Apen

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coat of arms Germany map
Coat of arms of the municipality of Apen
Apen
Map of Germany, position of the municipality of Apen highlighted

Coordinates: 53 ° 13 '  N , 7 ° 49'  E

Basic data
State : Lower Saxony
County : Ammerland
Height : 3 m above sea level NHN
Area : 76.83 km 2
Residents: 11,692 (Dec. 31, 2019)
Population density : 152 inhabitants per km 2
Postal code : 26689
Primaries : 04489, 04409 , 04499Template: Infobox municipality in Germany / maintenance / area code contains text
License plate : WST
Community key : 03 4 51 001
LOCODE : DE APE
Community structure: 9 farmers
Address of the
municipal administration: 		Hauptstrasse 200
26689 Apen
Website : www.apen.de
Mayor : Matthias Huber ( SPD )
Location of the municipality of Apen in the Ammerland district
Landkreis Wesermarsch Bad Zwischenahn Edewecht Apen Westerstede Rastede Wiefelstede Landkreis Ammerland Niedersachsen Landkreis Cloppenburg Oldenburg Landkreis Oldenburg Landkreis Leer Landkreis Frieslandmap
About this picture

The municipality of Apen ( Aap in Low German ) is the westernmost municipality in the Ammerland district in Lower Saxony ( Germany ).

geography

Apen is located in the natural spatial unit of the Aper Geestrand, which belongs to the Oldenburger Geest, and forms the transition from the Ammerland park landscape to the East Frisian fen area. The community is located in the inflow area of ​​the Ems and still in the tide-dependent area; the difference in height between ebb and flow is just under a meter. Extensive dike protection and dike protection measures have taken place in the past few decades. They prevent large-scale flooding of the municipal area in the winter months.

The next largest city is Oldenburg , about 28 km east of Apen.

Neighboring communities

Apen municipal administration

The municipality of Apen borders, clockwise, starting in the east, on the city of Westerstede and the municipality of Edewecht in the district of Ammerland, on the municipality of Barßel in the district of Cloppenburg and on the communities of Detern and Uplengen in the district of Leer .

Community structure

The municipality of Apen consists of nine farmers with a total of 24 districts:

  • Apen with rye moor and parts of Klauhörn and Lengenermoor
  • Augustfehn I.
  • Augustfehn II with Augustfehn III and the parts of Klauhörn and Legenermoor that do not belong to Apen
  • Espern with Aperfeld, Apermarsch, Godensholterweg, Klampen and Winkel
  • Godensholt with Godensholterfeld, Rothenmethen, Rinzeldorf
  • Hengstforde with Aperberg, Hengstfordfeld and parts of the Nordloh Canal
  • Nordloh with parts of the Nordloh Canal
  • Tange with parts of the Nordloh Canal
  • Vreschen-Bokel with Bokelermoor and Holtgast

Climate and nature

The landscape of the community is characterized by small, curved watercourses and dead straight canals, fen bridges, green dykes, historic hedgerows and the unique freshwater mudflats of the northwest. Due to the proximity to the North Sea , there is a year-round temperate maritime climate. In general, summer and autumn are more humid, while winter and spring are somewhat drier. A number of watercourses run through the municipality, which are connected to the North Sea via Jümme, Leda and Ems, depending on the tide. The Augustfehn Canal, which began in 1840 to drain the moor and as a future transport route for industrialization, is no longer navigable today. The districts of Augustfehn I, Augustfehn II and Augustfehn III are lined up next to it. Since the renovation in 1999, the canal has been subject to the tide.

Aper Tief with a viewing platform and pumping station in the background
Viewing platform at Aper Tief
The photo was taken in the Hengstfordfeld dike and nature reserve on the dike directly on the “Unterster Weg” road near the “Turmstraße” junction.

Dike areas and dike management

  • Apen / Hengstforde (approx. 70 ha)
In the northwest of the municipality are the rare freshwater mud flats. They were created in 2005 by relocating a dike to create a retention area for possible floods from the Aper Tief . Due to the flooding of some parts of the area, which is regularly caused by ebb and flow , a separate flora and fauna is formed in the area designated as the “ Aper Tief ” nature reserve .
  • Vreschen-Bokel (approx. 40 ha)
The entire dike area is protected as a nature reserve or a landscape conservation area. The central ditch that ran through the former meadows from east to west was connected to the Aper Tief via a new "Schloot". This made it possible to create a structure similar to a trough with clear flow dynamics, which guarantees a connection even at low water levels. With the near-natural excavation waters and the regularly flooded areas, new aquatic and amphibious habitats have emerged. a. are available to the local fish fauna as spawning and growth areas. A correspondingly rich settlement was proven by the first fish-ecological studies. In addition, the presence of numerous “fish robbers” such as gray and great egrets , cormorants , great crested grebes and, time and again, sea ​​eagles indicate the abundance of fish. Last but not least, new feeding habitats for meadow birds have emerged. It was possible to observe how lapwing chicks led their chicks over the new dike to search for food in the area. Since the end of the breeding season, in addition to numerous ducks, populations of lapwing, black-tailed snipe , snipe and other wading birds have been observed in the area, which eat up the fat reserves they need for the strenuous return flight to their wintering areas.

history

The first historical mentions of the place can be found around 1230, when the knights of Apen made military successes to the Count of Oldenburg . At that time it was an important border town on the water and land routes to East Frisia . The St. Nikolai Church was built around this time. In 1340 the first windmill in the Ammerland was built in Apen. For centuries, Apen was the most important Ammerland fortress against the East Frisian "foreign countries". In 1457 Apen went up in flames in a feud between the East Frisians and Oldenburgers. In the following years, too, there were repeated fires in Apen, for example in 1465, 1468, 1473. The fortress of Apen was conquered in 1538 by the Prince-Bishop of Münster . In 1582 Count Johann von Oldenburg set up two markets in Apen. The traditional autumn market is still celebrated every year today. The Apen fortress, built around 1515, was expanded into a fort between 1710 and 1730 , which was razed in 1773–1780 . Only the former moat is still there today. The Hengstford mill was built in 1742.

From 1850 onwards, the newly founded Augustfehn I – III bog colony, today the largest town in the municipality, with extensive industrial development and importance for the industrialization of the 19th century in the Oldenburgerland (see Augustfehn ironworks), acquired a specialty.

Population development

The place Apen itself has 2,432 inhabitants. The most populous place in the municipality is Augustfehn with 2,979 inhabitants. Apen and Augustfehn I form two basic centers in the spatial planning program of the Ammerland district.

year Residents
1998 10,349
2005 10,989
2012 11,472
2016 11,447
2017 11,773
2018 11,829

Religions

  • The Catholic chapel congregation St. Johannes in Apen-Augustfehn and the Herz Jesu parish in Westerstede were merged into a common parish. The former parish of St. John has around 750 parishioners.

  • Augustfehn, Catholic Church of John the Baptist

  • Apen, St. Nikolai Church

  • Community center of EFG Augustfehn in Osterkamp

politics

Municipal council

The council of the municipality of Apen consists of 28 councilors and councilors and the full-time mayor by virtue of his office. The 28 council members are elected by local elections for five years each. The current term of office began on November 1, 2016 and ends on October 31, 2021.

The last local election on September 11, 2016 resulted in the following:

Political party Sept 11, 2016 Sept 11, 2011
SPD 34.10% 5062 10 seats 47.16% 7363 13 seats
UWG 32.01% 4752 9 seats 14.73% 2301 4 seats
CDU 22.42% 3328 6 seats 20.42% 3188 6 seats
GREEN 6.15% 914 2 seats 5.10% 797 1 seat
THE LEFT. 3.79% 563 1 seat 2.22% 348 1 seat
FDP 1.50% 223 - - - -
BfB - - - 9.03% 1410 3 seats
voter turnout 5177 of 9342 5423 of 9096
55.41% 58.61%

Full-time mayors / community directors

since the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany

  • 1949 to 1953: Ernst Buhrke
  • 1953 to 1984: Karl Janßen
  • 1984 to 2002: Willi Epkes
  • 2002 to 2011: Hans-Otto Ulken
  • since November 1, 2011: Matthias Huber

coat of arms

Apen municipality coat of arms

The municipality's coat of arms shows a stylized image of the former fortress of Apen. The towers are supposed to represent the fortress and flank the gate with the serrated gable typical of the Aper fortress. The blue is supposed to represent the moat and the landscape traversed by rivers and canals. The red represents the predominant construction in red bricks; the fortress was made of bricks and the churches in the parish are made of these bricks. The black is a symbol of the earlier industrial settlement in the western part of the municipality. The gold was chosen to have a background that accentuates these colors. In addition, these colors match those of the Ammerland district.

The heraldic description of the coat of arms reads:
"In gold over a blue shield base a red fortress gate flanked by two towers with black roofs and windows."

flag

Apen flag

The stripe flag shows the color blue in the upper half and the color red in the lower half. The center of the flag is covered with the municipal coat of arms. The blue and red flag is a reminder of belonging to the Ammerland district and the Oldenburg state.

signet

Apen signet

In 2004, the community of Apen's logo was developed under the project name "A fresh image for Apen". It shows a rising sun, which stands for tourism in the community, an indicated wave for the numerous water courses and a stylized red tower, which is a reference to the historic Aper fortress, but also to the former ironworks in Augustfehn. In its original form, the logo contained the words "Apen community - business location with tradition and future". In 2009, a new slogan was developed as part of municipal marketing: "Apen municipality - naturally worth living in".

Parish partnership

The municipality has had a partnership with the Polish municipality of Gizałki in the Plescew district since 1997 , which in turn is the partner district of the Ammerland district .

Culture and sights

Augustfehn: Small train of the steel mill
Windmill Hengstforde
Landscape window "Water" in Tange
Aper ham museum
Manneken Theater
Historic Augustfehn ironworks

art

  • Bust of the Grand Duke Paul Friedrich August von Oldenburg, namesake of Augustfehn
  • Ironworks art gallery
  • Aper bridge builder; a bronze sculpture on granite steles to honor civic engagement

theatre

  • The Manneken Theater as a permanent establishment in Hengstforde, the puppet theater "Anne's Stage", is known nationwide; The repertoire not only features its own performances, other stages also present their repertoire in the theater.
  • Low German theater, the Tangerspielköppel (seasonal theater)

Museums

  • Ammerland Ham Museum; The oldest ham smokehouse in the Ammerland, founded in 1748. As an "active" witness to the traditional Ammerland ham production , the Ham Museum today is particularly dedicated to preserving the Bentheimer country pigs .
  • Ironworks with exhibits from iron processing

music

In addition to the schools, more than a dozen associations and institutions maintain music in the community:

  • Da Capo
  • DRUMBA - Drum and marching band Augustfehn
  • Women's choir Apen
  • Mixed choir Tange
  • Choral Society Concordia Augustfehn
  • Choral society Sangeslust Godensholt
  • Harmonica Club Apen
  • Hunting ring player from Apen
  • Ammerland Music School
  • Male choir Frohsinn Vreschen-Bokel
  • Schützenmusikanten Augustfehn II
  • Shanty Choir Augustfehn
  • Ten Sing Augustfehn-Apen

Regular events

  • Aper autumn market
  • ApenAir punk rock festival
  • Farmer's market in Tange
  • Boßelfest Klauhörn
  • Festival of 1000 lanterns in Augustfehn (last weekend in July)
  • Flea market, Meilenmarkt in Augustfehn II (Whitsun weekend)
  • Spring meeting in Augustfehn (first weekend in April)
  • Morning dance Tange at Pentecost
  • Community-wide wine festival (every two years)
  • Corn mowing in Aperberg, the historic harvest festival in the north
  • Klüterjungs Godensholt's potato festival
  • Matjes fest in Apen
  • Harvest festival Nordloh-Aperberg-Tange
  • Oktoberfest in Apen
  • Shooting festival in Godensholt
  • Traditional Easter bonfire in many peasant communities on Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday

Culinary specialties

Special culinary specialties (not only in the municipality of Apen) include the long-matured, mildly smoked Ammerland ham , the East Frisian-style tea ceremony, as well as the kale meal with the traditional cabbage ride .

Sports

There are more than two dozen sports and shooting clubs in the municipality, including:

  • Boßelverein Aperberg / Hengstforde
  • Boßelverein Dree Steen Godensholt
  • Boßelverein Roggenmoor-Klauhörn
  • Fahr- und Reitverein Aperberg e. V.
  • FC "Sportfreunde" Godensholt
  • Heimat- und Boßelverein “Leeg weg” Klauhörn
  • MC Altöl e. V.
  • Motorbike friends Apen
  • MSC Augustfehn e. V. in ADAC
  • Paddling and rowing club Fehndrachen e. V.
  • Pony and horse friends Augustfehn
  • Roggenmoor cycling club
  • Riding, driving and breeding association Apen e. V.
  • Apen shooting club
  • Rifle Club Augustfehn / Bokel
  • Rifle Club Augustfehn II
  • Shooting club Godensholt
  • Sport fishing association Apen e. V.
  • SV "Hellas" Apen-Barßel
  • SV GOTANO
  • Förderverein Jugendsport SV GOTANO e. V.
  • Tennis club Blau-Weiß from 1928 e. V.
  • TuS Augustfehn from 1892
  • TuS Augustfehn basketball
  • TuS "Vorwärts" Augustfehn from 1897
  • TV Apen
  • VfL Vreschen-Bokel
  • Tange water and sports club

Economy and Infrastructure

Established businesses

With the ironworks and the Augustfehn steelworks, the establishment and development of medium-sized commercial and industrial settlements in the municipality of Apen began more than 150 years ago. In addition to trading and service companies, the labor market is still predominantly characterized by the manufacturing industry. The focus is on metal processing and mechanical engineering. For example, the AMF-Bruns company is one of Europe's most successful retrofitters for handicapped-accessible automobiles and vans with its own test facility for all common automobile brands. Other important economic sectors are the tree nursery trade and in particular the trade in furniture, motorcycles and accessories, the general owner-managed specialist trade in rural areas and numerous craft businesses, particularly the building trade, in a variety of industries. Many companies in the community are united in the Apen business network and stand for joint marketing of the location under the motto: Discover Apen.

traffic

Old station building

train

The train station in Augustfehn ensures good transport connections to the nearby cities of Bremen, Oldenburg and Leer. The Augustfehn station is a long-distance station and is on the Oldenburg – Leer railway line . The next train station to the east is Westerstede -Ocholt station, and to the west is Leer station . Augustfehn is the first station of the Bremen-Lower Saxony transport association (VBN) , the Leer station is no longer connected to it. There was an additional stop in Apen, which is no longer served.

Streets and paths

The federal motorway 28 runs about 2 km to the north in an east-west direction. With the Apen / Remels exit, the A28 motorway borders directly on the largest towns of Apen and Augustfehn.

Since 2013 there has been a connection to the intersection cycle route network with signs to the East Frisian neighbors. This signposting from the Netherlands for cycle paths allows individual route planning. Apen is the first municipality in the Ammerland to introduce this system across the board. Two regional routes are the Ammerland Route and the German Fehn Route, which cross in Apen.

education

There are several schools:

  • Augustfehn I primary school
  • Apen primary school
  • Primary school Nordloh
  • Oberschule Augustfehn (expiring)
  • Integrated comprehensive school Augustfehn
  • Apen branch of the Westerstede European School
  • Apen branch of the Augustfehn secondary school

There are also eight day-care centers.

  • Nativity scene "Wichtelhuus"

  • Day care centers "Under the Rainbow" and "Sonnenland"

  • Day care centers "Die Brücke" and "Die kleine Trolche"

  • Kindergarten "The Nest"

  • Kindergarten "Noah's Ark"

  • Kindergarten "Dandelion"

Hengstforde outdoor swimming pool

Public facilities

In Hengstforde there is the Hengstforde outdoor swimming pool with a 50 m pool and 70 m large slide at a water temperature of 24 to 25 degrees Celsius. There is a parent-child area and a modern kiosk. The outdoor pool is open from May to September.

Personalities

Web links

Commons : Apen  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ State Office for Statistics Lower Saxony, LSN-Online regional database, Table 12411: Update of the population, as of December 31, 2019  ( help ).
  2. ↑ Population statistics of the municipality of Apen since 2012 ( Memento from February 13, 2017 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ This is the specified number for a municipality with a population between 11,001 and 12,000. ( Lower Saxony Municipal Constitutional Law (NKomVG) in the version dated December 17, 2010; Section 46 - Number of Members , accessed on January 5, 2017.)
  4. ↑ Overall results of the 2016 municipal elections on September 11 , 2016 , accessed on January 5, 2017
  5. ↑ a b Main statutes of the municipality of Apen ( memento of September 12, 2014 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on September 11, 2014