Kirchhundem is a German community in
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most ...
. It belongs to the
Olpe district.
Geography
Location
The community of Kirchhundem lies in the Olpe district's southeast in the south
Sauerland
The Sauerland () is a rural, hilly area spreading across most of the south-eastern part of the States of Germany, German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in parts heavily forested and, apart from the major valleys, sparsely inhabited.
...
and belongs to the so-called ''Bilsteiner Bergland'' (mountain region). The Kirchhundem rural areas also include, in the east, the West (''Rüsper'')
Rothaar
The Rothaar Mountains (, , also ''Rotlagergebirge''), or Rothaar, is a low mountain range reaching heights of up to 843.1 m in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, Germany.
It is believed that its name must once have been ''Rod-Hard-Gebirge'', ...
and part of the ''Auer Ederbergland'', in the south the ''Brachthäuser Hohe Waldberge'' (all mountain ranges), in the west the ''Rahrbacher Mulde'' (basin) and in the north the ''Hundemgrund''. The crest of the Rothaar forms a
watershed
Watershed may refer to:
Hydrology
* Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins
* Drainage basin, an area of land where surface water converges (North American usage)
Music
* Watershed Music Festival, an annual country ...
between the
Rhine
The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
and the
Sieg
Sieg may refer to:
People
* Carl Sieg (1784–1845), German painter and lithographer
* Victor Sieg (1837–1899), French composer and organist
* Lee Paul Sieg (1879–1963), a former president of the University of Washington
* Paul Eugen Si ...
. The community's highest elevation can be found here, the ''Hohe Hessel'' at 743 m. The Kirchhundem area is drained by the Hundem, which rises near Oberhundem and flows northwest to the
Lenne
The Lenne () is a tributary of the river Ruhr in the Sauerland hills, western Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north a ...
. The Hundem is fed from the south by the Heinsberger Bach – also known as the Albaumer Bach (''Bach'' is
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
for "brook") – whose mouth is near Würdinghausen, the brook variously known as the Brachthauser-, Wirmer- or Flaperbach and the Olpe, whose mouth is in Kirchhundem. The Silberger Bach empties into the Olpe near Heidschott. The Rüspe area east of the Rothaar crest is drained by streams flowing to the
Eder.
Kirchhundem is roughly 20 km east of
Olpe and 25 km north of
Siegen
Siegen () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.
It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg (region), Arnsberg region. The university town (n ...
.
Municipal area’s extent
Kirchhundem, with an area of 147.9 km
2, is the Olpe district's biggest municipality by land area. It stretches for 12 km from north to south and 22 km from east to west.
Neighbouring communities
The community of Kirchhundem lies in the east of the district area. It borders in the west and north on the towns of
Olpe and
Lennestadt
Lennestadt (occasionally also ''die Lennestadt'') lies in the Sauerland in southeast North Rhine-Westphalia and is a community in Olpe district. It is the district's most populous municipality.
Lennestadt itself is not an actual town but a commun ...
and in the far northeast on the town of
Schmallenberg
Schmallenberg (; ) is a town and a Luftkurort, climatic health resort in the Hochsauerlandkreis, High Sauerland District, Germany. By area, it is the :de:Liste der 100 flächengrößten Städte und Gemeinden Deutschlands, third biggest of all cit ...
in the
Hochsauerlandkreis
Hochsauerlandkreis (, ) is a (district) in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Soest (district), Soest, Paderborn (district), Paderborn, Höxter (district), Höxter, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Olpe ...
. In the east and south, the towns of
Bad Berleburg
Bad Berleburg (, earlier also Berleburg) is a town, in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of Germany's largest towns by land area. It is located approximately northeast of Siegen and northwest of ...
,
Erndtebrück
Erndtebrück is a municipality in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Location
Erndtebrück situated on the river Eder in the Rothaargebirge, approx. 20 km northeast of Siegen.
Neighbouring com ...
,
Hilchenbach
Hilchenbach () is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein ''Districts of Germany, Kreis'' (district) of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography Location
Hilchenbach is about northeast of Siegen. The town borders in the south on Netphen, in the west ...
and
Kreuztal
Kreuztal is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Location
Kreuztal is a town in the low mountains of the northern Siegerland and lies at the western edge of the Rothaargebirge about 10 km ...
, all lying in
Siegen-Wittgenstein
Siegen-Wittgenstein is a Kreis (district) in the southeast of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Olpe (district), Olpe, Hochsauerlandkreis, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Lahn-Dill, Westerwaldkreis, and Altenkirche ...
district, also abut Kirchhundem.
Municipal limit
The community's southern limit with the neighbouring district of
Siegen-Wittgenstein
Siegen-Wittgenstein is a Kreis (district) in the southeast of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Olpe (district), Olpe, Hochsauerlandkreis, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Lahn-Dill, Westerwaldkreis, and Altenkirche ...
has more than one function: in the east, it is the watershed between the Rhine and
Weser
The Weser () is a river of Lower Saxony in north-west Germany. It begins at Hannoversch Münden through the confluence of the Werra and Fulda. It passes through the Hanseatic city of Bremen. Its mouth is further north against the ports o ...
and in the west between the Sieg and
Ruhr
The Ruhr ( ; , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr Area, sometimes Ruhr District, Ruhr Region, or Ruhr Valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 1,160/km2 and a populati ...
. It is also a
dialectal
A dialect is a variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standardized varieties as well as vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardized varieties, such as those used in developing countries or iso ...
boundary, and a religious boundary, with areas to the south traditionally
Evangelical
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
and those to the north
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. Historically it was also the border between the
Duchy of Westphalia
The Duchy of Westphalia () was a historic territory in the Holy Roman Empire, which existed from 1102 to 1803. It was located in the greater region of Westphalia, originally one of the three main regions in the German stem duchy of Saxony and ...
, a possession of the
Electorate of Cologne
The Electorate of Cologne (), sometimes referred to as Electoral Cologne (), was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from the 10th to the early 19th century. It consisted of the Hochstift—the temporal posses ...
in the north, and the Principality of Nassau-Siegen and the County of Wittgenstein-Berleburg in the south. This time is still witnessed by many historic border stones and old fortification walls known to people in the victorious lands as the ''Kölsches Heck'' (roughly "Cologne Hedge").
Constituent communities
The community of Kirchhundem consists of the following centres:
Climate
Yearly
precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, rain and snow mixed ("sleet" in Commonwe ...
averages between 900 and 1 300 mm while the average temperature for the year as a whole ranges between 6 and 8 °C.
History
Up until roughly the 8th century, thick broadleaf forests blanketed what is now Kirchhundem's municipal area.
Beech
Beech (genus ''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to subtropical (accessory forest element) and temperate (as dominant element of Mesophyte, mesophytic forests) Eurasia and North America. There are 14 accepted ...
es dominated the hills and slopes while
oak
An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...
s,
elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus ''Ulmus'' in the family Ulmaceae. They are distributed over most of the Northern Hemisphere, inhabiting the temperate and tropical- montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ...
s,
maple
''Acer'' is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the soapberry family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated si ...
s and other kinds of trees held sway in the dales.
The first people are believed to have settled in the area of the ''Altes Feld'' ("Old Field") near Kirchhundem and in the Olpe Valley. About the 9th century they began clearing and settling activities, which lasted until the 13th century.
The Hundem area's – ''"curia nomine homede"'' – first documentary mention might be the one found in one of Emperor
Frederick I's documents from the year 1153. This attribution, however, is as much disputed as the other documents. The oldest undisputed reference is a document from the Kirchhundem parish archive from the year 1249, in which the conditions are laid out whereby ''
Vogt
An , sometimes simply advocate, (German, ), or (French, ), was a type of medieval office holder, particularly important in the Holy Roman Empire, who was delegated some of the powers and functions of a major feudal lord, or for an institutio ...
'' (roughly "
reeve") Widekind of Hundem (a mediaeval name for Kirchhundem's main centre) was to allow his people and others to make the ''Margaretenaltar'' at Hundem their own.
As a second centre, Würdinghausen was mentioned in 1270. Only nine years later, so were Bettinghusen (Bettinghof), Böminghausen, Emlinghausen and Flape. In the two centuries that followed, almost all the centres that now make up today's community were mentioned in documents. Furthermore, many other centres are named that have since been forsaken.
At its beginnings, the area was held by the Noble Lords of Gevore-Bilstein. Johann II von Bilstein relinquished his lordly claim to Count Gottfried IV of Arnsberg in 1350. After Johann's death in 1363, however, Gottfried could not assert his claim to the land of Bilstein and it fell to Count Engelbert III von der Mark. As a result of the
Soest Feud
The Soest Feud (), or Feud of Soest, was a feud that took place from 1444 to 1449 in which the town of Soest, Germany, Soest claimed its freedom from Archbishop Dietrich II of Moers, Dietrich of Electoral Cologne, Cologne (1414–1463), who tried ...
, the land of Bilstein, and thereby also the area that is now the community of Kirchhundem, ended up in the ownership of the Archbishop of Cologne in 1445. The area was held by the
Electorate of Cologne
The Electorate of Cologne (), sometimes referred to as Electoral Cologne (), was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from the 10th to the early 19th century. It consisted of the Hochstift—the temporal posses ...
right up until 1802-1803, its overlordship ending only with
Secularization
In sociology, secularization () is a multilayered concept that generally denotes "a transition from a religious to a more worldly level." There are many types of secularization and most do not lead to atheism or irreligion, nor are they automatica ...
. The former
Duchy of Westphalia
The Duchy of Westphalia () was a historic territory in the Holy Roman Empire, which existed from 1102 to 1803. It was located in the greater region of Westphalia, originally one of the three main regions in the German stem duchy of Saxony and ...
passed to the Landgrave at Hesse-Darmstadt. He introduced, through many reforms after 350 years of church control, the end of the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
in the southern Sauerland. After
Napoleon's abdication, Grand Duke
Ludwig I
Ludwig I or Louis I (; 25 August 1786 – 29 February 1868) was King of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states. When he was crown prince, he was involved in the Napoleonic Wars. As king, he encouraged Bavaria's ind ...
also had to relinquish his holdings in
Prussia
Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
, which he had only acquired a few years earlier. The area was incorporated into the newly formed Prussian
Province of Westphalia
The Province of Westphalia () was a Provinces of Prussia, province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946. In turn, Prussia was the largest component state of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918, of the Weimar ...
. Under Prussian governance, other reforms were implemented. Among other things, the ''
Amt
Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only in Germany, but formerly also common in other countries of Northern Europe. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to ...
'' of Kirchhundem, the current community's forerunner, was brought into being in the course of the introduction of the ''Landgemeindeordnung'' ("Rural Community Ordinance") in 1843.
The community of Kirchhundem in its current form came into being on 1 July 1969 on the occasion of municipal reforms. Kirchhundem was assigned areas formerly belonging to the communities of Heinsberg, Kohlhagen and Oberhundem in the old ''Amt'' of Kirchhundem, parts of the former community of Kirchhundem and the community of Rahrbach (excepting the villages of Fahlenscheid and Benolpe), formerly belonging to the ''Amt'' of Bilstein.
Religion
Owing to its long historical connection with possessions of the Archbishop of Cologne, the community of Kirchhundem is overwhelmingly
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
in character. Although it is right near the overwhelmingly
Evangelical
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
Siegerland, there were only a few Evangelical inhabitants here in the past. A considerable mix of the two denominations came about only through the population shifts that resulted from the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
Catholic
Within the municipal area are twelve Catholic
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
es (Albaum, Benolpe, Heinsberg, Hofolpe, Kirchhundem, Kohlhagen, Marmecke, Oberhundem, Rahrbach, Silberg, Welschen-Ennest and Würdinghausen). The oldest parishes in Kirchhundem, Oberhundem and Rahrbach, have existed since at least the 13th century. Two parishes split away from the parish of Kirchhundem in the 17th century to form separate parishes: Heinsberg (1628) and Kohlhagen (1655).
Owing to a dearth of priests and money over the last few years, it has been impossible to fill some ecclesiastical posts. Instead, the Church has organized groups of parishes into clusters called ''Pastoralverbunde'', each overseen by several priests. The parishes of Albaum, Heinsberg, Hofolpe, Kirchhundem, Marmecke, Oberhundem and Würdinghausen form one such cluster, named the ''Pastoralverbund Hundemtal'' and another such cluster is made up of the parishes of Benolpe, Kohlhagen, Rahrbach, Silberg and Welschen-Ennest and named the ''Pastoralverbund Am Cölschen Heck''.
Evangelical
The greater part of the Evangelical parishioners within Kirchhundem's municipal area are served by the parish of Lennestadt-Kirchhundem while a smaller number are served by the parish of Krombach. In Würdinghausen stands the ''Emmauskirche'', Kirchhundem's only Evangelical church.
Politics
Municipal council
Mayor
The current mayor is Björn Jarosz (CDU), elected in September 2020.
Mayors of the ''Bürgermeisterei'' and of the ''Amt'' of Kirchhundem
Sources:
[The “Bürgermeisterei” was an old Prussian arrangement whereby several municipalities would have the same government-appointed mayor.]
*1829–1830: Schwermer (Heinsberg)
*1830–1851: Johann Adam Engelbert Sommer (Kirchhundem)
*1851–1859: Haverkamp (Würdinghausen)
*1859–1872: Engelbert Brüning (Vasbach)
*1872–1902: Friedrich Brüning (Vasbach)
*1902–1912: Clemens Statzner
*1912–1931: Johann Henken
*1931–1934: Dr. Adolf Marx (on leave by 1933)
*1934–1945: Dr. Siegfried Hucke (as of 1942 called into the forces)
*1942–1943: Wurm (Wenden) commissary
*1943-1945: Fritz Contzen (Attendorn) commissary
*1945–1945: Josef Schmidt (Altenhundem)
In 1946 came the separation of administration (''Amtsdirektor'') and representation (''Bürgermeister'', or mayor).
Honorary ''Amtsbürgermeister''
*1946–1946: Bernhard Oppenheim (Kirchhundem)
*1946–1948: Dr. Wilhelm Deitmer (Saalhausen)
*1948–1961: Johann Stangier (Altenhundem)
*1961–1969: Karl Nöcker (Altenhundem, later Selbecke)
''Amtsdirektoren''
*1947–1961: Ernst Großheim
*1961–1969: Franz-Josef Hackmann
In 1969, the ''Amt'' of Kirchhundem was dissolved. Great parts of the ''Amt'' area passed to the newly created community of Kirchhundem. At the same time, the official nomenclature changed.
Honorary Mayors
*1969–1994: Karl-Josef Luster-Haggeney
*1994–1999: Elmar Greiten
Community Directors
*1969–1982: Franz-Josef Hackmann
*1982–1992: Rudolf Lange
*1993–1999: Hans-Adolf Bender
Mayors
*1999–2004: Elmar Greiten
*2004–2013: Michael Grobbel
*2014–2020: Andreas Reinery
*2020–incumbent: Björn Jarosz
Coat of arms
The municipal
arms
Arms or ARMS may refer to:
*Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body
Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to:
People
* Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader
Coat of arms or weapons
*Armaments or weapons
**Fi ...
were conferred on the community of Kirchhundem on 24 February 1972, and they are those formerly borne by the old ''Amt'' of Kirchhundem. The billets (small rectangles) are an historical reference; they were taken from the coat of arms borne by the Knights of Hundem. The
hart
Hart often refers to:
* Hart (deer)
* Hart (surname)
Hart may also refer to:
Organizations
* Hart Racing Engines, a former Formula One engine manufacturer
* Hart Skis, US ski manufacturer
* Hart Stores, a Canadian chain of department store ...
’s antlers refer to the wealth of
red deer
The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Ir ...
in the Kirchhundem area. The ''
Wolfsangel
(, translation "wolf's hook") or () is a heraldic charge from mainly Germany and eastern France, which was inspired by medieval European wolf traps that consisted of a Z-shaped metal hook (called the ''Wolfsangel'', or the ''crampon'' in F ...
'' symbolizes the community’s
agricultural
Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...
character.
Town partnerships

Since 1989 there has been a partnership arrangement with the
French
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), ...
town of
Houplines. The partner community lies in the northeast of France near
Lille
Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...
. Contacts between Kirchhundem and Houplines take place mainly at the club level. On the occasion of a visit by members of the Kirchhundem municipal council to Houplines in November 2006, a new housing estate there called the ''Résidence Kirchhundem'' was dedicated by both communities’ mayors. To strengthen the town partnership, the club ''Freunde von Houplines'' ("Friends of Houplines") has been founded.
Culture and sightseeing
Kirchhundem offers, with its location on the ''
Rothaarsteig
The Rothaarsteig is a 154.80 km long hiking trail along the crest of the Rothaargebirge mountain range in Germany in the border region between the states of North Rhine-Westphalia (NW) and Hesse (HE). It was opened in 2001.
Overview
Th ...
'' trail, which runs from
Brilon
Brilon (; ) is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, which belongs to the Hochsauerlandkreis.
Geography
Brilon is on the Brilon Heights, at an altitude of about 450m, and the upper reaches of the river Möhne. The town lies between the Ar ...
to
Dillenburg
Dillenburg, officially Oranienstadt Dillenburg, is a town in Hesse's Gießen region in Germany. The town was formerly the seat of the old Dillkreis district, which is now part of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis.
The town lies on the German- Dutch holiday roa ...
, recreational activity that is especially interesting for hikers. As well, there is another trail, the ''Kirchhundemer Rundwanderweg'' running for roughly 90 km along the municipal limits. A favourite hiking destination is the ''Rhein-Weser-Turm'' (tower) near Oberhundem, from which there are good views over the southern Sauerland.
Also in Oberhundem are found the Schloss Adolfsburg, a
Baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
residential castle with a moat, and the amusement park ''Panorama-Park Sauerland'', which is even open in the winter. Entrance to the wilderness park area is then free.
Conservation
The ''Biologische Station Initiative Oberhundem e.V.'' occupies itself with
conservation
Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws.
Conservation may also refer to:
Environment and natural resources
* Nature conservation, the protection and manage ...
. It supports schools, holds exhibitions and acts as adviser in the remodelling of the spa gardens.
Theatre
* The ''Theaterverein Oberhundem'', an amateur theatrical troupe, presents a folk play every year at
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
time at the village community hall (''Dorfgemeinschaftshalle'') in Oberhundem.
* The community of Kirchhundem lies within the area served by the ''Kulturgemeinde Hundem-Lenne e. V. ''("Cultural Community") which customarily offers high-class theatre and concert programmes at the educational centre (''pädagogisches Zentrum'') in
Lennestadt
Lennestadt (occasionally also ''die Lennestadt'') lies in the Sauerland in southeast North Rhine-Westphalia and is a community in Olpe district. It is the district's most populous municipality.
Lennestadt itself is not an actual town but a commun ...
-Meggen.
Museums
* The Steinacker family's Oberhundem Embroidery Museum presents
embroidery
Embroidery is the art of decorating Textile, fabric or other materials using a Sewing needle, needle to stitch Yarn, thread or yarn. It is one of the oldest forms of Textile arts, textile art, with origins dating back thousands of years across ...
works from several centuries in the historical surroundings of a more than 300-year-old
timber frame
Timber framing () and "post-and-beam" construction are traditional methods of building with heavy Beam (structure), timbers, creating structures using squared-off and carefully fitted and Woodworking joints, joined timbers with joints secure ...
house. Address: ''Stickereimuseum Oberhundem, Rüsper Straße 1, 57399 Kirchhundem.''
Music
Choirs
Music clubs
Modern music groups
* And Bob's y'r uncle –
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
, Wirme
* Horizont – new spiritual, Welschen Ennest
* Wild bunch –
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
, Benolpe
* Naturtrüb - rock, Rahrbach/Welschen Ennest
* Social Distrust –
punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
, Flape
* Dirty Pins – bam bam rock, Flape
Historic organs
* Brachthausen, ''Nikolaus-Kapelle'', historic
ranks of pipes, likely from the 17th century. Although it is unexplained where they came from, they might be from
Düren
Düren (; Ripuarian language, Ripuarian: Düre) is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, between Aachen and Cologne, on the river Rur (river), Rur.
History
Roman era
The area of Düren was part of Gallia Belgica, more specifically the ter ...
in the
Rhineland
The Rhineland ( ; ; ; ) is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly Middle Rhine, its middle section. It is the main industrial heartland of Germany because of its many factories, and it has historic ties to the Holy ...
.
* Kirchhundem, ''Pfarrkirche St. Peter und Paul'',
Baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
organ from 1701 by the
Bielefeld
Bielefeld () is a city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 341,755, it is also the most populous city in the administrative region () of Detmold (region), Detmold and the L ...
organ builder Peter Henrich Varenholt. Considerable changes made in 1814 by Christian Roetzel. Stately Baroque housing by cabinetmaker Johann Viegener from
Netphen
Netphen () is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It lies on the river Sieg, roughly 7 km northeast of Siegen.
Geography
Location
Netphen lies on the Rothaargebirge's southern slope and forms the ...
with carving by
sculptor
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
Johann Sasse,
Attendorn
Attendorn () is a German town in the Olpe district in North Rhine-Westphalia. As of 2019 it had a population of 24,264.
History
The town's location was favoured by the good climate in the Attendorn-Elsper Limestone Double Basin (''Attendorn- ...
. As well, the church owns an organ from the firm Feith,
Paderborn
Paderborn (; Westphalian language, Westphalian: ''Patterbuorn'', also ''Paterboärn'') is a city in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn (district), Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pade ...
from 1940 made to imitate those of the Late
Romantic period in Germany.
* Kohlhagen, ''Pfarr- und Wallfahrtskirche St. Mariae Heimsuchung'', Baroque organ from 1745, probably by Johann Heinrich Kleine from Eckenhagen. At the turn of the 19th century the organ's whole aspect was changed and the
console
Console may refer to:
Computing and video games
* System console, a physical device to operate a computer
** Virtual console, a user interface for multiple computer consoles on one device
** Command-line interface, a method of interacting with ...
, once built onto the back of the housing, was moved to the short side on the north end. The addition of a further windchest was likely done at the same time.
* Oberhundem, ''Pfarrkirche St. Lambertus'',
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
organ, built in 1650 for the parish church in Stockum coming in 1811 to Oberhundem. The organ has undergone many changes, such as the one in 1772 when the windchest was expanded to 49 tones by organ builder Gerhard Nohl, and another in 1811 which saw a further five-tone windchest and an independent four-rank pedalboard. In 1907 a far-reaching overhaul of the organ's aspect was done by Gerhard Peekel from
Hagen
Hagen () is a city in the States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany, on the southeastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne and Volme meet the Ruhr (river), Ruhr. In 2023, the ...
as well as the installation of a four-rank addition with pneumatic
tracker action
Tracker action is a term used in reference to pipe organs and steam calliopes to indicate a mechanical linkage between keys or pedals pressed by the organist and the valve that allows air to flow into pipe(s) of the corresponding note. Thi ...
.
* Rahrbach, ''Pfarrkirche St. Dionysius'', Baroque organ by organ builder Ruhm from 1700/1701. In 1835 came a thorough overhaul by Christian Roetzel that removed or rearranged one rank. He also moved the console to the instrument's south end. After many changes, the most serious of which was undertaken by the Kemper firm of
Lübeck
Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic Sea, Baltic coast and the second-larg ...
in 1953, there came in 1992 a thorough restoration bearing in mind that there were historic and monumental considerations to be observed in the work.
Buildings
Currently, 97 buildings in Kirchhundem are on the community's monument list (''Denkmalliste''), among them the parish churches in the centres of Albaum, Benolpe, Heinsberg, Kirchhundem, Kohlhagen, Oberhundem, Rahrbach and Welschen Ennest as well as the chapels in Brachthausen, Emlinghausen, Kruberg and Selbecke. The private chapel on the Vasbach estate near Kirchhundem is likewise listed. One of the most outstanding monumental building works is the Adolfsburg, a residential castle built in the 1670s, near Oberhundem. Important buildings in the community of Kirchhundem are the
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...
town hall built between 1903 and 1905 and the many timber-frame houses in the community's various centres. The ''Heitmickeviadukt'' in Kirchhundem, the Kirchhundem-Flape
railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
reception building, the aqueduct in the Krenkel Valley near Heinsberg and the portals of the Heinsberger Tunnel are witnesses to the old Altenhundem–Birkelbach Railway, most of which ran through Kirchhundem's current municipal area. The community's hallmark is the ''Rhein-Weser-Turm'', an observation tower built in 1932 to afford views of the Rhine-Weser watershed.
Image:Vasbach 2.jpg, Timber framing at the Vaspach estate
Image:Kapelle Selbecke.jpg, Chapel in Selbecke
Image:Vasbachkapelle.jpg, Vasbach Chapel
Image:St. Katharina Heinsberg.jpg, St. Katharina Heinsberg
Image:Kapelle Selbecke.jpg, Selbecke Chapel
''Kirche St. Peter und Paul''
As the oldest parish in the eastern part of the lordly domain of Bilstein, having split away from the mother parish of
Wormbach
Wormbach is a locality in the municipality Schmallenberg in the High Sauerland District in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
The village has 417 inhabitants and lies in the north of the municipality of Schmallenberg at a height of around 500 m. Wo ...
, "Hundem’s" own church, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, is known to history as far back as 1261. Of the forerunner building, all that still stands now is two
bays
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...
and the tower's foundation, which according to cornerstones were built in 1340 and 1470. The old organ with its carving work comes from the years 1701/02 from the Sasse sculpture studio in Attendorn. Today's Late Gothic parish church was built between 1915 and 1917 by Prof. Joseph Buchkremer during the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
crosswise to the old Romanesque church. The old church had three naves each with four bays. The south nave's west bay had two floors and a
groin vault
A groin vault or groined vault (also sometimes known as a double barrel vault or cross vault) is produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults. Honour, H. and J. Fleming, (2009) ''A World History of Art''. 7th edn. London: La ...
.
Image:Kirche St Peter u Paul Kirchhundem.jpg, Outside view from the southeast, ''St. Peter und Paul Kirchhundem''
Image:Kirche St Peter u Paul Kirchhundem Orgel.jpg, Entry door and organ loft
Image:Kirche St Peter u Paul Kirchhundem alte Cohrraum.jpg, Old church's sanctuary
Image:Kirche St Peter u Paul Kirchhundem innen.jpg, Inside view towards the altar
Image:Kirche St Peter u Paul Kirchhundem Orgel-1.jpg, Old organ from 1701/2
Image:Kirche St Peter u Paul Kirchhundem Portal.jpg, Entry door from inside
Further reading (churches)
* Overmann, Anton, 1940, Teil II, Die kirchlichen Baudenkmäler des Kreises Olpe
* Dehio/Gall, 1935, Erster Band, Handbuch der Deutschen Kunstdenkmäler in Niedersachsen und Westfalen
* Ludorf, Bau- und Kunstdenkmäler des Kreises Olpe
* Breer und Höffer, 1999, Kirchen und Kapellen in Attendorn. Lennestadt, Kirchhundem
Parks
The community of Kirchhundem lies in the Ebbegebirge and Rothaargebirge nature parks.
Conservation areas
The following areas in the community of Kirchhundem are set aside as conservation areas (Naturschutzgebiete): Albaumer Klippen, Danzplatz, Dollenbruch, Haberg, Hardt, Kihlenberg, Krähenpfuhl, Krenkeltal, Schwarzbachtal, Sellenbruch, Stelborner Klippen, Vorspanneiche and Teufelsbruch.
Most of these conservation areas are made up of
juniper
Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' ( ) of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere as far south ...
heathlands
A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and is characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a coole ...
. The Sellenbruch conservation area, on the other hand, also harbours widespread
royal fern growth. Some of the areas mentioned above were given conservation area status under initiatives by Wilhelm Münker (1874-1970) from Hilchenbach. At the ''Albaumer Klippen'' (cliffs), which are composed of
silicate
A silicate is any member of a family of polyatomic anions consisting of silicon and oxygen, usually with the general formula , where . The family includes orthosilicate (), metasilicate (), and pyrosilicate (, ). The name is also used ...
, is found crevice vegetation that has been deemed worthy of protection, surrounded by mixed forests on the slopes full of ravines and oaktrees. The ''Stelborner Klippen'' are only moderately shaded silicate cliffs made up of cinder and crystal
tuff
Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. Following ejection and deposition, the ash is lithified into a solid rock. Rock that contains greater than 75% ash is considered tuff, while rock co ...
s with crevice vegetation and partly beech and oak forests growing on scree.
Sport
For various sporting activities, a great number of sport clubs have been founded.
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface of synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass, used in sports arenas, residential lawns and commercial applications that traditionally use grass. It is much more durable than grass and easily maintained wi ...
fields have been built in Albaum, Brachthausen, Heinsberg, Kirchhundem, Oberhundem and Rahrbach.
Gym
A gym, short for gymnasium (: gymnasiums or gymnasia), is an indoor venue for exercise and sports. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasion". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learn ...
nasia exist at the Gemeinschafts
hauptschule
A ''Hauptschule'' (, "general school") is a secondary school in Germany, starting after four years of elementary schooling (''Grundschule''), which offers Lower Secondary Education (Level 2) according to the International Standard Classification ...
Kirchhundem (triple gymnasium) and at
primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...
s in Heinsberg, Kirchhundem, Oberhundem and Welschen Ennest. Also, the TuS Silberg-Varste e. V. (gymnastic and sport club) has a gymnasium in Silberg. There is an athletics facility at the Gemeinschaftshauptschule Kirchhundem. The TC Rot-Weiß Kirchhundem (
tennis
Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...
club) owns tennis courts.
Regular events
Among the community's regular events are the shooting festivals held in all the bigger centres each year.
In Kirchhundem-Silberg, each year on 1 May, the ''Großer Preis von Silbergstone'' ("Grand Prix of Silbergstone"). This event is the origin of what is now the Europe-wide pastime of
Bobbycar racing.
Economy and infrastructure
Transport
With the ''Kirchhundem'' and ''Welschen Ennest'' stations, Kirchhundem lies on the
Ruhr-Sieg railway, which runs between
Hagen
Hagen () is a city in the States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany, on the southeastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne and Volme meet the Ruhr (river), Ruhr. In 2023, the ...
and
Siegen
Siegen () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.
It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg (region), Arnsberg region. The university town (n ...
. Furthermore,
bus
A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but fewer than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used ...
lines of the ''Verkehrsbetriebe Westfalen-Süd'' (VWS, "Westphalia-South Transport Services") and ''Busverkehr Ruhr-Sieg'' (BRS, "Ruhr-Sieg Bus Transport") run to Lennestadt, Olpe and Hilchenbach.
''
Bundesstraße
''Bundesstraße'' (, ), abbreviated ''B'', is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.
Germany
Germany's ''Bundesstraßen'' network has a total length of about 40,000 km.
German ''Bundesstraßen'' are labelled with re ...
'' 517 runs through the community.
Media
The ''Westfalenpost'' and the ''Westfälische Rundschau'' appear in Kirchhundem as daily newspapers. As well, the advertising sheets ''Sauerlandkurier'' and ''Sauerländer Wochenanzeiger'' come out on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Kirchhundem belongs to the ''Westdeutscher Rundfunk''
Siegen
Siegen () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.
It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg (region), Arnsberg region. The university town (n ...
studio area. News from the South Sauerland is broadcast on
WDR 2
WDR 2 is a radio station owned and operated by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) public broadcasting organization in Germany. It focuses on contemporary pop and rock music for an adult audience and on information. It is also WDR's broadcast sport e ...
and in local broadcasts on
WDR Fernsehen
WDR Fernsehen is a German free-to-air television network owned and operated by Westdeutscher Rundfunk and serving North Rhine-Westphalia. It is one of the seven regional "third programmes" television stations that are offered within the federal ...
.
Public institutions
Albaum is the seat of the ''Landesanstalt für Ökologie, Bodenordnung und Forsten NRW'' ("North Rhine-Westphalia State Institute for Ecology, Land Division and Forests"), fishery and waterway ecology department.
Businesses
* balcom electronic GmbH, electrical articles
* Bals Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG, electrical articles
* Egon Behle GmbH & Co. KG, building company
* Gebr. Grünewald GmbH und Co. KG, papermaking
*
Mennekes Elektrotechnik GmbH und Co. KG, electrical articles
* Straßen- und Tiefbau GmbH
* DURA Automotive in Selbecke, vehicle supplier
Education
Kindergartens and daycare
* Kindergarten "Kleine Strolche", Brachthausen
* Kindergarten "Wilma's Kuckucksnest" Heinsberg
* Kath. Kindergarten Hofolpe
* Kath. Kindergarten, Kirchhundem
* Kath. Kindergarten, Oberhundem
* Kath. Kindergarten, Welschen Ennest
* Montessori-Kinderhaus, Schwerpunkteinrichtung für Integration, Welschen Ennest
* Kindergarten "Rappelkiste", Würdinghausen
Primary schools
* St. Nikolaus, Brachthausen
* St. Katharina, Heinsberg
* St. Christophorus, Kirchhundem (open, all-day school)
* St. Lambertus, Oberhundem
* St. Johannes, Welschen Ennest
* Gemeinschaftsgrundschule, Würdinghausen
Hauptschulen
* Gemeinschaftshauptschule, Kirchhundem
Realschulen and Gymnasien
The community of Kirchhundem has no
Realschule
Real school (, ) is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia (''realna gimnazija''), the Austrian Empire, the German Empire, Denmark and Norway (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), F ...
n or
Gymnasien at its disposal. Instead, students must go to the ones in neighbouring
Lennestadt
Lennestadt (occasionally also ''die Lennestadt'') lies in the Sauerland in southeast North Rhine-Westphalia and is a community in Olpe district. It is the district's most populous municipality.
Lennestadt itself is not an actual town but a commun ...
and
Olpe.
Post-secondary
Kirchhundem lies in the feeder area of the
University of Siegen
The University of Siegen () is a public research university located in Siegen, North Rhine-Westphalia and is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, a society of Germany's leading research universities. The university was founded in 1972. ...
.
Music school
Musikschule Lennestadt-Kirchhundem
Educational institutions
*Institut für Lernen & Entwicklung. development of talents, attention training, creative learning. Dr. Judith Pasquale, Schlerreweg 1, Brachthausen.
*Josef-Gockeln-Haus der KAB, Josef-Gockeln-Str. 23, Rahrbach
*Jugendbildungsstätte Benolpe, Zur Nothelle 23, Benolpe
*Studienhaus Rüspe, Rüspe
Youth clubs
* Kleine offene Tür in Kirchhundem
* Jugendtreff der kath. Kirchengemeinde St. Peter und Paul, Kirchhundem
* Jugendtreff "Blue Ocean", Brachthausen (Catholic parish St. Mariae Heimsuchung Kohlhagen)
* Jugendtreff der kath. Kirchengemeinde Heinsberg
* Jugendtreff der evangelichen Kirchengemeinde Lennestadt-Kirchhundem, Würdinghausen
* Katholische Landjugendbewegung (KLJB), Welschen Ennest
Homes for the aged
* Alten- und Pflegeheim Haus Sauerland, Ortsteil Kirchhundem
* Seniorenheim Bremm'sche Stiftung, Ortsteil Silberg
Notable residents
Honorary citizens
*
Paul Josef Kardinal Cordes (born 5 September 1934 in Kirchhundem, main centre) is a
Cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to
* Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae
***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...
in the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, President of the papal council
Cor Unum and is said to be one of the founding fathers of
World Youth Day
World Youth Day (WYD) is an event for the youth organized by the Catholic Church that was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985. Its concept has been influenced by the Light-Life Movement that has existed in Poland since the 1960s, where dur ...
. On 24 November 2007
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...
appointed him Cardinal Deacon with the titular
diaconia A diaconia was originally an establishment built near a church building, for the care of the poor and distribution of the church's charity in medieval Rome or Naples (the successor to the Roman grain supply system, often standing on the very sites o ...
of ''San Lorenzo in Piscibus'' in the
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals (), also called the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. there are cardinals, of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Appointed by the pope, ...
. Since 13 December 2007, Paul Josef Cardinal Cordes has been an honorary citizen of the community of Kirchhundem.
*
Josef Schmelzer (born 30 July 1876 in Oberhundem; died 8 October 1962 in Oberhundem), known in his hometown simply as ''Tiennes Papa'', was member of the
Prussian Landtag
The Landtag of Prussia () was the representative assembly of the Kingdom of Prussia implemented in 1849, a bicameral legislature consisting of the upper House of Lords (''Herrenhaus'') and the lower House of Representatives (''Abgeordnetenhaus'') ...
(1920–1933), from September 1930 to July 1932 member of the German
Reichstag for the
Centre Party (Germany)
The Centre Party (, Z), officially the German Centre Party (, DZP) and also known in English as the Catholic Centre Party, is a Christian democratic political party in Germany. It was most influential in the German Empire
The German Empi ...
and Member of the Landtag (1946–1950). He worked on the so-called ''Lex Schmelzer'' as part of the reforms to the dissolution of the Fideikommiss (an old
fee tail
In English common law, fee tail or entail is a form of trust, established by deed or settlement, that restricts the sale or inheritance of an estate in real property and prevents that property from being sold, devised by will, or otherwise ali ...
law in Germany) and was a tireless promoter for development in the mountainous regions. He was also the initiator behind the building of the Rhein-Weser-Turm.
* Dr. Dr. h. c. Wilhelm Arnoldi (born 30 December 1884 in
Siegen
Siegen () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.
It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg (region), Arnsberg region. The university town (n ...
; died 18 April 1965 in Altenhundem) was a Centre Party politician and ministerial director from Altenhundem. As Prussian representative on the state board for agricultural emergency programmes, he safeguarded many local families during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
in the late 1920s, a livelihood in which he had an experimental station for birdlife conservation built near Altenhundem and also an experimental farm in what was then the community of Rahrbach. Furthermore, he was also the driving force behind the building of the viewing tower on the Hohe Bracht.
Sons and daughters of the community
*
Jacob von Albaum,
abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...
of the
Grafschaft Abbey
Grafschaft Abbey () is a community of the Sisters of Mercy of Saint Charles Borromeo, formerly a Benedictine Order, Benedictine monastery, in Schmallenberg-Grafschaft (Schmallenberg), Grafschaft in the Sauerland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany ...
*
Heinrich Bals Heinrich may refer to:
People
* Heinrich (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
* Heinrich (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
*Hetty (given name), a given name (including a list of peo ...
(born 18 October 1868 in
Oberalbaum; died after 1958), writer
*
Dorothea Becker (born about 1536 in Kirchhundem; died May 1609 in
Bilstein) survived a
witch trial
A witch hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. Practicing evil spells or Incantation, incantations was proscribed and punishable in early human civilizations in the ...
despite heavy
torture
Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
.
*
Paul Josef Cordes
Paul Josef Cordes (5 September 1934 – 15 March 2024) was a German cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as president of the Pontifical Council ''Cor Unum'' (1995–2010) and was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 2007.
Biography ...
(born 5 September 1934 in Kirchhundem main centre), Cardinal
*
Joachim Grünewald (born 21 November 1933 in Kirchhundem), politician (CDU)
*
Ulla Hahn
Ulla Hahn is a German poet and novelist.
Partial bibliography
Poetry collections
* ''Herz über Kopf'' (1981),
* ''Spielende'' (1983),
* ''Unerhörte Nähe'' (1988),
* ''Freudenfeuer'' (1989),
* ''Liebesgedichte'' (1993),
* ''Epikurs ...
(born 30 April 1946 in Brachthausen), writer
*
Johannes Hatzfeld (born 14 April 1882 in Benolpe; died 5 July 1953 in
Paderborn
Paderborn (; Westphalian language, Westphalian: ''Patterbuorn'', also ''Paterboärn'') is a city in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn (district), Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pade ...
), musician
*
Chrysologus Heimes (born 2 April 1765 in Oberhundem; died 2 May 1835 in
Reiste), organ expert
*
Kerstin Jürgens
Kerstin Szymkowiak (born Kerstin Jürgens on 19 December 1977 in Siegen) is a German retired skeleton racer who has competed since 2002. She won three bronze medals in the women's skeleton event, earning them in 2004, 2008, and 2009.
Her best o ...
(born 19 December 1977),
skeleton
A skeleton is the structural frame that supports the body of most animals. There are several types of skeletons, including the exoskeleton, which is a rigid outer shell that holds up an organism's shape; the endoskeleton, a rigid internal fra ...
competitor
*
Wilhelm Liese (born 27 April 1876 in Würdinghausen; died 19 March 1956 in
Paderborn
Paderborn (; Westphalian language, Westphalian: ''Patterbuorn'', also ''Paterboärn'') is a city in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn (district), Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pade ...
),
Catholic priest
The priesthood is the office of the ministers of religion, who have been commissioned ("ordained") with the holy orders of the Catholic Church. Technically, bishops are a priestly order as well; however, in common English usage ''priest'' refe ...
, writer, editor and archivist.
*
Benedikt Lindemann, abbot
*
Ina-Maria Mihályhegyi-Witthaut (born 20 March 1946 in Kirchhundem; died 5 October 1987 in
Siegen
Siegen () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.
It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg (region), Arnsberg region. The university town (n ...
), artist
*
Mediatrix Nies
Mediatrix is a title given to Mary, mother of Jesus in Catholicism. It refers to the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a mediator by intercession in the salvific redemption by her son Jesus Christ, the one proper Mediator by action. Mediatri ...
, Superior General of the Sisterhood of Olpe Franciscans
*
Helmut Josef Patt (born 23 July 1926 in
Flape; died 11 June 2003 in
Lippstadt
Lippstadt () is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the largest town within the district of Soest. Lippstadt is situated about 60 kilometres east of Dortmund, 40 kilometres south of Bielefeld and 30 kilometres west of Paderborn.
Geo ...
), clergyman
*
Hartmut Schauerte (born 13 September 1944 in Kirchhundem), politician
*
Johann Friedrich Joseph Sommer (born 26 January 1793 in Kirchhundem; died 13 November 1856 in
Arnsberg
Arnsberg (; ) is a town in the Hochsauerland county, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the location of the Regierungsbezirk Arnsberg (region), Arnsberg administration and one of the three local administration offices of the Ho ...
), lawyer
*
Heinrich Steinhoff (born about 1550 in Würdinghausen; died 20 October 1611), abbot of the Grafschaft Monastery
*
Willi Weiskirch (born 1923 in Welschen Ennest; died 1996 in
Lennestadt
Lennestadt (occasionally also ''die Lennestadt'') lies in the Sauerland in southeast North Rhine-Westphalia and is a community in Olpe district. It is the district's most populous municipality.
Lennestadt itself is not an actual town but a commun ...
), Wehrbeauftragter (≈ armed forces commissioner) of the German
Bundestag
The Bundestag (, "Federal Diet (assembly), Diet") is the lower house of the Germany, German Federalism in Germany, federal parliament. It is the only constitutional body of the federation directly elected by the German people. The Bundestag wa ...
*
Petra Weschollek,
biathlete
The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It is treated as a race, with contestants skiing through a cross-country trail whose distance is divided into shooting rounds. The shooting rounds are not ti ...
Famous people connected with the community
*
Johann Adolf von Fürstenberg
Johann, typically a male given name, is the German form of ''Iohannes'', which is the Latin form of the Greek name ''Iōánnēs'' (), itself derived from Hebrew name '' Yochanan'' () in turn from its extended form (), meaning "Yahweh is Gracious" ...
(born 16 March 1631 in
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
; died 15 April 1704 in
Herdringen), Capitular in
Münster
Münster (; ) is an independent city#Germany, independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a ...
,
Hildesheim
Hildesheim (; or ; ) is a city in Lower Saxony, in north-central Germany with 101,693 inhabitants. It is in the district of Hildesheim (district), Hildesheim, about southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste River, a small tributary of t ...
and Paderborn, ''Drost'' of the ''Ämter'' of Bilstein, Fredeburg and Waldenburg, builder of the Adolfsburg near Oberhundem.
*
Heinrich Luhmann (born 22 December 1890 in
Hultrop, died 6 May 1978 in
Hamm Hamm may refer to:
Places
;Germany:
* Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia, a city north-east of Dortmund
* Hamm (Sieg), a municipality in the eponymous ''Verbandsgemeinde'' in the district of Altenkirchen, Rhineland-Palatinate
* Hamm, Bitburg-Prüm, part ...
), writer. In his novels ''Wo die Wälder Wache halten'' ("Where the Forests Keep Watch", 1920) and ''Walddoktor Willibald'' ("Forest Doctor Willibald", 1921) Lumann describes life in fictional villages in the Rüspe Forest, which lies in today's community of Kirchhundem.
Further reading
Community
* A. Ludorff: ''Die Bau- und Kunstdenkmäler des Kreises Olpe.'' Kommissions-Verlag von Ferdinand Schöningh, Verlagsbuchhandlung in Paderborn, Münster i. W. 1903
*
Wilhelm Liese: ''Geschichte der Pfarrei Kirchhundem und ihrer Tochterpfarreien Altenhundem, Heinsberg, Kohlhagen.'' printed as manuscript, Paderborn 1920
* Otto Lucas: ''Das Olper Land – Arbeiten der Geographischen Kommission im Provinzialinstitut für westfälische Landes- und Volkskunde.'' Universitätsbuchhandlung Franz Coppenrath, Münster 1941
*
Albert K. Hömberg
Albert may refer to:
Companies
* Albert Computers, Inc., a computer manufacturer in the 1980s
* Albert Czech Republic, a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic
* Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands
* Albert Market, a street ...
: ''Heimatchronik des Kreises Olpe.'' Archiv für Deutsche Heimatpflege, Köln 1958, 2. expanded edition 1967
* Martin Vormberg: ''Kirchhundem in alten Ansichten.'' Europäische Bibliothek, Zaltbommel/NL 1983, .
* Martin Vormberg: ''Beiträge zur Geschichte des Bergbaus im Kreis Olpe – Teil 1: Der Bergbau in der Gemeinde Kirchhundem.'' In: Der Oberkreisdirektor des Kreises Olpe (Hrsg.): ''Schriftenreihe des Kreises Olpe Nr. 11.'' Olpe 1985, ISSN 0177-8153
* Ernst Henrichs (ed.): ''Die Protokollbücher des ehemaligen Amtes Kirchhundem, der zugehörigen Gemeinden und der früheren Gemeinde Rahrbach, Band 1: Die Protokollbücher von 1843–1869'', publisher: Verkehrs- und Verschönerungsverein Kirchhundem 1881, Kirchhundem 1988
* Ernst Henrichs (ed.): ''Die Protokollbücher des ehemaligen Amtes Kirchhundem, der zugehörigen Gemeinden und der früheren Gemeinde Rahrbach, Band 2: Die Protokollbücher von 1870–1899'', publisher: Verkehrs- und Verschönerungsverein Kirchhundem 1881, Kirchhundem, 1989
* Ernst Henrichs (ed.): ''Die Protokollbücher des ehemaligen Amtes Kirchhundem, der zugehörigen Gemeinden und der früheren Gemeinde Rahrbach, Band 3: Die Protokollbücher von 1900–1924'', publisher: Verkehrs- und Verschönerungsverein Kirchhundem 1881, Kirchhundem 1990
* Claus-Dieter Clausen: ''Erläuterungen zu Blatt 4914 Kirchhundem – Geologische Karte von Nordrhein-Westfalen 1:25.000.'' Geologisches Landesamt Nordrhein-Westfalen, Krefeld 1991
* Günther Becker, Martin Vormberg: ''Kirchhundem – Geschichte des Amtes und der Gemeinde.'' Gemeindedirektor der Gemeinde Kirchhundem, Kirchhundem 1994,
* Martin Vormberg: ''100 Jahre Rathaus Kirchhundem. Festschrift zum
Tag des offenen Denkmals
The Tag des offenen Denkmals (Day of Open Monuments) is an annual event all over Germany. The day of action has been coordinated by the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz since 1993. Historic monuments are open to the public free of charge. It takes ...
am 11. September 2005.'' Kirchhundem 2005
Individual centres
* Claus Heinemann: ''Ein kleines Dorf und die große Geschichte – Herrntrop im Sauerland.'' Hilbeck 1981
* Various authors: ''Unser Dorf Kruberg – 1340–1990 – Beiträge zum 650-jährigen Jubiläum.'' published by the Dorfgemeinschaft Kruberg e. V., Kirchhundem-Kruberg 1990
* Jochen Krause: ''Geschichten aus dem Sauerland – Ein Dorf erzählt – Würdinghausen im Hundemtal.'' Heike Schriever, Plettenberg, 1998,
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Olpe (district)