Editing Lüdenscheid

{{Infobox German location
|type               = Stadt
|name              = Lüdenscheid
|image_photo       = Luedenscheid-Rathaus1-Bubo.JPG
|image_caption     = Town hall of Lüdenscheid
|image_coa            = DEU Lüdenscheid COA.svg
|coordinates       = {{coord|51|13|N|07|38|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan          = Lüdenscheid in MK.svg
|state        = Nordrhein-Westfalen
|region  = Arnsberg
|district             = Märkischer Kreis
|elevation              = 232 - 539
|area            = 87.02
|postal_code               = 58507–58515
|area_code           = 02351
|licence               = MK, LÜD, LS
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 05 9 62 032
|website           = [https://www.luedenscheid.de/ www.luedenscheid.de]
|mayor             = [[Sebastian Wagemeyer]]<ref>[https://www.wahlergebnisse.nrw/kommunalwahlen/2020/index_bm.shtml Wahlergebnisse in NRW Kommunalwahlen 2020], Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, accessed 21 June 2021.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2020&ndash;25
|party             = SPD
}}
[[File:Lüdenscheid-Erlöserkirche-01.jpg|thumb|150px|Church of the Redeemer, former [[St. Medardus]]]]
[[File:Schloss Neuenhof Lüdenscheid-01.jpg|thumb|Water castle Neuenhof]]
[[File:Versetalsperre1.jpg|thumb|Verse River reservoir]]

'''Lüdenscheid''' ({{IPA|de|ˈly:dn̩ʃaɪt|-|De-Lüdenscheid.ogg}}) is a city in the [[Märkischer Kreis]] district, in [[North Rhine-Westphalia]], Germany. It is located in the [[Sauerland]] region.

==Geography==
Lüdenscheid is located on the saddle of the watershed between the [[Lenne]] and [[Volme]] rivers which both empty into the [[Ruhr]] river (which subsequently flows into the [[Rhine]]), with three smaller valleys leading to them. The saddle has a height of 420 meters, higher elevations on the watershed are an unnamed hilltop of 505 meters in the north, and the 663 meters high ''Nordhelle'' in the [[Ebbe Mountains]] range. In the surrounding mountainous area, six dams created reservoirs to regulate the water flow in the [[Ruhr]] river and supply drinking water. The mountainous nature of the city's territory gave rise to the nickname "Bergstadt" (mountain town). The original settlement circles around the church built on a ledge of the slope above the saddle.

==Climate==

{{Weather box	
| location = Lüdenscheid (1991–2020 normals)	
| metric first = Y	
| single line = Y	
|collapsed = Y
|Jan high C = 	3.4
|Feb high C = 	4.6
|Mar high C = 	8.3
|Apr high C = 	13.2
|May high C = 	17.0
|Jun high C = 	20.1
|Jul high C = 	22.0
|Aug high C = 	21.8
|Sep high C = 	17.7
|Oct high C = 	13.0
|Nov high C = 	7.7
|Dec high C = 	4.2
| year high C =	12.8
|Jan mean C = 	1.1
|Feb mean C = 	1.8
|Mar mean C = 	4.4
|Apr mean C = 	8.4
|May mean C = 	12.2
|Jun mean C = 	15.2
|Jul mean C = 	17.1
|Aug mean C = 	16.8
|Sep mean C = 	13.1
|Oct mean C = 	9.4
|Nov mean C = 	5.2
|Dec mean C = 	2.0
|year mean C = 	8.9
|Jan low C = 	-1.2
|Feb low C = 	-0.9
|Mar low C = 	0.9
|Apr low C = 	3.8
|May low C = 	7.3
|Jun low C = 	10.3
|Jul low C = 	12.4
|Aug low C = 	12.1
|Sep low C = 	9.1
|Oct low C = 	6.1
|Nov low C = 	2.7
|Dec low C = 	-0.2
| year low C =	5.2
| precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation mm = 	119.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 	95.4
|Mar precipitation mm = 	91.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 	55.8
|May precipitation mm = 	78.4
|Jun precipitation mm = 	74.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 	95.4
|Aug precipitation mm = 	95.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 	89.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 	90.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 	93.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 	115.0
| year precipitation mm =	1091.2
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm	
|Jan precipitation days = 	20.1
|Feb precipitation days = 	18.3
|Mar precipitation days = 	18.3
|Apr precipitation days = 	13.7
|May precipitation days = 	16.2
|Jun precipitation days = 	15.9
|Jul precipitation days = 	16.3
|Aug precipitation days = 	16.1
|Sep precipitation days = 	15.4
|Oct precipitation days = 	17.4
|Nov precipitation days = 	19.6
|Dec precipitation days = 	20.9
|year precipitation days = 	207.8
|Jan sun = 	50.7
|Feb sun = 	69.7
|Mar sun = 	118.6
|Apr sun = 	164.0
|May sun = 	183.7
|Jun sun = 	187.1
|Jul sun = 	189.1
|Aug sun = 	186.6
|Sep sun = 	140.3
|Oct sun = 	103.9
|Nov sun = 	54.5
|Dec sun = 	41.0
|year sun = 	1488.4
|Jan humidity = 	88.0
|Feb humidity = 	84.2
|Mar humidity = 	79.2
|Apr humidity = 	71.6
|May humidity = 	72.9
|Jun humidity = 	74.2
|Jul humidity = 	75.5
|Aug humidity = 	76.0
|Sep humidity = 	81.5
|Oct humidity = 	85.0
|Nov humidity = 	88.5
|Dec humidity = 	89.1
|unit snow days = 1.0 cm
|Jan snow days = 	10.2
|Feb snow days = 	11.2
|Mar snow days = 	5.2
|Apr snow days = 	0.7
|May snow days = 	0
|Jun snow days = 	0
|Jul snow days = 	0
|Aug snow days = 	0
|Sep snow days = 	0
|Oct snow days = 	0
|Nov snow days = 	1.8
|Dec snow days = 	7.0
|year snow days = 	
| source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name=WMO>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231012162320/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Luedenscheid_10418.csv
| archive-date = 12 October 2023
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Luedenscheid_10418.csv
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020
| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = 12 October 2023}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;"
|+Largest groups of foreign residents
|-
!Nationality || Population (2011)
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}} || 3,115
|-
|{{flag|Greece}} || 2,858
|-
|{{flag|Italy}} || 906
|-
|}

==History==
While first settlement in the Lüdenscheid area is confirmed for the 9th century, the first mention of the place as a village was made in 1067 and as a city in 1268. In the 15th and 16th century Lüdenscheid was a member of the [[Hanseatic League]]. Since 1609 the town belonged to the [[Electorate of Brandenburg]], the later [[Prussia]]. In 1815 it became part of the new Prussian [[Province of Westphalia]], and 1975, with the creation of the Märkischer Kreis, became seat of its administration. In 1898 the aluminium framework of the first [[Zeppelin]] airship was built in the factory of [[Carl Berg (airship builder)|Carl Berg]] in Lüdenscheid.

==Economy==
Lüdenscheid is a predominantly industrial city with small and medium-sized firms in the metal and [[plastics industry]]. The largest company employs 2,000 people in Lüdenscheid, with other firms employing 800 people or less.

The economic importance came to the fore in the [[Middle Ages]], when the city became a centre for metal ore mining in the surrounding area, through the ([[osmond process|"osemund"/osmond iron]]). The ore was processed by the hammers and wire drawers of Lüdenscheid, serviced by water power in the surrounding valleys.  A number of artisanal smitheries in Lüdenscheid made finished products out of those materials.  In order to market these products to a wider area, Lüdenscheid joined the [[Hanseatic League]].

With the emergence of the industrial age, the production of buttons and buckles played a large role, reflected in the Button Museum. Later, new materials like aluminium, bakelite, and plastics were adopted. A supporting industry producing the forms for the stamping, blanking, pressing and casting emerged and still plays an important part in Lüdenscheid's industry.

Production of parts of the auto industry and of fittings for electrical installations play an important role as well as continuous casting of aluminium profiles. Products notable to end consumers are lamps and lighting systems and toys.

==Education==
One of the five branches of [[South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences]] is in Lüdenscheid.  See also the Fachhochschule Südwestfalen (FH SWF)), which offers various engineering programmes and is located in the city.

==Places of interest==
* ''Church of the Redeemer''
:in the center of the circular layout of the old city. The protestant church is the oldest in the city. Its tower dates from the 11th century, while the parish nave was rebuilt during the classicistic period in the early 19th century.
* ''Water castle Neuenhof''
:in the [[Elspe (Volme)|Elspe]] valley behind the ''Nurre'' mountain. The present building with an early baroque style was erected in the end of the 17th century.
* ''Homert tower''
:Observation tower on top of the Homert mountain (539 m above sea level), the highest location in Lüdenscheid
* ''[[Verse (river)|Verse]] River reservoir''
* ''City Museum''
:including among others the ''Button Museum'' and other exhibits showing the evolution of Lüdenscheid's industry

==Coat of arms==
The coat of arms shows [[Medardus|Saint Medardus]] as the patron of the city. Below it has the red-and-white checked [[fess]] from the arms of the [[Mark (earldom)|Counts of the Mark]]. The [[city wall]] at the bottom denotes the city rights that Lüdenscheid received in 1287.

==Sports==
"Lüdenscheid-Nord" is a demeaning and satirical name, most commonly used by the fans of [[FC Schalke 04]] to mock the [[Association football|football]] club [[Borussia Dortmund]]. The real football club [[Rot-Weiß Lüdenscheid]] is playing in the Bezirksliga, the eight level below the [[Bundesliga]], but did play once in the second Bundesliga Nord (Northern section) for two seasons in 1977–78 and 1978–79.

The Highlander Lüdenscheid are a skaterhockey-team playing in the highest German league, the Bundesliga.

==Culture==
The [[Lüdenscheider Altstadtbühne]] ist a part of the culture in Lüdenscheid. It is based in the Luisenstraße.

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Lüdenscheid is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Lüdenscheids Partnerstädte|url=https://www.luedenscheid.de/luedenscheid_erleben/stadtinfos/stadtinfos/sp_auto_738.php|website=luedenscheid.de|publisher=Lüdenscheid|language=de|access-date=2021-02-19}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|NED}} [[Den Helder]], Netherlands (1980)
*{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Brighouse]], England (1983)
*{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Leuven]], Belgium (1987)
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Gmina Myślenice|Myślenice]], Poland (1989)
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Romilly-sur-Seine]], France (1991)
*{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Taganrog]], Russia (1991)
{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
*[[Carl Berg (airship builder)|Carl Berg]] (1851–1906), airship builder
*[[Adolf Schulte]] (1894–1917), World War I flying ace
*[[Wilhelm Ackermann]] (1896–1962), mathematician
*[[Paul Wieghardt]] (1897–1969), American painter and professor
*[[Else Hueck-Dehio]] (1897–1976), writer
*[[Kurt Weill]] (1900–1950), composer, had his first engagement from 1919–1921 at the theatre in Lüdenscheid
*[[Arnfried Edler]] (born 1938), musicologist
*[[Nuri Şahin]] (born 1988), footballer
*[[Werner Naumann]] (1909–1982), German politician and [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|''Reichsminister'' of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] (30 April – 1 May 1945)
*[[Dörte Schiltz]] (born 1976), Olympic rhythmic gymnast

==Media==
One of Lüdenscheid's newspapers is the ''[[Lüdenscheider Nachrichten]]'' with its [[Süderländer Volksfreund]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website}} {{in lang|de}}

{{Cities and towns in Märkischer Kreis (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ludenscheid}}
[[Category:Lüdenscheid| ]]
[[Category:Towns in North Rhine-Westphalia]]
[[Category:Märkischer Kreis]]