History Schmallenberg

the chapel “upon werth” in old cemetery spa park. renaissance chapel year 1682 believed have been built on former site of schmallenberg castle.



“breybalg” personification of schmallenberg , reminds of famine after big fire of 1822.

in 1072 benedictine monastery of grafschaft founded near wilzenberg mountain st. anno ii, archbishop of cologne.

oldest available documents speaking of “town of schmallenberg” archbishop s , town council s deeds 1243. there several causes let place of “smalenburg” (old german, “narrow castle”) receive town rights.

before schmallenberg received town rights, there had been castle of schmallenberg must have been destroyed around 1240. owned archbishop of cologne conrad of hochstadt , grafschaft abbey. knight johann kolve had order protect castle. @ time, there must have been kind of settlement around. archbishop did not consider destroyed castle useful more. furthermore, local settlement unprotected , in risky situation because of castle. why archbishop , grafschaft abbey wanted fortify place, leaving old castle outside town wall.

in 1244 schmallenberg received town rights , got mayor , own council. johann kolve, had recommended solution, became commander of new fortified town. got 30 shillings every year on st. martin’s day indemnity, own property , judicial immunity granted. new town of schmallenberg thanked kolve new protecting wall. did not have pay taxes , did not have civic duties.

there evidence 1273 , 1292 of blacksmiths working in schmallenberg , there have been cutlers , trip hammers long time. town joined alliances medebach, hallenberg , winterberg , member of hanseatic league. used colognian minting place in 13th century. after weapon techniques had changed , archbishop, schmallenberg had lost fortified status, town went through economical crisis in 16th century.

in 1812, wall , gates torn down. in last of 3 big fires of 1732, 1746 , 1822, 131 of 151 houses burnt down , schmallenberg rebuilt in characteristic structure (“prussian ladder system”) half-timbered houses , slated roofs.

in 1800, iron manufacturing second biggest in whole duchy of westphalia. when collapsed because of major competition , high costs, textile industry developed in schmallenberg. there had been 7 companies belonging textile industry in 1871. manufacturing different kinds of textile should become important business type following years.