Leer, Lower Saxony: Difference between revisions

Leer
Leer
Town
	View of the town hall and harbor
	Flag Coat of arms
	Location of Leer within Leer district
	Leer Leer
	Coordinates: 53°13′51″N 7°27′10″E / 53.23083°N 7.45278°E
Land	Deutschland
State	Lower Saxony
District	Leer
Subdivisions	9 Subdivisions
Regierung
• Mayor (2021–26)	Claus-Peter Horst (Ind.)
Area
• Total	70.30 km2 (27.14 sq mi)
Elevation	3 m (10 ft)
Population (2022-12-31)
• Total	35,663
• Density	510/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	26789
Dialling codes	0491
Vehicle registration	LER
Website	www.leer.de

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Leer (German pronunciation: [leːɐ̯] ^ⓘ) is a town in the district of Leer, in the northwestern part of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Leda,^[3] a tributary of the river Ems, near the border with the Niederlande. With 34,958 inhabitants (2021), it is the third-largest city in East Frisia after Emden and Aurich.

It has a railway and autobahn connection to Groningen, Netherlands, Emden, Bremen and the South (Rheine and the Ruhr industrial region).

Geography

Leer had been a settlement long before it was first mentioned in written documents. Originally, the city was situated at a meander near the mouth of the river Leda into the Ems, which is still the center of the town today. Even though Leer is some 30 km (19 mi) away from the coast, it can be reached by large ships via the Ems. Leer lies close to the Dutch border; the district of Leer shares a border with the Dutch province of Groningen. The island and nature reserve of Bingumer Sand lies within the district.

History

Historical affiliations

County of East Frisia 1464–1744
Kingdom of Prussia 1744–1806
Kingdom of Holland 1806–1810
First French Empire 1810–1813
Kingdom of Prussia 1813–1815
Kingdom of Hanover 1815–1866
Kingdom of Prussia 1866–1871
German Empire 1871–1918
Weimar Republic 1918–1933
Nazi Germany 1933–1945
Allied-occupied Germany 1945–1949
West Germany 1949–1990
Deutschland 1990–present

Remains of the *Feste Leerort* at the mouth of the Leda into the Ems river, 1453–1760

There are many traces of early settlements in the area, including crude flint tools that are dated back to roughly 3200 BC.

In 791 AD Saint Ludger built the first chapel in East Frisia at the western edge of the settlement Leer, then still named Hleri after feetlot, willow. This chapel is mentioned for the first time in a written document from 850 AD.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, Leer was hometown of the Ukena family, which was one most influential East-Frisian chieftain families of that time. The town profited from the trade with the Hanse, and a fortress Leerort was built.

In 1508, Count Edzard obtained the official right to host a market, which started the tradition of the "Gallimarkt," which is now an annual fair. In 1744 East Frisia fell to Prussia, then ruled by Frederick the Great. Town privileges were awarded in 1823^[3] by George IV, King of Hanover.

In 1854 Leer became connected to the "Hannoversche Westbahn" railway, which at that time connected Emden and Rheine in the Ruhr area. In 1856, the Westbahn was connected to the central German railway network.

Unlike Emden, Leer only suffered little damage by Allied bombing in World War II. The city was occupied by Canadian troops on 28 April 1945.

On 1 October 1955, Leer received the status of an independent city.

Politics

Since 1964 the city's government has been led by the Social-Democratic Party SPD. The major opposition parties are the Christian Democratic Union Party CDU, the Green Party and the Allgemeine Wählergemeinschaft (AWG), an independent local party. The mayor of Leer is Claus-Peter Horst, elected in 2021.^[1]

The town council consists of (elections of 2016):^[4]

SPD: 36.7% / 14 seats
CDU: 27.9% / 11 seats
AWG: 10.2% / 4 seats
Grüne: 13.9% / 5 seats
FDP: 3.0% / 1 seat
The Left: 3.1% / 1 seat
CDL: 3.5% / 1 seat
BfL 1.3%: / 1 seat
Haase 0.5%: / 0 seat

Mayors

Term of office	Mayor
1812–1814	Maire Willem Cramer von Baumgarten
1814–1842	Abraham Erlenholtz (till 1823 temporary)
1843–1852	Adolf Wilhelm Hillingh
1852–1857	Georg Heinrich Leonhard Schow
1857–1888	Julius Pustau
1888–1913	August Dieckmann
1914–1917	City counsel Gerhard Tschackert (temporary)
1917–1920	Emil Helms
1920–1933	Erich vom Bruch
1933–1945	Erich Drescher
1945–1946	Albrecht Graf von Wedel
1946	Johann Epkes
1946	Hermann Uebel
1946–1948	Louis Thelemann
1948–1950	Ernst Stendel
1950–1964	Hermann Uebel
1964–1968	Friedrich Geerdes
1968	Heinrich Klasen
1968–1973	Horst Milde
1973–2001	Günther Boekhoff
2001–2014	Wolfgang Kellner (independent)
2014–2021	Beatrix Kuhl (CDU)
2021–incumbent	Claus-Peter Horst (independent)

Notable buildings

Harderwykenburg
Haneburg
Evenburg
Philippsburg (Castle)
Telecommunication tower "Leer-Nüttermoor" (Height:160 meters)

City Hall in Leer
City Centre in Leer

Religion

Leer is a traditional Protestant city and home to both the Lutheran and Reformed churches. The German Reformed Church has its head office in Leer. Furthermore, Leer offers an unusually large variety of smaller religious communities, especially Baptists, Mennonites, Methodists, Adventists and Mormons. Even though Eastern Frisia is a mainly a Protestant region, there is a small Roman Catholic community in Leer.

Economics and infrastructure

Two autobahns (freeways) cross north of Leer, the A 28 (Leer – Bremen) and the A 31 (Emden – Oberhausen, Ruhr Area). The city itself has three junctions to the autobahns. Leer railway station is a relay station between Groningen and Bremen in the west–east direction and the South and Emden harbour (with a large VW factory and shipping facilities) in the north. The airfield Leer-Papenburg north of the city offers limited passenger flights to nearby airfields, most notably the East Frisian Islands. The closest international airport is Bremen International Airport.

Leer is home to many German shipping companies – about 20 per cent of the German merchant fleet are registered in Leer. The Bünting group Home is based in Leer and is one of the city's main employers. Although Bünting owns several German supermarket chains, the company is best known for their tea, which is available all over Germany.

Each year in autumn the Gallimarkt is held. Traditionally a cattle-market, the Gallimarkt is now one of the largest fairs in Northwest Germany.

Bildung

In Leer there are seven primary schools and numerous secondary schools. The two gymnasiums, Telletta-Gross-Gymnasium and Ubbo-Emmius-Gymnasium, educate more than 1,500 pupils each and are two of the largest grammar schools in Lower Saxony. The Navigation School is now a faculty of the Hochschule Emden – Leer (University of applied science). The town also offers education at two vocational schools.

Twin towns – sister cities

Leer is twinned with:^[5]

Elbląg, Poland
Trowbridge, United Kingdom

Notable people

Focko Ukena (1370–1436), East Frisian chieftain
Ubbo Emmius (1547–1625), theologian, geographer and historian from the University of Groningen
Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff (1705–1750), governor-general of Dutch East India
Petrus Hofstede de Groot (1802-1886), Dutch theologian.^[6]
Johann Ludwig Hinrichs [de] (1818–1901), co-founder of the German Baptists
Onno Klopp (1822–1903), publicist and historian.^[7]
Wilhelmine Siefkes [de] (1890–1984), writer of Low German
Bernhard Bavink [de] (1879–1947), Natural philosopher and scientist
Ernst Reuter (1889–1953), politician and municipal scientist, mayor of West-Berlin 1948–1953, brought up locally
Hermann Lange (1912–1943), blessed priest and Nazi victim
Marron Curtis Fort (1938–2019), linguist and curator of Low German and Frisian languages, lived locally
Karl Dall (1941–2020), presenter, singer and comedian; gained his apprenticeship locally
Friedel Grützmacher (born 1942), politician of Alliance 90/The Greens
H.P. Baxxter (born 1964), singer of the band Scooter
Garrelt Duin (born 1968), former local and national politician (SPD)
Ilka Groenewold (born 1985), TV presenter, singer and amateur athlete.

Sport

Okka Rau (born 1977), beach volleyball player
Christina Hennings (born 1984), rower
Tobias Steffen (born 1992), footballer who has played over 250 games

References

^ ^a ^b "Direktwahlen in Niedersachsen vom 12. September 2021" (PDF). Landesamt für Statistik Niedersachsen. 13 October 2021.
^ "LSN-Online Regionaldatenbank, Tabelle A100001G: Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes, Stand 31. Dezember 2022" (in German). Landesamt für Statistik Niedersachsen.
^ ^a ^b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Leer" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 370.
^ "Stadtratswahl 2016". wahlen.leer.de. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
^ "Städtepartnerschaften". leer.de (in German). Leer. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^ "Hofstede de Groot, Petrus" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 566.
^ "Klopp, Onno" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 847.

External links

Media related to Leer at Wikimedia Commons
Leer travel guide from Wikivoyage
Official website (in German)
Photo collections about Leer (in German)

[mayor-1] "Direktwahlen in Niedersachsen vom 12. September 2021" (PDF). Landesamt für Statistik Niedersachsen. 13 October 2021.

[2] "LSN-Online Regionaldatenbank, Tabelle A100001G: Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes, Stand 31. Dezember 2022" (in German). Landesamt für Statistik Niedersachsen.

[EB1911-3] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Leer" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 370.

[4] "Stadtratswahl 2016". wahlen.leer.de. Retrieved 31 May 2019.

[5] "Städtepartnerschaften". leer.de (in German). Leer. Retrieved 21 January 2021.

[6] "Hofstede de Groot, Petrus" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 566.

[7] "Klopp, Onno" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 847.

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[2]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{other uses}}
 {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
 {{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
@@ Line 19: / Line 18: @@
 |licence          = LER
 |Gemeindeschlüssel = 03 4 57 013
-|divisions        = 9 districts
+|divisions        = 9 Subdivisions
 |website         = [https://www.leer.de/ www.leer.de]
+|mayor           = Claus-Peter Horst<ref name=mayor>{{cite web|url=https://wahlen.statistik.niedersachsen.de/KW2021/reports/DW/20210912_DW_Uebersicht.pdf|title=Direktwahlen in Niedersachsen vom 12. September 2021|date=13 October 2021|publisher=[[Landesamt für Statistik Niedersachsen]]}}</ref>
-|mayor           = Beatrix Kuhl
-|party           = CDU
+|leader_term       = 2021–26
+|party           = Ind
 }}
+[[File:Leer 2023 (1).jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.15|Aerial view of Leer]]
-'''Leer''' is a town in the district of [[Leer (district)|Leer]], the northwestern part of [[Lower Saxony]], Germany. It is situated on the river Leda,<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Leer |volume=16 |page=370}}</ref> a tributary of the river [[Ems (river)|Ems]], near the border with the [[Netherlands]].
+'''Leer''' ({{IPA-de|leːɐ̯|-|De-Leer.ogg}}) is a town in the district of [[Leer (district)|Leer]], in the northwestern part of [[Lower Saxony]], Germany. It is situated on the river Leda,<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Leer |volume=16 |page=370}}</ref> a tributary of the river [[Ems (river)|Ems]], near the border with the [[Netherlands]]. With 34,958 inhabitants (2021), it is the third-largest city in [[East Frisia]] after [[Emden]] and [[Aurich]].
-It has a railway and [[autobahn]] connection to [[Groningen (city)|Groningen]], Netherlands, [[Emden]], [[Bremen]] and the South ([[Rheine]] and the [[Ruhrpott]] industrial region).
+It has a railway and [[autobahn]] connection to [[Groningen (city)|Groningen]], Netherlands, [[Emden]], [[Bremen]] and the South ([[Rheine]] and the [[Ruhr]] industrial region).
 ==Geography==
-Leer had been a settlement long before it was first mentioned in written documents. Originally the city was situated at a [[meander]] near the mouth of the river [[Leda (river)|Leda]] into the Ems, which is still the center of the town today. Even though Leer is some {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} away from the coast, it can be reached by large ships via the Ems.
+Leer had been a settlement long before it was first mentioned in written documents. Originally, the city was situated at a [[meander]] near the mouth of the river [[Leda (river)|Leda]] into the Ems, which is still the center of the town today. Even though Leer is some {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} away from the coast, it can be reached by large ships via the Ems.
 Leer lies close to the Dutch border; the district of Leer shares a border with the Dutch province of [[Groningen (province)|Groningen]]. The island and nature reserve of [[Bingumer Sand]] lies within the district.
@@ Line 54: / Line 55: @@
 In 791 AD Saint [[Ludger]] built the first chapel in [[East Frisia]] at the western edge of the [[town|settlement]] Leer, then still named ''Hleri'' after ''[[feetlot]]'', ''[[willow]]''. This chapel is mentioned for the first time in a written document from 850 AD.
-During the 14th and 15th centuries, Leer was home town of the [[Ukena]] family which was one most influential East-Frisian chieftain families of that time. The town profited from the trade with the [[Hanse]], and a fortress Leerort was built.
+During the 14th and 15th centuries, Leer was hometown of the [[Focko Ukena|Ukena]] family, which was one most influential East-Frisian chieftain families of that time. The town profited from the trade with the [[Hanse]], and a fortress Leerort was built.
 In 1508, Count Edzard obtained the official right to host a market, which started the tradition of the "Gallimarkt," which is now an annual [[fair]]. In 1744 [[East Frisia]] fell to [[Prussia]], then ruled by [[Frederick the Great]]. [[Town privileges]] were awarded in 1823<ref name=EB1911/> by [[George IV of the United Kingdom|George IV]], King of [[Kingdom of Hanover|Hanover]].
@@ Line 65: / Line 66: @@
 ==Politics==
-[[File:Stadt Leer Welcome Sign.jpg|thumb|left|Welcome to the City of Leer, East Frisia.]]Since 1964 the city's government has been led by the Social-Democratic Party [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]. The major opposition parties are the Christian Democratic Union Party [[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|CDU]], the [[German Green Party|Green Party]] and the ''Allgemeine Wählergemeinschaft'' (AWG), an independent local party. The mayor of Leer is Beatrix Kuhl.
+Since 1964 the city's government has been led by the Social-Democratic Party [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]. The major opposition parties are the Christian Democratic Union Party [[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|CDU]], the [[German Green Party|Green Party]] and the ''Allgemeine Wählergemeinschaft'' (AWG), an independent local party. The mayor of Leer is Claus-Peter Horst, elected in 2021.<ref name="mayor" />
 The town council consists of (elections of 2016):<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wahlen.leer.de/App/gw2016.html|title=Stadtratswahl 2016|website=wahlen.leer.de|access-date=31 May 2019}}</ref>
@@ Line 79: / Line 80: @@
 *Haase 0.5%: / 0 seat
-==Notable buildings==
+=== Mayors ===
-* [[Harderwykenburg]]
-* [[Haneburg]]
-* [[Evenburg]]
-* [[Philippsburg (Castle)]]
-* Telecommunication [[tower]] "Leer-Nüttermoor" (Height:160 meters)
-== Mayors ==
 {| class="wikitable"
 |- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
@@ Line 132: / Line 126: @@
 |-
 | 2001–2014 || Wolfgang Kellner (independent)
-|
+|-
+| 2014–2021 || Beatrix Kuhl (CDU)
+|-
+| 2021–incumbent || Claus-Peter Horst (independent)
+|}
+[[File:Stadt Leer Welcome Sign.jpg|thumb|Welcome to the City of Leer, East Frisia.]]
+==Notable buildings==
+* [[Harderwykenburg]]
+* [[Haneburg]]
+* [[Evenburg]]
+* [[Philippsburg (Castle)]]
+* Telecommunication [[tower]] "Leer-Nüttermoor" (Height:160 meters)
 <gallery>
@@ Line 150: / Line 155: @@
 ==Education==
-In Leer there are seven primary schools and numerous secondary schools. The two [[Gymnasium (school)|gymnasiums]], Telletta-Gross-Gymnasium and [[Ubbo-Emmius-Gymnasium]], educate more than 1,500 pupils each and are two of the largest grammar schools in [[Lower Saxony]]. The Navigation School is now faculty of the Hochschule Emden – Leer (University of applied science). The town also offers education at two [[vocational school]]s.
+In Leer there are seven primary schools and numerous secondary schools. The two [[Gymnasium (school)|gymnasiums]], Telletta-Gross-Gymnasium and [[Ubbo-Emmius-Gymnasium]], educate more than 1,500 pupils each and are two of the largest grammar schools in [[Lower Saxony]]. The Navigation School is now a faculty of the Hochschule Emden – Leer (University of applied science). The town also offers education at two [[vocational school]]s.
 ==Twin towns – sister cities==
@@ Line 157: / Line 162: @@
 *{{flagicon|POL}} [[Elbląg]], Poland
 *{{flagicon|UK}} [[Trowbridge]], United Kingdom
-==Other word meanings==
-Leer in Spanish can be translated to reading in English. Leer means to read
 ==Notable people==
-[[File:Ubbo-Emmius.jpg|thumb|160px|Ubbo Emmius around 1605]]
+[[File:Ubbo-Emmius.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Ubbo Emmius]], ca 1605]]
+[[File:Verleihung des Europäischen Handwerkspreises an Karl Kardinal Lehmann-2073.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Garrelt Duin]], 2018]]
 *[[Focko Ukena]] (1370–1436), [[Ostfriesland|East Frisian]] [[chieftain]]
-*[[Ubbo Emmius]] (1547–1625), theologian, historian from the [[University of Groningen]]
+*[[Ubbo Emmius]] (1547–1625), theologian, geographer and historian from the [[University of Groningen]]
-*[[Gustaaf Willem Baron van Imhoff]] (1705–1750), [[governor-general]] of [[Dutch East India]]
+*[[Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff]] (1705–1750), [[governor-general]] of [[Dutch East India]]
+*[[Petrus Hofstede de Groot]] (1802-1886), Dutch theologian.<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Hofstede de Groot, Petrus |volume= 13 |page= 566 |short=1}}</ref>
-*{{illm|Johann Ludwig Hinrichs|de}} (1818–1901), co-founder of the [[German Baptists]]
+*{{illm|Johann Ludwig Hinrichs|de}} (1818–1901), co-founder of the [[Schwarzenau Brethren|German Baptists]]
-*[[Onno Klopp]] (1822–1903), publicist and historian
+*[[Onno Klopp]] (1822–1903), publicist and historian.<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Klopp, Onno |volume= 15 |page= 847 |short=1}}</ref>
-*{{illm|Wilhelmine Siefkes|de}} (1890–1984), author
+*{{illm|Wilhelmine Siefkes|de}} (1890–1984), writer of Low German
 *{{illm|Bernhard Bavink|de}} (1879–1947), [[Natural]] philosopher and scientist
-*[[Ernst Reuter]] (1889–1953), politician and municipal scientist, mayor of West-Berlin 1948–1953
+*[[Ernst Reuter]] (1889–1953), politician and municipal scientist, mayor of West-Berlin 1948–1953, brought up locally
 *[[Hermann Lange]] (1912–1943), blessed priest and Nazi victim
-*[[Marron Curtis Fort]] (1938–2019), professor, linguist and curator of [[Low German]] and [[Frisian languages]]
+*[[Marron Curtis Fort]] (1938–2019), linguist and curator of [[Low German]] and [[Frisian languages]], lived locally
-*[[Karl Dall]] (1941–2020), presenter, singer and comedian
+*[[Karl Dall]] (1941–2020), presenter, singer and comedian; gained his apprenticeship locally
 *[[Friedel Grützmacher]] (born 1942), politician of [[Alliance 90/The Greens]]
 *[[H.P. Baxxter]] (born 1964), singer of the band [[Scooter (band)|Scooter]]
-*[[Garrelt Duin]] (born 1968), politician ([[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]])
+*[[Garrelt Duin]] (born 1968), former local and national politician ([[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]])
+*[[Ilka Groenewold]] (born 1985), TV presenter, singer and amateur athlete.
+=== Sport ===
 *[[Okka Rau]] (born 1977), beach volleyball player
 *[[Christina Hennings]] (born 1984), rower
+*[[Tobias Steffen]] (born 1992), footballer who has played over 250 games
 ==References==
@@ Line 184: / Line 191: @@
 ==External links==
-{{commons category|Leer (Ostfriesland)|Leer}}
+* {{commons category-inline|Leer (Ostfriesland)|Leer}}
 * {{wikivoyage-inline|Leer}}
 * {{Official website}} {{in lang|de}}
-* [http://www.kappenberg.emsnet.de/lebendiges-leer.htm Photo collections about Leer]  {{in lang|de}}
+* [http://www.kappenberg.emsnet.de/lebendiges-leer.htm Photo collections about Leer] {{in lang|de}}
 {{Cities and towns in Leer (district)}}
@@ Line 196: / Line 203: @@
 [[Category:Towns and villages in East Frisia]]
 [[Category:Leer (district)]]
-[[Category:Province of Hanover]]

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