Unseburg
Encyclopedia
Unseburg is a village and a former municipality in the district Salzlandkreis
, in Saxony-Anhalt
, Germany
. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the municipality Bördeaue
.
passes through Unseburg but most of the town is located on its western banks with a small trucking
business and residential area located on the eastern side. The town is also located at the northern foot of the Harz
Mountain Range, known for its history throughout the Middle Ages
such as the witch burnings and architecture of the area. The largest city near Unseburg is Magdeburg
, which lies about 25 km northwest of the town. It sits in an ancient riverbed
and is one of the oldest civilizations in all of Germany, with multiple archaeological expeditions being conducted there by scientists from around the world.
On January 1, 2010 the formerly independent communities of Tarthun
and Unseburg united to form the municipality
of Bördeaue
or "Fruitful meadow"
with the founding of the Unseburg Fortress. The town is one of the few surviving in the area after the destruction of the Thirty Years' War
. The name Unseburg means "our castle" in Middle German
as the town was once a large fortress and vital trading port due to the enormous amount of salt and brown coal in the area (the region has been defined as the "Salt Land" since Viking times). Remnants of the fortress still exist such as the bell tower of the Lutheran church that is the last surviving watchtower belonging to the fortress. The fortress-town was destroyed in the late Middle Ages
after the Bishop of the Archdiocese of Magdeburg ordered a raid on the town after it was taken over by Black knight
s.
During World War Two, ammunition, rockets and experimental jet engines were manufactured and stored outside of the town with Wernher von Braun
even living there at one point. American bombers tried to bomb the factories multiple times during the war but, being located underground, the targets could not be found. Nevertheless, one damaged American B-24 Liberator
that hadn't reached its targets in Bernburg
was forced was forced to drop its payload on the town, damaging multiple residential houses through firebombing
as well as breaking multiple very old stained-glass windows located in the Lutheran Church. The cemetery in town was the resting place for countless American and British Pilots that were killed in combat over the skies of Egelner Mulde
(this region of Germany saw some of the worst air to air combat in the whole war).
At the end of the war the town was first occupied by Americans of the 83rd Infantry Division (United States). Some of the Hitler Youth of the town desired to resist but were stopped at the last minute by a senior SA Party Member who lived in the town, knowing that resistance would be futile. Fighting in the town would have assured its destruction.
Because the town escaped damage, the Americans used the town as a place of respite as well as a field hospital during the battles of Magdeburg
and Barby
. Soon thereafter Unseburg was placed under control of the British Occupation Zone and finally it was given to the Russians along with the surrounding areas in exchange for the Russian-occupied half of Austria
. All of the occupation forces ransacked the manufacturing places outside of the town to give them an edge in the upcoming Cold War
.
, local Park, Kamplake Lake, Frula Juice Factory, Town Museum located in the old elementary school, numerous biking trails in the area, the American Line dance
Club, yearly Christmas market
, Karnival-Fasching celebrations, and the local Lutheran Church St. Stephen (Stephan) with its 12th century Tower and Building built in 1839.
Active in the local town history is the Heimatstube Club Unseburg e.V. with its headquarters on "Schulstrasse". The Heimatstube Club runs the town museum as well in the recently closed elementary school.
of Unseburg to the right is defined as the following:
"Emblazoned in red with a silver fortress with tinned walls and two tinned towers. The fortress is to have a black gate and two black windows. At the foot of the shield is the blue Bode river and black wave-lines."
It was redesigned by Jörg Mantzsch, a well known student of heraldry
living in Magdeburg.
Unseburg's flag is three-striped with the colors blue-silver/white-red and has the Coat of Arms emblazoned upon it.
Salzlandkreis
Salzland is a district in the middle of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is bounded by the districts Harz, Börde, Magdeburg, Jerichower Land, Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Mansfeld-Südharz and Saalekreis.- History :...
, in 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...
. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the municipality Bördeaue
Bördeaue
Bördeaue is a municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was formed on 1 January 2010 by the merger of the former municipalities Unseburg and Tarthun....
.
Geography
The Bode RiverBode River
The Bode is a river in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, a left tributary of the Saale.It rises in the Harz mountains and drains them in a northerly direction. After it discharges into the Saale at Nienburg...
passes through Unseburg but most of the town is located on its western banks with a small trucking
Truck driver
A truck driver , is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck, usually a semi truck, box truck, or dump truck.Truck drivers provide an essential service to...
business and residential area located on the eastern side. The town is also located at the northern foot of the Harz
Harz
The Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz...
Mountain Range, known for its history throughout 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...
such as the witch burnings and architecture of the area. The largest city near Unseburg is Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
, which lies about 25 km northwest of the town. It sits in an ancient riverbed
Riverbed
Riverbed may refer to:*Stream bed, the channel bottom of a stream or river or creek*Wadi, a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain*Riverbed Technology, an American technology company...
and is one of the oldest civilizations in all of Germany, with multiple archaeological expeditions being conducted there by scientists from around the world.
On January 1, 2010 the formerly independent communities of Tarthun
Tarthun
Tarthun is a village and a former municipality in the district Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the municipality Bördeaue....
and Unseburg united to form the municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Bördeaue
Bördeaue
Bördeaue is a municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was formed on 1 January 2010 by the merger of the former municipalities Unseburg and Tarthun....
or "Fruitful meadow"
History
The first recording of the town of Unseburg is in the Church Records for founded towns of the Archdiocese of Magdeburg on 7. June 939939
Year 939 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Edmund I of England succeeds to the throne of England.* The Arabs lose Madrid to the Kingdom of Leon....
with the founding of the Unseburg Fortress. The town is one of the few surviving in the area after the destruction of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
. The name Unseburg means "our castle" in Middle German
Middle German
In linguistics, Middle German can refer to a few variants of the German language:* Middle Low German , the northern dialects in the 11th-15th centuries...
as the town was once a large fortress and vital trading port due to the enormous amount of salt and brown coal in the area (the region has been defined as the "Salt Land" since Viking times). Remnants of the fortress still exist such as the bell tower of the Lutheran church that is the last surviving watchtower belonging to the fortress. The fortress-town was destroyed in the late 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...
after the Bishop of the Archdiocese of Magdeburg ordered a raid on the town after it was taken over by Black knight
Black Knight
The black knight is a literary stock character, often contrasted with the white knight. The character famously appeared in Arthurian literature and has been adapted and adopted by various authors, in cinema and popular culture...
s.
During World War Two, ammunition, rockets and experimental jet engines were manufactured and stored outside of the town with Wernher von Braun
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
even living there at one point. American bombers tried to bomb the factories multiple times during the war but, being located underground, the targets could not be found. Nevertheless, one damaged American B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
that hadn't reached its targets in Bernburg
Bernburg
Bernburg is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the district of Salzlandkreis. It is situated on the river Saale, approx. 30 km downstream from Halle. The town is dominated by its huge Renaissance castle featuring a museum as well as a popular, recently updated bear pit in its...
was forced was forced to drop its payload on the town, damaging multiple residential houses through firebombing
Firebombing
Firebombing is a bombing technique designed to damage a target, generally an urban area, through the use of fire, caused by incendiary devices, rather than from the blast effect of large bombs....
as well as breaking multiple very old stained-glass windows located in the Lutheran Church. The cemetery in town was the resting place for countless American and British Pilots that were killed in combat over the skies of Egelner Mulde
Egelner Mulde
Egelner Mulde is a Verbandsgemeinde in the Salzlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Before 1 January 2010, it was a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft. The seat of the Verbandsgemeinde is in Egeln....
(this region of Germany saw some of the worst air to air combat in the whole war).
At the end of the war the town was first occupied by Americans of the 83rd Infantry Division (United States). Some of the Hitler Youth of the town desired to resist but were stopped at the last minute by a senior SA Party Member who lived in the town, knowing that resistance would be futile. Fighting in the town would have assured its destruction.
Because the town escaped damage, the Americans used the town as a place of respite as well as a field hospital during the battles of Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
and Barby
Barby
-Places:England*Barby, Northamptonshire, a village in EnglandGermany*Barby, Germany, a town in Saxony-Anhalt, GermanyFrance*Barby, Ardennes, a village in Champagne-Ardennes, France*Barby, Savoie, a village in Rhône-Alpes, France...
. Soon thereafter Unseburg was placed under control of the British Occupation Zone and finally it was given to the Russians along with the surrounding areas in exchange for the Russian-occupied half of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. All of the occupation forces ransacked the manufacturing places outside of the town to give them an edge in the upcoming Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
Attractions
Sights to see in the town include the Bode RiverBode River
The Bode is a river in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, a left tributary of the Saale.It rises in the Harz mountains and drains them in a northerly direction. After it discharges into the Saale at Nienburg...
, local Park, Kamplake Lake, Frula Juice Factory, Town Museum located in the old elementary school, numerous biking trails in the area, the American Line dance
Line dance
A line dance is a choreographed dance with a repeated sequence of steps in which a group of people dance in one or more lines or rows without regard for the gender of the individuals, all facing the same direction, and executing the steps at the same time. Line dancers are not in physical contact...
Club, yearly Christmas market
Christmas Market
A Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt, Christkindlesmarkt, Christkindlmarket, and Weihnachtsmarkt, is a street market associated with the celebration of Christmas during the four weeks of Advent...
, Karnival-Fasching celebrations, and the local Lutheran Church St. Stephen (Stephan) with its 12th century Tower and Building built in 1839.
Monuments
On an open area at the crossing of Ernst-Thälmann-Straße, August-Bebel-Straße and Bäckergasse there is a memorial to the Brown Coal mine "Johanne-Henriette" that was in operation from 1849-1963. Located in the cemetery is a monument to the dozens of soldiers from the town that were killed in the Second World War. There is currently a motion to restore it as well as build a new monument for the allied pilots that were buried in the area and later taken back to their home countries after the war.Commerce
The town is home to the industrial concrete magnet-manufacturing firm FTW, a local shipping truck firm and the fruit juice factory "Frula".Clubs
The Sport Fishing Club „Am Bodestrand“ 1922 Unseburg e.V. located in unseburg is a member of the State Association of Sport Fishermen. The club has about 100 members from the local area and even from the distant Harz Mountain region. Club-available waters include the 13 hectare Kamplake, the 8 hectare Westerwiese, the 2.5 hectare Holl´sche Brook, and the Bode River area between the Wolmirsleben Stappen-bridge and the Rothenförde retaining dam.Active in the local town history is the Heimatstube Club Unseburg e.V. with its headquarters on "Schulstrasse". The Heimatstube Club runs the town museum as well in the recently closed elementary school.
Coat of arms
The Coat of ArmsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Unseburg to the right is defined as the following:
"Emblazoned in red with a silver fortress with tinned walls and two tinned towers. The fortress is to have a black gate and two black windows. At the foot of the shield is the blue Bode river and black wave-lines."
It was redesigned by Jörg Mantzsch, a well known student of heraldry
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"...
living in Magdeburg.
Unseburg's flag is three-striped with the colors blue-silver/white-red and has the Coat of Arms emblazoned upon it.