Hans Olde
German painter
Johannes Wilhelm (Hans) Olde (27 April 1855, Süderau – 25 October 1917, Kassel) was a German painter and art school administrator.
Life.
He originally planned to follow family tradition and become a farmer but, over his father's strong objections, went to study with Ludwig von Löfftz at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich in 1879. He and his friend, the sculptor Adolf Brütt, moved to Italy in 1883. Three years later, however, he decided to attend the Académie Julian in Paris, where he exhibited at the Salon and discovered impressionism. Upon his return to Germany, he was one of the founders of the Munich Secession and, in 1894, helped to create the Schleswig-Holstein Art Appreciation Society. He travelled widely over the next few years and this is considered to be his most creative period. In 1898, he also participated in the founding of the Berlin Secession. Friedrich Nietzsche is one of his most famous portrait subjects.
In 1902, when Olde became director of the Weimar Saxon-Grand Ducal Art School, he began working on plans to create a university and instituted many reforms, including the admission of women. When Brütt became director of the Weimar Sculpture School in 1905, the schools were joined as the "Grand Ducal Saxon College of Fine Arts", which would later be joined with the Grand Ducal Saxon School of Arts and Crafts to become the "Staatlisches Bauhaus" (today's Bauhaus University).
During this time, Olde, Brütt and Henry van de Velde acted as advisors for Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst's renovation of Weimar's city center. Olde became the director of the Royal Academy of Art in Kassel in 1911 and began the process of turning that school into a university as well. (Today, it is a division of the University of Kassel called the Kunsthochschule Kassel)
Three streets are named after him; in Kiel, Dänischenhagen (where he is buried) and Blankenfelde-Mahlow. His son, Hans Olde the Younger, was also a painter.
References.
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Kassel
Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, in central Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel and the district of the same name, and had 201,048 inhabitants in December 2020. The former capital of the state of Hesse-Kassel, it has many palaces and parks, including the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kassel is also known for the "documenta" exhibitions of contemporary art. Kassel has a public university with 25,000 students (2018) and a multicultural population (39% of the citizens in 2017 had a migration background).
History.
Kassel was first mentioned in 913 AD, as the place where two deeds were signed by King Conrad I. The place was called "Chasella" or "Chassalla" and was a fortification at a bridge crossing the Fulda river. There are several yet unproven assumptions about the origin of the name. It could be derived from the ancient "Castellum Cattorum", a castle of the Chatti, a German tribe that had lived in the area since Roman times. Another assumption is a portmanteau from Frankonian "cas", meaning ‘valley’ or ‘recess’, and "sali" meaning ‘hall’ or ‘service building’, which can be interpreted as ‘(town) hall in a valley’.
A deed from 1189 certifies that Cassel had city rights, but the date when they were granted is not known.
The first castle in Kassel was constructed in 1277, later replaced by a Renaissance castle, the Kassel City Palace, which burned down in 1811.
In 1567 the Landgraviate of Hesse, until then centered in Marburg, was divided among four sons, with Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) becoming one of its successor states. Kassel was its capital and became a centre of Calvinist Protestantism in Germany. Strong fortifications were built to protect the Protestant stronghold against Catholic enemies. Secret societies, such as Rosicrucianism, came to the rise, with Christian Rosenkreutz's work "Fama Fraternitatis" first published in 1617. In 1685 Kassel became a refuge for 1,700 Huguenots, who found shelter in the newly established borough of Oberneustadt. Landgrave Charles, who was responsible for this humanitarian act, also ordered the construction of the "Oktogon" (Hercules monument) and of the "Orangerie". In the late 18th century, Hesse-Kassel became infamous for selling mercenaries (Hessians) to the British crown to help suppress the American Revolution and to finance the construction of palaces and the Landgrave's opulent lifestyle.
The Brothers Grimm lived in Kassel in the early 19th century, where they collected and wrote most of their fairy tales. At that time, around 1803, the Landgraviate was elevated to a Principality and its ruler to "Prince-elector". Shortly after, it was annexed by Napoleon and became the capital of the short-lived Kingdom of Westphalia under Napoleon's brother Jérômein 1807. The Electorate was restored in 1813.
Having sided with Austria in the Austro-Prussian War to gain supremacy in Germany, the principality was annexed by Prussia in 1866. The Prussian administration united Nassau, Frankfurt and Hesse-Kassel into the new Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau. Kassel ceased to be a princely residence but soon developed into a major industrial centre as well as a major railway junction. Henschel & Son, the largest railway locomotive manufacturer in Germany at the end of the nineteenth century, was based in Kassel.
In 1870, after the Battle of Sedan, Napoleon III was sent as a prisoner to the Wilhelmshöhe Palace above the city. During World War I, the German military headquarters were located in the Wilhelmshöhe Palace. In the late 1930s, Nazis destroyed Heinrich Hübsch's Kassel Synagogue.
During World War II, Kassel was the headquarters for Germany's Wehrkreis IX, and a local subcamp of Dachau concentration camp provided forced labour for the Henschel facilities, which included tank production plants. There was also a camp for Sinti and Romani people (see "Romani Holocaust"). Allied prisoners of war from the Stalag IX-A POW camp were deployed to forced labour in the local arms industry in violation of the Geneva Conventions. The most severe bombing of Kassel in World War II destroyed 90% of the downtown area, and some 10,000 people were killed and 150,000 were made homeless. Most of the casualties were civilians or wounded soldiers recuperating in local hospitals, whereas factories survived the attack generally undamaged. Karl Gerland replaced the regional Gauleiter, Karl Weinrich, soon after the raid.
The Allied ground advance into Germany reached Kassel at the beginning of April 1945. The US 80th Infantry Division captured Kassel in house-to-house fighting during 1–4 April 1945, which included numerous German panzer-grenadier counterattacks, and resulted in further damage to bombed and unbombed structures alike.
Post-war, most of the ancient buildings in the city centre were not restored, and large parts of the inner city area were completely rebuilt in the style of the 1950s. A few historic buildings, however, such as the Museum Fridericianum, were restored.
In 1949, the interim parliament ("Parlamentarischer Rat") eliminated Kassel in the first round as a city to become the provisional capital of the Federal Republic of Germany, which the western city of Bonn won.
In 1964, the town hosted the fourth "Hessentag" state festival.
In 1970, the Chancellor of West Germany Willy Brandt and the prime minister of the German Democratic Republic Willy Stoph met in Wilhelmshöhe Palace for negotiations between the two German states. In 1991, the central rail station moved from "Hauptbahnhof" ("main station") to "Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe", the former now being used exclusively for regional trains. The city had a dynamic economic and social development in the recent years, reducing the unemployment rate by half and attracting new citizens.
Economy.
Several international operating companies have factories or headquarters in the city (Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz, SMA, Wintershall, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Rheinmetall, Bombardier). The city is home to several hospitals; the public Klinikum Kassel is one of the largest hospitals in the federal state.
Geography.
Kassel is the largest city in the north of the federated state of Hesse in the south-western part of Germany, about 70 kilometers northwest of the geographic center of Germany.
It is located on both sides of the river Fulda. Kassel's deepest point is in the north-eastern Fulda valley at 132.9 m above sea level.
The urban area of Kassel is divided into 23 local districts, each of which has a local council with a local mayor as chairman. The local councils are elected every five years by the population of the local districts. The local advisory board can be heard on all important issues affecting the local district. However, the final decision on a measure rests with the Kassel city council.
Neighboring communities.
Around Kassel is the administrative district ("Landkreis") of Landkreis Kassel. The following cities and municipalities border the city of Kassel (starting clockwise in the north): Ahnatal, Vellmar, Fuldatal, Staufenberg, Niestetal, Kaufungen, Lohfelden, Fuldabrück, Baunatal, Schauenburg, Habichtswald. Of these, Vellmar and Fuldatal in the north, Kaufungen in the east, Lohfelden in the southeast and Baunatal in the south are growing closer to the urban area.
Culture.
The first German observatory was built in Kassel in 1558, and a later version from 1714 survives as the Bellevue Palace. The "Ottoneum", the first permanent German theatre building, was built in 1606. The old building is today the Natural History Museum, and the now-called Staatstheater Kassel is located in a nearby building that was constructed in the 1950s.
Since 1927, Kassel has been home to Bärenreiter, a music publishing house distributing compositions of several critically acclaimed classical musicians.
Since 1955 the "documenta", an international exhibition of modern and contemporary art, has been held regularly in Kassel. The "documenta" now takes place every five years. As a result of the "documenta 6" in 1977, Kassel became the first city in the world to be illuminated by laser beams at night (Laserscape, by artist Horst H. Baumann). This laser installation is nowadays still visible at weekends. Artworks from former editions of the "documenta" (mainly sculptures) can be found in multiple places in Kassel; among those are the "7000 Oaks", a work of land art by the German artist Joseph Beuys. The latest/current edition of the "documenta", known as "documenta 15", ran from 18 June until 25 September 2022.
Climate.
Kassel experiences an oceanic climate (Köppen: "Cfb") close to marine climates, with a more notable continental influence than Berlin. Using the 1961–1990 normal and 0 °C isotherm, the city already had a humid continental climate ("Dfb").
Demographics.
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Kassel has a population of about 200,000, and is the 3rd largest city in Hesse state and the only large city in the North Hesse region.
Kassel is often called the city that located on the center of Germany due to its position.
Kassel first reached its first population peak of over 100,000 in 1899, and its second in 1943 with about 225,000. Kassel was destroyed during World War II and became an industrial city in 1950s. Today, Kassel is home to multiple companies and universities.
Sights.
The bombing raids of 1943 destroyed 90% of the city center. The city center was almost completely rebuilt during the 1950s and is a combination of renovated or reconstructed old buildings and architecture of the 1950s. Outside the city center, the suburbs are dominated by 19th-century architecture. Timber-framed old towns are situated in suburbs like Harleshausen and Bad Wilhelmshöhe. The oldest monument is the Druselturm; the Brüderkirche and the Martinskirche are also, in part, of medieval origin. The towers of the Martinskirche are from the 1950s.
Churches.
St. Martin, Kassel.
The main Protestant church of Kassel, it was begun in 1364 and finished in 1462. Severely damaged by British bombing in 1943, it was later reconstructed in a more modern style between 1954 and 1958.
St. Bonifatius, Kassel.
St. Bonifatius was designed and built in 1956 by Josef Bieling.
Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe.
The complex includes Wilhelmshöhe Palace (with the Antiquities Collection and Old Masters), the Hercules monument, and the Lions Castle.
Wilhelmshöhe Palace above the city was built in 1786, by landgrave Wilhelm IX of Hesse-Kassel. The palace is now a museum and houses an important collection of Graeco-Roman antiques and a fine gallery of paintings comprising the second largest collection of Rembrandts in Germany. It is surrounded by the beautiful Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe with many appealing sights. The complex was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013.
The Hercules monument is a huge octagonal stone structure carrying a giant replica of Hercules "Farnese" (now at Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples, Italy). From its base down to Wilhelmshöhe Palace runs a long set of artificial cascades. Every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon at 14:30 (from May until October), the famous water features take place, which start at the Oktagon, and during a one-hour walk through the park visitors can follow the water's way until they reach the lake of the Wilhelmshöhe Palace, where a fountain of about marks the end of the features.
The "Löwenburg" ("Lions Castle") is a replica of a medieval castle, also built during the reign of Wilhelm IX. After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, Napoléon III was imprisoned in Wilhelmshöhe. In 1918, Wilhelmshöhe became the seat of the German Army High Command (OHL); it was there that the military commanders Hindenburg and Ludendorff prepared the German capitulation.
Staatspark Karlsaue (Karlsaue Park).
The Karlsaue is a large park along the Fulda River that is part of the European Garden Heritage Network. Established in the 16th century, it is known for the Orangerie, a palace built in 1710 as a summer residence for the landgraves. Today, the Orangerie contains the Museum of Astronomy and Technology, with a scale model of the Solar System spanning the entire park and beyond.
In addition, the Park Schönfeld contains a small, municipal botanical garden, the Botanischer Garten Kassel.
Art museums.
Europe's first public museum, the Museum Fridericianum, was founded in 1779. By the end of the 19th century, the museum held one of the largest collections of watches and clocks in the world.
Other art museums in Kassel include:
Sports.
Hessen Kassel is the football club in the city, who plays in the Hessenliga after being relegated from the Regionalliga Südwest in the 2017/2018 season. The city's own football stadium, the Auestadion was built in 1953 and is able to hold 18,737 people. It is located in the south of Kassel at the quarter Südstadt, next to the Karlsaue.
Kassel has a long ice hockey tradition, but it was not until 1977 that the Kassel ice rink (Eissporthalle) opened on a private initiative. The Kassel Huskies were founding members of the DEL in 1994, belonging to the league from 1994 to 2006 and again from 2008 to 2010. In 1997, they were runners-up in the championship playoffs, losing to Adler Mannheim, and reached the semi-finals on three more occasions. The Huskies ran into financial difficulties and dissolved in 2010. The "Young Huskies", which is a junior and youth hockey club, decided to enter a men's team in the Hessenliga. This is the fifth division and the lowest men's competition in the state of Hesse. The new club was expecting no more than 3,000 supporters for the first home game in the Hessenliga. However, they had over 5,000 supporters come to watch.
Transport.
Kassel has seven tram lines (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8), with trams arriving usually every 15 minutes. The city also operates a light rail Stadtbahn network called "RegioTram" using Regio Citadis low-floor trams which run on both tram and main line railway tracks with three lines (RT1, RT4, RT5). Moreover, a number of low-floor buses complete the Kassel public transport system. The introduction of low-floor buses led to the development of the Kassel kerb which improves the accessibility at bus stops.
The city is connected to the national rail network at two stations, Kassel Central, and Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe. The traditional central station (Hauptbahnhof) has been reduced to the status of a regional station since the opening of the Hanover-Würzburg high-speed rail line in 1991 and its station (Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe) on the high-speed line at which the InterCityExpress (ICE) and InterCity services call as well as Nightjet and Flixtrain.
Kassel is connected to the motorways A 7, A 49 and A 44.
The city is served by Kassel Calden Airport.
Politics.
Mayor.
The current mayor of Kassel is Sven Schoeller of Alliance 90/The Greens, who was elected in March 2023. He succeeded Christian Geselle (SPD), who had been in office since 2017.
City council.
The Kassel city council ("Stadtverordnetenversammlung") governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 14 March 2021, and the results were as follows:
Education and research.
University of Kassel.
The University of Kassel is a public higher education institution and was founded in 1971 as a so-called reform university. It is the newest university in the state of Hessen and has an urban inner-city campus between the city center and the Northern city district. There were around 25,000 students enrolled at the university in 2018, 3,359 of them non-Germans. Two hundred and twenty-four students obtained their doctorate from the university in 2017.
The university offers a range of study programs, and several English master's programs as well as two short-term international programs, the Summer University and the Winter University. The Kunsthochschule Kassel (University of Fine Arts) is also part of the university with a satellite campus directly at the Karlsaue park in the Southern city district.
Courts.
Several courts are located in Kassel, including:
Twin towns – sister cities.
Kassel is twinned with:
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References.
Notes.
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External links.
 Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
 travel guide from Wikivoyage

Olde Hansa
Restaurant in Tallinn
Olde Hansa is a restaurant in the Old Town in central Tallinn, Estonia, located in the protected "Pakkhoone" building.
Location.
The restaurant is located in the Old Town west of the "Vana turg" market square at the address Vana turg 1. The restaurant is located at a corner of the "Vanaturu kael" street bordering the "Vana turg" square to the north.
Architecture and history.
The building is part of the cultural heritage of Tallinn and consists of three old storerooms. The storeroom at the corner of the street collapsed in 1654 and was rebuilt from 1655 to 1657. At that time the three storerooms were connected into a single baroque style building. Baroque portals and stone slabs were built into the facade. A large cellar was built at the basement of the new building, supported by support beams. The building was heated. A stairway connected the old and new parts of the building.
In the latter half of the 17th century, the building served as a storeroom for foreign products sold on the market.
Despite a partial renovation in the 19th and 20th century, the original outside facade of the building was kept intact.
On 15 April 1997 the building was added to the Estonian register of cultural heritage as building number 3096.
Restaurant Olde Hansa.
The restaurant Olde Hansa with 300 customer places was opened in the building in 1997, becoming one of the most famous tourist destinations in Tallinn. The style of the restaurant, including the food and drink, the cutlery and the dress of the staff in the three-floor restaurant were modelled after the Hanseatic League. Original recipes of the Hanseatic time were used, without ingredients introduced to Europe in the 15th century or later. For example the recipes do not use any potato or maize. Instead there are many game dishes, including elk, bear and pheasant. The drinks include house beer and pepper schnapps. There is a furnace room on the third floor.
A shop selling mediaeval items was opened in the restaurant in 2005.
References.
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Olden, Norway
Olden is a village in Vestland county, Norway, at the mouth of the Oldeelva river and northern end of the Oldedalen valley on the southern shore of the Nordfjorden, southwest of the village of Loen, southeast of Stryn, and east of the village of Innvik.
The village has a population (2023) of 666 and a population density of .
Attractions.
Olden is a major tourist area. The cruise port in Olden had 102 cruise ship arrivals in 2019. The Briksdalsbreen glacier, a popular hiking destination, is located about south of Olden, at the end of the Oldedalen valley. It is a small arm off the main Jostedalsbreen glacier. There are two churches in Olden, the Old Olden Church (built in 1759) and Olden Church (built in 1934). Despite its relatively small population the village does contain several shops including a high end clothes shop, a supermarket and a few gift shops.
References.
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Oldenburg (city)
City in Lower Saxony, Germany
Oldenburg (; Northern Low Saxon: "Ollnborg") is an independent city in the state of Lower Saxony, Germany. The city is officially named Oldenburg (Oldb) ("Oldenburg in Oldenburg") to distinguish from Oldenburg in Holstein.
During the French annexation (1811–1813) in the wake of the Napoleonic war against Britain, it was also known as "Le Vieux-Bourg" in French. The city is at the rivers Hunte and Haaren, in the northwestern region between the cities of Bremen in the east and Groningen (Netherlands) in the west. According to Germany's 2022 census, the city's population is 172,759. Oldenburg is part of the Northwest Metropolitan Region, which is home to approximately 2.8 million people.
The city is the place of origin of the House of Oldenburg. Before the end of the German Empire (1918), it was the administrative centre and residence of the monarchs of Oldenburg.
History.
Archaeological finds point to a settlement dating back to the 8th century. The first documentary evidence, in 1108, referenced "Aldenburg" in connection with Elimar I (also known as Egilmar I) who is now commonly seen as the first count of Oldenburg. The town gained importance due to its location at a ford of the navigable Hunte river. Oldenburg became the capital of the County of Oldenburg (later a Duchy (1774–1810), Grand Duchy (1815–1918), and Free State (1918–1946)), a small state in the shadow of the much more powerful Hanseatic city of Bremen.
In the 17th century Oldenburg was a wealthy town in a time of war and turmoil and its population and power grew considerably. In 1667, the town was struck by a disastrous plague epidemic and, shortly after, a fire destroyed Oldenburg. The Danish kings, who were also counts of Oldenburg at the time, had little interest in the condition of the town and it lost most of its former importance. In 1773, Danish rule ended. Only then were the destroyed buildings in the city rebuilt in a neoclassicist style. (German-speakers usually call the "neoclassicist style" of that period ', while ' specifically refers to the classicist style of the early 20th century.)
After the German government announced the abdication of Emperor Wilhelm II (9 November 1918) following the exhaustion and defeat of the German Empire in World War I, monarchic rule ended in Oldenburg as well with the abdication of Grand Duke Frederick Augustus II of Oldenburg "()" on 11 November 1918. The Grand Duchy now became the Free State of Oldenburg "()", with the city remaining the capital.
In the 1928 city elections, the Nazi Party received 9.8% of the vote, enough for a seat on the Oldenburg city council. In the September 1930 Oldenburg state elections, the Nazi Party's share of the vote rose to 27.3%, and on May 29, 1932, the Nazi Party received 48.4% in the state election, enough to put the Nazi party in charge of forming a state government and, significantly, making Oldenburg the first state in the country to put the Nazis in power based on electoral turnout. By that autumn, a campaign of Aryanization began, forcing the sale of formerly Jewish-owned properties at steep discounts.
In 1945, after World War II, the State of Oldenburg became part of the British zone of occupation. The British military government of the Oldenburg region resided in the city. Several displaced-persons camps were set up in the city that had suffered only 1.4% destruction during the bombing campaigns of World War II. About 42,000 refugees migrated into Oldenburg, which raised the number of residents to over 100,000. In 1946 the Free State of Oldenburg was dissolved and the area became the 'Administrative District' of Oldenburg "()" within the newly formed federal German state of Lower Saxony "()". The city was now capital of the district. In 1978 the district was dissolved and succeeded by the newly formed Weser-Ems administrative region "()", again with the city as administrative capital. The state of Lower Saxony dissolved all of the by the end of 2004 in the course of administrative reforms.
City government.
Local elections take place every five years. The city council "(Stadtrat)" has 50 seats. The lord mayor "(Oberbürgermeister)" is elected directly by the citizens.
Economy and infrastructure.
Transport.
The city centre of Oldenburg is surrounded by a ring of freeways (autobahns) consisting of A 28, A 29 and A 293. Because of this, Oldenburg is connected to the nationwide network of federal autobahns, as well as to the international E-road network (German: "Europastraßen").
Oldenburg Central Station, "Oldenburg (Oldb) Hauptbahnhof", is at the intersection of the railway lines Norddeich Mole—Leer—Oldenburg—Bremen and Wilhelmshaven—Oldenburg—Osnabrück, with Intercity services to Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden and InterCityExpress services to Frankfurt and Munich.
Oldenburg is only about half an hour drive from Bremen Airport (about 50 km | 31 miles). Other international airports nearby are Hamburg Airport (160 km | 100 miles) and Hannover-Langenhagen Airport (170 km | 106 miles).
The small Hatten Airfield, (Flugplatz Oldenburg-Hatten ICAO airport code: EDWH), is located about 17 km south-west of Oldenburg. It serves to small aircraft (private planes, gliders, balloons, and helicopters). A flight training school is also located there, and small planes can be chartered. Scenic flights can be booked as well.
Oldenburg is connected to shipping through the Küstenkanal, a ship canal connecting the rivers Ems and Weser. With 1.6 million tons of goods annually, it is the most important non-coastal harbour in Lower Saxony.
Bicycles play a very important part in personal transport.
Agriculture.
The city is surrounded by large agricultural areas, about 80% of which is grassland. There are farms near and even a few within city limits. Predominant agricultural activities of the region are the cultivation of livestock, especially dairy cows and other grazing animals, crops such as grains for food and animal feed, as well as asparagus, corn, and kale.
Industry.
Sea salt production in the Oldenburg region has been used since the 15th century to supply the huge salt demand in the Baltic region. Peat extraction in the area continued for many centuries until it was replaced by coal mines.
Demographics.
As of 31.12.2019 Oldenburg had 169,960 residents. 24.8% of the population were first or second generation immigrants.
Cultural life.
Lutheran community.
Oldenburg is the seat of administration and bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg, whose preaching venue is the St Lamberti Church.
Jewish community.
The history of the Jewish community of Oldenburg dates back to the 14th century. Towards and during the 19th century, the Jews in Oldenburg were always around 1% of the total population, and by that time had acquired their own synagogue, cemetery and school. Most of them were merchants and businessmen. On 1938 Kristallnacht, the town men were led to Sachsenhausen concentration camp, among them Leo Trepp, the community Rabbi who survived and later became an honorary citizen of Oldenburg and honored by a street named after him. Since 1981 an annual commemoration walk (Erinnerungsgang) has been held by Oldenburg citizens in memory of the deportation of the Oldenburg Jews on November 10, 1938. Those who remained after 1938 emigrated to Canada, USA, United Kingdom, Holland or Mandatory Palestine.
After World War II, a group of survivors returned to the city and maintained a small community until it was dissolved during the 1970s. Nevertheless, due to Jewish emigration from the former USSR to Germany in the 1990s, a community of about 340 people is now maintaining its own synagogue, cemetery and other facilities. The old Jewish cemetery, which is no longer active after the opening of a new one, was desecrated twice in 2011 and 2013.
Education.
Tertiary education.
There are two public universities in Oldenburg:
Privately managed institutions of higher education:
Other:
Sports.
Oldenburg hosted the 2007 Fistball World Championship.
It has two football teams, VfB Oldenburg and VfL Oldenburg, who also have a handball section of the same name.
Moreover, Oldenburg is home to the basketball team EWE Baskets Oldenburg.
Twin towns – sister cities.
Oldenburg is twinned with:
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Oldcastle, County Meath
Town in County Meath, Ireland
Oldcastle () is a town in County Meath, Ireland. It is located in the north-west of the county near the border with Cavan, approximately 13 miles (21 km) from Kells. The R154 and R195 regional roads cross in the town's market square. The town is in a townland and civil parish of the same name.
As of the 2022 census the town's population stood at 1,409, a growth rate of more than 70% since the 1996 census (which recorded a population of 826 inhabitants).
History.
The area was the birthplace of St Oliver Plunkett, the last Irish Catholic martyr to die in England.
Oldcastle is the 18th century creation of the Naper family who had received parts of the Plunkett estate following the Cromwellian wars. St. Oliver Plunkett, who served as Lord Archbishop of Armagh in the seventeenth century, and who was hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn in Middlesex (now in the Marble Arch area of the City of Westminster in London) in 1681 on false charges, was the most famous member of this family.
It was also the birthplace of Isaac Jackson, son of Anthony Jackson III (who some say was a yeoman son in turn of the Charles II courtier, Sir Anthomy Jackson II, of Killingswold Grove, East Yorkshire, England) of Eccleston, Lancashire, England who died in nearby County Cavan after 1666. Isaac was an early Quaker in Ireland, as was his father. He moved to Ballitore, County Kildare, where he married and raised a large family, mostly all of whom emigrated with their parents to Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA in 1725.
Oldcastle suffered quite badly during the Great Famine and subsequent emigration. Owing to the continuation of a Gaelic way of life in the north of the county, Oldcastle suffered far more than the richer more arable land in the southern part of County Meath. The poorest class lived where Irish culture was strongest and were obliterated by starvation and emigration. Nonetheless, land patterns visible today still reveal a strong attachment to the pastoral farming of Gaelic culture. Politically and culturally the area has a strong tradition of support for radical republicanism, the Gaelic Athletic Association and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann; a local paper published in the town in the early 1900s gave its name to one of the Irish political parties, Sinn Féin.
Oldcastle Workhouse was located on St. Oliver Plunkett Street (formerly Lennox Street), part of the R195 (the main road to Castlepollard), on the southern edge of the town. Designed by George Wilkinson in a neo-Tudor style, and probably built in the late 1830s or early 1840s, it was demolished before the 1950s. Mellow's Park was built by Meath County Council on the site around 1950. Many Germans, Austrians and Hungarians were interned in the old workhouse by the British Government during the First World War.
Fennor Upper and Lower in Oldcastle is said to be named after Queen Medb's daughter, Findabair (Fennor). In Irish Mythology, she was sent as an offering to Cú Chulainn in his fight against Medb and her army from Connacht. She was killed by Cú Chulainn and the area was named after the place where she was murdered and buried.
In 1923, Micheal Grealy, a member of the anti-treaty IRA, robbed two banks – The Hibernian Bank and the Northern Bank – for which he was executed in Mullingar Barracks.
A monument was erected in 1961 in Oldcastle Square by Meath Brigades Executive, Old IRA Federation, 1916–1921 to the memory of Commandant Seamus Coogan and Commandant Patrick McDonnell who were killed by British Crown Forces during the War of Independence. The monument in the form of a cross was unveiled by Seán Dowling, Chairman of the National Federation of the Old IRA.
In November 1997 Michael McKevitt and other IRA dissidents held a meeting in a farmhouse in Oldcastle, County Meath, and a new organisation styling itself Óglaigh na hÉireann was formed. The organisation attracted disaffected Provisional IRA members from the republican stronghold of South Armagh, as well as other areas including Dublin, Belfast, Limerick, Tipperary, County Louth, County Tyrone and County Monaghan.
Oldcastle Detention camp (1916–1918).
All of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1914 when the First World War broke out. The Alien Restriction Act 1914 was passed on 5 August 1914. The Act introduced strict controls on freedom of movement of foreign nationals and introduced a system of registration with the police. The Act also contained powers to deport foreign nationals and to intern all Austrian and German males between the ages of 17 and 42 i.e. men of military age. ‘The Oldcastle detention camp was the only permanent civilian POW camp in Ireland, detaining so called “enemy aliens”. This was due to a fear that these men would betray Britain by returning home and joining the German Army or becoming spies in Britain. Not all German and Austrian nationals residing in Ireland were detained immediately. These individuals tended to be citizens who had influential contacts and whose good conduct was guaranteed by them. However, even these men were detained eventually.
After this Act was passed, the British War Office started looking for suitable buildings to convert into detention centres. As stated by John Smith, "disused workhouses were ideal. They had much of the infrastructure to hold hundreds of people: dormitories, kitchens, dining halls, water, washing facilities, an infirmary, store rooms, recreation yards etc". These also had the bonus of being easy to defend with their high walls and being on the outskirts of towns. Oldcastle Workhouse met these requirements perfectly.
In 1838 The Poor Law Act was passed which aimed to relieve the poor/destitute by providing basic food and accommodation. Oldcastle Workhouse was built and opened in 1842 to accommodate 600 people. By 1914 there were only 50 inmates living in the building. After the military approved the conversion of the workhouse into a detention centre, these remaining residents were moved to other workhouses in the area. In November 1914, the building was converted. The eight foot perimeter walls were reinforced, ‘There are nine sentry boxes around the workhouse grounds, while several galvanized houses have been erected... The grounds are surrounded by barbed wire entanglements about 5 feet high and 14 feet wide.’ Quoted from "The Anglo Celt", a newspaper in the area at the time of the camp.
On 12 December 1914 ‘The long expected German prisoners arrived this week in Oldcastle and took up quarters in the disused workhouse.’ This was a headline from the time, "The Meath Chronicle" on the day the arrival. The "Meath Chronicle" reported that via a specially commissioned train 68 German inmates were transported into the town. From there they were marched through the town under armed guards to their new residence. Two days later another 26 civilians were moved into the camp. This continued steadily from late 1914 to 1915. 304 inmates were in the camp by February 1915 this number increased to 579 by June 1916. By this time every space in the workhouse was being utilised by the camp commandant Major Robert Johnson including the workhouses church sacristy. ‘Written accounts show that the highest recorded number of prisoners being held at the Oldcastle Detention Camp was 583 – the building appeared to be operating at full capacity.’ As taken from John Smith's article on the subject. Up to thirty men were housed in a room on regulation camp beds - that is, plank beds with sacks stuffed with straw serving as mattresses - one pillow and three blankets per man.
The detainees were civilians from vastly different backgrounds. This ranged from clergymen, jewellery makers and musicians to cooks, butlers and butchers. Though the prison was not entirely pleasant the inmates had some privileges especially those who came from a better background. It was possible for the more affluent inmates to buy their own rooms and hire their own servants from among the less affluent detainees. The British wanted to divide the classes as they believed it was not acceptable to put a docker with a doctor. As part of camp life they were allowed to write and send two letters a week containing twenty-four lines. Parcels could be received and visitors were allowed for 15 minutes twice a month. One inmate, Aloys Fleischmann, a Bavarian church musician and composer, wrote to his wife and requested “three blankets and a pillow, a warm knitted Jacket, waterproof boots, a wash bowl, a kettle and mug, cutlery, tobacco and books.” This quote was taken from John Smith's research article. We can gather from this that conditions in camp were cold, damp and basic. Although it is also reported that if they could gather 100 prisoners they would go on a four-mile march for exercise ending up in a pub in Dromone. They were even allowed to go in and buy a drink. Aloys Fleischmann kept a diary while in the camp.
A journalist visited the camp in June 1915, ‘he stated that he was “met by a large body of men” and described them as “fine strapping men”’. Account taken from John Smith’s article on the camp. These men caused no trouble for the guards but seemed bored and had nothing to do. The reported goes on to lament that they should be put to better use. Certainly, in the early days the inmates had nothing to occupy their time so this could have been the reason for four of the detainees to be sent to the mental asylum in Mullingar. By July 1916 it was reported that the detainees had formed committees to run the camp. They took charge of their own washing, drinking water and cooking. There were 3 bakers and 12 cooks among the inmates who provided all the meals for the camp. They were provided with regulation provisions which included "bread, biscuits, fresh or frozen meat, tea, coffee, salt, sugar, condensed milk, fresh vegetables, cheese, butter, peas, beans, lentils and rice". Account taken from John Smith's article on the detention centre. The rest of the men practiced their trades by making toys, jewellery, boots and wood-carving. Many men spent their days painting and sketching. The camp also had two orchestras’ which gave concerts and played for dramatic performances.
Apart from the boredom one of the other issues for the inmates was the relationships with their families. This led to many divorces and estrangement from their children. There were numerous escape attempts reported in newspapers. One of the most notorious attempts was by Carl Morlang and Aphonsus Grein who managed to escape for a few days. On the night of 14 August at 9.30 pm the prisoners were noticed missing at roll-call. Morlang and Grein left the prison and made their way northwards to Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan, disguised as two clergymen. ‘At the village of Denn a few miles from Cavan, Grein entered the public house and treated all hands in lavish style.’ An account taken from The Anglo Celt. They were captured the following day by the local constabulary and returned to the camp. When they were searched they were found to be carrying maps, supplies and money which they should not have been able to obtain. Also among their belongings it was said there was a letter addressed to Charles Fox thanking him for helping them escape. He was a decorated ex-officer in the British Army and a successful businessman. He was very republican in his views so he was arrested and tried for treason, which was a hanging offence. However, the charges were dropped. He returned to Oldcastle and was treated like a hero by the locals.
Two inmates were killed at Oldcastle during the years 1914–1918. One on 17 September 1917 during an escape with another inmate. August Bockmeyer was shot when he refused to stop. Although he survived the shooting he later succumbed to his injuries. There was an enquiry and it was declared that ‘Private Tiernan’s actions to be “quite justified” in the “discharge” of his duty.’ As stated by the article by John Smith. The second, Franz Xaver Seemeier, died in January 1917. According to the information given to the press by the camp authorities, the detainee was playing football when he collided with another player and was taken to the infirmary; the following day he died from serious internal injuries. According to an account written by an internee, Seemeier was bayoneted by a guard after he had been seen approaching the barbed wire fence.
After the 1916 Rising, the political landscape had changed in most of Ireland. There was an anti-conscription meeting in Oldcastle held on 13 April 1918. The guest speaker was Arthur Griffith, a key figure in Sinn Féin. The rally was attended by thousands of people and was only 300 metres away from the camp. The speeches taking place were very Nationalist and anti-British. Prisoners watched from the roof of the camp ‘from which the meeting was visible’. Account taken from The Anglo Celt. Once the speeches had ended the crowd moved towards the prison but nothing became of this. Following this incident and the political concerns at the time, the British decided to move the prisoners from Oldcastle. On 25 May 1918, a specially commissioned train left Oldcastle to go to the North Wall in Dublin. The prisoners were then taken by ship to Knockaloe Camp on the Isle of Man. Oldcastle was returned to its previous owners the Oldcastle Board of Guardians and fell into disuse. In May 1920, during the War of Independence, Oldcastle Workhouse was set ablaze by the local IRA to stop the British using it as a military base. The main buildings no longer stand; the only thing still standing is the perimeter wall.
Entertainment.
The Oldcastle Agricultural Show is held on the third Sunday in July in the Gilson National Park. Each year it attracts thousands of people to the town. Live music, fashion, children's entertainment, and other events are held. YouTube singer Father Ray Kelly performed at the 2016 event.
Le Chéile Arts & Music Festival is held on the bank holiday weekend in August at various venues around the town. The festival has been running since 1998 and has featured acts such as Aslan, The Saw Doctors, Shane MacGowan, The Riptide Movement and Kodaline. Fr Ray Kelly is also a local feature and performs in his own parish church.
Sport.
Oldcastle is a centre for anglers & is ideally located four miles (6.4 km) from Lough Ramor (County Cavan), a lake that is noted for its coarse fishing.
Oldcastle is also ideally located six miles (10 km) from Lough Sheelin (County Cavan) which is noted for its trout fishing.
Oldcastle GAA club is over 125 years old. It competes in the Meath Intermediate Football Championship are in Division 1 of the League.
The town has a wide range of other clubs available for all to join. The track and mountain running club of Saint Brigid's Athletic club are also located in close proximity of Mullaghmeen forest with such notable members as Gerrard Heery who finished 2nd over 40 in Snowdon international mountain race 2013, and other endurance members who have completed and ranked highly in many international multi day adventure and foot races representing his club and country
Economy & tourism.
Oldcastle acts as a retail and service centre for the surrounding hinterland, and is also home to a number of furniture-manufacturing and engineering businesses.
The town's bed-manufacturing industries have included firms such as Gleneagle Woodcrafts, Briody Bedding and Respa Bedding which are a major source of employment for the area. In 1999, a fire broke out at Gleneagle Woodcrafts, killing one woman. The site has since been restored and continues to operate. A similar event occurred on the night of October 31, 2020, when a fire tore through an Oldcastle Co-Operative building.
There are the engineering firms located in the parish of Moylagh, County Meath, approximately from the town. These industries have attracted immigrants to the area for work, including from Lithuania and Poland. As of the 2016 census, for example, there were approximately 210 Lithuanian-born people living in the town.
Oldcastle is located a short distance from the Loughcrew Cairns, a tourist attraction that was built around 3300 BCE as passage tombs.
Local geography.
Oldcastle is located in the foothills of Sliabh na Caillaigh.
In 2005, an environmental disaster occurred in Oldcastle when a sewage treatment plant overflowed and spilled into the River Inny. 4,000 wild brown trout were killed as a result.
Education.
There is a mixed primary school, Gilson National School, and a secondary school, St. Oliver Post Primary. This secondary school has been expanded in recent years, with the opening of a new building in 2002.
The secondary school celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009, opening four new classrooms on the date. Noel Dempsey and Bishop Micheal Smith were present. On 3 March 2007 the school won the All-Ireland Vocational Schools Championship Senior Cup 'B' Competition in Gaelic football.
Recently a new community library was opened replacing a smaller library in the town and is located next to the local Credit Union.
Architecture.
The Gilson National School is said by the local Chamber of Commerce to be the "Gem in the Crown of Oldcastle's architecture". The Gilson National School's trust and building owe their existence to the generosity of Laurence Gilson, a native of Oldcastle and Moylagh Parish. A statue of Gilson was unveiled in May 2011. Gilson donated money to the town of Oldcastle in 1810 for the establishment of a multi-faith school.
The Show Hall in Oldcastle is located near the church. It hosts bingo, show dances, show bands and Le Chéile concerts annually.
Transport.
Rail.
Oldcastle railway station, at the end of a branch line from Navan, opened on 17 March 1863 and for many years provided a source of revenue and income for local farmers as well as other industries in the area by allowing local goods and produce to be transported to the main ports of Ireland for export. The station closed for passenger traffic on 14 April 1958 and the branch finally closed altogether on 1 April 1963, during a period when numerous railway lines were being closed.
Bus.
Bus Éireann route 187 services Oldcastle from Monday to Saturday. It provides transport to neighbouring towns and villages of Mountnugent, Ballyjamesduff, Virginia and Kells. Onward connections e.g. to Dublin, Cavan, Navan and Enniskillen are available at Virginia/Kells. There are four journeys both to and from Oldcastle each weekday. Subject to road safety the bus will stop to pick up and set down passengers at any safe point along the route.
International relations.
Oldcastle has a town twinning agreement with Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.
References.
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Oldenzaal
Oldenzaal (; Tweants: "Oldnzel") is a municipality and a city in the eastern province of Overijssel in the Netherlands. It is part of the region of Twente and is close to the German border.
It received city rights in 1249. Historically, the city was part of the Hanseatic League as a subsidiary city of the fellow Hanseatic city of Deventer.
Located on the A1 motorway from Amsterdam to Germany, Oldenzaal also has a rail connection to Hengelo and Bad Bentheim.
As of December 2022 Oldenzaal has a population of 31,958 people.
In the Netherlands, Oldenzaal is well known for its carnival festivities. During the carnival season Oldenzaal is known as "Boeskool-stad" which is a local dialect of the word Cabbage-town. During the main carnival weekend over 100,000 people come for the big parade showing high and mighty carnival trucks.
Transportation.
The town is served by the Oldenzaal railway station.
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Oldedalen
River valley in Western Norway
Oldedalen is a river valley in Stryn Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The long valley runs north-south and ends at the Nordfjorden at the village of Olden. The south end of the valley reaches up to the great Jostedalsbreen glacier inside Jostedalsbreen National Park. The small Briksdalsbreen is a smaller arm that branches off the main Jostedalsbreen glacier, and it sits at the end of the Oldedalen valley. It is a tourist attraction due to its easy to reach location. The western side of the valley is a fairly steep wall of mountains with the Myklebustbreen glacier at the top.
The lake Oldevatnet lies in the center of the valley for most of its length. At the north end of the valley, the lake empties into the river Oldeelva, which flows into the Nordfjorden. Both the Olden Church and the historic Old Olden Church are located near the north end of the valley; the Ljosheim Chapel lies at the valley's southern end.
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Hans Olden
Austrian actor
Hans Olden (1892–1975) was an Austrian stage and film actor. Olden appeared in more than eighty films during his career, mostly in Austria but occasionally also in Germany. He was a supporter of the Austrian Nazi Party, his interest in Nazism pre-dating the Anchluss by some years. After the Second World War Olden appeared in a number of Heimat films.
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Olderdalen
Village in Kåfjord, Norway
, , or is the administrative centre of the municipality of Kåfjord Municipality (also known as "Gáivuotna Municipality" and "Kaivuono Municipality") in Troms county, Norway. Olderdalen is located in the Olderdalen valley along the Kåfjorden with a view of the Lyngen Alps. The village has a ferry connection to Lyngseidet, the administrative centre of Lyngen Municipality, across the fjord. The European route E6 highway passes through this village also.
Olderdalen is located about to the northwest of the village of Birtavarre and it is about to the east of the city of Tromsø. Kåfjord Church is located in this village. The village has a population (2023) of 286 and a population density of .
Economy.
The Olderdalen area is home to mainly farming and fishing. Raising sheep and dairy cattle are two of the most prominent types of agriculture in the area. There is also grocery services as well as public and private services.
History.
During World War II many of the houses and farms in Olderdalen fell victim of the German scorched earth tactics when they withdrew from Finland and Finnmark. This led to much of the infrastructure and buildings in the village being destroyed to prevent the invading Soviet forces from obtaining supplies.
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Oelde

Oelde () is a town in the district of Warendorf, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located near Beckum.
Geography.
Division of the town.
Oelde consists of 5 districts:
Neighbouring places.
The neighboring municipalities and cities are clockwise, starting in the north:
International relations.
Oelde is (not officially) twinned with:
History.
The name Oelde was first mentioned in a document around 890 as "Ulithi im Dreingau" in the Urbar of the Werden monastery.
In 1457 a conflagration destroyed the city. In 1498, after the reconstruction, Oelde had 750 citizens. Another fire raged in 1605 and destroyed a total of 18 houses, barns and the town hall.
In 1939, Oelde was given its own exit when the motorway A 2 was built.
In the 1950s and 1960s, a high number of visitors came to Oelde when diplomats accepted the invitation of the Federal Presidents Heuss and Lübke to hunt small game in the state forest "Geisterholz". These events were commonly known as "diplomatic hunts."
In 2001 Oelde hosted one of the most important flower shows ever organized in Westphalia with more than 2.2 million visitors. Since then, the city garden, included in the exhibition grounds and embellished for the occasion, has been commercially exploited under the name "Park of the four seasons" (Vier-Jahreszeiten-Park).
Economy.
Oelde is a centre of metal and lumber production, publishing, and also higher education through its nursing college.
It is also home to the headquarters of GEA (Westfalia Separator), a manufacturer of centrifuges and dairy machines and the headquarters of Haver & Boecker, a manufacturer of wire weaving.
Transport.
Roads.
Oelde is connected to the Bundesautobahn 2.
Railways.
The Hamm–Minden railway connects Oelde station to the German rail network. The line is served by the Rhein-Weser-Express and the Ems-Börde-Bahn every hour.
References.
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Oldeholtwolde
Oldeholtwolde () is a village in Weststellingwerf in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 150 in 2017.
The village was first mentioned in 1320 as Oldeholtwolt, and means "old low-lying wood". Olde (old) has been added to distinguish from Nijeholtwolde. The Dutch Reformed church was destroyed in a storm around 1700. A new church was built in 1875.
In 1840, Oldeholtwolde was home to 149 people.
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External links.
 Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

Olpe, Germany
Town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Olpe is a town situated in the foothills of the Ebbegebirge in North Rhine-Westphalia, roughly 60 km east of Cologne and 20 km northwest of Siegen. It is part of the "Regierungsbezirk" of Arnsberg and is the seat of the district of Olpe.
Geography.
Location.
Olpe lies in the Sauerland on the southern edge of the Ebbegebirge Nature Park. In the town's north lies South Westphalia's biggest reservoir, the Biggesee.
Rivers and mountains.
The highest mountains are:
The inner town is ringed by the following hills:
The municipal area also has a few rivers or brooks that all empty into the Biggesee:
Other rivers in the municipal area:
The Veischedebach does not empty into the Biggesee, but rather into the Lenne near Grevenbrück.
Geology.
Olpe is found in a broad stretch of hilly country. In the town's north, the slopes are steeper and the dales narrower (for instance near the centres of Rhode and Neger); in the south, the hills have soft knolls and the dales are more spacious. There are also no plateaux there.
The area around the Biggesee and the main town of Olpe, as the "Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung" (Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning) sees them, are included in the "Mittelbiggebergland" (Middle Bigge Mountain Land), while the eastern and southern portions of the municipal area are designated "Südsauerländer Rothaarvorhöhen" (South Sauerland Rothaar Foothills).
The municipal area is an integral part of the "Rheinisches Schiefergebirge" (Rhenish Slate Mountains).
The underlying minerals around the middle and upper Bigge are made up to a considerable degree of schistose, partly chalky clays and coarse clay. Furthermore, there are sandstones with quartzitelike characteristics.
Municipal area’s extent.
Olpe's municipal area has a total area of 86 km2. Its greatest extent is in both the north–south and east–west directions, reaching 11 km. Olpe's lowest point is the Biggesee lying at 307.5 m above sea level, and its highest point is the Engelsberg near Neuenkleusheim at 589 m above sea level.
Constituent communities.
The municipal area is divided into the following centres:
Altenkleusheim, Apollmicke, Bruch, Dahl, Eichhagen, Fahlenscheid, Friedrichsthal, Griesemert, Grube Rhonard, Günsen, Hardt, Hanemicke, Hitzendumicke, Hof Siele, Hohl, Howald, Hüppcherhammer, Kessenhammer, Lütringhausen, Möllendick, Neger (divided into Unter-, Mittel- and Oberneger), Neuenkleusheim, Neuenwald, Oberveischede, Rehringhausen, Rhode, Rhonard, Ronnewinkel, Rosenthal, Rüblinghausen, Saßmicke, Siedenstein, Sondern, Stachelau, Stade, Tecklinghausen Thieringhausen and Waukemicke.
Climate.
Owing to the location of the hills and the west wind, it rains often in Olpe. The clouds gather water vapour over the Atlantic Ocean, and when they run into the slopes in the hilly country around Olpe, they rise and the water vapour condenses into bigger droplets because of the cooler temperatures. These then fall as rain.
The coldest month is January, and the warmest July. The high humidity in the winter months often leads to fog.
History.
Olpe supposedly got its name from an older name for the land at the forks of the Olpe and Bigge ("Ol-apa" = brook in moist meadowland)
The first archaeological finds in the Olpe area date to about AD 900: potsherds and slag (from iron mining and working) in the abandoned centre of Kimickerberg, coins in Dahl (from after 1005).
Olpe had its first documentary mention in 1220. In 1311 it was granted town rights on the Soest model by the archbishop-elector of Cologne, Count Heinrich II of Virneburg. In 1500, the "Kreuzkapelle" (Cross Chapel) was first mentioned. The first evidence of a shooting society followed in 1525.
History also records evidence of witch trials being held in the Olpe judicial area between 1587 and 1697.
In 1615, Olpe had its first schoolteacher, and in 1634 it had a great fire. The first vow to Saint Agatha of Catania for protection against conflagrations, however, was not recorded until 1665. Eight years later came the first vow to Saint Roch of Montpellier against the Plague and other pestilences. In 1696, the last witch was sentenced.
In 1711, the post first came to Olpe. In 1795, the Great Fire of Olpe destroyed 83% of the town. When the town was built once again, the old mediaeval appearance was cast aside in favour of a master plan that saw three broad, parallel streets built, connected by sidestreets running at right angles to them.
In 1819 Olpe became a district seat. At that time, it was the seat of the Bilsteiner Kreis; today it fills that place in the district of Olpe.
In 1828, the shooting club was refounded. Its name is St.-Sebastianus-Schützenverein. The Evangelical community was founded between 1842 and 1844. In 1863, the "Arme Franziskanerinnen von der ewigen Anbetung" (Poor Franciscans of the Everlasting Worship), a Catholic women's order whose main work is in taking care of children and nursing, was founded. It is nowadays known as the "Franziskanerinnen von der ewigen Anbetung zu Olpe" (Franciscans of the Everlasting Worship at Olpe).
In 1864, there was a telegraph station in Olpe. In 1875, the railway reached Olpe, running at first to Attendorn and Finnentrop. Then came an Olpe-Rothemühle line in 1880, and in 1903, another to Bergneustadt. In 1888, the town had its first electric light.
In 1908, the "St.-Martinus-Kirche" (church) burnt down almost utterly owing to, it is believed, arson. It was built anew in 1909, but this time in the Gothic Revival style.
On 28 March 1945, in the Second World War’s dying days, Olpe was heavily bombed. In 1965, the Bigge Reservoir ("Biggetalsperre") was created through damming.
The Bundesautobahn 45 and the Bundesautobahn 4 were opened in 1971 and 1976 respectively.
Religion.
Olpe’s population is overwhelmingly Catholic. The town’s patron is Saint Martin of Tours.
Catholic.
Olpe belongs to the Archbishopric of Paderborn. At the middle level, Olpe is ecclesiastically administered by the Deanery of the South Sauerland, which was formed out of the former deaneries of Attendorn, Elspe and Olpe on 1 July 2006, and is coëxtensive with the district of Olpe.
At the lowest level, there are two parish clusters ("Pastoralverbünde") in Olpe:
Once a year, in early July, at the Festival of the Assumption, hundreds take part in the town pilgrimage from Olpe to Werl.
Moreover, there are two monastic establishments:
The Pallottines’ provincial head has stated that his congregation will, at least in the medium term, stay in Olpe. For economic reasons, however, the order has sold the building to an investor who wants to set up 40 dwellings for the aged and 100 fully equipped nursing care places. The Brethren and the Father are staying in rented accommodations in town while the conversion is being done. They are to return to the Pallotti-haus afterwards as renters. Spiritual work is to continue unchanged.
Protestant.
There has been a Protestant parish since 1844. To it belongs Olpe's oldest church, which was built of red brick in 1898.
Other religious communities.
An Evangelical Free Church community, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the New Apostolic Church, an Islamic community and the Greek Orthodox Church are all represented in town.
Amalgamations.
As a result of municipal restructuring on 1 July 1969, the “old town” (the older town of Olpe and the outlying former "Amt") has now been joined by the formerly autonomous communities of Kleusheim, Olpe-Land and Rhode as well as by parts of the old communities of Helden (Oberveischede, Tecklinghausen, Neuenwald), Rahrbach (Fahlenscheid) and Kirchveischede (Apollmicke) to form a new, expanded municipal area swelling from a former 12.78 km2 to 85.65 km2 in area, and from 14,184 to 21,705 in population
Politics.
Youth parliament.
The "Jugendparlament" has existed since late 2005. It represents youth's interests with the goal of developing proposals for improving the situation for children in Olpe and of suggesting measures to be taken, so that the town's council and administration can be more strongly responsive to children's and youths’ wishes.
The youth parliament currently consists of 25 members, each elected for a two-year mandate by secondary schools. For every 150 students, one representative is elected, although each school gets at least two representatives. All students, even those from neighbouring communities, in Years 5 to 10 may vote at the schools in Olpe. Only students who live in Olpe, however, may stand as candidates.
The youth parliament sits, usually publicly, at least four times each year. If it is so wished, working groups can be formed at sittings for various projects in which even unelected member children and youths may work.
Mayors and Directors.
From 1946 until 1997, the chief administrative office in Olpe was known as the "Stadtdirektor" (“Town Director”). The "Bürgermeister" (“Mayors”) were honorary and had mostly ceremonial duties.
Coat of arms.
The arms show an episode from Saint Martin's life, when he gave a beggar half his coat. As early as 1360, this scene adorned the town's oldest seal. In 1911, as a sign of the long membership in the Archbishop-Electorate of Cologne (1180-1802), the cross of the Archbishop-Electors of Cologne was added to the upper right corner.
Town partnerships.
Since 28 July 2001 there has been a partnership arrangement with the French town of Gif-sur-Yvette. The town Gymnasium in Olpe has for years been conducting student exchanges with a "collège" in Gif-sur-Yvette.
Culture and sightseeing.
Culture plays an important role in the district seat. The town cultural office's regular events, as well as those staged by clubs from various fields form the portrait of cultural work in Olpe. Concerts of all kinds, plays, musicals, cabaret acts,