Westphalia

Coordinates: 51°36′30″N 7°56′00″E / 51.608333°N 7.933333°E / 51.608333; 7.933333
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

For other places named Westphalia, see Westphalia (disambiguation).
Westphalia
Westfalen
State part and historic region of North Rhine-Westphalia
Prinzipalmarkt in Münster (1st row),
Emperor William Monument at the Porta Westfalica and Wewelsburg castle (2nd row),
Nordkirchen Castle and skyline of Dortmund (3rd row),
town centre of Freudenberg (4th row)
Flag of Westphalia
Flag
Coat of arms of Westphalia
Coat of arms
Anthem: Westfalenlied
Location of Westphalia in Germany.
Location of Westphalia in Germany.
Westphalia in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia borders on the Northern Rhineland in the west and Lippe in the northeast.
Westphalia in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia borders on the Northern Rhineland in the west and Lippe in the northeast.
Coordinates (Geographic centre of Westphalia): 51°36′30″N 7°56′00″E / 51.608333°N 7.933333°E / 51.608333; 7.933333[1]
CountryGermany
StateNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Governmental districts
3
Districts and independent cities
26
Further cities, towns and municipalities206
Founded30 April 1815 (Province of Westphalia; other predecessors existed since the Early Middle Ages.)[2][3]
23 August 1946 (as a part of North Rhine-Westphalia)[4]
Area
 • Total20,210 km2 (7,803 sq mi)
Highest elevation
843 m (2,766 ft)
Population
 (31 December 2018)[5]
 • Total7,913,035
 • Density390/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Persons: the Westphalian (der Westfale [male] / die Westfälin [female]), the Westphalians (die Westfalen)
Adjective: Westphalian (westfälisch)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (Central European Time (CET))
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (Central European Summer Time (CEST))

Westphalia (

Low German: Westfalen [vεs(t)ˈfɔːln]) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia
. It has an area of 20,210 square kilometres (7,800 sq mi) and 7.9 million inhabitants.

The territory of the region is almost identical with the historic Province of Westphalia, which was a part of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1918[6] and the Free State of Prussia from 1918 to 1946. In 1946, Westphalia merged with North Rhine, another former part of Prussia, to form the newly created state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 1947, the state with its two historic parts was joined by a third one: Lippe, a former principality and free state.[7]

The seventeen districts and nine independent cities of Westphalia and the single district of Lippe are members of the Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association (Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe).[8]

Previous to the formation of Westphalia as a province of Prussia and later state part of North Rhine-Westphalia, the term "Westphalia" was applied to different territories of different sizes such as the western part of the ancient

Low German language, is spoken beyond modern Westphalia's borders in neighbouring southwestern Lower Saxony and northwestern Hesse.[9]

Geography

The Sauerland mountainous landscape
Typical Westphalian houses

Landscapes

Being a part of the North German Plain, most of Westphalia's north is flat. In the south the German Central Uplands emerge. Westphalia is divided into the following landscapes.[8]

Flat to hilly (498 m or 1,634 ft and under):

Münsterland, eastern Ruhr Metropolitan Area, Tecklenburg Land, Westphalian Hellweg

Hilly to mountainous (up to 843 m or 2,766 ft): Westphalian part of the Sauerland, Siegerland, Wittgenstein

Largest cities

See also: List of cities in Germany by population

Eastern Ruhr Metropolitan Area

East Westphalia

Münsterland

Siegerland

Rivers

Westphalia is roughly the region in between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located both north and south of the Ruhr River. Other important rivers are the Ems and the Lippe.[10]

Mountains

See also: List of mountains and hills of North Rhine-Westphalia

The Langenberg (843 m or 2,766 ft) and the Kahler Asten (842 m or 2,762 ft) in the Sauerland part of the Rothaar Mountains are Westphalia's and also North Rhine-Westphalia's highest mountains.

Westphalia and Eastphalia

The term "Westphalia" contrasts with the much less used term "Eastphalia", which roughly covers the southeastern part of the present-day state of Lower Saxony, western Saxony-Anhalt and northern Thuringia.[3][11]

Division

Westphalia is divided into three governmental districts. These are subdivided into further districts and independent cities.

All districts and independent cities of the governmental districts of Arnsberg and Münster are considered to be a part of Westphalia as a historic region. The District of Lippe as successor of the Free State of Lippe in the Governmental District of Detmold is rather considered to be a separate historic region.

Governmental District of Arnsberg
3,582,497 inhabitants (as of 31 December 2018)[5]
8,010 km2 (3,094 sq mi)
(all districts and independent cities)

Governmental District of Detmold
1,706,919 inhabitants (as of 31 December 2018)[5]
5,280 km2 (2,038 sq mi)
(all districts and independent cities except District of Lippe)

Governmental District of Münster
2,623,619 inhabitants (as of 31 December 2018)[5]
6,920 km2 (2,671 sq mi)
(all districts and independent cities)

Symbols

Westphalia (present) North Rhine-Westphalia (present)
Civil flag Government flag
Province of Westphalia (historical)
Lower Saxony (present)

Coat of arms

Current use

The traditional symbol of Westphalia is the Westphalian Steed: a white horse on a red field. It is derived from the Saxon Steed in the coat of arms of the medieval Duchy of Saxony which most of today's Westphalia was part of. In official contexts the coat of arms of Westphalia is being used by the Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association,[12] which represents these two historic parts of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia uses the Westphalian Steed to represent Westphalia as one of its parts alongside the Lippish Rose representing Lippe and the Rhine River representing the Northern Rhineland.[13]

Previous use

Prussia already used the Westphalian Steed in the coat of arms of its Province of Westphalia.

Similar versions

The coat of arms of Lower Saxony uses a different version of the Saxon Steed since the state also covers large parts of the Old Saxons' duchy.

Flag

Current use

The colours of Westphalia are white and red. The flag of the Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association uses these colours with the Westphalian coat of arms in its centre.[12]

The flag of North Rhine-Westphalia is a combination of the Northern Rhineland's colours green/white and the Westphalian white/red.[14]

Previous use

The flag of the Prussian Province of Westphalia already displayed the colours white and red.

Similar versions

The flag of Lower Saxony shows the colours of Germany and the Saxon Steed.

Anthem

Composed in Iserlohn in 1886 by Emil Rittershaus, the Westfalenlied is an unofficial anthem of Westphalia.

Identity

Central Franconian and Low Franconian Franconian dialects in red, Low German dialects
in blue.
Westphalian (German) ladies peasant costume – illustration by Percy Anderson for Costume Fanciful, Historical and Theatrical, 1906.

While the Northern Rhineland, Westphalia and Lippe are different historic territories of today's

Low Franconian dialects are spoken in the Northern Rhineland.[9][15]

These different regional identities are often being emphasized by different majorities of denomination between

East Westphalia.[7]

In addition to these historic, lingual and religious aspects, there are some regional differences in culture and mentality. That is why many of the citizens of North Rhine-Westphalia rather see themselves either as "Rhinelanders", "Westphalians" or "Lippers" rather than as "North Rhine-Westphalians".

History

See also: History of North Rhine-Westphalia and History of Germany

Westphalia is known for the 1648 Peace of Westphalia which ended the Thirty Years' War, as the two treaties were signed in Münster and Osnabrück.

It is one of the regions that were part of all incarnations of the German state since the Early Middle Ages: the Holy Roman Empire, the Confederation of the Rhine, the German Confederation, the North German Confederation, the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and National Socialist Germany. After World War II it was a part of the British occupation zone which merged with the American zone to become the Bizone in 1947 and again merged with the French zone to become the Trizone in 1948. The current Federal Republic of Germany was founded on these territories making Westphalia a part of West Germany. It is a part of united Germany since 1990.

Roman incursion

Around AD 1 there were numerous incursions through Westphalia and perhaps even some permanent Roman or Romanized settlements. The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest took place near Osnabrück, which at this time was a place of settlement of the Westphalians, who were a part of the Germanic tribe of the Saxons. Some of the tribes who fought at this battle came from the area of Westphalia.[16][17]

Charlemagne

Charlemagne is thought to have spent considerable time in Paderborn and nearby parts. His Saxon Wars also partly took place in what is thought of as Westphalia today. Popular legends link his adversary Widukind to places near Detmold, Bielefeld, Lemgo, Osnabrück and other places in Westphalia. Widukind was buried in Enger, which is also a subject of a legend.[3]

Middle Ages

German Kingdom

Along with

Barbarossa. The Duchy of Westphalia comprised only a small area south of the Lippe River.[3]

Modern Westphalia was a part of the

Lower Lorraine, Frisia and parts of the former Duchy of Saxony
.

Early modern era

Ratification of the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 in Münster by Gerard Terborch (1617–1681)

As a result of the

Protestant Reformation, there was no dominant religion in Westphalia. Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism were on a relatively equal footing. Lutheranism was strong in the eastern and northern parts with numerous free churches. Münster and especially Paderborn were considered to be Catholic. Osnabrück was divided almost equally between Catholicism and Protestantism.[18]

Parts of Westphalia came under

Westphalian sovereignty".[18]

Prussia

See also: Province of Westphalia
Prussian Westphalia edged in red, the Kingdom of Westphalia edged in green with the territorial overlap of former Minden-Ravensberg, pasted over today's borders with North Rhine-Westphalia in dark grey.
Westphalia (red), within the Kingdom of Prussia, within the German Empire

After the defeat of the Prussian Army by the French at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt, the Treaty of Tilsit in 1807 made the easternmost portion of today's Westphalia part of the French client Kingdom of Westphalia until 1813, when the kingdom was dissolved by the Russians. While this state shared its name with the historical region, it only contained a relatively small part of Westphalia, rather consisting of mostly Hessian and Eastphalian regions.[19]

Following to the Congress of Vienna, Prussia received a large amount of territories in the Westphalian region and created the Province of Westphalia in 1815. After in 1816, the former Duchy of Westphalia and the counties of Wittgenstein and in 1851 the condominium of Lippstadt had joined the province, Westphalia had received its modern territorial shape.[19][2]

In 1816, the governmental districts of Arnsberg, Minden and Münster were created.[19][2]

Modern Westphalia

After

District of Lippe, which is a separate historical region). Inhabitants of the region call themselves Westphalians and their home region Westphalia even though there is no administrative division by that name.[4]

Economy

Westphalia is home to the headquarters of

Volkswagen Westfalia Campers.[20]

In popular culture

Candide: The protagonist of Voltaire's novella of the same name, resides in Westphalia in the beginning of the story.

See also

References

  1. ^ LWL: Zum Mittelpunkt Westfalens
  2. ^ a b c LWL: Territorien > Preußische Provinz Westfalen
  3. ^ a b c d LWL: Die Westfalen als Teil der Sachsen
  4. ^ a b LWL: Westfalen in der unmittelbaren Nachkriegszeit
  5. ^ a b c d IT.NRW: Bevölkerungszahlen auf Basis des Zensus vom 9. Mai 2011 (Bevölkerung der Regierungsbezirke Arnsberg, Detmold ohne den Kreis Lippe und Münster)
  6. ^ a b Deutsches Kaiserreich: Provinz Westfalen
  7. ^ a b c LWL: Die westfälischen Territorien 1789
  8. ^ a b "LWL: Die Region Westfalen-Lippe". Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  9. ^ a b LWL: Niederdeutsche Sprache – westfälische Mundarten
  10. ^ LWL: Gewässerbildung und Systeme der natürlichen Fließgewässer in Westfalen
  11. ^ RP online: Jeder kennt Westfalen — gibt es auch Ostfalen?
  12. ^ a b Hauptsatzung des LWL
  13. ^ "Landtag NRW: Das Wappen des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  14. ^ MIK NRW: Landesflagge
  15. ^ LWL: Mundartenregionen Westfalens
  16. ^ LWL: Westfalen zur Zeit der Germanen und Römer
  17. ^ LWL: Die Zeit der römischen Feldzüge in Germanien (12 v.-16 n. Chr.)
  18. ^ a b LWL: Westfalen im konfessionellen Zeitalter
  19. ^ a b c LWL: Vom feudalen zum modernen Westfalen 1770-1815
  20. ^ Westfalia – Company history

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Westphalia.
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