Schwerte

Schwerte
Town
Schwerte
Schwerte
Flag of Schwerte
Flag
Coat of arms of Schwerte
Coat of arms
Location of Schwerte within Kreis Unna district
Schwerte is located in Germany
Schwerte
Schwerte
Schwerte is located in North Rhine-Westphalia
Schwerte
Schwerte
Coordinates: 51°26′45″N 7°33′55″E / 51.44583°N 7.56528°E / 51.44583; 7.56528
CountryGermany
StateNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. regionArnsberg
DistrictKreis Unna
Government
 • MayorHeinrich Böckelühr (CDU)
Area
 • Total56.2 km2 (21.7 sq mi)
Elevation
120 m (390 ft)
Population
 (2023-12-31)
 • Total46,008
 • Density820/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
58239
Dialling codes02304
Vehicle registrationUN
Websitewww.schwerte.de

Schwerte is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. About 48,000 people live there.[when?] Schwerte is in the Ruhr valley just north of the mountainous Sauerland region. The Ruhr river runs through the center of Schwerte. Schwerte is a popular cycling destination for tourists.

History

Schwerte received civic rights in the 12th century. It was a member of the medieval Hanseatic League. During World War II Schwerte housed a branch of the Buchenwald concentration camp. The camp held 710 prisoners.

Controversy

In 2015 Schwerte officials have proposed housing refugees at the site of the former concentration camp. The plan has been criticized as a bad idea by many Germans including the premier of North Rhine-Westphalia. Officials say the buildings were built after the war and should not be a problem. Refugees coming to Germany include those from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Kosovo and Serbia.

References

  1. ↑ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden Nordrhein-Westfalens am 31. Dezember 2023 – Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes auf Basis des Zensus vom 9. Mai 2011" (in German). Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  2. 1 2 "Schwerte". .Ruhr Tourismus. Archived from the original on 7 September 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "Schwerte". Förderverein Buchenwald. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Soraya Nelson (16 January 2015). "A German Plan: House Refugees In An Old Concentration Camp". NPR. Retrieved 15 March 2015.

Other websites

Media related to Schwerte at Wikimedia Commons