Hanseatic city of Neuenrade

Neuenrade

The small town Neuenrade and the mighty Hanseatic League

Founded as a planned settlement by the Counts “von der Mark” to be well-fortified against the county of Arnsberg, Neuenrade received town charter in 1355 and was then allowed to hold the Gertrudismarkt - the first large fair in the region to this day. Since 1476 at the latest, Neuenrade is said to have belonged to the Hanseatic League as a so-called “Beistadt” (city that belongs to the League, without being a main part of it) and under the Dortmund suburb. Because of the importance of iron extraction and processing in this wooded and wet region and the metal craft, Neuenrade was certainly involved in the economic activities of the powerful Hanseatic League. Local merchants took advantage of the privileges. The exact date of entry is not known, but in 1554 Neuenrade was listed as "Hanseatic" at the Hanseatic Day in Wesel.