Editing Balve

{{more citations needed |date=August 2008}}
{{Infobox German location
|type              = Stadt
|name              = Balve
|image_photo       = Balve, 20070915.jpg
|imagesize         = 
|image_caption     = Balve town centre in 2007
|image_coa         = DEU Balve COA.svg
|coordinates       = {{coord|51|20|N|07|52|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan        = Balve in MK.svg
|state             = Nordrhein-Westfalen
|region            = Arnsberg
|district          = Märkischer Kreis
|elevation         = 240 - 546
|area              = 74.81
|postal_code       = 58802
|area_code         = 02375
|licence           = MK
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 05 9 62 008
|divisions         = 7 
|website           = [http://www.balve.de/ www.balve.de]
|mayor             = Hubertus Mühling<ref>[https://www.wahlergebnisse.nrw/kommunalwahlen/2020/index_bm.shtml Wahlergebnisse in NRW Kommunalwahlen 2020], Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, accessed 21 June 2021.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2020&ndash;25
|party             = CDU
}}
'''Balve''' ({{IPA|de|ˈbalvə|-|De-Balve.ogg}}) is a town in the [[Märkischer Kreis]] district, [[North Rhine-Westphalia]], [[Germany]]. It is located in ''Hönnetal'', a narrow valley created by the river [[Hönne]], which is near the [[Sorpe Dam]], formerly part of Balve, and at the north end of the [[Sauerland]], near [[Dortmund]]. The town was established in 1975 with several divisions including Balve, Beckum and Eisborn and Garbeck.

== History ==
[[Image:Weissmann Balve Avenue.jpg|thumb|left|Avenue to Wocklum]]
The first reference to Balve is from around 780, when it was mentioned that a [[Widukind]] owned a farm called ''Ballowa'', another name for the town, although this reference has been disputed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Geschichte der Stadt Balve: History of the city Balve|url=http://www.balve.de/leben-in-balve/geschichte-der-stadt-balve/|website=balve.de|access-date=24 January 2017|language=de}}</ref> The first undisputed reference was in 864, in which a blind girl from Balve was said to be healed at the grave of the Saint [[Ludger]] in the crypt of [[Werden Abbey]].<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Diekamp|editor1-first=Wilhelm|title=Die Vitae sancti Liudgeri|date=1881|chapter=Vita Ludgeri III}}</ref>

Ballowa is also mentioned in the [[Thidrekssaga]], a chivalric saga written in the mid-13th century in [[Norway]]. In the saga, Ballowa is the home of two dwarfs who taught [[Wayland the Smith|Weyland]] much about making iron weapons. At the time of writing, Balve belonged to the county of [[Arnsberg]].{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}

In 1358 the town became the property of the Duchy of [[Westphalia]], which belonged to the [[Archbishop of Cologne|Archbishops of Cologne]]. In 1430 it was given the right to be called a city. During the [[Napoleon]]ic period, it belonged for a short time (1802–1815) to [[Hesse]], after which time it became part of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]].{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}

In 1975, following a substantial reorganisation of local government in Germany, the city was enlarged by the addition of the several former independent municipalities from the abolished ''Amt Balve'', including Asbeck, Beckum, and Eisborn.{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}

==Organizations, economy and transportation==
[[Image:Balve-Bahnhof1-Bubo.JPG|thumb|right|Building at the station]]
Local organizations include a Red Cross chapter, and the ''Schützenbruderschaft St. Sebastian Balve'', founded in 1947.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.schuetzen-balve.de/index.php?page=106 |title=Die Entstehung der Schützenbruderschaft Balve |publisher=www.schuetzen-balve.de |language=de |access-date=2012-12-14 }}</ref> [[Primary schools]] in the town include ''Grundschule Balve'' and ''Grundschule Beckum''. Several international companies have roots in the town, including ''Balver Zinn'', ''Chemie Wocklum'', and ''Kruse Group''.{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}

Train stations in Balve include Binolen, Volkringhausen, Sanssouci, Garbeck and Balve, the latter station part of the  ''Hönnetalbahn'' (RB 54) line.{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}

==Religion==
[[Image:St. Blasius-Kirche, Balve, 20071222.jpg|thumb|left|Saint Blaise church]]
The main religion in Balve is [[Roman Catholicism]]. The church [[Saint Blaise]], built in the 12th century and an example of [[Romanesque architecture]], was consecrated to [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Mary]]. On February 3 each year a special ceremony is held in the church, called the [[Blessing of the Throats]]. The altar servers of Saint Blaise visit other cities every year, for example [[Georgsmarienhütte]] in 1982. Bones from [[Benedict of Nursia]] and [[Saint Blaise]], and a 400-year-old monument for Hermann von Hatzfeld, are located in the church. Additionally, two Roman Catholic [[parishes]] have been present in Balve for several years.{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}

A Lutheran church is located at Hönnetalstrasse near to the ''Gemeindezentrum''.{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}

==Culture==

===Performing arts===
[[Image:Jedermann fbh.jpg|thumb|right|''Jedermann'' (2005)]]
The ''Männerchor 1860 Balve'' is the largest choir in Balve. Other choirs include the ''Männerchor Garbeck'' and ''MC Cäcilia Volkringhausen''. The town's bands include ''Musikverein Balve'' and ''Musikverein Garbeck''.{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}

Until 2005, the organization ''Festpiele Balver Höhle'' and the town of Balve have jointly hosted a [[jazz]] festival.{{citation needed|date=August 2008}} Acts at the festival have included performances by [[Jan Garbarek]] and by [[Piirpauke]]. One of the theatre ensembles in Balve is the ''Kolpingtheatergruppe'', directed by [[Christoph Rapp]]. Another form of entertainment, the [[Balver Märchenwochen]], involves performing fairy tales at Christmas.

===Festivals===
{{main|Festspiele Balver Höhle}}
The ''Festspiele Balver Höhle'' is held at the [[Balver Höhle]], a cave in Balve. The festival is a major focus of the culture in and around the town, featuring music and theatre performances. The only marksmen's festival, ''[[Schützenfest]]'', is also held in a cave, and is organized by ''Schützenbruderschaft St. Sebastian''.

A large bonfire on Easter Sunday is another tradition in Balve, organized by the ''[[Kolping]]sfamilie Balve''. On May 1 each year the [[fire brigade]] of Balve is invited to the ''Feuerwehrfest'', and for 20 years a [[christmas market]] has organized by ''Balver Fachhandel'' that features a live nativity scene.

==Sports==
One of the [[soccer]] clubs in Balve, SG Balve/Garbeck, won the DFB-Ü 40-Cup in 2007. The town also organizes the [[Balve Optimum]], a competition between horse riders.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reiterpost.de/Reitsport+NEWS+Deutsche_Meisterschaften+Springen_und_Dressur_Balve_2008_0714+Finalwertung_Dressur_0784.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719074717/http://www.reiterpost.de/Reitsport+NEWS+Deutsche_Meisterschaften+Springen_und_Dressur_Balve_2008_0714+Finalwertung_Dressur_0784.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 19, 2011 |title=DM Dressur Balve: Werth und Rath holen Titel 2008 |publisher=Reiterpost |language=de |access-date=2012-12-14 }}</ref>

Participants in the Balve Optimum have included:
;Horse jumping
*[[Reiner Klimke]]
*[[Paul Schockemöhle]]
*[[Ludger Beerbaum]]
*[[Markus Beerbaum]]
*[[Jessica Kürten]] (2007)
*[[Hugo Simon]] (2008)
*[[Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum]] (2008)
*[[Eva Bitter]] (2008)
;Dressage
*[[Isabell Werth]] (2008)
*[[Matthias Alexander Rath]] (2008)

==Points of interest==
[[Image:Balve-Hoenne1-Asio.JPG|thumb|right|The ''Hönne'' at Balve]]

There are many caves in the ''Hönnetal'', including the [[Balver Höhle]] at ''Helle'', a large cave used for cultural events such as concerts, stage acting and the annual marksmen's festival, and the ''Reckenhöhle'', a cave 1,478&nbsp;ft in length that has [[flowstone]]. Experts have found signs of [[Human cannibalism|cannibalism]] in some of the caves.<ref>[http://www.stefan-enste.de/Kannibalen.htm "Kannibalen in Westfalen?"] Stefan Enste. Retrieved October 02, 2015.</ref>

Other points of interest include 
# The walls of an old Germanic farm, located Garbeck,{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}
# Beckum, where scientists found bones from eight kind of species of [[dinosaur]]s from the [[cretaceous]],{{citation needed|date=August 2008}} and
# The ''Luisenhütte'', the only surviving 18th-century [[blast furnace]] that is still in workable condition, situated close to the 14th-century castle ''Schloss Wocklum'', the home of Count [[Dieter von Landsberg-Velen]].{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}
<gallery>
Image:Weissmann Balve Wocklum.jpg|Schloss Wocklum
Image:Luisenhuette 20080510.JPG|Luisenhütte
</gallery>

==Coat of arms==
The town's coat of arms references the history of Balve. The eagle is taken from the arms of [[Arnsberg]], and the black-and-white cross from that of [[Cologne]]. Both symbols were present in old seals of the city, of which the oldest known example dates from 1462. The coat of arms was officially granted on June 24, 1911, and confirmed on February 6, 1976, after the local government reorganization of 1975.{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}

The bottom part of the coat of arms of the former ''Amt Balve'' is identical Bolve's town arms. The top half showed [[St. Peter]], wearing a red coat and holding in his left hand a golden key and in his right a golden book. This coat of arms was granted on March 5, 1957, and expired when the Amt was dissolved in 1975.{{citation needed|date=August 2008}}

== Persons of interest ==
* [[Jean-Marc Gaulin]] (1962–), Canadian [[ice hockey]] player born in Balve
* [[Franz Hoffmeister]] (1898–1943), Roman Catholic priest
* [[Theodor Pröpper]] (1896–1979), composer and church musician
* [[Hermann Wedekind]] (1910–1998), actor, opera singer and theatre director

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Balve}}
*[http://www.balve.de Official site] {{in lang|de}}

{{Cities and towns in Märkischer Kreis (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Balve| ]]
[[Category:Märkischer Kreis]]
[[Category:Members of the Hanseatic League]]