1.
Konstanz
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Konstanz is a university city with approximately 80,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the south of Germany, bordering Switzerland. The city houses the University of Konstanz and was for more than 1200 years residence of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Konstanz, Konstanz is situated on Lake Constance. The Rhine river, which starts in the Swiss Alps, passes through Lake Constance and leaves it, considerably larger, car ferries provide access across Lake Constance to Meersburg, and the Katamaran provides a shuttle service for pedestrians to Friedrichshafen. At the old towns southern border lies the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen, Konstanz is subdivided into 15 wards or districts. The island of Mainau belonged to the ward of Litzelstetten, a municipality until its incorporation into Konstanz on December 1,1971. The first traces of civilization in Konstanz date back to the late Stone Age, during the reign of Augustus, the Celts living south of the Danube were conquered by the Romans. Around 40 AD, the first Romans settled on the site and this small town on the left bank of the Rhine was probably first called Drusomagus and belonged to the Roman province of Raetia. The remains of the late Roman fortress Constantia were discovered in 2003, around 585 the first bishop took up residence in Konstanz and this marked the beginning of the citys importance as a spiritual centre. By the late Middle Ages, about one quarter of Konstanzs 6,000 inhabitants were exempt from taxation on account of clerical rights, trade thrived during the Middle Ages. Konstanz owned the bridge in the region, which crossed the Rhine. Its linen production had made a name for the city. In 1192, Konstanz gained the status of Imperial City so it was subject only to the Holy Roman Emperor. In 1414 to 1418, the Council of Constance took place, during which, on 6 July 1415, John Hus and it was here that the Papal Schism was ended and Pope Martin V was elected during the only conclave ever held north of the Alps. Ulrich von Richentals illustrated chronicle of the Council of Constance testifies to all the happenings during the Council as well as showing the everyday life of medieval Konstanz. The Konzilgebäude where the conclave was held can still be standing by the harbour. Close by stands the Imperia, a statue that was erected in 1993 to satirically commemorate the Council, in 1460, the Swiss Confederacy conquered Thurgau, Konstanzs natural hinterland. In the Swabian War of 1499, Konstanz lost its last privileges over Thurgau to the Confederation, the Protestant Reformation took hold in Konstanz in the 1520s, headed by Ambrosius Blarer. Soon the city declared itself officially Protestant, pictures were removed from the churches, and the bishop moved to Meersburg
2.
Paderborn
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Paderborn is a city in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader and born, the river Pader originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried. Paderborn was founded as a bishopric by Charlemagne in 795, although its history began in 777 when Charlemagne built a castle near the Pader springs. In 799 Pope Leo III fled his enemies in Rome and reached Paderborn, where he met Charlemagne and it was during this time that it was decided that Charlemagne would be crowned emperor. Charlemagne reinstated Leo in Rome in 800 and was crowned as Holy Roman Emperor by Leo in return, in 836, St. Liborius became the patron saint of Paderborn after his bones were moved there from Le Mans by Bishop Badurad. St. Liborius is commemorated in Paderborn every year in July with the Liborifest, the bishop of Paderborn, Meinwerk, became a Prince of the Empire in 1100. The bishop had several buildings built, and the area became a place for the emperors to stay. The city was taken by Prussia in 1802, then by the French vassal state Kingdom of Westphalia from 1807 to 1813, native Friedrich Sertürner, a pharmacists apprentice in Paderborn, was the first to isolate morphine from opium in 1804. In 1930, the See of Paderborn was promoted to archdiocese, during World War II, Paderborn was bombed by Allied aircraft in 1944 and 1945, resulting in 85% destruction, including many of the historic buildings. After the city was reconstructed in the 1940s and 1950s, Paderborn became an industrial seat in Westphalia. The British Army has retained a significant presence in the area, Paderborn is situated at the spring of the Pader river, approximately 30 kilometres east of Lippstadt and approximately 50 kilometres south of Bielefeld on the Pader river. The hills of the Eggegebirge are located east of the city, the city of Paderborn consists of the following Stadtteile, Paderborn has a population of over 144,000, of which approximately 10% are students at the local university. Additionally, about 10,000 members or relatives of members of the British armed forces live within Westfalen Garrison, 60% of the population are Catholics, 20% Lutherans and 20% other. Paderborn is the headquarters of the former Nixdorf Computer AG, which was acquired by Siemens in the early 1990s, the company is now known as Wincor Nixdorf which is still located in Paderborn, but Siemens retains a considerable presence in the city. Paderborn has the largest computer museum in the world, the de, from 2001 to 2005 it hosted the RoboCup German Open. The town supports the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie for regular symphony concerts in the Paderhalle, the city is known today for its exhibitions in three museums, the Kaiserpfalz, The Diocesian Museum and the Art Museum - Städtische Galerie. The local baseball team, the Paderborn Untouchables, has won many German championships, and the local American Football team, in 2006 the Paderborn Baskets, the home basketball team of the city achieved the Bundesliga. The Paderborn Baskets played in the playoffs of the 2008-09 German basketball league, SC Paderborn 07 is a German football club based in Paderborn
3.
Einjährig-Freiwilliger
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The one-year volunteer service was first introduced 1814 in Prussia, was inherited by the German Empire from 1871 until 1918, and was also adopted in the Austro-Hungarian Heer from 1868 until 1918. One-year volunteers also existed in the armies of Bavaria, France. In the Prussian Army, the volunteer service was open for enlistees up to the age of 25. The aim of restricting the pool of Reserve Officers in this way was explicitly expressed by Emperor Wilhelm II, eligibility for the one-year route of military service was a privilege conferred after examination of the enlistees suitability and academic qualifications. Enlistees who did not aspire to officer grade would leave at the end of their term as Gemeine enlisted rank. The Austrian Bundesheer still recruits their reserve officers from one-year volunteers and it also uses this means to assess the suitability of aspirant officers to begin specialized studies in military command and control at the Theresian Military Academy in the Wiener Neustadt
4.
Altenbeken
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Altenbeken is a municipality in the district of Paderborn, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Altenbeken is situated in the Eggegebirge, approx, to the west of the town is the Altenbeken Viaduct, a railway bridge that spans the Beke valley. Altenbeken consists of the following 3 districts Altenbeken Buke Schwaney Altenbeken is twinned with, Betton, Official site
5.
Warendorf
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Warendorf is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and capital of Warendorf District. The town is best known today for its medieval town centre, for horse-riding. Bicycles are such a means of transport in the area that many cycle paths have been built. The origin and name Warendorf date back to the ancient Saxon royal court of Warintharpa, between the years of 1197 and 1201 Warendorf became a town. During this time, among the established parish, which belonged to the “old church”. The medieval records of the founding of Warendorf are missing, along with several records and these were all destroyed during the rule under the Anabaptists. Bishop Hermann II von Katzenelnbogen also contributed to the founding of the town, in 1224 the first recorded mention of Warendorf as a civitas, which is a civil and municipal community, was made. The wealth of Warendorf grew increasingly and developed more and more into an important trading town, apart from that Warendorf profited from the production and selling of linen. The wealthy citizens settled on the square and in the streets. Still today these areas of the town are most prominent in the townscape of Warendorf, in contrast, the poorer part of population lived in simple houses with dirt floors. These bad living conditions lead to the epidemics and illnesses, in 1404 there was a great fire in Warendorf, during which along with 600 houses also the “old church” and the town hall with all its inventory were destroyed. In 1533 the Anabaptist movement spread in Warendorf and also in Münster and this movement took over rule in the town for one week in October 1534, until it was ended by a short occupation by Bishop Franz von Waldeck. Four Anabaptist apostles and the Warendorf Anabaptist movement leaders were sentenced to death and were executed by a sword on the market square, as a deterrent the bodies of the “apostles” were laid on the four gates into the town. As a result of this, Warendorf lost its town rights, free elections of the local council were first held in 1556 under Bishop Franz von Waldecks successor. The Anabaptist movement continued up into the 17th century in the background without any danger for the town or church. Between 1627 and 1632 loss of the town occurred during religious battles of the Thirty Years War. The first mention of the dates back to 1657. This event remained an important funfair with a market and livestock market still today
