Archives introduce themselves - The City Archive Lemgo

By Archivportal-D

The town of Lemgo was founded around 1190 by the nobleman Bernhard II zur Lippe. The origins of a municipal archive can be traced back to 1432.

The oldest document in the town archive is from 1245. The document collection comprises just over 1,900 documents.

Among the best-known holdings are certainly the almost 225 trial records on the so-called "witch persecution" before the municipal criminal court. From around 1564 to 1681, around 250 people were accused and often executed in several waves of persecution.

Several seals on a document from the Lemgo town archives
Several seals on a document from the Lemgo town archives / Photo: Marcel Oeben |

Lemgo belonged to the Hanseatic League from 1295 until its dissolution in the 17th century.From the second half of the 16th century onwards, there are numerous sources on economic history, including several private merchants' or trading books of Lemgo merchants. 

The municipal guild records are also represented by official records, statutes and lawsuits.In addition to the official municipal records, the city archive also has around 70 personal and family estates, including those of the Cothmann family foundation and the Wippermann family foundation.The estate of the Lemgo executioner family Clauss(en) is somewhat special.

Engraving Lemgo, Elias von Lennep, 1663 (view from the south)
Engraving Lemgo, Elias von Lennep, 1663 (view from the south) |

The Plöger collection and the genealogical folders are relevant for genealogical and family research, in addition to the church register transcripts and civil status registers since 1876.

The town archive has several photo collections and a whole series of photo archives from local photographers such as Fritz and Karl-Ernst Ohle, Herbert Potthast, Ernst Rottmann, Hermann Walzer and Otto Gaul.They mainly cover the current city area, but some also extend well beyond it.

Click here to access the holdings of the City Archive Lemgo at Archivportal-D.

Lemgo town archive building, essentially a former monastery chapel from the early 16th century
Lemgo town archive building, essentially a former monastery chapel from the early 16th century / Photo: Anikó Szabó |

Contact

Stadtarchiv Lemgo
Rampendal 20a
32657 Lemgo
Tel. +49 5261 213 - 413
E-Mail: stadtarchiv [at] lemgo.de

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