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Aurich (district)
Encyclopedia
Aurich is a district
(Landkreis) in Lower Saxony
, Germany
. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the North Sea
, the districts of Wittmund
and Leer
, and the city of Emden
.
.
The district was established in 1977 by merging the former districts of Aurich and Norden.
(Ostfriesland). In the west there is the mouth of the river Ems and the Krummhörn
peninsula protruding into the estuary.
The district includes the three populated islands of Juist
, Norderney
and Baltrum
, which belong to the East Frisian Islands
. The small island of Memmert
south of Juist is a nature reserve housing rare birds. Part of the district belongs to the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park.
Islands: Norderney 26 km², pop. 6100; Juist 16 km², pop. 1800; Baltrum 6.5 km², pop. 500; Memmert 5.2 km², pop. 0.
(or harpy
), which was the heraldic
animal
of the Cirksena family, a local clan
providing East Frisian chieftains during the Middle Ages
. The acorn
s in the arms are symbols of the city of Aurich and the six-pointed spur
s are symbols of Norden
. The blazon
is: "party per pale Azure and Gules, a harpy gardant Argent, above shoulders two six-pointed mullets Argent, below wings two acorns inverted Argent".
The former coat of arms, granted in 1950, shows a gold
en oak
tree, representing the Upstalsboom, a tree outside the city of Aurich under which free Frisians gathered for their yearly council meetings. Its blazon is: "Gules, an oak tree Or, on a hill Or at base".
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 ....
(Landkreis) in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, 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 bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, the districts of Wittmund
Wittmund (district)
Wittmund is a Landkreis in the northwestern part of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in East Frisia, on the North Sea coast. Neighboring districts are Friesland, Leer and Aurich.-Geography:...
and Leer
Leer (district)
Leer is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the city of Emden, the districts of Aurich, Wittmund, Friesland, Ammerland, Cloppenburg and Emsland, and by the Netherlands ....
, and the city of Emden
Emden
Emden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia; in 2006, the city had a total population of 51,692.-History:...
.
History
The history of the district is linked with the history of the region of East FrisiaEast Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
.
The district was established in 1977 by merging the former districts of Aurich and Norden.
Geography
The district is located in the westernmost part of East FrisiaEast Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
(Ostfriesland). In the west there is the mouth of the river Ems and the Krummhörn
Krummhörn
Krummhörn is a municipality in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the Ems estuary, approximately 15 km southwest of Norden, and 10 km northwest of Emden....
peninsula protruding into the estuary.
The district includes the three populated islands of Juist
Juist
Juist is one of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands at the edge of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea in the southern North Sea, located between Borkum Island , Memmert Island and Norderney...
, Norderney
Norderney
Norderney is one of the seven populated East Frisian Islands off the North Sea coast of Germany. It is also a municipality in the district of Aurich in Lower Saxony....
and Baltrum
Baltrum
Baltrum is a barrier island off the coast of East Frisia , in Germany, and is a municipality in the district of Aurich, Lower Saxony. It is located in-between the chain of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands...
, which belong to the East Frisian Islands
East Frisian Islands
The East Frisian Islands are a chain of islands in the North Sea, off the coast of East Frisia in Lower Saxony, Germany. The islands extend for some from west to east between the mouths of the Ems and Jade / Weser rivers and lie about 3.5 to 10 km offshore...
. The small island of Memmert
Memmert
Memmert is a small East Frisian island off the northern coast of Germany, with an area of . Memmert is uninhabited, with only one house on the island for wildlife-spotting purposes. Occasionally, some guests from the neighboring islands visit Memmert for recreation...
south of Juist is a nature reserve housing rare birds. Part of the district belongs to the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park.
Islands: Norderney 26 km², pop. 6100; Juist 16 km², pop. 1800; Baltrum 6.5 km², pop. 500; Memmert 5.2 km², pop. 0.
Coats of arms
The coat of arms, granted in 1978, displays the so-called virgin eagleEagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
(or harpy
Harpy
In Greek mythology, a harpy was one of the winged spirits best known for constantly stealing all food from Phineas...
), which was the heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
of the Cirksena family, a local clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
providing East Frisian chieftains during 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...
. The acorn
Acorn
The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
s in the arms are symbols of the city of Aurich and the six-pointed spur
Spur
A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids and to back up the natural aids . The spur is used in every equestrian discipline...
s are symbols of Norden
Norden, Lower Saxony
Norden is a town in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea shore, in East Frisia.-External links:* *...
. The blazon
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...
is: "party per pale Azure and Gules, a harpy gardant Argent, above shoulders two six-pointed mullets Argent, below wings two acorns inverted Argent".
The former coat of arms, granted in 1950, shows a gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
en 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...
tree, representing the Upstalsboom, a tree outside the city of Aurich under which free Frisians gathered for their yearly council meetings. Its blazon is: "Gules, an oak tree Or, on a hill Or at base".
Cities and municipalities
| Cities | Free municipalities | Samtgemeinden | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Baltrum Baltrum is a barrier island off the coast of East Frisia , in Germany, and is a municipality in the district of Aurich, Lower Saxony. It is located in-between the chain of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands... Dornum Dornum is a village and a municipality in the East Frisian district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the North Sea coast, approx... Großefehn Großefehn is a municipality consisting of 14 villages in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 10 km southeast of Aurich.... Großheide Großheide is a village and a municipality in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 10 km east of Norden, and 15 km northwest of Aurich.... Hinte Hinte is a village and a municipality in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 20 km south of Norden, and 6 km north of Emden.... Ihlow Ihlow is a village and a municipality in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 8 km southwest of Aurich, and 15 km east of Emden.... Juist Juist is one of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands at the edge of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea in the southern North Sea, located between Borkum Island , Memmert Island and Norderney... Krummhörn Krummhörn is a municipality in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the Ems estuary, approximately 15 km southwest of Norden, and 10 km northwest of Emden.... Südbrookmerland Südbrookmerland is a municipality in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 7 km west of Aurich. Its seat is in the village Victorbur.... |
1. Brookmerland Brookmerland Brookmerland is a Samtgemeinde in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated southeast of Norden. Its seat is in the village Marienhafe....
|
2. Hage Hage (Samtgemeinde) Hage is a Samtgemeinde in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Its seat is in the municipality Hage.The Samtgemeinde Hage consists of the following municipalities:# Berumbur# Hage# Hagermarsch# Halbemond...
|
| |colspan=2 align=center|1seat of the Samtgemeinde | |||