Lähden

Coordinates: 52°45′N 07°34′E / 52.750°N 7.567°E / 52.750; 7.567
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Lähden
Coat of arms of Lähden
Location of Lähden within Emsland district
NetherlandsCloppenburg (district)County of Bentheim (district)Leer (district)Osnabrück (district)AndervenneBawinkelBeestenBockhorstBörgerBreddenbergDersumDörpenDohrenEmsbürenEsterwegenFrerenFresenburgGeesteGerstenGroß BerßenHandrupHarenHaselünneHeedeHerzlakeHilkenbrookHüvenKlein BerßenKluseLähdenLahnLangenLathenLeheLengerichLingenLorupLünneLünneMeppenMessingenNeubörgerNeuleheNiederlangenOberlangenPapenburgRastdorfRenkenbergeRhedeSalzbergenSchapenSögelSpahnharrenstätteSpelleStavernSurwoldSustrumThuineTwistVreesWalchumWerlteWerpelohWettrupWippingen
Emsland
Municipal assoc.Herzlake
Subdivisions5
Government
 • MayorFranz Strüwing (CDU)
Area
 • Total79.88 km2 (30.84 sq mi)
Elevation
30 m (100 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[1]
 • Total4,835
 • Density61/km2 (160/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
49774
Dialling codes05964, 05432 (OT Vinnen)
Vehicle registrationEL

Lähden is a municipality in the Emsland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany.

History

For a long time the region of the Emsland was extremely sparsely populated, due to the

Münster gained control over the region; the Emsland remained property of the bishop until 1803, when the clerical states were dissolved. It came under rule of Prussia and Arenberg, but after the Napoleonic Wars the Congress of Vienna decided to hand the territory over to the Kingdom of Hanover
. The Duchy of Arenberg continued to exist as a fief of the Hanoverian kings. When Hanover was annexed by Prussia (1866), the dukes were deposed soon after (1875).

The now Prussian Province of Hanover was subdivided into districts in 1885; four districts were established on the territory of what is now the Landkreis Emsland. The districts were merged in 1977 to form the present district. Memorial at the site of the entrance to the former Börgermoor concentration camp During the

Börgermoor, now part of the commune Surwold, not far from Papenburg. A memorial of these camps, the Dokumentations- und Informationszentrum (DIZ) Emslandlager, is located at Papenburg. The well known resistance song "Peat Bog Soldiers
" was composed by political prisoners at one of these camps.

In 1950 a governmental plan for the development of Emsland was adopted. Its aim was to turn the region into an industrial location. This was accomplished by draining the fens and establishing projects like the test track of the

. Although the Landkreis Emsland lost much of its original character, some areas retain their natural character, for example the Hümmling. Transrapid test track 1977 district reforms in Lower Saxony unite the former districts of
Roman Catholic
region compared to other parts of Lower Saxony.

Geography

The district is located on the Dutch border. It is named after the Ems river, which crosses the region from south to north. It is an absolutely plain countryside, which was once full of fens. The only elevations are in the Hümmling, which is a hilly forest area east of the Ems.

Although the Emsland region is nowadays primarily a county among many others in Lower Saxony, its locals have what could be called a distinct sense of regional pride which will unlikely be found elsewhere in this state.

References

  1. Landesamt für Statistik Niedersachsen
    .