Westphalia(/wɛstˈfeɪliə/;German:Westfalen[vɛstˈfaːlən];Low German:Westfalen[vεs(t)ˈfɔːln]) is a region of northwesternGermanyand one of the three historic parts of the state ofNorth Rhine-Westphalia.It has an area of 20,210 square kilometres (7,800 sq mi) and 7.9 million inhabitants.
Westphalia
Westfalen | |
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State part and historic region ofNorth Rhine-Westphalia | |
      PrinzipalmarktinMünster(1st row), Emperor William Monumentat thePorta WestfalicaandWewelsburgcastle (2nd row), Nordkirchen Castleand skyline ofDortmund(3rd row), town centre ofFreudenberg(4th row) | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
| Anthem:Westfalenlied | |
 Location of Westphalia in Germany. | |
 Westphalia in the state ofNorth Rhine-Westphaliaborders on the NorthernRhinelandin the west andLippein the northeast. | |
| Coordinates (Geographic centre of Westphalia):51°36′30″N7°56′00″E/ 51.608333°N 7.933333°E[1] | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Governmental districts | |
| Districtsandindependent cities | |
| Furthercities, towns and municipalities | 206 |
| Founded | 30 April 1815(Province of Westphalia;other predecessors existed since theEarly Middle Ages.)[2][3] 23 August 1946(as a part ofNorth Rhine-Westphalia)[4] |
| Area | |
• Total | 20,210 km2(7,803 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 843 m (2,766 ft) |
| Population (31 December 2018)[5] | |
• Total | 7,913,035 |
| • Density | 390/km2(1,000/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Persons:the Westphalian(der Westfale [male] / die Westfälin [female]),the Westphalians(die Westfalen) Adjective:Westphalian(westfälisch) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00(Central European Time(CET)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00(Central European Summer Time(CEST)) |
The territory of the region is almost identical with the historicProvince of Westphalia,which was a part of theKingdom of Prussiafrom 1815 to 1918[6]and theFree State of Prussiafrom 1918 to 1946. In 1946, Westphalia merged withNorth Rhine,another former part of Prussia, to form the newly created state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 1947, the state with its two historic parts was joined by a third one: Lippe, a formerprincipalityandfree state.[7]
The seventeendistrictsand nineindependent citiesof Westphalia andthe single district of Lippeare members of theWestphalia-Lippe Regional Association(Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe).[8]
Previous to the formation of Westphalia as a province of Prussia and later state part of North Rhine-Westphalia, the term "Westphalia" was applied to different territories of different sizes such as the western part of the ancientDuchy of Saxony,theDuchy of Westphaliaor theKingdom of Westphalia.[7][6]TheWestphalian language,a variant of theLow German language,is spoken beyond modern Westphalia's borders in neighbouring southwesternLower Saxonyand northwesternHesse.[9]
Geography
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Landscapes
editBeing a part of theNorth German Plain,most of Westphalia's north is flat. In the south the GermanCentral Uplandsemerge. Westphalia is divided into the following landscapes.[8]
Flat to hilly(498 m or 1,634 ft and under):East Westphalia,Münsterland,easternRuhr Metropolitan Area,Tecklenburg Land,Westphalian Hellweg
Hilly to mountainous(up to 843 m or 2,766 ft):Westphalian part of theSauerland,Siegerland,Wittgenstein
Largest cities
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Eastern Ruhr Metropolitan Area |
East Westphalia |
Münsterland |
Siegerland |
Rivers
editWestphalia is roughly the region in between the riversRhineandWeser,located both north and south of theRuhrRiver. Other important rivers are theEmsand theLippe.[10]
Mountains
editTheLangenberg(843 m or 2,766 ft) and theKahler Asten(842 m or 2,762 ft) in the Sauerland part of theRothaar Mountainsare Westphalia's and also North Rhine-Westphalia's highest mountains.
Westphalia and Eastphalia
editThe term "Westphalia" contrasts with the much less used term "Eastphalia",which roughly covers the southeastern part of the present-day state ofLower Saxony,westernSaxony-Anhaltand northernThuringia.[3][11]
Division
editWestphalia is divided into threegovernmental districts.These are subdivided into furtherdistrictsandindependent cities.
All districts and independent cities of the governmental districts ofArnsbergandMünsterare considered to be a part of Westphalia as a historic region. TheDistrict of Lippeas successor of theFree State of Lippein theGovernmental District of Detmoldis rather considered to be a separate historic region.
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Symbols
edit| Westphalia(present) | North Rhine-Westphalia(present) | |
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Civilflag | Government flag |
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| Province of Westphalia(historical) | ||
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Coat of arms
editCurrent use
editThe traditional symbol of Westphalia is the Westphalian Steed: a white horse on a red field. It is derived from theSaxon Steedin the coat of arms of the medievalDuchy of Saxonywhich most of today's Westphalia was part of. In official contexts the coat of arms of Westphalia is being used by the Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association,[12]which represents these two historic parts of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Thecoat of arms of North Rhine-Westphaliauses the Westphalian Steed to represent Westphalia as one of its parts alongside the Lippish Rose representing Lippe and theRhineRiver representing the Northern Rhineland.[13]
Previous use
editPrussiaalready used the Westphalian Steed in the coat of arms of itsProvince of Westphalia.
Similar versions
editThecoat of arms of Lower Saxonyuses a different version of the Saxon Steed since thestatealso covers large parts of the Old Saxons' duchy.
Flag
editCurrent use
editThe colours of Westphalia are white and red. The flag of the Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association uses these colours with the Westphalian coat of arms in its centre.[12]
Theflag of North Rhine-Westphaliais a combination of the Northern Rhineland's colours green/white and the Westphalian white/red.[14]
Previous use
editThe flag of the Prussian Province of Westphalia already displayed the colours white and red.
Similar versions
editTheflag of Lower Saxonyshows thecolours of Germanyand the Saxon Steed.
Anthem
editComposed inIserlohnin 1886 byEmil Rittershaus,theWestfalenliedis an unofficial anthem of Westphalia.
Identity
edit
While the Northern Rhineland, Westphalia and Lippe are different historic territories of today'sNorth Rhine-Westphalia,the old border between the formerRhine Provinceand theProvince of Westphaliais also a language border. While in Westphalia and Lippe, people tend to speakWest Low German dialectsand especially theWestphalianvariant of theLow German language,Central GermanandLow Franconiandialects are spoken in the Northern Rhineland.[9][15]
These different regional identities are often being emphasized by different majorities of denomination betweenRoman CatholicsandLutheran Protestants.The different majorities date back to the days of theterritorial fragmentationof theHoly Roman Empire (of the German Nation)which existed until 1806. TheMünsterlandand the region aroundPaderbornfor instance are still mainly Catholic regions because of the former existence of theprince-bishopricsofMünsterandPaderborn.The mainly ReformedLippewas even able to retain its independence as a small state withinGermanyin the form of aprincipalityuntil 1918 and as afree stateuntil 1946. This continues to influence the identity of its people who often distinguish themselves from neighbouring regions such asEast Westphalia.[7]
In addition to these historic, lingual and religious aspects, there are some regional differences in culture and mentality. That is why many of the citizens of North Rhine-Westphalia rather see themselves either as "Rhinelanders", "Westphalians" or "Lippers" rather than as "North Rhine-Westphalians".
History
editWestphalia is known for the 1648Peace of Westphaliawhich ended theThirty Years' War,as the two treaties were signed inMünsterandOsnabrück.
It is one of the regions that were part of allincarnationsof theGerman statesince theEarly Middle Ages:theHoly Roman Empire,theConfederation of the Rhine,theGerman Confederation,theNorth German Confederation,theGerman Empire,theWeimar RepublicandNational Socialist Germany.AfterWorld War IIit was a part of theBritish occupation zonewhich merged with the American zone to become theBizonein 1947 and again merged with the French zone to become the Trizone in 1948. The currentFederal Republic of Germanywas founded on these territories making Westphalia a part ofWest Germany.It is a part of united Germany since 1990.
Roman incursion
editAround AD 1 there were numerous incursions through Westphalia and perhaps even some permanentRomanor Romanized settlements. TheBattle of the Teutoburg Foresttook place near Osnabrück, which at this time was a place of settlement of the Westphalians, who were a part of the Germanic tribe of theSaxons.Some of the tribes who fought at this battle came from the area of Westphalia.[16][17]
Charlemagne
editCharlemagneis thought to have spent considerable time inPaderbornand nearby parts. HisSaxon Warsalso partly took place in what is thought of as Westphalia today. Popular legends link his adversaryWidukindto places near Detmold, Bielefeld, Lemgo, Osnabrück and other places in Westphalia. Widukind was buried inEnger,which is also a subject of a legend.[3]
Middle Ages
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Along withEastphalia,AngriaandNordalbingia,Westphalia(Westfalahi)was originally a district of theDuchy of Saxony.At the time, large portions of its territory in the north lay in what today isLower Saxony.Following the deposition of the Saxon dukeHenry the Lionin 1180 and the subsequent belittlement of the duchy, Westphalia was elevated to a duchy in its own right by EmperorBarbarossa.TheDuchy of Westphaliacomprised only a small area south of theLippe River.[3]
Modern Westphalia was a part of theLower Rhenish–Westphalian Circleof the Holy Roman Empire, which comprised territories ofLower Lorraine,Frisiaand parts of the formerDuchy of Saxony.
Early modern era
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As a result of theProtestant Reformation,there was no dominant religion in Westphalia.Roman CatholicismandLutheranismwere on a relatively equal footing. Lutheranism was strong in the eastern and northern parts with numerous free churches. Münster and especially Paderborn were considered to be Catholic. Osnabrück was divided almost equally between Catholicism and Protestantism.[18]
Parts of Westphalia came underBrandenburg-Prussiancontrol during the 17th and 18th centuries, but most of it remained divided by duchies and other areas of feudal power. ThePeace of Westphaliaof 1648, signed in Münster and Osnabrück, ended theThirty Years' War.The concept of nation-state sovereignty resulting from the treaty became known as "Westphalian sovereignty".[18]
Prussia
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After the defeat of thePrussian Armyby the French at theBattle of Jena–Auerstedt,theTreaty of Tilsitin 1807 made the easternmost portion of today's Westphalia part of theFrenchclientKingdom of Westphaliauntil 1813, when the kingdom was dissolved by the Russians. While this state shared its name with the historical region, it only contained a relatively small part of Westphalia, rather consisting of mostlyHessianandEastphalianregions.[19]
Following to theCongress of Vienna,Prussiareceived a large amount of territories in the Westphalian region and created theProvince of Westphaliain 1815. After in 1816, the formerDuchy of Westphaliaand the counties ofWittgensteinand in 1851 thecondominiumofLippstadthad joined the province, Westphalia had received its modern territorial shape.[19][2]
In 1816, thegovernmental districtsof Arnsberg, Minden and Münster were created.[19][2]
Modern Westphalia
editAfterWorld War IIin 1946, the present state ofNorth Rhine-Westphaliawas created by theBritish military governmentfrom the former Prussian Province of Westphalia and the northern half of the former PrussianRhine Province.The old governmental districts of 1816 stayed in place. When in 1947 the formerFree State of Lippewith its capital Detmold joined North Rhine-Westphalia, the "Governmental District of Minden" was enlarged by this territory and renamed "Governmental District of Detmold". In total, North Rhine-Westphalia is subdivided into five governmental districts(Regierungsbezirke).Westphalia today consists of the old governmental districts ofArnsbergandMünsterand ofDetmold(including theDistrict of Lippe,which is a separate historical region). Inhabitants of the region call themselves Westphalians and their home region Westphalia even though there is no administrative division by that name.[4]
Economy
editWestphalia is home to the headquarters ofWestfalia-Werke,the contractor that built theVolkswagen Westfalia Campers.[20]
In popular culture
editCandide:The protagonist ofVoltaire's novella of the same name, resides in Westphalia in the beginning of the story.
See also
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References
edit- ^LWL: Zum Mittelpunkt Westfalens
- ^abcLWL: Territorien > Preußische Provinz Westfalen
- ^abcdLWL: Die Westfalen als Teil der Sachsen
- ^abLWL: Westfalen in der unmittelbaren Nachkriegszeit
- ^abcdIT.NRW: Bevölkerungszahlen auf Basis des Zensus vom 9. Mai 2011(Bevölkerung der Regierungsbezirke Arnsberg, Detmold ohne den Kreis Lippe und Münster)
- ^abDeutsches Kaiserreich: Provinz Westfalen
- ^abcLWL: Die westfälischen Territorien 1789
- ^ab"LWL: Die Region Westfalen-Lippe".Archived fromthe originalon 3 July 2017.Retrieved23 January2017.
- ^abLWL: Niederdeutsche Sprache – westfälische Mundarten
- ^LWL: Gewässerbildung und Systeme der natürlichen Fließgewässer in Westfalen
- ^RP online: Jeder kennt Westfalen — gibt es auch Ostfalen?
- ^abHauptsatzung des LWL
- ^"Landtag NRW: Das Wappen des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen".Archived fromthe originalon 2 February 2017.Retrieved25 January2017.
- ^MIK NRW: Landesflagge
- ^LWL: Mundartenregionen Westfalens
- ^LWL: Westfalen zur Zeit der Germanen und Römer
- ^LWL: Die Zeit der römischen Feldzüge in Germanien (12 v.-16 n. Chr.)
- ^abLWL: Westfalen im konfessionellen Zeitalter
- ^abcLWL: Vom feudalen zum modernen Westfalen 1770-1815
- ^Westfalia – Company history
External links
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- Internet-Portal Westfälische Geschichte(in German)
- Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe(in German)
- Land of North Rhine-Westphalia(in English)
- Deutsches Kaiserreich: Provinz Westfalen(in German)