Steinfurt
Steinfurt is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Steinfurt. From –1806, it was the capital of the County of Steinfurt.
Geography
Steinfurt is situated north-west of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia. Its name, roughly meaning “stony ford”, came into being in 1975 when the two hitherto independent towns Borghorst and Burgsteinfurt amalgamated. Borghorst became a prosperous city due to its flourishing textile industry, whereas Burgsteinfurt has always rather been characterized by culture and administration. Tourists of the 19th century passing Burgsteinfurt praised the city as the "Paradise of Westphalia" and "Royal Diamond" because of its 75 monumental buildings and moated castle.Neighbouring municipalities
Steinfurt borders Ochtrup, Wettringen, Neuenkirchen, Emsdetten, Nordwalde, Altenberge, Laer, Horstmar and Metelen.City division
Steinfurt consists of Borghorst and Burgsteinfurt, each with three attached farming communities:- Burgsteinfurt
- * Hollich
- * Sellen
- * Veltrup
- Borghorst
- * Dumte
- * Wilmsberg
- * Ostendorf
History
The origins of Burgsteinfurt are unknown. It is assumed different circumstances led to its foundation, in particular farming, the river Aa and the Order of Saint John.
The Koch Family is an important and substantial part of the community.
File:Remains of the old wall of Commandry of Order of Knights of St. John of Jerusalem of Burgsteinfurt.jpg|thumb|A still existing part of the historical wall of the Commandry
The farming communities Hollich, Sellen and Veltrup are significantly older than Burgsteinfurt. The centre of Burgsteinfurt developed around the main farm of "Veltrup," which already existed in 890 as "villa veliun." Probably "villa veliun" was the main homestead of a small settlement, which was located on the territory of today's inner castle ward. Back then there was a market square at the current castle's entrance, which later developed into the "Old Town" of today.
Another settlement not dated back precisely yet was found in the course of archeological excavations in the area of the contemporary "Steintorfeldmark." All three farming communities had their own sanctuaries in pre-Christian time. After the era of Christianization they built a church in honour of Irish missionaries, which was the predecessor of today's Great Protestant Church. The farming communities celebrate their own feasts and customs with their own special atmosphere up to now although they were incorporated into the city in 1939.
Steinfurt's name originates from an old stone passage across the river "Aa." This passage was probably located at today's crossways of "Wasserstraße" and "Europaring." Being a part of a military formation connecting east and west, it offered one of only few possibilities to cross the river with coaches. The authority controlling the "ford" was powerful, authorised to charge tolls, and fords were also places of commerce. In a document from 1129 there is the first reference to two noblemen "de Steinvorde". They probably had a moated castle built in the place of the main farm of Veltrup near the "ford" in order to control it.
The first rival was the Ascheberg clan living in a castle near today's road to Emsdetten, the old road of army and commerce to Münster and other eastern Germanic areas. There was a permanent war between the House of Ascheberg and the House of Steinfurt. In 1164 the Ascheberg clan is said to have destroyed the castle of the Steinfurt clan while the latter were on a trip to Cologne. After their return to Steinfurt they satisfied their desire for revenge and destroyed the castle of Ascheberg.
The noblemen of Steinfurt put forward a liberal settlement policy offering tradesmen, craftsmen and other citizens favourably situated houses near the "ford." In return they had to provide currency, wax or poultry and the old farming community "Villa Veliun" turned into a market square. In a document from 1338 the settlement is named "unse Stat to Stenvorde". From 1816 up to the administrational reform in 1975 the city was called "Burgsteinfurt" and now there is just the city of "Steinfurt" uniting the two parts – Burgsteinfurt and Borghorst.
The Knights of St. John of Jerusalem was a religious and military order of striking importance for Steinfurt, which came to Burgsteinfurt sometime in the 13th century. The knights were given several manors around Steinfurt. Next to the major church the "Knights" founded their settlement called "Kommende" in 1244 of which most of the old buildings have survived until today.
From the 12th century on there was another settlement developed in the neighbourhood of the "Kommende," which is now the district of Burgsteinfurt called "Friedhof".
The wealth of the Order of St. John grew continuously. The noblemen gave them authority to supervise the major church, including the prerogative to appoint clergymen and to manage its funds. Additionally they accepted donations of several rich farms as well as possessions in the surrounding area. The settlement of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in Steinfurt, which was the first settlement of the order in Westphalia, became the biggest one in the region. In Münster they also founded a branch settlement. The Knights of St. John and the "Friedhof" -district formed an important unity. The "Friedhof" -district was an independent area outside Steinfurt with its own civil rights. The name "Friedhof" doesn't refer to a cemetery, but reminds the reader of a pre-Christian sanctuary, which was located in the place of today's "Great Church." A person reaching this holy place was free; even criminals could not be punished here. In 1347 Steinfurt was granted town privileges. A hundred years later the County of Steinfurt was integrated into the community of counties immediate to the Empire, so that Steinfurt was only subordinate to the Emperor of Germany. Nevertheless, the ambitions of Münster kept growing. The self-government of Steinfurt had always annoyed the bishop of Münster.
But Steinfurt prepared itself. The citizens built walls, ramparts, ditches and so on at their own expense. A complete wall around the city was put up. This fortification consisted of the city wall, the inner moat, the rampart, the outer moat and a forward wall. The course of this fortification can be traced in today's cityscape. It develops around the old city centre from the "Schüttenwall" via the "Wilhelmsplatz," the "Kalkwall," the "Stampenwall" and the "Neuen Wall." The small lanes "Türkei," "Löffelstraße," "An der Stadtmauer," "Drepsenhoek" and "Viefhoek" run parallel to the old city wall.
Additionally four city gates were built: "Kirchpforte," "Rottpforte," "Steinpforte," and "Wasserpforte." There was only a small gate for pedestrians southward to the castle in the "Burgstraße." The road to Borghorst was built in the 19th century, when the ancient fortification had almost vanished. The "Friedhof"-district had its own fortification – secluded by its own city gate "Blocktor." The old guarding plans of Steinfurt showed the names of citizens who had to "tho wake und to yse," i.e., to guard the fortification and keep them clean and to de-ice them. In winter, when the moat was frozen, they had to break up the ice to guarantee the security of the city. Therefore, the citizenship was divided into three boroughs – the so-called "Eise".
Simultaneously the city became more prosperous. In 1421 Eberwin I von Götterswick, who ruled Bentheim and Steinfurt since Steinfurt's dynasty was extinct, donated the town hall with market stalls of butchers and with a set of scales to the city. All citizens became more and more self-confident. As the Great Church was located outside the fortified city, they built a new Small Church from 1471–1475, on the foundation walls of the poorhouse of the Holy Spirit; until 1807 the annual election of the council took place there on 7 January. Later the Counts of Steinfurt conferred the right to build, and the right to put taxes on routes and beer to the city authorities. In 1561 the citizens proudly built their new town hall, resembling the town hall in Münster, on the foundation walls of the old market hall. This town hall was located at the crossroads of the three main streets from Münster, from Coesfeld and from Schüttorf.
During the aftermath of the Reformation Count Arnold II converted for his wife's sake to Lutheranism. This caused tensions with the order of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, which resulted in the assault on the Great Church on 25 January 1564. While the count was asleep, the Great Church was taken. From this time on, only Lutheran church services were held in the Great Church and even today the date is known as the "Robber-Feast." The noble family converted collectively to the Calvinistic Church and stayed alert. From 1591 to 1593 Count Arnold founded a special type of university known as "Hohe Schule," which was a Protestant institution opposing the Catholic Münster.
Unlike universities recognised by the German Emperor or the Pope the "Hohe Schule" mustn't award doctorates. Still this oldest of all Westphalian universities attracted students and scientists from all over Europe; the city became wealthy and famous throughout Germany and the neighbouring countries. Especially Protestant Dutch students appreciated the Hohe Schule. Professor Conrad Vorstius taught there from 1596 until 1605 before he was chosen to become successor of Jacobus Arminius at the Leiden University. Some professors built renaissance-style houses, two of which can still be viewed at the old market square. The Count of Steinfurt even provided cover to Calvinists and Mennonites, who usually came from wealthy families and, therefore, brought many economic resources and also education to Steinfurt. Thus Steinfurt became and remained a Calvinistic-Mennonite island in the centre of Catholic Münsterland for a long time.
But all the prosperity vanished in the Thirty Years' War. The Black Death as well as mercenaries from all over Europe looting the city frightened off many citizens who emigrated in particular to the Netherlands. At the end of the war a great deal of houses was destroyed. Only a minority of citizens still lived in town. Yet even in the post-war period Burgsteinfurt remained lively. In 1660, Prince-Bishop Bernhard von Galen of Münster occupied the town and even ignored judicial orders by the Reichskammergericht, the highest court of the Holy Roman Empire at that time. He even enforced the right of Catholics to perform the mass in the Great Church. The occupation stopped in 1716 because an agreement was reached. Shortly after that a Catholic baroque church was built in Burgsteinfurt. Furthermore, the county of Steinfurt proved to be liberal towards Jews. In 1662 the Count of Steinfurt licensed one of them to live and work in Steinfurt in accordance with his religion. Even though the citizens originally objected to the settlement of Jews, the Jewish community grew successively.
A more peaceful period of time began. Moats and walls were flattened and the resulting new land was given to the citizens for cultivation. Count Charles Paul Ernest planned increasing the economic power of the city. Inspired by several journeys to foreign countries he decided to build an amusement park east of the castle – the "Bagno" – based on French blueprints.
His heir Louis William Geldricus Ernest of Bentheim and Steinfurt expanded the originally little lake and reconstructed the garden in English style. In the time to follow many exotic buildings were put up, among these a so-called Chinese palace, an Arion ship, a Gothic house and the artificial ruin of a castle. Today there are only the concert hall, the island with the ruin and the New Guardhouse left, but the "Bagno" has become established as an attraction for tourists.
At the same time the conflict between Count and city came to a climax. Following a legal dispute the Count of Steinfurt deposed the city council, arrested the mayor and deployed 150 French soldiers. He banned the town guards and, consequently, the town guard festivals called "Schützenfest." Later peace was restored through a settlement and a new council was elected. In 1806 the French allocated Steinfurt to the grand duchy "Berg." Steinfurt was now the head of the "arrondissement" and therefore its administrational centre. Thus, a decision had been made which is still valid today. Steinfurt is still the seat of the local government, the local district court and the financial authorities. The French also closed the "Kommende."
The decision of the French to choose Burgsteinfurt as an administrational centre was simultaneously the start of the industrial era. Due to poor harvests and subsequent common impoverishment many citizens left for the United States. Especially in Ohio and Missouri old "Stemmerter" left their traces at that time. Meanwhile, Steinfurt was linked to the existing road networks. Old city gates were torn down to establish new housing estates beyond the old city boundaries. In 1851 the first house was built outside the ancient urban area. Railroad connections were established from Steinfurt to Münster, Enschede, Rheine, Oberhausen and Borken. Textile industry, tobacco factories and the brewery "Rolinck" gained recognition. The predominantly Protestant population grew significantly. An almost forgotten fact is that a first line of telegraphs existed between Burgsteinfurt and Borghorst. Christoph Ludwig von Hoffmann, MD, scientist and personal physician of the Count, installed the optical telegraph.
At the end of World War II, the town was in the British Zone of Occupation. The townsfolk were noted in the British press for their silent but palpable resentment of the British occupation. On 29 May 1945 the people of the town were ordered to watch an Allied documentary film detailing Nazi mass murder.