Medelon

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Medelon
City of Medebach
Coordinates: 51 ° 10 ′ 11 ″  N , 8 ° 40 ′ 4 ″  E
Height : 376 m
Area : 10.21 km²
Residents : 604  (2017)
Population density : 59 inhabitants / km²
Incorporation : 1st July 1969
Postal code : 59964
Area code : 02982
Aerial photo (2013)
Aerial photo (2013)
View from the west of Medelon
View from the south of Medelon

Medelon is a district of Medebach in the Hochsauerlandkreis ( North Rhine-Westphalia ).

Medelon is located 4 km southwest of the core city of Medebach at an altitude between 380 and 750 m on the Orke and has 604 inhabitants.

history

The place was first mentioned in a document in 1280. Politically, the place belonged to different free counties in the Middle Ages. During the existence of the canony of the Kreuzbrüder zu Glindfeld (1499–1803), the brothers were responsible for pastoral care.

Second World War

During the Second World War, 39 Medelonians, mostly on the Eastern Front , died as soldiers or died in captivity.

On the morning of March 29, 1945, fleeing German soldiers drove their vehicles through Medelon towards Medebach. White flags were placed on the church, among other places. A grinding noise heralded the arrival of the US tanks . At 12:15 pm the first of them reached the village. A column of tanks, armored cars , trucks and jeeps drove through the village. Some vehicles stopped. Cigarettes, chocolate and sweets were given away. Four tanks, including a German Tiger tank captured by US troops , and 32 soldiers remained in place. In the morning of March 31st, machine gun fire rang out and a German assault gun with infantry penetrated the village. The Tiger tank was destroyed by being hit by a bazooka . The population fled the village. Since the US soldiers received reinforcements, including tanks, the Wehrmacht could not recapture the place and withdrew. Eight US soldiers and five Germans were killed in this fight. A captured German lieutenant colonel killed himself. The fallen Germans were buried in the village cemetery. On April 1st, Easter Sunday, there was another brief attack during mass. On April 2, several buildings were damaged by German artillery shelling and a woman was wounded. On April 4, a US soldier shot and killed a villager when he did not stop when he was called. There was some looting by US soldiers in the village. The villagers now temporarily looked after German soldiers who were hidden in the woods.

present

On July 1, 1969, Medelon was incorporated into Medebach.

Worth seeing

St.Engelbert Church
Center with church

The neo-Gothic quarry stone church built in 1910 is worth seeing . The oldest house in town is the "Niggemes" half-timbered house from 1774.

economy

Economically, Medelon was dominated by forestry and agriculture well into the 20th century. Today the place is heavily dependent on tourism. The Rothaarsteig , routes of the Bike Arena Sauerland and various winter sports options are nearby .

literature

  • Hugo Cramer: The district of Brilon in the Second World War 1939–1945 - reports from many employees from all over the district. Josefs-Druckerei, Bigge 1955.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ City of Medebach: Stadtinfo Ortsteile , accessed on March 21, 2012
  2. ^ Hugo Cramer: The district of Brilon in the Second World War 1939-1945. 1955, honor roll section Medelon, pp. 212–216.
  3. ^ Hugo Cramer: The district of Brilon in the Second World War 1939-1945. 1955, Section Medelon , pp. 33-36.
  4. Martin Bünermann: The communities of the first reorganization program in North Rhine-Westphalia . Deutscher Gemeindeverlag, Cologne 1970, p. 89 .

Web links

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