The ground where today’s centre of the town is located has been
settled since pre-Christian ice age (about 500 b.Chr.)
It was here – near a crossing of the Leine – that in the Middle
Ages the core of a settlement developed which has been regarded as
origin of today’s town. Protected by a castle that the bishop of
Hildesheim had erected to control the Leine crossing a market
settlement developed with merchants and craftsmen. It seems that
Alfeld in the beginning of 12th century already was the seat of an
archidiaconate.
Hanseatic City Guide-Alfeld (Leine)
Address
Stadt Alfeld (Leine), Marktplatz 1, 31061 Alfeld
Tel. 05181/703 – 0
Internet: www.alfeld.de
E-Mail: info@stadt-alfeld.de
I. The Town
Settlement on the Leine crossing
town hall
The town of Alfeld
Between 1221 and 1258 the market settlement received borough
rights. In the course of 14th century trades were mentioned for the
first time: in 1333 the bakers guild, 1387 the linen weavers and
1388 the wool weavers.
The town was mainly living by its trade with woolen cloth, linen
yarn and woven linen cloth as well as beer and hop cultured in the
surroundings of Alfeld. For some time, four fairs were allowed
throughout the year.
The Hanseatic town Alfeld
St. Nicolai church
In 1426 the town became member of the Saxon Town’s League that was
associated to the Hanseatic League. Thus, it was a Hanseatic town
and took part in the North European trade.
The prosperity Alfeld thus achieved from 15th through the beginning
of 17th century allowed the citizens to develop their town still
visible by two public buildings: Between 1584 and 1586 the former
gothic town hall was rebuilt into a representative building in the
mode of Weser Renaissance, and the town’s Latin School in the
beginning of 17th century got a new edifice that was liberally
decorated with wood carvings.
Due to the decline of the Hanseatic League and the consequences of
30years War, Alfeld’s economic bloom came to an end. It was nearly
200 years until the town again achieved economic importance.
The industrial town
When Alfeld in 1853/1854 was linked with the North South connection
of the railway Hannover-Kassel, a new economic boom started.
Between 1860 and 1914 a lot of businesses settled here, and Alfeld
developed into an industrial site.
The centre of production lay and still does in engine building,
manufacturing of paper and of lasts. But there were extraordinary
branches as well, e.g. the cultivation of cyclamen and the trade of
canaries and exotic animals.
Fagus Works
Along with the industrialization the population grew by leaps. In
1855 Alfeld had 2.660 inhabitants, in 1900 already the double,
5.411, in 1939 the number had risen to 7.755. The town that had up
to the middle of 19th century hardly crossed its medieval frontiers
now expanded. An industrial zone and new residential districts
developed.
The first industrialization ended with World War I. Then inflation,
World Economic Crisis and World War II led to economic stagnation.
It was only after 1948 that a new rise became apparent.
The post-war period until the beginning of the 1970s was stamped by
the integration of about 6.000 refugees and expellees.
Infrastructure and living quarters had to be adapted to the demands
of then 13.721 people.
Today, about 12.500 people live in Alfeld. The inhabitants of the
communities included, that are part of the town since 1974, there
are 22.500.
II. The Tradition
The archive
Stadtarchiv Alfeld, Seminarstraße 26, 31061 Alfeld
Tel. 05181/703-181; Fax 05181/703-216
E-Mail: museum.alfeld@t-online.de
Hours of opening: according to agreement by telephone
Archive history
The record series have their origin in the council’s archive. Since
1976, they are kept in a separate building and open to the public.
Since 1974, the town archive Alfeld also comprises the records of
the communities that have been incorporated.
The record series are partly made accessible through catalogues. A
records survey has been put on the web: www.alfeld.de/stadt/stadtarchiv.
The archive records
The record series comprise charters, hall books, chamberlains
accounts, records, court records, maps, plans, photos, post cards
and newspapers. The bulk of archival tradition starts at the end of
18th century leading up to 20th century.
The archive library comprises about 5.000 volumes.
Record series particularly relevant for Hanseatic history
Deeds
From 1339 until the end of 17th century
Official books and manuscripts
1. municipal books
15th and 17th century (with statutes and arbitrations)
2. council protocols
since 1610
3. Chamberlains accounts
since 1587
Records
Magistrate archive
Only disparate records relate to the Hanseatic period and early
modern ages.
Literature and Presentation
Heinze, Wilhelm: Die Geschichte der Stadt Alfeld, Alfeld 1894.
Graff, Paul, Geschichte des Kreises Alfeld, Hildesheim/Leipzig 1928.
Scale, Martha: Geschichte der Stadt Alfeld in neuer Sicht, Alfeld 1973.
The Town Museum refers to Alfeld’s membership in the Hanseatic League within the
frame of its permanent exhibition.
