Aurich

For the district, see Aurich (district).
Aurich

Aurich town centre's pedestrian zone

Coat of arms
Aurich

Coordinates: 53°28′17″N 07°29′01″E / 53.47139°N 7.48361°E / 53.47139; 7.48361Coordinates: 53°28′17″N 07°29′01″E / 53.47139°N 7.48361°E / 53.47139; 7.48361
Country Germany
State Lower Saxony
District Aurich
Government
 • Mayor Heinz-Werner Windhorst (Ind.)
Area
 • Total 197.21 km2 (76.14 sq mi)
Population (2013-12-31)[1]
 • Total 40,637
 • Density 210/km2 (530/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 26603 - 26607
Dialling codes 04941
Vehicle registration AUR
Website www.aurich.de

Aurich ( German pronunciation ; Low German: Auerk, Frisian: Auwerk) is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Aurich.

History

Historical affiliations

County of East Frisia 1464–1744  Kingdom of Prussia 1744–1808
Netherlands Kingdom of Holland 1808–1810
 First French Empire 1810–1813
 Kingdom of Prussia 1813–1815
 Kingdom of Hanover 1815–1866
 Kingdom of Prussia 1866–1871
 German Empire 1871–1918
 Weimar Republic 1918–1933
 Nazi Germany 1933–1945
 Allied-occupied Germany 1945–1949
 West Germany 1949–1990
 Germany 1990–present

The history of Aurich dates back to the 13th century, when the settlement of Aurechove was mentioned in a Frisian document called the Brokmerbrief in 1276. In 1517, Count Edzard from the House of Cirksena began rebuilding the town after an attack. He established the town centre, which is still in place today. In 1539, the land authorities were brought together in Aurich, making it the county capital and, later, East Frisia, remaining the seat of the land authorities when East Frisia was inherited by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1744. After the Prussian Army was defeated in the Battle of Jena in 1807, Aurich became part of the Kingdom of Holland in 1808. In 1810, the Kingdom of Holland was annexed by France and Aurich was made the capital of the department Ems-Oriental of the First French Empire. After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, it passed to the Kingdom of Hanover in 1815, and then was annexed by Prussia in 1866 and made part of the Province of Hanover.

From October 21, 1944, until December 23, 1944, a Nazi concentration camp was established in Aurich. The camp was a subcamp to the Neuengamme concentration camp.[2]

After World War II, Aurich became part of the new state of Lower Saxony.

Coat of arms

Aurich's coat of arms is drawn by the blazon: "Arms: Landscape with chief two-thirds sky and base third earth, a shield Gules emblazoned with letter 'A' Or, an open-topped crown Or above, two growing trees Vert at sides. Crown: A battlement Gules with three merlons and two embrasures. Supporters: Two branches of mistletoe with leaves and berries Or.".

Note that the coat of arms of the eponymous district differs.

Notable residents

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Landesbetrieb für Statistik und Kommunikationstechnologie Niedersachsen, 102 Bevölkerung - Basis Zensus 2011, Stand 31. Dezember 2013 (Tabelle K1020014)
  2. ↑ The camp is listed as No. 51 Aurich, Kreis Aurich in the official German list.

References

External links

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