Osterwieck

Osterwieck (pronunciationⓘ) is a historic town in the Harz district, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.

Osterwieck
Town
View over Osterwieck and Harz range
View over Osterwieck and Harz range
Coat of arms of Osterwieck
Coat of arms
Location of Osterwieck within Harz district
Osterwieck is located in Germany
Osterwieck
Osterwieck
Osterwieck is located in Saxony-Anhalt
Osterwieck
Osterwieck
Coordinates: 51°58′N 10°43′E
CountryGermany
StateSaxony-Anhalt
DistrictHarz
Government
 • Mayor (2021–28) Dirk Heinemann[1] (SPD)
Area
 • Total212.67 km2 (82.11 sq mi)
Elevation
123 m (404 ft)
Population
 (2021-12-31)[2]
 • Total11,012
 • Density52/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
38835
Dialling codes039421, 039422, 039458
Vehicle registrationHZ
Websitewww.stadt-osterwieck.de

Geography

The municipal area stretches along the river Ilse, north of Wernigerode and the Harz mountain range.

The town Osterwieck consists of the following Ortschaften or municipal divisions:[3]

Old town ensemble

The Altstadt (Old Town) with St. Stephen's Church is a stop on the scenic German Timber-Frame Road and on the Romanesque Road.

History

The settlement was first mentioned about 780 when Charlemagne in course of the Saxon Wars crossed the Oker river and had a church dedicated to Saint Stephen erected at a place then called Salingenstede. This church became a centre of the Christian mission among the pagan Saxons, overseen by Hildegrim of Châlons, and the origin of the later Bishopric of Halberstadt. On 1 April 974, Emperor Otto II issued a deed granting market and mint rights to Seligenstadt, this is commonly regarded as the date of the town's foundation.

The name Osterwieck was first mentioned in a 1073 letter by Archbishop Liemar of Bremen to Bishop Burchard II of Halberstadt. Destroyed by a blaze in 1511, the town was rebuilt and today features an ensemble of about 400 Fachwerk buildings. The nave of the St. Stephen Church erected in the 16th century is one of the oldest Protestant church buildings, while its Romanesque twin steeples date back to 1100.

On 1 January 2010 the former municipalities Aue-Fallstein, Berßel, Bühne, Lüttgenrode, Rhoden, Schauen, and Wülperode were merged into Osterwieck.[4] The Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Osterwieck-Fallstein was disbanded at the same time.

Politics

Seats in the town's council (Stadtrat) as of 2014 local elections:

International relations
Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Osterwieck is twinned with:

Notable people

References
  1. Bürgermeisterwahlen in den Gemeinden, Endgültige Ergebnisse, Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen-Anhalt, accessed 3 February 2022.
  2. "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden – Stand: 31. Dezember 2021" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen-Anhalt. June 2022.
  3. Hauptsatzung der Stadt Osterwieck, July 2019.
  4. Gebietsänderungen vom 01. Januar bis 31. Dezember 2010, Statistisches Bundesamt
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