Slochteren

Slochteren ( listen / i?) ( Gronings: Slochter ) is a municipality in the province of Groningen in the northern Netherlands.

The municipality consists of the following villages: Froombosch, Harkstede, Hellum, Kolham, Location Country, Luddeweer, Overschild, Scharmer, Schildwolde, Siddeburen, Slochteren, Steendam, Tjuchem, Woudbloem.

The eponymous municipality part Slochteren lying on a sand base, to which also Kohlham, Schildwolde, Hellum and Siddeburen lie. Despite its strategic location on the road from Groningen (city ) to Appingedam to the North Sea via Winschoten to Germany Slochteren has always remained an agrarian village.

History

The name Slochteren is called for the first time in 1169 as Slochtra and probably meant ' low-lying area '. Many village name indicate the appearance of the area in earlier times today. Wold, Woud, Bosch suggests that it must have been to a wooded area, but rather with shrub plants and softwood species pastures, common hazel, ash and rowan. In between there are also once towering giant trees such as oaks and beeches.

The early inhabitants of the area were safe Frisian origin. However, it can be assumed that today's population is descended only part of these people. It is thought that around the year 400 invaded Saxony in the area and drove a large part of the Frisians, or subjugated. Although the official language is Dutch, but the old-timers talk almost exclusively Grunnings or Gronings, an old Saxon dialect. The Frisian died with the increasing influence of the Saxon town of Groningen in the Middle Ages. Thus, one can assume that the current inhabitants are a mixture of Saxons and Frisians.

When the Netherlands were Christianized in the 8th century and divided about the year 800 in bishoprics, were the Ommelanden, " the Umlande " the city of Groningen, which also Slochteren belongs to the diocese of Münster. Throughout the Middle Ages, the area remained free of noble lords. This meant for the villages, they were able to manage themselves in many areas and were of "their" bishops not as dependent as other areas of the ruling Count.

Each of the small units had their own, but not very different jurisdiction. The oldest remaining codes are the Five Linger Codex and the Codex Hunsinger, both written in Old Frisian. Later all these small units were united in Ommelander land rights. In each area there was a " judgment seat ", where anyone who had a certain amount of land owned proportionately to vote. Every year said one of the farmers right. The sequence changed every year and was determined by the location of the farms. Farms that had this right, were called "noble stone ovens " ( noble heerd ). Through inheritance, marriage and purchase the rights came slowly into the hands of a small layer Jonkers later called himself. This Junker sometimes had as much stake in a law chair that they could permanently dispense justice.

With increasing wealth of this layer whose members wanted to know better secured their goods whatsoever. So they built stone houses. Starting in the 13th century so-called Borgen were increasingly built. After 1500 these castles lost their defensive function, got more and more the character of country houses and were the residences of the gentry. These gentlemen were swinging rapidly becoming the ruler of "their" villages and meant for the common people often much misery by the often escalating dispute between the men in her " borrowing ".

The existing in almost all villages monasteries organized early on the water. Since they possessed large estates, they also had an effect. 1595, it was calculated, the monasteries had a land area of ​​36,000 hectares

Under Philip II, the successor of Charles V, in the mid -16th century, Protestantism was able to prevail. The occupation of the city of Groningen by the Spaniards meant for Ommelanden heavy looting and violent attacks on the population, the high taxes were pressed.

In 1594 the city of Groningen and the Ommeland must unite the province and join the 7th province of the United Netherlands. In the Ommelanden the landed gentry can establish itself more and more. In Slochteren this is the family Thomassen à Theussink van der Hoop thoe Slochteren, who lives in the Fraeylamaborg.

During the French occupation of the area is 1811 divided into three municipalities: Siddeburen, Slochteren and Harkstede. Already in 1821 and 1826 Harkstede and Siddeburen also be incorporated to Slochteren. Thus, it is understandable that the further history Slochterens is closely connected with the history of the individual villages.

Attractions

• Fraeylemaborg in Slochteren, a typical manor house set in an estate of 25 hectares The mansion can be seen, the connected English-style park is open to the public.
• The " Wester polder " with open water and some other smaller conservation areas show the typical flora and fauna of the area.
• The Church of Harkstede with built by Arp Schnitger organ.

Industry

The province of Groningen is an agrarian province - as well Slochteren is no exception. The two factories that once existed had, both to do with farming: a potato flour factory in Woudbloem, which was built in 1904, and a milk factory, which was founded in 1893. Both are now gone.

Slochteren was known until 1959, when Europe's largest natural gas bubble here was found. The exploitation by the Nederlandse Maatschappij Aardolie (NAM ) ( Oilcompany ) and the Nederlandse Gasunie ( Dutch Gas Union ) had and has great impact on the whole region. The German Federal Government had examined whether the gas field expands on German territory - but this is not so. It is expected exploitation period of at least another 45 years, allowing a natural gas supply would be secured until 2050. The NAM tested annually the reduction of the area. Since the start of drilling are 21 cm in the reduction funnel and 11 cm at the edge. The maximum lowering of the soil is forecast at 45 cm. Houses in the funnel have to suffer from this reduction little while owners of houses " on the edge " have often already struggling with huge losses.

Another source of income is agriculture. Dairy farming has evolved in Slochteren for high-performance industry. So ( Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics Office Statistiek, ) was, according to statistics of the CBS held about 180,000 cows in Groningen in 2002, which should be to find a few in Slochteren. ( Poultry: 5,900,000 pieces)