Halver

Halver
Halver town hall in 2008 Halver town hall in 2008
Coat of arms of Halver Coat of arms
Halver
Location of Halver within Märkischer Kreis district
Coordinates:
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region	Arnsberg
District	Märkischer Kreis
Government
• Mayor	Bernd Eicker (CDU)
Area
• Total	77.37 km2 (29.87 sq mi)
Population (2013-12-31)
• Total	16,218
• Density	210/km2 (540/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	58553
Dialling codes	02353
Vehicle registration	MK
Website	www.halver.de

Halver is a town in the Märkischer Kreis district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It has a population of 18,083 (2004) and covers an area of 77.37 km², of which 51% are used for agricultural purposes and 35% are forest. It is located in the hills of the Sauerland; at its highest elevation it is 440 m above sea level.

History

Around 950 the Oberhof Halvara was first mentioned in the Werdener Probsteiregister. For more than 500 years Halver was the seat of a Fehmic court, the earliest definite evidence of which is in 1243; it ceased to exist in 1753. This court was most famous because of the trial of duke Henry XVI the Rich of Bavaria-Landshut and the knight of Toerring on May 2, 1430.

With effect from October 1, 1912 the municipality Halver was split, Schalksmühle becoming an independent municipality. Both were administered together in the Amt Halver. As part of the communal reforms of the district of Altena the Amt was dissolved on January 1, 1969, and Halver was granted city rights.

Coat of arms

The red and white checked base refers to the fess from the arms of the Counts of the Mark. The stone judgement table under a linden tree represents the Feme court. It was designed by Otto Hupp, and was granted on March 29, 1935.

The Amt Halver had a separate coat of arms, which was also designed by Otto Hupp. It combined elements from the two member municipalities Halver and Schalksmühle: in the upper part is a linden branch symbolizing Halver, in the bottom the upper half of a black mill wheel as the symbol of Schalksmühle. Separating the two is the red and white checked fess, as above. The coat of arms was granted on June 8, 1936, and expired with the dissolving of the Amt in 1969.

International relations

Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

The town twinning with the Swedish city Katrineholm originated from the connection between a music group from Halver and a traditional dancing group from Katrineholm. It was officially signed on September 30, 1963.

On April 25, 1975 the twinning agreement with the French city Hautmont was signed. There has also been a city friendship with Pardess-Hanna in Israel since 1989.

External links

• http://www.halver.de