Emmer-Compascuum is a village in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

and is part of the Emmen municipality in

Drenthe Drenthe () is a provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the northeastern part of the country. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen (province), Groningen to the north, and the G ...

. Emmer-Compascuum is located in the

Bourtange moor The Bourtanger Moor (Dutch: ''Bourtangerveen/Bourtangermoeras'', German: ''Bourtanger Moor'', Low Saxon: ''Boertanger Moor'') was a bog in eastern parts in the Dutch provinces of Drenthe and Groningen and the bordering German districts of Benth ...

between Germany and the Netherlands. It was originally a '' compascuum'' (common pasture). In 1879, Emmer-Compascuum was established.

Background

The

, a large

raised bog Raised bogs, also called ombrotrophic bogs, are acidic, wet habitats that are poor in mineral salts and are home to flora and fauna that can cope with such extreme conditions. Raised bogs, unlike fens, are exclusively fed by precipitation (ombrot ...

, formed the border between the Netherlands and Germany. It was an inhospitable uninhabited area which was dissected by the . The shepherds from both

Ober Ober may refer to: * '' Ober'', a 2006 Dutch black comedy film * Ober (playing card), a playing card value in the German and Swiss decks of cards * Ober, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Oberek, a Polish dance Surname * Bailey Ober (born ...

- and

Niederlangen Niederlangen is a municipality in the Emsland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Ge ...

in Germany and Noord- and Zuidbarge in the Netherlands used the

heath A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a cooler ...

for their sheep. There was disagreement about the ownership, and a '' compascuum'' (common pasture) was agreed. The shepherds from both sides could use the land, but no permanent settlement was allowed. The ''compascuum'' did not solve the problem, and there were several large-scale fights between the Dutch and German farmers. In the 1824 Treaty of Meppen, the border was set, however the ''compascuum'' remained in effect until 1866 when permanent settlement was allowed in the moorland.

History

In 1874, Emmen sold the '' compascuum'' for

peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficien ...

excavation. Between 1878 and 1880, the

city of Groningen Groningen (; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen (province), Groningen province in the Netherlands. The ''capital of the north'', Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of t ...

dug the Stads-Compascuumkanaal from

Ter Apel Ter Apel (; Gronings: ''Troapel'') is a village with a population of 8,866 residents in the municipality Westerwolde in the northern Netherlands, in the province Groningen in the region Westerwolde. The town lies on the stream Ruiten Aa, which ...

, and the village of Emmer-Compascuum was founded in 1879 at the meeting point of the canal and the Runde River. In 1907, the

gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separated ...

Grenszicht was moved from Oude Pekela to Emmer-Compascuum. In 1932, it was home to 2,967 people. In 1947, opened a

nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic. Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from pet ...

factory in Emmer-Compascuum. At the height of its success, it employed 5,000 people. Other factories like , a producer of sterile fluid for the pharmaceutical industry, followed.

Notable people

Annemarie Kremer Annemarie Kremer (born 2 June 1974) is a Dutch operatic soprano, known for her performances in the title roles of ''Norma'', ''Tosca'', and ''Salome'' and as Vitellia in ''La clemenza di Tito''. She has appeared at a variety of European opera ho ...

(born 1974), an operatic soprano

Gallery

File:Emmer Compascuum Jan de Baat.JPG, Sculpture in Emmer-Compascuum File:Repro Prentbriefkaart; plaggenhut - Emmer-Compascuum - 20525954 - RCE.jpg, Sod house on the heath (low res) File:Vrachtwagen met aanhanger, geladen met zeven ton bieten, door een brug gezakt te, Bestanddeelnr 918-4874.jpg, Collapsed bridge (1965)

References

External links

*
Official site
(in Dutch) {{Authority control Populated places in Drenthe Emmen, Netherlands 1879 establishments in the Netherlands