Bellingwedde

Bellingwedde (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌbɛlɪŋˈʋɛdə] ⓘ) was a municipality with a population of data missing in the province Groningen in the northeast of the Netherlands. Bellingwedde was established in 1968, when the municipalities of Bellingwolde and Wedde had merged. It contained the villages Bellingwolde, Blijham, Oudeschans, Veelerveen, Vriescheloo, and Wedde. After almost 50 year, Bellingwedde was disestablished in 2018, when the municipalities of Bellingwedde and Vlagtwedde had merged into Westerwolde.

Bellingwedde
Municipality
Flag of Bellingwedde
Flag
Coat of arms of Bellingwedde
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Bellingwedde in a municipal map of Groningen
Location of Bellingwedde (green) in Groningen (dark grey) and the Netherlands (grey)
Coordinates: 53°7′N 7°9′E
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceGroningen
Established1 September 1968
Disestablished1 January 2018
Area
[1]
 • Total110.08 km2 (42.50 sq mi)
 • Land108.39 km2 (41.85 sq mi)
 • Water1.69 km2 (0.65 sq mi)
Elevation
[2]
1 m (3 ft)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Totaldata missing
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
9566, 9695–9699
Area code0597
Websitewww.bellingwedde.nl

Etymology

The name Bellingwedde is a portmanteau of Bellingwolde and Wedde, which are the names of the two municipalities that were merged in 1968 to form Bellingwedde. At the time, three names were being considered for the new municipality: Bellingewedde as proposed by the province of Groningen, Bellingwolde-Wedde as proposed by the municipal council of Bellingwolde, and Bellingwedde as proposed by the municipal council of Wedde. The province selected the last option, which was eventually also accepted by the municipal council of Bellingwolde.[4]

History

On 1 September 1968, the municipality Bellingwedde was formed by merging the municipalities of Bellingwolde and Wedde.[5]

Henk Eijsink of the Labour Party, who was the last mayor of Bellingwolde and acting mayor of Wedde, became the first mayor of Bellingwedde in 1968–1970.[6] He was followed by Jurjen Jan Hoeksema (Labour Party; 1970–1978),[7] Engbert Drenth (Labour Party; 1979–2007),[8] Erik Triemstra (Christian Democratic Appeal; 2007–2013), and Janneke Snijder-Hazelhoff (People's Party for Freedom and Democracy; 2013–2018).

The municipality has merged with Vlagtwedde into the new municipality of Westerwolde on 1 January 2018.[9]

Geography
2015 map of Bellingwedde

Bellingwedde is located at 53°7′N 7°9′E in the east of the province of Groningen, in the northeast of the Netherlands on the border with Germany. It is in the south of the region of Oldambt and in the north of the region of Westerwolde.

Bellingwedde is bordered by the Dutch municipalities of Oldambt (in the north), Pekela (west), Stadskanaal (south-west), and Vlagtwedde (south), and by the German municipalities of Rhede (south-east) and Bunde (north-east). The nearest city is Winschoten.

The municipality contains the villages Bellingwolde, Blijham, Oudeschans, Veelerveen, Vriescheloo, and Wedde. It also contains the hamlets Den Ham, Klein-Ulsda, Rhederbrug, and Wedderveer.[10]

The north border of the municipality follows the river Pekel Aa. The river Westerwoldse Aa crosses the east of Bellingwedde from south to north. The canal B.L. Tijdenskanaal, that unites the Mussel-Aa-kanaal and the Ruiten-Aa-kanaal in the south, crosses the west of Bellingwedde from south to north.

Governance

A municipal government in the Netherlands consists of the executive college of the mayor and aldermen and the elected municipal council. The municipal building is located at the Hoofdweg in Wedde.[11]

Janneke Snijder-Hazelhoff of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy has been the appointed mayor of Bellingwedde since 2013.

The municipal council consists of 13 elected members. In the 2014 municipal elections the turnout in Bellingwedde was 57.57% with 4,191 valid votes. The Socialist Party got the most votes, followed by the Labour Party, the Christian Democratic Appeal, and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy.[12]

A coalition was formed between the Labour Party (PvdA), the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). All three parties have one alderman in the college of mayor and aldermen: Bart Huizing (PvdA), Lea van der Tuin (CDA), and Wim 't Mannetje (VVD). Although the Socialist Party got the most electoral votes, it is not part of the coalition.[13]

[12]

2014 municipal election
Party Votes % Seats
Socialist Party 1,116 26.63 3
Labour Party 853 20.35 3
Christian Democratic Appeal 572 13.65 2
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 531 12.67 2
GreenLeft 493 11.76 1
Plaatselijk Belang Bellingwedde 355 8.47 1
Westerwolde Lokaal 271 6.47 1
Total 4,191 100 13

Bellingwedde is twinned with Rhede in Germany since 1979 and Nowogród Bobrzański in Poland since 2004.[14][15][16]

Demographics
Historical population
YearPop.±%
19708,871—    
19758,885+0.2%
19809,429+6.1%
19859,380−0.5%
19909,416+0.4%
19959,476+0.6%
20009,549+0.8%
20059,694+1.5%
20109,261−4.5%
20159,154−1.2%
Source: Statistics Netherlands[17][18]

Since 1968, when the municipality was established, Bellingwedde had a population between 8,561 and 9,748.[17][18] In 2015, it had a population of 9,154 and a population density of 84/km2 (220/sq mi).[18]

Population pyramid (2016)[19]
Age range MenWomen
0–9
373
349
10–19
511
437
20–29
442
337
30–39
348
360
40–49
571
608
50–59
783
753
60–69
841
767
70–79
487
487
80–89
160
265
90+
21
71

Attractions
Museum de Oude Wolden in Bellingwolde
Wedderborg in Wedde

Two villages have a state protected village area (Dutch: beschermd dorpsgezicht), Oudeschans since 1991 and Bellingwolde since 2009.[20]

There are two museums in Bellingwedde.[21] Museum de Oude Wolden in Bellingwolde is a regional museum about the art and history of Oldambt and Westerwolde. It has temporary exhibitions and a permanent exhibition with paintings of Lodewijk Bruckman from the municipal collection of Bellingwedde.[22] Vestingmuseum Oudeschans in Oudeschans is a history museum about the fortification of Oudeschans. It has a collection of archaeological findings from the 17th and 18th century on display.[23]

There are five windmills in the municipality: De Korenbloem in Vriescheloo,[24] Niemans Molen in Veelerveen,[25] Spinnenkop Wedderveer in Wedderveer,[26] Veldkamps Meuln in Bellingwolde,[27] and Weddermarke in Wedde.[28]

The Wedderborg is a borg, a type of castle from the province of Groningen, in Wedde. The building has 14th, 15th, and 16th-century elements and is currently used as a hotel and restaurant.[29][30]

Infrastructure

Roads
The location of the N368 in the province of Groningen

There are no highways in Bellingwedde. The nearest highway is the A7 (E22) directly north of the municipality and which is connected to Groningen in the west and Leer (Germany) in the east; its nearest access point is exit 48 (Oudeschans).

There are four provincial roads in the municipality. In the northwest, the N367 connects the municipality to Winschoten and Oude and Nieuwe Pekela. The N368 runs from northwest to southwest, connects Blijham via Wedde to Vlagtwedde, and also connects to the other three major roads. The N969 runs from west to southeast and connects Blijham via Bellingwolde and Rhederbrug to Rhede in Germany. And the N973 runs from southwest to the center and connects Wedde via Vriescheloo to Bellingwolde.

Public transport

There are also no railways in Bellingwedde. The nearest railway stations are Winschoten and Bad Nieuweschans on the Harlingen–Nieuweschans railway just north of Bellingwedde. The railway is connected to the Groningen railway station and the rest of the Dutch railway network in the west and to the Leer railway station and the German railway network in the east.

The bus lines passing through Bellingwedde are exploited by Qbuzz (places in Bellingwedde are in italics):[31][32][33]

  • Line 11: Winschoten – Blijham – Wedderveer – Wedde – Veele – Vlagtwedde – Bourtange[34]
  • Line 12: Winschoten – Blijham – Bellingwolde – Blijham – Winschoten[35]
  • Line 14: Stadskanaal – Alteveer – Tange – Onstwedde – Barlage – Smeerling – Vlagtwedde – Veele – Wedde – Wedderveer – Blijham – Winschoten[36]
  • Line 811: Bad Nieuweschans – Klein-Ulsda – Oudeschans – Bellingwolde – Vriescheloo – Veelerveen – Vlagtwedde[37]

Education

There are four preschools, seven primary schools, and one secondary school in Bellingwedde.[38][39][40] There are no institutes of tertiary education in the municipality.

Media

Het Streekblad is a free door-to-door weekly newspaper in the municipalities of Bellingwedde, Oldambt, and Pekela.[41] Dagblad van het Noorden is a daily newspaper in the northern provinces of the Netherlands.

Radio Westerwolde is a radio channel in the municipalities of Bellingwedde, Pekela, and Vlagtwedde.[42][43]

Notable people
  • Jan Mulder (born 1945 in Bellingwolde), footballer, writer, and commentator

References
  1. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2020" [Key figures for neighbourhoods 2020]. StatLine (in Dutch). CBS. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  2. "Postcodetool for 9698AE". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  3. "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  4. Henk Beernink, Zitting 1967-1968-9409 (in Dutch), National Library of the Netherlands. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  5. Ad van der Meer & Onno Boonstra, Repertorium van Nederlandse gemeenten 1812-2006 Archived 16 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Data Archiving and Networked Services, 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  6. "Drs. H.J. Eijsink nieuwe burgemeester Meppel" (in Dutch), Nieuwsblad van het Noorden, 1970. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  7. "Jurjen Jan Hoeksema" (in Dutch), Dagblad van het Noorden, 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  8. Marcel Looden, "Rood en maar drie burgemeesters" (in Dutch), Dagblad van het Noorden, 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  9. Marcel Looden, "Westerwolde: 40 mensen tekort" (in Dutch), Dagblad van het Noorden, 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  10. (in Dutch) Over Bellingwedde Archived 25 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Municipality of Bellingwedde. Retrieved on 27 April 2014.
  11. Contact Archived 29 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Gemeente Bellingwedde. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  12. Verkiezingsuitslagen Gemeenteraad 1918 - heden Archived 18 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Electoral Council. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  13. Collegeleden Archived 12 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Municipality of Bellingwedde. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  14. Partnerschappen Archived 22 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Gemeente Bellingwedde. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  15. Nachbarn und Freunde (in German), SonntagsReport, 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  16. Gminy partnerskie (in Polish), Gmina Nowogród Bobrzański. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  17. Bevolkingsontwikkeling; levendgeborenen, overledenen en migratie per regio (in Dutch), Statistics Netherlands, 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  18. Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2015 (in Dutch), Statistics Netherlands, 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  19. Bevolking; geslacht, leeftijd, burgerlijke staat en regio, 1 januari (in Dutch), Statistics Netherlands, 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  20. Overzicht van aangewezen en in procedure zijnde stads- en dorpsgezichten Archived 1 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  21. Musea en monumenten Archived 12 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Gemeenste Bellingwedde. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  22. Programma Archived 15 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Museum de Oude Wolden. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  23. Vestingmuseum Archived 12 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Vesting Oudeschans. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  24. Monumentnummer: 8924 - De Korenbloem (in Dutch), Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  25. Monumentnummer: 8921 (in Dutch), Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  26. Monumentnummer: 388083 - Spinnekop Archived 29 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  27. Monumentnummer: 8906 Archived 29 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  28. Monumentnummer: 8930 Archived 29 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  29. Monumentnummer: 8925 Archived 25 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  30. Burch Wedde Archived 2 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Stichting De Burcht Wedde. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  31. Dienstregeling Openbaar Vervoer 2013 Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Municipality of Bellingwedde, 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  32. Dienstregeling 2014 Bus Archived 17 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), OV Nieuws uit Groningen. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  33. Memo Vastgestelde dienstregeling 2015 (in Dutch), OV-bureau Groningen Drenthe, 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  34. Lijn 11 Winschoten Station - Bourtange De Vesting (in Dutch), OV in Nederland.nl, 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  35. Lijn 12 Ringlijn Winschoten Station - Bellingwolde Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), OV in Nederland.nl, 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  36. Lijn 14 Stadskanaal Busstation - Winschoten Station (in Dutch), OV in Nederland.nl, 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  37. Lijn 811 Bad Nieuweschans Busstation - Vlagtwedde Marke (in Dutch), OV in Nederland.nl, 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  38. Kinderopvang Archived 11 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Municipality of Bellingwedde. Retrieved 20 Jun 2016.
  39. Basisonderwijs Archived 1 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Municipality of Bellingwedde. Retrieved 20 Jun 2016.
  40. Voortgezet onderwijs Archived 1 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), Municipality of Bellingwedde. Retrieved 20 Jun 2016.
  41. Bezorgklachten (in Dutch), Het Streekblad. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  42. Over ons (in Dutch), Westerwoldeactueel.nl. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  43. Arjan Brondijk, "Twintig jaar Radio Westerwolde: terugblikken en bluesfeest" (in Dutch), Het Streekblad, 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
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