Introduction
Oberursel (Taunus) is a city in Germany and part of the Frankfurt Rhein-Main urban area. It is located to the north west of Frankfurt, in the Hochtaunuskreis county. It is the 14th largest town in Hesse. In 2011, the town hosted the 51st Hessentag state festival.
Geography
Extent of municipal area
The maximum distance from the northern town border to the southern border is 7.2 km (4 mi) the maximum distance from east to west is 13.0 km (8 mi).
Neighboring communities
To the north Oberursel borders with Schmitten, to the east with Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, to the south-east with Frankfurt, to the southwest with Steinbach and to the west with Kronberg.
Town districts
Besides the town centre (including Bommersheim), Oberursel is divided into the districts Oberstedten (population 6,118), Stierstadt (5,541) and Weißkirchen (Oberursel) (5,151). Bommersheim was annexed before the municipal reform of 1972 and therefore is not an independent district.
History
The town was first mentioned as "Ursella" in 791 in a deed recording a donation to the monastery Lorsch. In the year 880 the first church in the area, called "monasterium ad ursellam", was mentioned. In 1317 the first trading activities were documented. In 1444 Oberursel was officially sanctioned as a town. Two years later, the town wall was finished. Since the town was growing so fast in the 15th century the town walls had to be expanded in 1481 towards the east. In the early 16th century a school for Latin language was established next to the church.
1535 Oberursel become property of Earl Ludwig von Stolberg-Königstein and becomes a Protestant town. 1557 Nicolaus Henricus built the first printing plant in Oberursel. 1605 due to the counter-reformation Oberursel becomes Catholic again. The most important industry in the late Middle Ages and in the early modern times was the clothier business.
During the Thirty Years' War the town was destroyed three times, in 1622 and 1645, and the number of inhabitants decreased from 1,600 to 600. During the 1645 razing, most buildings were destroyed by fire; the three surviving buildings were the old town hall, the bakery, and one apartment house near the marketplace. This is the reason why nearly all houses in the old town of Oberursel are from the 17th century.
As the town was rebuilt and grew, many mills and forges were founded along the "Urselbachtal". By 1858, industrialisation had begun in Oberursel, with several cotton-spinning mills being built. In 1860 Oberursel was linked to the railway between Bad Homburg and Frankfurt. In 1899 a subway was opened privately in the direction of Hohemark (currently Line U3).
During the Second World War, many captured American and British airmen passed through Oberursel as they were interrogated and processed into the German POW camp system at the "Durchgangslager der Luftwaffe" or "Transit Camp of the Luftwaffe" located in the town. The camp name was commonly shortened to "Dulag Luft", or simply "Dulag". Almost all allied airmen who were shot down and captured spent some time at that camp before being moved to their permanent assigned "Stalag".
After the occupation of Oberursel by the U.S. in April 1945, the "Dulag" area was taken over by the US Army. The existing buildings were transformed into Camp King, which began as an intelligence post, then later a transportation post until its de-activation in 1993. Today the former Camp King is a residential area, still populated by several former US soldiers.
International Relations
Épinay-sur-Seine, France
Épinay-sur-Seine is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 11.3 km (7.0 mi) from the center of Paris. The church of Notre-Dame-des-Missions-du-cygne d'Enghien, designed by Paul Tournon, may be found in the commune.
Koggenland/Ursem, Netherlands
Koggenland is a municipality in North Holland province and the region of West-Frisia of the Netherlands. It came into existence on 1 January 2007 upon the merger of the two former municipalities of Obdam and Wester-Koggenland.
The name of the municipality refers to the historic Kogge from the middle-ages. A kogge or cogge was a jurisdiction area of several villages or bannen (mostly around 4 or 5).
Rushmoor, United Kingdom
Rushmoor is a local government district and borough in Hampshire, England. It covers the towns of Aldershot and Farnborough as well as Cove and North Camp. It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Aldershot and the Farnborough urban district.
The borough took its name from Rushmoor Arena, a military showground constructed at Rushmoor Bottom in 1923. In May 2000, a referendum was held on whether to change the name of the borough.
Lomonosov, Russia
Lomonosov (before 1948: Oranienbaum) is a municipal town in Petrodvortsovy District of the federal city of Saint Petersburg, Russia, located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, 40 kilometers (25 mi) west of Saint Petersburg proper. Population: 42,505 (2010 Census);[1] 37,776 (2002 Census). Lomonosov is the site of the 18th-century royal Oranienbaum park and palace complex, notable as being the only palace in the vicinity of Saint Petersburg that was not captured by Nazi Germany during World War II.
Museums and Regular Events
The "Vortaunusmuseum" is located in the central marketplace. Its exhibits illustrate the town's history and the history of soap box derbies. Soap box derbies were invented in Oberursel, and the world championship is held in Oberursel every year.
Another popular event occurring in Oberursel is the Brunnenfest, an annual village fair held in the early summer, which attracts visitors from surrounding areas and around the world.