Hagen is the 41st-largest city in Germany, located in the federal state of
North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the south eastern edge of the Ruhr area,
15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne and Volme meet the river
Ruhr. As of 31 December 2010 the population was 188,529. The city is home
to the FernUniversität Hagen, which is the only state funded distance education
university in Germany. Counting more than 67,000 students, it is the largest
university in Germany. [1] History
Hagen was first mentioned ca. 1200, presumably the name of a farm at the
junction of the Volme and the Ennepe. After the conquest of Burg Volmarstein
in 1324, Hagen passed to the County of Mark. In 1614 it was awarded to the
Margraviate of Brandenburg according to the Treaty of Xanten. In 1701 it became
part of the Kingdom of Prussia. After the defeat of Prussia in the
Fourth Coalition, Hagen was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Berg from
1807–13. In 1815 it became part of the new Prussian Province of Westphalia.
The growth of the city began in the 19th century with the mining of coal and the
production of steel in the Ruhr Area. Hagen was the scene of fighting during
the Ruhr Uprising, 13 March - 2 April 1920 and has a monument to the Ruhr Red
Army. In 1928 Hagen developed into a city of
more than 100,000 inhabitants. On the night of 1 October 1943, 243
Lancasters and 8 Mosquitos from the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command
attacked the city. According to the Bomber Command Campaign Diary, "This
raid was a complete success achieved on a completely cloud-covered target of
small size, with only a moderate bomber effort and at trifling cost." Severe
damage was caused. After World War II the town became part
of the new state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Economy Owing to the extensive use of water
power along the rivers Ruhr, Lenne, Volme and Ennepe, metal processing
played an important role in the region of Hagen in and even before the 15th
century. In the 17th and 18th century, textile
and steel industries as well as paper production followed.
Hagen is the home of the Suedwestfaelische Industrie- und
Handelskammer, as well as Sparkasse Hagen, the local municipal savings bank.
The bank's former headquarters, the Sparkasse Hagen tower, was a regional
landmark until its demolition in 2004. The city is heavily indebted and in the
process of cutting city services in order to balance its budget.
Attractions Hagen is home to the LWL-Freilichtmuseum
Hagen, or Hagen Open-air Museum, a collection of historic industrial
facilities where trades such as printing, brewing, smithing, milling,
and many others are represented not simply as static displays, but as
living, working operations that visitors may in some cases even be invited to
participate in. It is located near the Hagen community of Eilpe. The Historical
Center contains the Museum of the City and the Werdringen castle. In the
Blätterhöhle cave in Hagen the oldest fossils of modern people in Westphalia
and the Ruhr were found. Some date back to the early Mesolithic, 10,700 years
B.C. It seems that the descendants of Mesolithic people in this area
maintained a foraging lifestyle for more than 2000 years after the arrival of
farming societies. Boroughs
some localities of Hagen: Hagen-Dahl
Hagen-Emst Hagen-Priorei
Hagen-Rummenohl Hagen-Halden
Demographics The following table shows the largest
foreign resident groups in the city of Hagen.
Traffic The Autobahnen A1, A45 and A46 touch
Hagen. Hagen has been an important rail
junction for the southeastern Ruhr valley since the first rail line opened
in 1848. The shunting yard of Hagen-Vorhalle is among Germany's
largest, and the central station offers connections to the ICE network of
Deutsche Bahn as well as to local and S-Bahn services. Since December 2005,
Hagen has also been the starting point for a new service into Essen, operated
by Abellio Rail. Local traffic is handled by Hagener
Straßenbahn, which, despite its name, offers only bus services, as the last
tramway route in Hagen was abandoned in May 1976. All local rail and bus
services operate under the transport association VRR.
Sport The German Basketball Federation is
based in Hagen Sport clubs in Hagen:
TSV Hagen 1860 - largest club SSV Hagen, later known as Brandt Hagen
Phoenix Hagen Hasper SV
Hohenlimburger SV International relations
Hagen is twinned with the following towns:
Personalities Sir Charles Hallé was born here in 1819
Nena, German pop singer Karl Ernst Osthaus, patron of the
avant-garde Nicholas Rescher American Philosopher
Mousse T., German DJ and record producer Kurt Meyer Knights Cross holder
Franz Bronstert painter Emil Schumacher painter and co-founder
of German abstract art Antje Vowinckel, sound artist, radio
artist and musician. Henning Wehn, German comedian
Bettina Hauert, German professional golfer
Wilhelm Böing, father of the aviation pioneer who founded The Boeing Company
William Boeing See also
Accumulatoren-Fabrik AFA Wippermann jr GmbH
References External links
Official city website