Schwerte

Schwerte (Westphalian: Schweierte) is a town in the district of Unna, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Schwerte
Town
Church of St. Victor
Church of St. Victor
Coat of arms of Schwerte
Coat of arms
Location of Schwerte within Unna district
Schwerte is located in Germany
Schwerte
Schwerte
Schwerte is located in North Rhine-Westphalia
Schwerte
Schwerte
Coordinates: 51°26′45″N 7°33′55″E
CountryGermany
StateNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. regionArnsberg
DistrictUnna
Government
 • Mayor (2018–23) Dimitrios Axourgos[1] (SPD)
Area
 • Total56.2 km2 (21.7 sq mi)
Elevation
120 m (390 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total46,658
 • Density830/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
58239
Dialling codes02304
Vehicle registrationUN
Websitewww.schwerte.de

Geography

Schwerte is situated in the Ruhr valley, at the south-east border of the Ruhr Area. South of Schwerte begins the mountainous Sauerland region.

Division of the town

After the local government reforms of 1975 Schwerte consists of the following districts:

  • Schwerte
  • Holzen
  • Westhofen
  • Ergste
  • Geisecke
  • Villigst
  • Wandhofen

History

Schwerte received civic rights in the 12th century.

The railway facility in the eastern district of Schwerte became a branch of the Buchenwald concentration camp in April 1944. The camp had 445 prisoners in August and 670 in November 1944. The number of escapees was comparatively high; in November 1944 48 prisoners escaped. The camp in Schwerte was disbanded in December 1944 and the remaining prisoners were brought back to Buchenwald.[3]

Main sights
Ruhr Valley Museum

Economy

Today, there are some industries left, which are confined to the manufacture of iron and steel goods.

Twin towns – sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Schwerte is twinned with:[7]

Notable people
  • Johannes Goddaeus (1555–1632), jurist
  • Heinrich Rehkemper (1894–1949), baritone singer
  • Erwin Rösener (1902–1946), SS-Obergruppenführer Nazi officer executed for war crimes
  • Werner van der Zyl (1902–1984), rabbi
  • Detlef Lewe (1939–2008), sprint canoer, lived in Schwerte
  • Paul Kevenhörster (born 1941), political scientist
  • Wolfgang Kleff (born 1946), footballer
  • Rosemarie Trockel (born 1952), artist
  • Carmen Rischer (born 1956), rhythmic gymnast
  • Thomas Kroth (born 1959), footballer, lives in Schwerte
  • Violetta Oblinger-Peters (born 1977), Austrian slalom canoeist
  • Jens Ewald (born 1983), slalom canoeist
  • Lasse Sobiech (born 1991), footballer

References
  1. Wahl des/der Bürgermeisters/in Stadt Schwerte 04.03.2018, accessed 30 June 2021.
  2. "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden Nordrhein-Westfalens am 31. Dezember 2022 – Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes auf Basis des Zensus vom 9. Mai 2011" (in German). Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  3. Benz, Wolfgang; Barabara Distel; Angelika Königseder (2006). Der Ort des Terrors: Geschichte der nationalsozialistischen Konzentrationslager (in German). C.H.Beck. pp. 572–574. ISBN 978-3-406-52963-4. Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  4. Teil VI: Die Freiherren von Syberg zu Schwerte, Hees und Sümmern (German)
  5. Das Ruhrtalmuseum (German)
  6. Rohrmeisterei Schwerte (German)
  7. "Die Schwerter Arbeitskreise". staedtepartnerschaft.schwerte.de (in German). Schwerte. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
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