Werl
Encyclopedia
Werl is a town located in the district of Soest
Soest (district)
Soest is a Kreis in the middle of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Warendorf, Gütersloh, Paderborn, Hochsauerland, Märkischer Kreis, Unna and the district-free city Hamm.-History:...

 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...

, 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...

.

Geography

Werl is easily accessible because it is located between the Sauerland
Sauerland
The Sauerland is a rural, hilly area spreading across most of the south-eastern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, in parts heavily forested and, apart from the major valleys, sparsely inhabited...

, Münsterland, and the Ruhr Area. The Hellweg
Hellweg
In the Middle Ages the Hellweg was an ancient east-west route through Germany, the main corridor from the Rhine east to the mountains of the Teutoburger Wald, reaching from Duisburg, at the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr rivers, to Paderborn, with the slopes of the Sauerland to its south.In the...

 road runs through the city, as Werl is a part of the fertile Bördelandschaft of the Werl–Unnaer Börde.

Neighbouring municipalities

  • Arnsberg
    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:...

  • Hamm
    Hamm
    Hamm is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany. It is located in the northeastern part of the Ruhr area. As of December 2003 its population was 180,849. The city is situated between the A1 motorway and A2 motorway...

  • Soest
    Soest, Germany
    Soest is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Soest district. After Lippstadt, a neighbouring town, Soest is the second biggest town in its district.-Geography:...

  • Unna
    Unna
    Unna is a town of around 67,000 people in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the seat of the Unna district.-Geography:Unna is situated on an ancient salt-trading route, the Hellweg road. Trade on this route and during the period of the Hansa Trade Route came from as far as London...

  • Welver
    Welver
    Welver is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-History:The town was once known as Villinghausen or Vellinghausen. The Seven Year's War Battle of Villinghausen was fought nearby.-Geography:Welver is situated approx...

  • Wickede
    Wickede
    Wickede is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Wickede is situated on the river Ruhr, approx...


  • Division of the town

    Werl consists of the following districts:
    • Blumenthal (48 inhabitants)
    • Budberg (596 inhabitants)
    • Büderich (3107 inhabitants)
    • Hilbeck (1339 inhabitants)
    • Holtum (1049 inhabitants)
    • Mawicke (521 inhabitants)
    • Niederbergstraße (210 inhabitants)
    • Oberbergstraße (363 inhabitants)
    • Sönnern (870 inhabitants)
    • Westönnen (2665 inhabitants)
    • Werl (22151 inhabitants)

    History

    Werl was a member of the Hanseatic League
    Hanseatic League
    The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...

     in the Middle Ages, and has contained a statue of the Virgin Mary since 1661. Today this relic is located in the Wallfahrtsbasilika, and the Franciscan religious order takes care of it. Due to the Marien pilgrimage, Werl is the third largest pilgrimage destination in Germany.

    Main sights

    • One of the largest prisons in North Rhine-Westphalia, the Werl Prison
      Werl Prison
      Werl Prison has about 900 inmates, and is one of the largest prisons in Germany. It is located in the town of Werl in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, east of Dortmund.After World War II, several high-ranking Nazi officials were imprisoned there....

      , is located here.
    • The 4th United States Army Field Artillery Detachment
      4th United States Army Field Artillery Detachment
      The 4th United States Army Field Artillery Detachment was located in Werl, West Germany. The Belgian 14th and 20th Artillery Battalions were supported by the 4th U.S. Army Missile Detachment....

       was stationed in Werl until 1992.

    Famous people from Werl

    • Franz von Papen
      Franz von Papen
      Lieutenant-Colonel Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen zu Köningen was a German nobleman, Roman Catholic monarchist politician, General Staff officer, and diplomat, who served as Chancellor of Germany in 1932 and as Vice-Chancellor under Adolf Hitler in 1933–1934...

      : German
      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...

       nobleman, Roman Catholic
      Roman Catholic Church
      The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

       monarchist
      Monarchism
      Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch.In this system, the Monarch may be the...

       politician
      Politician
      A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

      , General Staff
      General Staff
      A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...

       officer, and diplomat
      Diplomat
      A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...

      , who served as Chancellor of Germany
      Chancellor of Germany
      The Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...

       in 1932 and as Vice-Chancellor
      Vice-Chancellor of Germany
      The Vice-Chancellor of Germany is, according to protocol, the second highest position in the Cabinet of GermanyIn case of the Chancellor's absence, the vice-chancellor acts in his or her place, for instance by heading cabinet meetings...

       under Adolf Hitler
      Adolf Hitler
      Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...

       in 1933 to 1934, and who helped him come to power, was born in Werl on 29 October 1879.

    International relations

    Werl is twinned
    Town twinning
    Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

     with: Halle
    Halle, Belgium
    Halle , is a Belgian city and municipality in the district Halle-Vilvoorde of the province Flemish Brabant. The city is located on the Brussels-Charleroi Canal and on the Flemish side of the language border that separates Flanders and Wallonia...

    , Belgium
    Belgium
    Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

    , since 1973

    External links

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