Holdorf (Lower Saxony)

Basic data
State :	Lower Saxony
County :	Vechta
Height :	42 m above sea level NHN
Area :	54.92 km 2
Residents:	7332 (Dec. 31, 2019)
Population density :	134 inhabitants per km 2
Postal code :	49451
Area code :	05494
License plate :	VEC
Community key :	03 4 60 005
Community structure:	10 districts
Address of the ; municipal administration:	Grosse Strasse 19 ; 49451 Holdorf
Website :	www.holdorf.de
Mayor :	Wolfgang Krug ( CDU , formerly SPD )
Location of the municipality Holdorf in the district of Vechta

Holdorf (pronounced with a short "o") is a unitary municipality in the district of Vechta in Lower Saxony .

geography

Geographical location

The municipality is located on the northwestern edge of the Dümmer Nature Park, northwest of Damme and the Dammer Mountains .

Community structure

In addition to the town of Holdorf itself, the smaller towns and villages Amtern, Diekhausen, Fladder , Fladderlohausen, Gramke, Grandorf, Handorf, Holdorf-Bahnhof, Ihorst, Langenberg , Scheelenhorst and Wahlde belong to the municipality.

climate

Temperate maritime climate influenced by humid northwest winds from the North Sea. In the long-term average, the air temperature in Holdorf reaches 8.5 ° - 9.0 ° C, and around 700 mm of precipitation falls. Between May and August, an average of 20-25 summer days (climatological term for days on which the maximum temperature exceeds 25 ° C) can be expected.

history

Several grave finds indicate a settlement of the community during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages . The community Holdorf was first mentioned in a document in 1188. In the new “Am Lagerweg” building area on the eastern outskirts of Holdorf, what is probably the largest early medieval settlement in the Oldenburger Land to date was discovered. Among other things, this is proven by the remains of twelve so-called long houses that have since been discovered during excavations in Holdorf, which date from the period between the 8th and 14th centuries.

In 1188 the name Holthorpe - i.e. today's Holdorf - was first mentioned in a document by the Osnabrück Cathedral Provost Lentfried.

During the Thirty Years' War from 1618 to 1648 Holdorf was also plundered and devastated. Those who had survived the war struggled with the consequences of the war in the following years: Many people went hungry because of destroyed fields and crops, plague and other epidemics spread.

In the following years, Holdorf did not come to rest either: The Holdorf area was connected either to the sovereign in Oldenburg, the bishop of Osnabrück or that of Münster.

In 1736 the first church in Holdorf was built in the style of a half-timbered chapel. Today's Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul has existed since 1852 .

In the 19th century Holdorf - like the whole of the southern Oldenburg region - was hit by a dramatic wave of emigration towards the USA. The municipality, which had become independent at the beginning of this century, lost over 33% of its inhabitants from 1825 (about 2300 inh.) To 1890 (about 1500 in.).

From May 1987 to June 1997 the population of Holdorf increased by 21.6% (for comparison: Vechta district 19%, Lower Saxony 9.4%) and has now exceeded 6000. Holdorf currently has 6,638 inhabitants (incl. 113 with secondary residence) thereof male: 3,315 thereof female: 3,323 (as of July 1, 2006).

Severe weather disaster on 16./17. August 1974

On the night of August 16-17, 1974, Holdorf and the neighboring communities were hit by an eight-hour continuous thunderstorm. Hailstones up to the size of billiard balls fell and caused millions of euros in damage.

religion

As of April 1, 2012, the residents of Holdorf belonged to the following denominations :

Roman Catholic : 4,443 (66.4%)
Evangelical Lutheran : 1,462 (21.9%)
Reformed : 6 (0.1%)
Other / non-denominational: 776 (11.6%)

politics

Holdorf Town Hall

Municipal council

The council of the municipality Holdorf consists of 18 council women and councilors. This is the specified number for a municipality with a population between 6001 and 7000 inhabitants. The 18 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 full-time mayor Wolfgang Krug is also entitled to vote in the municipal council.

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

	CDU	SPD	UWG	FDP	total
2016	10	5	2	1	18 seats
2011	11	4th	3	-	18 seats

mayor

Mayor is currently Wolfgang Krug, who belongs to the CDU (as of 2019).

coat of arms

Holdorf's coat of arms shows a red wreath of reel wheels on a golden background. The reel is a typical device of the rural home industry. Work on the loom is said to have been cultivated as home work in earlier years, especially in the community of Holdorf .

Culture and sights

Buildings

The parish church of St. Peter and Paul in Holdorf. The church was built by Hilger Hertel in the neo-Gothic style and inaugurated on March 18, 1858.
The Hof zu Amtern with its elaborate half-timbered style. The first written mention goes back to the year 1240.
Gut Ihorst with its beautiful baroque chapel, which was restored in 1975. The 350 hectare estate has been owned by the Count von Spee's family since 1882 .
The Dersaburg is a castle wall in Handorf at a height of 107 m. The writer Bernd Kessens wrote the play The white woman from Dersaburg about the Dersaburg . The world premiere was on December 14, 2007.

Nature trails

In 1968, the “Tree & Nature” circular route was laid out in Fladderlohausen next to the waterworks of the Oldenburg-East Frisian Water Association (OOWV) . All the trees proclaimed in Germany since 1989 have been planted on the central avenue . On display boards, visitors are informed about the topics of “forest” and “water (economy)”.

A nature trail was reopened in 2017 to the east of the Handorf Mühlenbach, which flows down a gentle slope from the Dammer Mountains, and to the south of the outskirts of Holdorf Bahnhof. This runs through a forest and in its first section along the Handorf Mühlenbach. Visitors are informed about the local flora and fauna on twelve boards. There are opportunities for hands-on activities along the path. There was a forerunner of the nature trail from 2002.

The St. Peter and Paul Church
Good Ihorst
Information board at the Dersaburg
“Tree & Nature” circular route next to the OOWV waterworks in Fladderlohausen
Handorfer Mühlenbach next to the nature trail south of Holdorf train station

Sports

Lido Heidesee Holdorf

Leisure and recreation center Heidesee Holdorf: The approximately ten hectare natural bathing lake with a sandy beach is ideal for swimming, fishing, surfing, diving or just sunbathing. The German Life Saving Society (DLRG) ensures the safety of bathers . A kiosk and a snack stand are available for catering. An adventure playground with the large play ship in the center as well as a slide, climbing device and seesaw invites the younger guests to play in summer.
The Holdorf Tennis Center with its outdoor and indoor courts is located in the immediate vicinity of the Heidesee.
The premises of the Holdorfer Reit- und Fahrverein e. V.
In the 2006/2007 season, the Holdorf sports club provided the second men's team, the football champions of the 2nd district class.
In addition, SV Holdorf was the champion and cup winner of the C-youth district league and the champion in the A-youth OM district league and the master in the 3rd district class south (men's area) in the 2007/2008 season.

Regular events

In August 2011, a floating platform was handed over to its destination on the sand-lime stone lake. Concerts are regularly held on this stage. The sand-lime stone lake adjacent to the Heidesee is not open to the public except during concert times.

Economy and Infrastructure

Nordbleche company premises

The industrial area in Holdorf is quite active and lively, has been organizing the IGEHA (Industry Trade Trade) trade fair since 2001 with great success and organizes a monthly business get-together within the respective companies.

traffic

Holdorf is on the A 1 federal motorway and the B 214 federal road . The community is also located directly on the Delmenhorst – Hesepe railway line and the train station there is served hourly by the RB 58 (Osnabrück - Bremen) by the NordWestBahn trains. There is no ticket sales at Holdorf station, but there is a ticket machine on the platform. Tickets are also sold in the DB agency in the pedestrian zone in neighboring Lohne.

The railway line to Bohmte used to branch off in Holdorf via Damme. This has now been completely dismantled to the former Schwegermoor stop. Today a cycle path runs along the old railway embankment between Holdorf and Damme.

The 24.1 km long Kardinalsweg , consecrated in 2018, runs through Holdorf, which begins at the former St. Benedict priory in Damme and ends at Dinklage Castle . The pilgrimage route is dedicated to the memory of Blessed Cardinal Clemens August Graf von Galen , who was born at Dinklage Castle. Sights on the Holdorf section of the Kardinalsweg are the “Waldkapelle”, a place of worship 900 m south of the Heidesees, and Middendorf's Cross, 300 m south of the Heidesees, where the second of four sections of the Kardinalsweg ends. There is an iron stele with the inscription "be decided".

1000 m before the Holdorf exit from the A1
Former station building on the Delmenhorst – Hesepe line of the NordWestBahn
Stele on the Kardinalsweg near Middendorf's Cross

The nearest airports are Bremen Airport (90 km north) and Münster / Osnabrück Airport (70 km south). The nearest major international airport is Amsterdam Airport (Schiphol) , about 250 km to the west.

education

There are three Catholic kindergartens in Holdorf: St. Dominikus Kindergarten (Holdorf / Badbergerstraße), St. Elisabeth Kindergarten (Holdorf / Roggenkamp), St. Barbara Kindergarten (Handorf-Langeberg / Lindenstraße). The community also has 2 primary schools: Holdorf primary school and Barbara-Schule Handorf-Langeberg. In addition, a secondary and secondary school.

The Holdorf training offensive, founded in 2011 and now managed solely by René Elsässer, has set itself the goal, together with the support of the municipality of Holdorf and the community foundation, to point out the local training opportunities at school and thus the rapid migration to secondary schools or well-known large companies to counteract in the surrounding area. The annual day of action trainees for trainees and the student newsletter are two actions successfully described by the initiators.