OSTERODE AM HARZ

'Osterode am Harz' often simply called 'Osterode', is a city in south-eastern Niedersachsen on the south-western edge of the Harz mountains. It is the seat of the Landkreis (district) government of Osterode (district).

Contents

Geography

Water

Towns and populations

Political

Local council

Bürgermeister

Sister cities

Culture and attractiuons

Museums

Architecture

Recreation

Industry and infrastructure

Transport

Educational institutions

Personalities

External links

Geography

Water

The Söse river flows through the city from the Sösetalsperre reservoir lake about 5 km upstream. The dam was built in 1931 and has a capacity of 25.5 millionen m³. The Harzwasserwerke water company pipes drinking water as far away as Bremen.

Towns and populations

★ Dorste (1650)

★ Düna (140)

★ Förste (2000)

★ Freiheit (2100)

★ Katzenstein (1200)

★ Lasfelde (1300)

★ Lerbach (1200)

★ Marke (150)

★ Nienstedt am Harz (440)

★ Osterode am Harz (11 500)

★ Petershütte (800)

★ Riefensbeek-Kamschlacken (350)

★ Schwiegershausen (1800)

★ Ührde (100)

Political

Local council

The Gemeinderat or council of Osterode has 34 members:

★ SPD: 18

★ CDU: 11

★ Grüne: 2

★ FDP: 2

★ FW: 1
and one Bürgermeister (mayor).
(local election on 10 September 2006)

Bürgermeister

Klaus Becker has been Bürgermeister (mayor) of Osterode since 1 June 2004 He has no party afilliation.

Sister cities

★ Armentières, France (one of the bridges over the Söse is called "Armentieres-Brücke").

★ Ostróda, Poland, formerly had the same name "Osterode" and formerlyin the German territory of Ostpreußen (in the central city there is a stone with the inscription: ''"Noch 826 Kilometer bis Osterode/ Ostpreußen"'' – "826 km to Osterode, East Prussia")

Culture and attractiuons

Museums

The ''Museum im Ritterhaus'' displays documents from Osterode's history from the Middle Ages to the recent past, as well as occasional temporary exhibitions.

Architecture

In the environs of Osterode there are several castle ruins, and the
Burg Lichtenstein between Dorste and Förste.
The city granary built between 1719 and 1722 is one of the most imposing buildings, built to supply the mining towns in the Upper Harz with grain. Today after a comprehensive renovation it has become the city hall.

Recreation

Osterode is the starting point of the 100 km long Harzer Hexenstieg, a hiking trail to Thale.

Industry and infrastructure

Transport

The B 243 federal route, built as a divided highway, is the main western link between the northern and southern Harz area. B 241 and B 498 link Solling to the eastern Harz.
Osterode lies on the Herzberg–Seesen railway, with services to Braunschweig In November 2004 the city gained two new stations at a cost of about 1 million Euro, replacing two previous halts and providing a more central access to public transport.

Educational institutions

★ 'Tilman-Riemenschneider-Gymnasium' (high school), Osterode am Harz

★ 'Berufsbildende Schulen I des Landkreises Osterode am Harz'

★ 'Berufsbildende Schulen II'

★ 'Realschule Osterode'

★ 'Hauptschule Neustädter Tor'

Personalities

★ Andreas Cludius (1555–1624), Rechtswissenschaftler

★ Fritz Jorns (1837–1910), Reichstag delegate (1893–1907), owner of the Osteroder Kupferhammers

★ Otto Wernicke (1893–1965), actor

★ Renate Krößner (b 1945), actor

★ Regina Seeringer (b 1949), Politician (CDU)

★ Rolf Töpperwien (b 1950), Sport reporter

★ Ulrich Schreiber (b 1956), Geologist, Professor and writer

★ Petra Emmerich-Kopatsch (b 1960), Politician (SPD)

★ Marco Bode (b 1969), footballer

★ Tilman Riemenschneider (1460–1531), sculptor and artist

External links

★ official Website

★ city bibliography

★ church history of Osterode