Leer is a town in the district of
LeerLeer 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 ....
, the northwestern part of
Lower SaxonyLower Saxony lies in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen Bundesländer of Germany...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
. It is situated at the river Ems, on the border with the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
.
It has a railway and
autobahnAutobahn is the German word for a major high-speed road restricted to motor vehicles capable of driving at least 60 km/h and having full control of access, similar to a motorway or freeway in English-speaking countries.In most countries, it usually refers to the German autobahn specifically...
connection to
Groningen||-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |}Groningen is the capital city of the province of Groningen in the Netherlands. With a population of 185,000, it is by far the largest city in the north of the Netherlands....
, Netherlands,
EmdenEmden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on 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:...
,
BremenThe City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A port city along the river Weser, about south from its mouth on the North Sea, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area...
and the South (
RheineRheine is a city in the district of Steinfurt in Westphalia, Germany. It is the largest city in the district and the location of Rheine Air Base.- Geography :Rheine is located on the river Ems, approx. north of Münster, approx...
and the Ruhrpott industrial region).
Leer had been a settlement long before it was first mentioned in written documents. Originally the city was situated at a
meanderA meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a river erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternatively eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
near the mouth of the river
Leda- Places :* Leda , tributary of the Ems in Germany* Leda, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia* Leda, Burkina Faso- Astronomy :* Leda , a moon of Jupiter* 38 Leda, an asteroid...
into the Ems, which is still the center of the town today.
Leer is a town in the district of
LeerLeer 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 ....
, the northwestern part of
Lower SaxonyLower Saxony lies in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen Bundesländer of Germany...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
. It is situated at the river Ems, on the border with the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
.
It has a railway and
autobahnAutobahn is the German word for a major high-speed road restricted to motor vehicles capable of driving at least 60 km/h and having full control of access, similar to a motorway or freeway in English-speaking countries.In most countries, it usually refers to the German autobahn specifically...
connection to
Groningen||-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |}Groningen is the capital city of the province of Groningen in the Netherlands. With a population of 185,000, it is by far the largest city in the north of the Netherlands....
, Netherlands,
EmdenEmden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on 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:...
,
BremenThe City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A port city along the river Weser, about south from its mouth on the North Sea, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area...
and the South (
RheineRheine is a city in the district of Steinfurt in Westphalia, Germany. It is the largest city in the district and the location of Rheine Air Base.- Geography :Rheine is located on the river Ems, approx. north of Münster, approx...
and the Ruhrpott industrial region).
Geography
Leer had been a settlement long before it was first mentioned in written documents. Originally the city was situated at a
meanderA meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a river erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternatively eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
near the mouth of the river
Leda- Places :* Leda , tributary of the Ems in Germany* Leda, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia* Leda, Burkina Faso- Astronomy :* Leda , a moon of Jupiter* 38 Leda, an asteroid...
into the Ems, which is still the center of the town today. Even though Leer is some 30 km (19 miles) away from the coast, it can be reached by large ships via the Ems.
Leer lies close to the Dutch
borderBorders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, states or subnational administrative divisions. They may foster the setting up of buffer zones...
, the district of Leer shares a border with the Dutch
provinceA province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Roman provinces:The word is attested in English since c.1330, deriving from Old French province , which comes from the Latin word provincia, which referred to the sphere of activity which a...
of
GroningenGroningen is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
.
History
There are many traces of early settlements in the area, including crude flint tools that are dated back to the 3200 BC.
In 791 AD Saint
LudgerSaint Ludger was a missionary among the Frisians and Saxons, founder of Werden Abbey and first Bishop of Münster in Westphalia....
built the first chapel in
East FrisiaEast Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
at the western edge of the
settlementA town is a type of settlement ranging from a few hundred to several thousand inhabitants, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas; the precise meaning varies between countries and is not always a matter of legal definition...
Leer, then still named
Hleri after
feetlot,
willowWillows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
. This chapel is mentioned in a written document from 850 AD for the first time.
During the 14th and 15th centuries, Leer was home town of the Ukena family which was one most influential East-Frisian chieftain families of that time. The town profited from the trade with the Hanse, and a fortress Leerort was built.
The right to have a market was obtained in 1508 by Count Edzard, which started the tradition of the "Gallimarkt" that is now an annual
fairA fair is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. Activities at fairs vary widely...
. In 1744
East FrisiaEast Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
fell to
PrussiaPrussia was a historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries this state had substantial influence on German and European history...
, then ruled by Frederick the Great.
Town privilegesTown privileges or city rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium.Judicially, a town was distinguished from the surrounding land by means of a charter from the ruling monarch that defined its privileges and laws. Common privileges were related to trading...
were awarded in 1823 by
George IVGeorge IV was the king of Hanover and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
,
KingA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy, a form of government in which the country or entity usually ruled or controlled by an individual who usually rules for life or until abdication...
of
HanoverHanover or Hannover , on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, in their dignities as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg Hanover or Hannover , on the river Leine, is...
.
In 1854 Leer became connected to the "Hannoversche Westbahn" railway, which at that time connected
EmdenEmden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on 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:...
and
RheineRheine is a city in the district of Steinfurt in Westphalia, Germany. It is the largest city in the district and the location of Rheine Air Base.- Geography :Rheine is located on the river Ems, approx. north of Münster, approx...
in the Ruhr area. In 1856 the Westbahn was connected to the central German railway network.
Unlike Emden, Leer only suffered little damage by Allied bombing in
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The city was occupied by
Canadian troopsII Canadian Corps was a corps-level formation that, along with I Corps and I Canadian Corps , comprised the First Canadian Army in Northwest Europe during World War II.Authorization for the formation of the Corps headquarters became effective in England on...
on April 28, 1945.
On 1 October 1955 Leer got the
statusStatus is a state, condition or situation. In common usage it may refer to:*Social status*Economic status*HIV status*Legal status*Status quo*Status symbol*Status, a magazine edited by Igor Cassini...
of an independent city.
Religions:
Leer is a traditional Protestant city and home to both the Lutheran and
Reformed churchesThe Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine, historically related to the churches that first arose especially in the Swiss Reformation led by Huldrych Zwingli and soon afterward appeared in nations...
. The German Reformed Church has its head office in Leer. Furthermore Leer offers an unusually large variety of smaller religious communities, especially Baptists, Mennonites, Methodists, Adventists and Mormons. Even though Eastern Frisia is a mainly a Protestant region, there is a small Roman Catholic community in Leer.
Politics
Since 1964 the city's government has been led by the Social-Democratic Party SPD. The major opposition parties are the Christian Democratic Union Party
CDUThe Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany....
, the Green Party and the AWG, an independent local party.
Local council:
- SPD: 42.5 % / 16 Seats
- CDU
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany....
: 28.5 % / 7 Seats
- AWG: 12.2 % / 4 Seats
- Grüne
The Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany which originated from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir...
: 10.1 % / 4 Seats
- FDP
The Free Democratic Party is a classical liberal, pro-business political party in Germany. International counterparts include the Liberal Democrats of the United Kingdom, Yabloko in Russia and the Democratic Alliance in South Africa. It is a member of the Liberal International...
: 4.8 % / 2 Seats
- The Left
The Left , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
: 2.3 % / 1 Seat
The mayor of Leer is Wolfgang Kellner.
Twin TownsSister cities, also known as town twinning, is an agreement between towns, cities and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties...
:
- Trowbridge
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset...
(GB)
- Elbląg
Elbląg is a city in northern Poland with 127,892 inhabitants . It is the capital of Elbląg County and has been assigned to the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. Before then it was the capital of Elbląg Voivodeship and a county seat in Gdańsk Voivodeship...
(PL)
Culture
Buildings:
- Harderwykenburg
The Harderwykenburg is one of the oldest extant castles of East Frisia. It was built in the style of a medieval stone house soon after 1450 in Leer, Lower Saxony, Germany....
- Haneburg
Haneburg, a castle with two wings, is one of the few buildings remaining of the Renaissance time in north-west Germany and is part of the historical district of Leer in East Frisia, which was much affected by the Netherlands...
- Evenburg
thumb|right|Castle in neugothic style: The Evenburg 2007.The Evenburg is a water castle on the bank of the River Leda in Loga, now part of the town of Leer, Lower Saxony, Germany. It was build first between 1642 and 1650. In the year 1861/62 it was rebuild in a Gothic Revival architecture.During...
- Philippsburg (Castle)
- Telecommunication
Telecommunication is transmission over a distance for the purpose of communication. In earlier times, this may have involved the use of smoke signals, drums, semaphore, flags or heliograph. In modern times, telecommunication typically involves the use of electronic devices such as the telephone,...
towerTowers are tall structures that are almost always taller than they are wide, usually by a significant margin. Towers are generally built to take advantage of their height, and can stand alone or as part of a larger structure.- History :...
"Leer-Nüttermoor" (HeightHeight is the measurement of vertical distance, but has two meanings in common use. It can either indicate how "tall" something is, or how "high up" it is. For example one could say "That is a tall building", or "That airplane is high up in the sky"...
:160 meters)
Each year in autumn the Gallimarkt is held. Traditionally a cattle-market, the Gallimarkt is now one of the largest fairs in Northwest
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
.
Economics and infrastructure
Two
autobahnAutobahn is the German word for a major high-speed road restricted to motor vehicles capable of driving at least 60 km/h and having full control of access, similar to a motorway or freeway in English-speaking countries.In most countries, it usually refers to the German autobahn specifically...
s (freeways) cross north of Leer, the A 28 (Leer - Bremen) and the A 31 (Emden -
OberhausenOberhausen is a Ruhr Area city on the river Emscher between Duisburg and Essen . The city hosts the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and its Gasometer Oberhausen is an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.-History:Oberhausen was named for its 1847 train station...
,
Ruhr AreaThe Ruhr is an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With 4435 km² and a population of some 5.3 million, it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany...
). The city itself has three junctions to the autobahns. Leer railway station is a relay station between
Groningen||-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |}Groningen is the capital city of the province of Groningen in the Netherlands. With a population of 185,000, it is by far the largest city in the north of the Netherlands....
and
BremenThe City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A port city along the river Weser, about south from its mouth on the North Sea, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area...
in the west-east direction and the South and Emden harbour (with a large VW factory and shipping facilities) in the north. The airfield Leer-Papenburg north of the city offers limited passenger flights to nearby airfields, most notably the East Frisian Islands. The closest international airport is Bremen International Airport.
Leer is home to many German shipping companies — about 20 per cent of the German
merchantA merchant is a businessman who trades in commodities that they do not produce themselves, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
fleetA fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
are registered in Leer. The Bünting group
http://www.buenting.de/ is based in Leer and is one of the city's main employers. Although Bünting owns several German supermarket chains, the company is best known for their
teaTea is the agricultural product of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the Camellia sinensis plant, prepared and cured by various methods...
, which is available all over Germany.
Education
In Leer are seven primary
schoolA school , is an institution designed to allow and encourage students to learn, under the supervision of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s and numerous secondary schools. The two
gymnasiums A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools...
, Teletta Gross Gymnasium and
Ubbo-Emmius-GymnasiumThe Ubbo-Emmius-Gymnasium is a Gymnasium in the town of Leer in Lower Saxony, Germany.-History:The UEG was founded in 1584 as a High School for boys only and girls were not accepted before 1972...
, educate more than 1,500 pupils each and are two of the largest grammar schools in
Lower SaxonyLower Saxony lies in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen Bundesländer of Germany...
. The town also offers education at two
vocational schoolA vocational school , providing vocational education, is a school in which students are taught the skills needed to perform a particular job...
s.
Notable persons
- Focko Ukena
Focko Ukena was an East-Frisian hoofdeling who played an important part in the struggle between the Vetkopers and Schieringers in the provinces of Groningen and Friesland...
- Ubbo Emmius
Ubbo Emmius , historian and geographer, was born at Greetsiel in East Frisia.After studying at Rostock, he spent two years in Geneva, where he became intimate with Theodore Beza; and returning to the Netherlands was appointed the principal of a college at Norden, a position which he lost in 1587...
- Theologian, historianAn historian is an individual who studies and writes about history, and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all events in time...
from the University of GroningenThe University of Groningen , located in the city of Groningen, was founded in 1614. It is one of the oldest universities in the world and one of the largest universities in the Netherlands. Since its inception more than 100,000 students have graduated...
- Wilhelmine Siefkes
- Bernhard Bavink
- Ernst Reuter
Ernst Rudolf Johannes Reuter was the German mayor of West Berlin from 1948 to 1953, during the time of the Cold War.- Early years :...
- Johann Ludwig Hinrichs
- Hans-Peter Geerdes - Member of the German
The German people are an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent, and speaking the German language as a mother tongue. Within Germany, Germans are defined by citizenship , distinguished from people of German ancestry...
technoTechno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan, USA during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
band ScooterScooter are a German hard dance band founded in Hamburg, who have sold over 14 million records and earned 80 gold and platinum awards. Scooter are considered the most successful single-record German act with 20 top ten hits. The band is currently composed of members H.P. Baxxter, Rick J. Jordan and...
- Karl Dall
Karl Bernhard Dall is a German comedian and television presenter.The son of a school rector and a teacher, he married his wife Barbara in 1971. They have one daughter, Janina....
- Friedel Grützmacher
Elfriede "Friedel" Grützmacher is a German politician from East Frisia. Originally a teacher in Wörth in Rhineland-Palatinate, she joined the Green Party in the 1980s, and served as an elected Member of the Rhineland-Palatinate Landtag between 1991and 2006...
- Gustaaf Willem baron van Imhoff
Gustaaf Willem, Baron van Imhoff was the governor of Ceylon and then the Dutch East Indies for the Dutch East India Company .- Early years :...
External links