Overledingerland
The Overledingerland (also Overledingen , High German spelling Oberledingerland , Oberledingen ) is a historical landscape in southern East Friesland and forms the southeastern part of the district of Leer . The name means nothing more than "land above the Leda", ie south of the Leda river . In the west the Ems borders the area.
Politically, it is now divided into the communities of Rhauderfehn , Ostrhauderfehn and Westoverledingen and the town of Nettelburg in the city of Leer . Historically, the Nesse peninsula in the city of Leer also belongs to the Overledingerland, as the Leda loop was only recently pierced. The East Frisian Platt is widely used as a colloquial language .
The majority of the Overledinger are Protestant . There are still some Reformed churches near the Ems , otherwise the Lutheran creed prevails . There are also isolated free churches or Catholics . In the south, to Emsland and Hümmling , and in the east, to the Oldenburger Münsterland (including the Frisian- speaking Saterland ), there is a very strong denominational boundary to predominantly Catholic areas.
history
The Overledingerland is one of the four historical landscapes on the mainland of today's district of Leer. In the early Middle Ages it belonged to the Carolingian Emsgau, but after the foreign counts were expelled, it was able to establish itself as an independent Frisian state community in the 13th century . In the south, some Saxon settlements also joined the state community, which was organized as a cooperative. A classic feudal rule did not establish itself here as in the rest of Friesland .
The main meeting place of the Council of Sixteen in Overledingerland was probably Backemoor . Due to the economic conditions, the Overledingerland could not develop as strong a position as Brokmerland , Harlingerland or Jeverland further north . Nevertheless it belonged to the Upstalsboombund during the time of the Frisian freedom .
The independence ended in the 15th century with the rule of the Hamburgers and the chiefs . The tom Brok , Focko Ukena and the Cirksena should be mentioned here. A local central chief rule did not develop, only a few village chiefs were able to establish themselves. Therefore, the country was relatively defenseless in military conflicts. With the end of the chief's time, the Overledingerland became part of the county of East Friesland.