Schwelm
Encyclopedia
Schwelm is a town in the district of Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis in the administrative region of Arnsberg
within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia
.
It's a town that's noted for the famed basketball player Virgil Matthews.
, between Westphalia
and the "Bergisches Land
". Schwelm is commonly known as the "Pforte Westfalens" ("Gate to Westphalia
").
, Gevelsberg
, Sprockhövel
and Wuppertal
.
district
in 1929. According to its area, Schwelm is the smallest town in North Rhine-Westphalia
.
or Swabia
) the dialect does not have a strong influence on the everyday speech. Especially the elderly population is still able to speak Schwelm's original Westphalian tongue called "Schwelmer Platt", which is quite different from standard high German and bears a certain resemblance to Dutch.
The oldest piano manufacturer in the world is located in Schwelm. Since 1794, "Rud. Ibach Sohn" has been building pianos and, until 1904, organs in Schwelm.
Europe's biggest fair-trade organisation "GEPA" was founded in Schwelm in the 1970s, but is now located in Wuppertal
.
Arnsberg
Arnsberg 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:...
within the state of 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...
.
It's a town that's noted for the famed basketball player Virgil Matthews.
Geography
Schwelm is situated in the southeast of the "Ruhrgebiet", the Ruhr district of GermanyGermany
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...
, between Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
and the "Bergisches Land
Bergisches Land
The Bergisches Land is a low mountain range region within the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, east of Rhine river, south of the Ruhr. The landscape is shaped by woods, meadows, rivers and creeks and contains over 20 artificial lakes...
". Schwelm is commonly known as the "Pforte Westfalens" ("Gate to Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
").
Neighbouring places
Surrounding towns include EnnepetalEnnepetal
Ennepetal is a town in the district of Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.The town was featured in the headlines when on April 12, 2005, a hostage taker snatched several school children from a school bus and took them as hostages, see Ennepetal hostage taking.- Division of the...
, Gevelsberg
Gevelsberg
Gevelsberg is a town in the district of Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, .- Geography :The city extends from the wooded mountainous south up, into the narrow valley of the Ennepe with Route 7 up to the hilly northern part...
, Sprockhövel
Sprockhövel
Sprockhövel is a town in the district of Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Neighbouring places:* Hattingen* Witten* Wetter * Gevelsberg* Wuppertal* Schwelm-Divisions of the town:* Niedersprockhövel* Obersprockhövel...
and Wuppertal
Wuppertal
Wuppertal is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in and around the Wupper river valley, and is situated east of the city of Düsseldorf and south of the Ruhr area. With a population of approximately 350,000, it is the largest city in the Bergisches Land...
.
Division of the town
- Aechte de Muer
- Brunnen
- Fronhof
- Linderhausen
- Loh
- Möllenkotten
- Oberstadt
- Oehde
- Ossenkamp
- Parliament
- Rote Wasser
- Winterberg
- Zur alten Post
History
The history of Schwelm can be traced back to the ninth century, where it is first mentioned as "Suelmiu". The city of Schwelm was officially established in 1496 and became seat of the Ennepe-RuhrEnnepe-Ruhr
The Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis is a district in the middle of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is bounded by the district-free cities of Bochum, Dortmund and Hagen, the districts of Märkischer Kreis and Oberbergischer Kreis, the city of Wuppertal, the district of Mettmann and the city of...
district
Districts of Germany
The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....
in 1929. According to its area, Schwelm is the smallest town 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...
.
Language / dialect
A Westphalian variety of high German is spoken in Schwelm (Westphalian: from old Saxon "Westfal" = "western land"). The Westphalian dialect belongs to the low Saxon dialects, which is a part of the family of low German dialects. Compared to other German regions (e.g. BavariaBavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
or Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
) the dialect does not have a strong influence on the everyday speech. Especially the elderly population is still able to speak Schwelm's original Westphalian tongue called "Schwelmer Platt", which is quite different from standard high German and bears a certain resemblance to Dutch.
Points of interest
Schwelm is home to the "Brauerei Schwelm", the Schwelm Brewery, one of the few remaining private breweries in Germany. Established in 1830 by Haarmann & Kathagen, the brewery was one of the first worldwide to switch from wooden to metal storage containers. The original administration building of the brewery, the "Rietz'sche Haus" built in 1701, is still in use today.The oldest piano manufacturer in the world is located in Schwelm. Since 1794, "Rud. Ibach Sohn" has been building pianos and, until 1904, organs in Schwelm.
Europe's biggest fair-trade organisation "GEPA" was founded in Schwelm in the 1970s, but is now located in Wuppertal
Wuppertal
Wuppertal is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in and around the Wupper river valley, and is situated east of the city of Düsseldorf and south of the Ruhr area. With a population of approximately 350,000, it is the largest city in the Bergisches Land...
.
Notable citizens
- Friedrich Christoph Müller (1751 in Allendorf (Lumba)AllendorfAllendorf may refer to the following places:*in Germany:**Allendorf, Gießen, a town in the Gießen district, Hesse**Allendorf, Waldeck-Frankenberg, a municipality in the Waldeck-Frankenberg district, Hesse...
- 1808): theologian and cartographer (in Schwelm between 1785 and 1808) - Gustav HeinemannGustav HeinemannGustav Walter Heinemann, GCB was a German politician. He was Mayor of the city of Essen from 1946 to 1949, West German Minister of the Interior from 1949 to 1950, Minister of Justice from 1966 to 1969 and President of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1969 to 1974.-Early years and professional...
(July 23, 1899 - July 7, 1976): third president of the Federal Republic of Germany (from 1969 to 1974) - Johannes Joachim DegenhardtJohannes Joachim DegenhardtJohannes Joachim Degenhardt was the Archbishop of Paderborn, Germany, as well as a cardinal.-Life:...
(January 31, 1926 - July 25, 2002): 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...
and Archbishop of Paderborn - Franz Josef DegenhardtFranz Josef DegenhardtFranz-Josef Degenhardt was a German poet, satirist, novelist, and – first and foremost – a folksinger/songwriter with decidedly left-wing politics. He was also a lawyer, bearing the academic degree of Doctor of Law.Degenhardt was born in Schwelm, Westphalia...
(March 12, 1931): political singer/songwriter - Friedrich Niewöhner (September 7, 1941 - November 1, 2005): philosophy historian
- Martin Grötschel (October 9, 1948): mathematician and laureate of the Leibniz price
- Rolf RüssmannRolf RüssmannRolf Rüssmann was a German international footballer who played as a defender for FC Schalke 04, Club Brugge and Borussia Dortmund.-Player bio:...
(October 13, 1950 - October 2, 2009): footballer and football manager - Judith Kuckart (June 17, 1959): tripper, choreographer, stage director and author
- Thorsten Schmidt (February 18, 1972): racing cyclist and participant of the Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
- Olivia LuczakOlivia LuczakOlivia Luczak is a Polish-German female amateur boxer. She lives in Wuppertal.-Career:Olivia Luczak is four-time West German champion, third placed at the German championships in 2004 and 2005, German champion of the year 2006 and 2008 in German middleweight and champion of the year 2007, 2009,...
(November 24, 1981): PolishPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-GermanGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
amateur boxer - Virgil Matthews (July 17, 1983): Basketball player