high-rise buildings and the shopping mall "Marler Stern" originated.
Population
From the mid-ages until the early 20th century Marl had just a few hundred inhabitants. The Industrialization led to a fast increase from about 2,000 people in 1900 to over 35,000 in 1939 and 92,000 in 1975. In 2007, the "Official Number of inhabitants" calculated by the Landesamt für Datenverarbeitung und Statistik of North Rhine Westphalia was 89,122.The following table shows the numbers of inhabitants. The value in 1600 is an estimate, afterwards the result of population counts or calculations of the Statistisches Landesamt. The specifications until 1871 show the "population in the area", from 1925 to 1987 they indicate the resident population and since then the main resident population. Before 1871 the means of measurement were without uniformity.
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1600 | 800 |
| 1875 | 1,883 |
| 1900 | 2,199 |
| 1910 | 5,571 |
| 1919 | 12,130 |
| 1925 | 16,018 |
| 1933 | 31,619 |
| 1939 | 35,288 |
| 1945 | 42,603 |
| 1946 | 44,043 |
| 1950 | 51,192 |
| 1956 | 64,228 |
| 1961 | 71,508 |
| 1965 | 76,674 |
| 1975 | 91,930 |
| 1985 | 87,449 |
| 1995 | 92,965 |
| 2005 | 90,816 |
| 2007 | 89,122 |
48.8% of the inhabitants are male, 51.2% female.
- 17.7% are less than 18,
- 34.3% are between 18 and 44,
- 21.9% are between 45 and 59,
- 26.1% are older than 60 years.
8.9% of the population are of foreign origin (Dec 2006), coming from about 130 different states. 52.5% are from Turkey, 7.5% from Ex-Yugoslavia, 5.6% from Poland.
Economy
The "Chemical Park Marl", the mine "Auguste Victoria", the "Medienhaus Bauer", are the largest employers in Marl. The coal mine at Marl-Hüls, Zeche Auguste Victoria, was founded in 1899, and is still operating. The mass production of the Low-energy vehicleLow-energy vehicle
A Low-energy vehicle is any type of vehicle that uses less energy than a regular fossil fuel vehicle.Higher efficiency can be achieved by changing the vehicle's design, and/or by modifying its powertrain. Energy consumption as low as 5-12.5 kWh/100 km is achieved directly by battery electric...
Loremo
Loremo
Loremo AG is a German automaker corporation, based in Marl. It was founded in 2000. Loremo is focused on designing prototypes of cars with very low weight and air resistance, the term "Loremo" is an abbreviation for "Low Resistance Mobile". Initially the car was conceived for emerging markets...
was planned for 2010 in a yet-to-be-constructed car factory in the industrial complex of Dorsten
Dorsten
Dorsten is a town in the district of Recklinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and has a population of just below 80,000.Dorsten is situated on the western rim of Westphalia bordering the Rhineland. Its historical old town lies on the south bank of the river Lippe and the Wesel–Datteln...
/Marl, but looks now into uncertain future.
Town Council
In the town council consists of 50 representatives of the following parties:- SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
19 - CDUChristian Democratic Union (Germany)The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
14 - WIR (citizen list – independent) 4
- FDPFree Democratic Party (Germany)The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
3 - bum (citizen union – independent) 3
- Bündnis 90/Die Grünen 2
- Wählergemeinschaft ( elector community – independent) 2
- UBP (independent citizen party – independent) 1
- Die LINKEThe Left (Germany)The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
1
On the basis of the local elections 2009.
Results of the local elections since 1975
In this chart only those parties and lists are considered, which got at least 1,86 % of the total votes.| Year | SPD | CDU | FDP | GREENS1 | Republikaner | WIR | BUM | Die Linke2 | UBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 58,8 | 34,9 | 4,8 | ||||||
| 1979 | 52,8 | 33,6 | 4,3 | 8,9 | |||||
| 1984 | 52,7 | 32,1 | 3,8 | 11,0 | |||||
| 1989 | 48,5 | 28,3 | 4,5 | 11,2 | 7,5 | ||||
| 19943 | 45,1 | 36,2 | 1,9 | 10,8 | 1,9 | 7,2 | |||
| 1999 | 38,4 | 43,8 | 2,5 | 5,0 | 9,5 | ||||
| 2004 | 37,7 | 31,8 | 5,7 | 6,5 | 9,5 | 5,4 | 3,4 | ||
| 2009 | 36,6 | 27,6 | 6,9 | 7,6 | 8,3 | 5,2 | 5,1 | 2,8 |
1 GREENS:
- 1979 bis 2004: Voters Community (WG) Grüne,
- 2009: Voters Community 4,7 %, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen: 2,9 %
2 Linke: 2004: PDS, 2009: Linke
3 1994: FDP: 1,90 %, Republicans: 1,86 %
Mayor
- 1936–1946: Friedrich Wilhelm Willeke, till 1933 Zentrum, then unknown, from 1945 CDU
- 1946–1965: Rudolf-Ernst Heiland, SPD
- 1965–1974: Ernst Immel, SPD
- 1975–1984: Günther Eckerland, SPD
- 1984–1995: Lothar Hentschel, SPD
- 1995–1999: Ortlieb Fliedner, SPD
- 1999–2009: Uta Heinrich, CDU, from 2004 independent
- 2009–: Werner Arndt, SPD
Chemiepark Marl
One of the largest integrated chemical production sites in Germany, the "Chemical Park Marl" is based in Marl. It was founded as the Chemische Werke Hüls GmbH in 1938.The Hüls synthetic rubber plant was a bombing target of the Oil Campaign of World War II
Oil Campaign of World War II
The Allied Oil Campaign of World War II was directed at facilities supplying Nazi Germany with petroleum, oil, and lubrication products...
. The second largest producer of synthetic rubber (17% of Axis supply), the plant was 240 miles closer to Allied bomber bases than the larger synthetic rubber plant at Schkopau
Schkopau
Schkopau is a municipality in the Saalekreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, approx. 4 km north of Merseburg, and 10 km south of Halle . During World War II, the Schkopau plant was the greatest producer of Axis synthetic rubber ....
. On June 22, 1943, the sole Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
operation against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
synthetic-rubber production during the first phase of the Combined Bomber Offensive
Combined Bomber Offensive
The Combined Bomber Offensive was an Anglo-American offensive of strategic bombing during World War II in Europe. The primary portion of the CBO was against German Air Force targets which was the highest priority from June 1943 to 1944...
opened "a new chapter in aerial warfare" (RAF Fighter Commander Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory) with a bombing that destroying 6,200 of 8,380 built-up acres of "the city".
International relations
Marl is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld is a town in the district Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2007 it has been part of the town Bitterfeld-Wolfen. It is situated approx. 25 km south of Dessau, and 30 km northeast of Halle...
, Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Creil
Creil
Creil is a large town in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-History:Archaeological remains in the area include a Neolithic site, as well as a late Iron Age necropolis, perhaps belonging to a Gaulish fortress or protected camp.The city itself...
, France
France
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...
Herzliya
Herzliya
Herzliya is a city in the central coast of Israel, at the western part of the Tel Aviv District. It has a population of 87,000 residents. Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of 26 km²...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
Zalaegerszeg
Zalaegerszeg
In 2001 Zalaegerszeg had 61,654 inhabitants . The distribution of religions were, 71.1% Roman Catholic, 3.8% Calvinist, 1.6% Lutheran, 11.6% Atheist .-Notable people:* Lajos Botfy , mayor...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Pendle
Pendle
Pendle is a local government district and borough of Lancashire, England. It adjoins the Lancashire boroughs of Burnley and Ribble Valley, the North Yorkshire district of Craven and the West Yorkshire districts of Calderdale and the City of Bradford...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Kuşadası
Kusadasi
Kuşadası is a resort town on Turkey's Aegean coast and the center of the seaside district of the same name in Aydın Province. Kuşadası lies at a distance of to the south from the region's largest metropolitan center of İzmir, and from the provincial seat of Aydın situated inland. Its primary...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...