Balve

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Balve
Balve in 2006, as seen from the Galgenberg
Balve in 2006, as seen from the Galgenberg
Coat of arms Location
Coat of arms of Balve
Balve (Germany)
Balve
Administration
Country Flag of Germany Germany
State North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region Arnsberg
District Märkischer Kreis
Town subdivisions 7
Mayor Hubertus Mühling (CDU)
Basic statistics
Area 74.76 km² (28.9 sq mi)
Elevation 240 - 546 m
Population 12,510  (31/12/2006)
 - Density 167 /km² (433 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate MK
Postal code 58802
Area code 02375
Website www.balve.de

Coordinates: 51°20′0″N 07°52′0″E / 51.33333, 7.86667

Balve is a town in the district Märkischer Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the Hönne river, at the north end of the Sauerland near the Dortmund Airport.

Contents

[edit] History

Balver Forest after Kyrill
Balver Forest after Kyrill

The first mention of Balve was probably made around 780, when Widukind owned a farm called Ballowa, although the first undisputed reference was in 864, when a blind girl from Balve was healed at the grave of the Saint Ludger in the crypt of Werden Abbey.

You can find Ballowa also in the Thidrekssaga, a northern myth. Ballowa is the home of two dwarfs who taught Weyland much about making iron weapons. Balve belonged to the county of Arnsberg at that time.

In 1358 it became the property of the Duchy of Westphalia, which belonged to the Archbishops of Cologne. In 1430 Balve was given the right to be called a city. During the Napoleonic period it belonged for a short time to Hesse, from 1802-1815, after which time it was added to the Kingdom of Prussia.

In 1975 during the local government reorgnization the city was enlarged by the addition of the former independent municipalities Asbeck, Beckum, Eisborn, Garbeck, Kesberg, Langenholthausen, Mellen and Volkringhausen from the abolished Amt Balve.

[edit] Culture

In history Balve was a part of the Germanic tradition.

[edit] Religion

St. Blasius church
St. Blasius church

The main religion in Balve is roman-catholic. The church of Saint Blaise (Blasiuskirche) was built in the 12th century and is an example of Romanesque architecture. First it was consecrated to Holy Mary. In the church can find bones from the holy Benedict of Nursia and Saint Blaise. The octagon dome was built in 1910 from Prof. Buchkremer. In the church you can see a 400 year old monument for Hermann von Hatzfeld, a competitor to Gebhard von Waldburg-Trauchburg and the reformation in Germany.

[edit] Christianity

Each February 3rd there is a special ceremony in the church, called Blessing of the Throats. The priest Dr. Reinhard Richter is responsible for this. Since 2007 Balve belongs to the "Dekanat Maerkischer Kreis" with its office in Hemer.

[edit] Roman-Catholic

Two separate areas are dividing Balve since 5 or 6 years.

[edit] Balver Land

Balve, Mellen, Beckum, Volkringhausen, Eisborn

[edit] Oberes Hoennetal

Garbeck, Langenholthausen, Affeln and Blintrop (Neuenrade)

[edit] Islam

Iserlohn is the home of a de:Moschee.

[edit] Theatre

In May and June there is a festival with fairy tales in the cave (started 1991 with "Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot") by the Festspiele Balver Höhle. The managing director is the entrepeneur Josef Jost jun..

[edit] Theatre in Balver Höhle (selection)

Directed by Werner Traud.
  • 1994: Die Brüder Löwenherz
Written by Astrid Lindgren. First appearance of young William Danne.
Directed by Hermann Wedekind. With the Children theatre from Kutaissi.
  • 2001: Pippi in Taka-Tuka-Land
Directed by Kai Wolters. Music by Christoph Traud. - 14.500 spectators
Written by Carlo Goldoni. Directed by Roland Krahl. First appearance of Theo Bösterling.
Written by Barbara Hass. Music by Ralf Linke and Christoph Traud. Directed by Werner Traud. First appearance of Frank Butterweck.

[edit] Musicals in Balver Höhle (selection)

The first musical in Balve. Young William Danne was a part of the team as "Willi Wales". Directed by Werner Traud and Christoph Traud. - 10.000 spectators
The first oriental musical in the Balver Höhle. Directed by Werner Traud. - ? spectators
The first musical in Balve with a live band. Directed by Christoph Traud. - 8.000 spectators
Written by Dieter Lammerding. - 8.000 spectators
  • 2003: Summinann's Abenteuer
A musical written by Michi Vogdt. - 4.000 spectators
Directed by Jochen Zoerner-Erb. - 7.000 specators
Written by Christoph Traud. Music and lyrics by Erfolgsduo Hagen. Directed by Werner Traud. - 9.500 spectators
Written by Wolfgang Barth and Andreas Bochtrop-Wegerich. Music and lyrics by Erfolgsduo Hagen. Directed by Gabriele Krieger. - 8.000 spectators

Promotion Little Shop of Horrors (1998)

CD Cover Phantastische Reise zu Kapitaen Nemo (1999)

CD Cover Peter Pan (2008 musical)

[edit] Additional musicals

Written by Wolfang König and Veronika te Reh.

[edit] Music

Until 2005 Balve hosted a Jazzfestival (e.g. Jan Garbarek, Piirpauke). This festival was last organized by the Festspiele Balver Höhle. It was also organized by the city government.

A concert with Schlager is a part of the culture in Garbeck.

[edit] Festspiele Balver Höhle

Some artists are part of the Festspiele Balver Höhle:

[edit] Jazzfestival

Until 2005 Balve hosted a Jazzfestival. This festival was last organized by the Festspiele Balver Höhle. It was also organized by the city government.

[edit] Irish Folk & Celtic Music
  • Geraldine MacGowan (2005)

[edit] Männerchor 1860 Balve

This choir is the biggest choir in Balve (see also "Meisterkonzert" in Balver Höhle).

[edit] Musikverein Balve

The Musikverein Balve is one of the bands in Balve.

[edit] Tradition

[edit] Schuetzenfest

The only Schuetzenfest in a cave you can find in Balve. It is organized by "Schuetzenbruderschaft St. Sebastian".

[edit] Osterfeuer

The Easter Fire on easter sunday is another tradition in Balve. It is organized in Balve by the "Kolpingsfamilie Balve".

[edit] Feuerwehrfest

Each May 1st the fire brigade in Balve invites to the Feuerwehrfest.

[edit] Sports

The jumping course for de:Balve Optimum
The jumping course for de:Balve Optimum

A soccer club is SG Balve/Garbeck. Langenholthausen is the home of the TuS Langenholthausen, in Beckum you can find the SuS Beckum. Mellen has another soccer club, called Rot-Weiß Mellen. In 2007 the SG Balve/Garbeck has won the championship DFB-Ü 40-Cup.

[edit] Balve Optimum

The Balve Optimum, a competition between horse riders, is a part of the culture in Balve, too. The count Rosalie von Landsberg-Velen is the managing director.

[edit] Participiants

Eva Bitter (Argelith Niels)

[edit] Points of interest

In the Hönnetal, a narrow valley created by the river Hönne, you can find a lot of caves. The Reckenhöhle is a big cave with flowstone and 1478 ft long. Some experts found signs of cannibalism in some of these caves (1000-700 BC).

In Garbeck you can find the walls of an old Germanic farm.

In 2002 scientists found bones from eight kind of species of dinosaurs from the cretaceous.

[edit] Balver Hoehle

The Balver Höhle is a huge cave which is used for many cultural events such as concerts and stage acting and the annual Schützenfest.

[edit] Wocklum

The Luisenhütte is the only remaining blast furnace from the beginning of the 18th century which is still in workable condition and close to the castle Schloss Wocklum, built in the 14th century.


Near to Balve you can find the Sorpesee.

[edit] Coat of arms

The coat of arms shows the historic connections of Balve. The eagle is taken from the arms of Arnsberg, and the black-and-white cross from those of Cologne. Both symbols were present in old seals of the city, the oldest known example of which dates from 1462. The coat of arms was officially granted on June 24, 1911 and confirmed on February 6, 1976 after the local government reorganization of 1975.

The bottom part of the coat of arms of the former Amt Balve was identical with the present town arms. The top half showed St. Peter, wearing a red coat and holding in his left hand a golden key and in his right a golden book. This coat of arms was granted on March 5, 1957 and expired when the Amt was dissolved in 1975.

[edit] Education

[edit] Primary education

  • Grundschule Balve
  • Grundschule Beckum
  • Grundschule Garbeck
  • Grundschule Langenholthausen

[edit] Others

  • Hauptschule
  • Realschule

[edit] Economy

An international company is Balver Zinn and Chemie Wocklum. Kruse Group is another global player.

[edit] Persons of interest

[edit] Twin cities

Balve is twinned with two European places:

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
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Towns and municipalities in Märkischer Kreis
Coat of Arms of Märkischer Kreis district