From the Largest Village in Prussia to a Modern City in Germany
The city of Bottrop is still relatively young - it was only in 1999 that the city celebrated the 80th anniversary of receiving city status. The populated history of the area that is now a modern city began with the first settlements in the Neolithic period.
The first official mentioning of Bottrop that is documented was in 1150 when the name of "Borgthorpe," the village on the mountain, appeared in the property register of the Werden monastery.
Of particular importance to the city's medieval history was the establishment of the Welheim Commandery in 1523. This commandery, an administrative district established by the Teutonic Order, evolved into the largest administrative area in the Bottrop region.
The oldest maps that feature Bottrop - or rather "Bortorp" in this case - date back to 1579. They were made by the cartographer Arnold Mercator and served to clarify ownership of the Bischofssondern Forest.
A particularly important period of the city's history began in 1856: The mine shaft "Prosper I" was sunk in Ebel. The sinking of the first shaft was the beginning of the development of Bottrop into a mining community.
Coal served as the fuel for Bottrop's growth and vitality. The rural community of just 4,000 inhabitants grew to become a large industrial city. More mines were opened and additional mining settlements were established. As a result, the population soared. In 1914, 68,000 people lived in Bottrop. By 1919, the community was home to 72,000 inhabitants and had developed into the "largest village in Prussia." On July 21, 1919, a decree passed by the Prussian government in Berlin granted Bottrop city status.
Reconstruction after World War II, combined with the general economic recovery, caused the population of Bottrop to grow even further. 1953 saw the attainment of yet another milestone in local history. With a population of just over 100,000, Bottrop was elevated to the position of 49th largest city in the Federal Republic of Germany.
In the context of a municipal reorganisation on July 1, 1976, the district of Kirchhellen, which had thus far been a part of the city of Recklinghausen, merged with the city of Bottrop, thereby creating a new administrative district in its own right. A new coat of arms, which combines features of the two older coats of arms, was designed for this occasion and cements this amalgamation for the city and the outside world.
For further information:
Stadtinfobüro
(tourist-office)
Osterfelder Straße 13
46236 Bottrop
Tel.: 49 20 41/ 7 66 95 13 / -14
Fax: 49 20 41/ 7 66 95 15
e-mail: tourist-info@bottrop.de
