Meinerzhagen

This article is about the German town. For the British officer, see Richard Meinertzhagen.

Meinerzhagen
Near the city center
Meinerzhagen
Location of the town of Meinerzhagen within Märkischer Kreis district
Coordinates	51°07′N 7°38′E / 51.11667°N 7.63333°E / 51.11667; 7.63333Coordinates: 51°07′N 7°38′E / 51.11667°N 7.63333°E / 51.11667; 7.63333
Administration
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region	Arnsberg
District	Märkischer Kreis
Town subdivisions	9
Mayor	Erhard Pierlings (SPD)
Basic statistics
Area	115.18 km2 (44.47 sq mi)
Elevation	313-652 m
Population	20,838 (31 December 2010)[1]
- Density	181 /km2 (469 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate	MK
Postal code	58540
Area codes	02354 02358 (Valbert)
Website	www.meinerzhagen.de

Meinerzhagen (sometimes spelled Meinertzhagen) is a town in the Märkischer Kreis, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Geography

Meinerzhagen is located in the hills of the Sauerland. The highest elevation is the Nordhelle with 663 m above sea level, the lowest elevation at the Lister dam with 319m. 56% of the district's area is covered by forests.

Neighbouring municipalities

Kierspe Lüdenscheid Herscheid Marienheide

Attendorn Gummersbach Drolshagen

Division of the town

The district consists of the following towns and villages:

Am Lingelchen An der Hardt Baberg Badinghagen Beckerhof Berg Berlinghausen Beutringhausen Blomberg Börlinghausen Bomme Borneck Brachtenberg Breddershaus Buntelichte Buschhausen Buschhöh Butmicke Darmche Denndorf Drögenpütt Dürhölten Ebberg Echternhagen Eckertsmühle Eick Elminghausen Eseloh Eulenberg Freisemicke Fumberg Genkel Gerringhausen Gräfingholz Grotewiese Grünenbecke Grünental

Grünewald Güntenbecke Häusger Mühle Hahnenbecke Hardenberg Hasendenn Haumche Haumchermühle Haustadt Heed Heerhof Hemcherhagen Herberg Herringhausen Herweg Hesselbecke Hinter der Höh Höh Hösinghausen Hohenhengstenberg Hohlinden Holbecke Hülseberg Hunswinkel Ihne Imhausen Ingemert Ingemerterhammer Ingemertermühle Ingemertstraße Kittmicke Korbecke Kotten Kropplenberg Krummenerl Langenohl Lengelscheid

Lesmicke Listerhammer Listringhausen Meinerzhagen Mettgenberg Mittel-Worbscheid Mittelhagen Möllsiepen Mühlhofe Neu-Grünental Neuemühle Neuhohlinden Niederbadinghagen Niederhengstenberg Nocken Nordhellen Ober-Worbscheid Oberingemert Österfeld Ohl Pütthof Redlendorf Reuen Rinkscheid Rollsiepen Rosenburg Schaffeld Schallershaus Scherl Scherlerwieden Schleifkotten Schlenke Schlund Schmittepaul Schnüffel Schoppen Schürfelde

Schwenke Sebastopol Sellenrade Siepen Sinderhauf Sinderhof Singerbrink Spädinghausen Steinsgüntenbecke Steinsmark Stoltenberg Sulenbecke Sundfeld Tarrenbrink Unter-Worbscheid Unterm Berge Valbert Vestenberg Volmehof Vorderhagen Voßsiepen Wehe Weißenpferd Werkshagen Werlsiepen Westebbe Wickeschliede Wiebche Wiebelsaat Wieden Wilkenberg Willertshagen Windebruch Winzenberg Wormgermühle

History

1765 Meinerzhagen received city rights from King Frederick II of Prussia, however in 1865 years later the city abandoned them to save administrative costs. In 1846 the Amt Meinerzhagen was formed, covering both Meinerzhagen and the municipality Valbert. On September 19, 1964 Meinerzhagen received city rights again.

In the communal reform of the district Altena in 1969 Meinerzhagen was merged with Valbert, the Amt Meinerzhagen was dissolved.

The family name of the British World War I officer Richard Meinertzhagen recalls an ancestor who came from this town.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Meinerzhagen shows a red lion as the symbol of the dukedom Berg, placed on a blue Andreas cross on yellow ground referring the family von Badinghagen, which expired in the 17th century. The bottom part of the coat of arms shows the red-and-white chequered bordure as the symbol of the Mark. A yellow horn is placed on top of the bordure, taken from the coat of arms of the municipality Valbert. The coat of arms was granted June 14, 1975.

Before the merging of Meinerzhagen and Valbert, as well as the Amt Meinerzhagen had coat of arms of their own. The coat of arms of Meinerzhagen dates back to at least 1857, as the town hall built in 1857 already showed the coat of arms above the entry. The coat of arms had a green bottom part, above to the left Saint Mary on a throne holding a scepter and Jesus as an infant. To the right was a building with three towers and red roofs, above the sun and two stars.

The coat of arms of the municipality Valbert showed both the chequered bordure as well as the black cross of Cologne in the bottom part, as the municipality consists of parts of the Mark as well as of the bishopric state of Cologne. To the top is a hunter, which as well as the coat of arms of Herscheid refers to the hunting privilege granted by duke Johann III of Cleves, the heir of the duke of Mark. The coat of arms was designed by Otto Hupp, and was granted on October 27, 1935.

The coat of arms of the Amt Meinerzhagen combined symbols of the three historic states of the area. To the bottom is the black cross of Cologne, above the chequered bordure of the Mark, and in top the lion of Berg.

Persons of interest

Meinerzhagen was the birthplace and home of several professional soccer players. Nuri Şahin, Markus Obermeier and Lars Labonte all played for the soccer team of Meinerzhagen before joining professional soccer team Borussia Dortmund. Markus Obermeier is one of the lead Actors in the American Comedy Show "Messed Up Life" . Markus Obermeier starred in 6 Hollywood Film Productions in the last 9 months and is Acting as one of the Lead Actors in the Hollywood Play "The Berlin Dig" http://www.messeduplife.com/ http://www.messeduplife.com/markus.php

International relations

Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

1961-2001 Meinerzhagen had a partnership with the Dutch municipality IJsselmuiden. In 2001 IJsselmuiden was incorporated into the city Kampen, which then also continued the partnership.

On April 12, 1987 the documents were signed for the partnership with the French city Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire.

References

1. ^ "Amtliche Bevölkerungszahlen" (in German). Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW. 31 December 2010. http://www.it.nrw.de/statistik/a/daten/amtlichebevoelkerungszahlen/index.html. 

External links

• Official site (German)