WARENDORF

Warendorf in 1616

(This is a robotic translation of the German Wikipedia's article on Warendorf, apologies for the stilted language. I have attempted to clean it up as best I can)

The name of the the ancient Saxon village Oberhof Warintharpa ( "The village on the banks of dam"), which was probably founded before 700 AD, was first noted in the 9th Century. Between 1197 and 1201 Warendorf was chartered as a town. At about that time is established alongside the existing parish to which the "Old Church" (St. Lawrence) is a second parish in the west of downtown with the "New Church" (St. Marys). An act of awarding the rights in the medieval city of Munster a legal sense, however, is missing as in Munster, as were destroyed during the reign of the Anabaptists, all deeds and documents.

1224 is the first documented mention of the village as a Civitas, that is, as middle-class urban community. The prosperity of Warendorf grew steadily, and from this time is the saying "City air makes free". In 1255 a peace covenant to protect the traders from highwaymen was established there. Warendorf developed during this time more and more becoming an important commercial city, as it conveniently located geographically between Munster and Oelde. Warendorf also benefited from the production and trade of linen. The wealthy Warendorfer settled on the marketplace, in the Ems and the East Street. Also today, the Warendorfer cityscape is dominated by this city backdrop. The poorer people lived in simple houses with earthen floors, which was scarcely better than the road surface. The poor living conditions led to epidemics and diseases.

A large conflagration occurred in 1404 in Warendorf, 600 houses and the Old Church (St. Lawrence) and the town hall with all inventory were lost.

In 1533 the Anabaptist movement spread in Warendorf like in Munster. In October 1534 for one week the power in the city was taken over until it was terminated after a brief occupation by Bishop Franz von Waldeck. The Anabaptist ringleaders in Warendorf were sentenced to death, and executed in the marketplace by the sword. To deter further attempts at insurrection, the corpses of the "apostles" were placed on the wheel at the four city gates. The Anabaptist movement lasted until the 17th Century underground, with no real means to threaten to the city and church.

Between 1627 and 1632 led to further loss during the religious strife of the Thirty Years War. In 1657 the first mention dates of the Fettmarkt. This market has remained to the present time and is an important fair. In 1741 another big fire broke out, which had left the New Church (St. Mary) and 332 houses destroyed. Many craftsmen in Warendorf moved away as a result, and the city ran into an increasing economic decline.

In 1802 Warendorf came under Prussian supremacy. The once-thriving town was impoverished. In 1887 the railway line was opened in Warendorf, Munster-Rheda. In the course of the first station building was erected. This is even today still preserved, however, has been empty for some years. In 1902, the new station building was built and put into operation. The station building, however, fell on Friday the 13th Destroyed by fire in January 1995 and has not yet set up again. 1937/38 Warendorf was a garrison town. Barracks were built in the north of the city, where today, the Bundeswehr Sports School is located.

Another difficult numismatic location, coins from Warendorf are perhaps not quite so rare as those of Ahlen and Dülmen, but are still very scarce in comparison to most other mints. It first issued coins in 1574, then again in 1594, 1613, and 1690.

KEY IDENTIFICATION NOTES: The trident-shaped arms are indicative if the legend, which will always have WARENDORP in some form, is unreadable.

6 Pfennig