Steinfurt, Germany

Another settlement not dated back precisely yet was found in the course of archeological excavations in the area of the contemporary "Steintorfeldmark." All three farming communities had their own sanctuaries in pre-Christian time. After the era of Christianization they built a church in honour of Irish missionaries, which was the predecessor of today's Great Protestant Church. The farming communities celebrate their own feasts and customs with their own special atmosphere up to now although they were incorporated into the city in 1939.

Steinfurt's name originates from an old stone passage (or "ford") across the river "Aa." This passage was probably located at today's crossways of "Wasserstraße" and "Europaring." Being a part of a military formation connecting east and west, it offered one of only few possibilities to cross the river with coaches. The authority controlling the "ford" was powerful, authorised to charge tolls, and fords were also places of commerce. In a document from 1129 there is the first reference to two noblemen "de Steinvorde" (of Steinfurt). They probably had a moated castle built in the place of the main farm of Veltrup near the "ford" in order to control it.

The first rival was the Ascheberg clan living in a castle near today's road to Emsdetten, the old road of army and commerce to Münster and other eastern Germanic areas. There was a permanent war between the House of Ascheberg and the House of Steinfurt. In 1164 the Ascheberg clan is said to have destroyed the castle of the Steinfurt clan while the latter were on a trip to Cologne. After their return to Steinfurt they satisfied their desire for revenge and destroyed the castle of Ascheberg.

The noblemen of Steinfurt put forward a liberal settlement policy offering tradesmen, craftsmen and other citizens favourably situated houses near the "ford." In return they had to provide currency, wax or poultry and the old farming community "Villa Veliun" turned into a market square. In a document from 1338 the settlement is named "unse Stat to Stenvorde" (our city of Stenvorde). From 1816 up to the administrational reform in 1975 the city was called "Burgsteinfurt" and now there is just the city of "Steinfurt" uniting the two parts – Burgsteinfurt and Borghorst.

The Knights of St. John of Jerusalem was a religious and military order of striking importance for Steinfurt, which came to Burgsteinfurt sometime in the 13th century. The knights were given several manors around Steinfurt. Next to the major church the "Knights" founded their settlement called "Kommende" in 1244 of which most of the old buildings have survived until today.

From the 12th century on there was another settlement developed in the neighbourhood of the "Kommende," which is now the district of Burgsteinfurt called "Friedhof" (free area).

The wealth of the Order of St. John grew continuously. The noblemen gave them authority to supervise the major church, including the prerogative to appoint clergymen and to manage its funds. Additionally they accepted donations of several rich farms as well as possessions in the surrounding area. The settlement of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in Steinfurt, which was the first settlement of the order in Westphalia, became the biggest one in the region. In Münster they also founded a branch settlement. The Knights of St. John and the "Friedhof" (cemetery)-district formed an important unity. The "Friedhof" (free zone)-district was an independent area outside Steinfurt with its own civil rights. The name "Friedhof" doesn't refer to a cemetery, but reminds the reader of a pre-Christian sanctuary, which was located in the place of today's "Great Church." A person reaching this holy place was free; even criminals could not be punished here. In 1347 Steinfurt was granted town privileges. A hundred years later the County of Steinfurt was integrated into the community of counties immediate to the Empire, so that Steinfurt was only subordinate to the Emperor of Germany. Nevertheless, the ambitions of Münster kept growing. The self-government of Steinfurt had always annoyed the bishop of Münster.

But Steinfurt prepared itself. The citizens built walls, ramparts, ditches and so on at their own expense. A complete wall around the city was put up. This fortification consisted of the city wall, the inner moat, the rampart, the outer moat and a forward wall. The course of this fortification can be traced in today's cityscape. It develops around the old city centre from the "Schüttenwall" via the "Wilhelmsplatz," the "Kalkwall," the "Stampenwall" and the "Neuen Wall." The small lanes "Türkei," "Löffelstraße," "An der Stadtmauer," "Drepsenhoek" and "Viefhoek" run parallel to the old city wall.