OSNABRUCK

This article appears in Volume V20, Page 353 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: ORC-PAI

OSNABRUCK , a town and episcopal see of Germany, in the Prussian province of Hanover, situated on the Hase, 7o m. W. of the city of Hanover, 31 M. by rail N.E. of Munster, and at the junction of the lines Hamburg-Cologne Wand Berlin-Amsterdam. Pop. (1905) 59,580. The older streets contain many interesting examples of Gothic and Renaissance domestic architecture, while the substantial houses of the modern quarters testify to the present prosperity of the town. The old fortifications have been converted into promenades. The Roman Catholic cathedral, with its three towers, is a spacious building of the 13th century, partly in the Romanesque and partly in the Transitional style; but it is inferior in architectural

interest

INTEREST

to the Marienkirche, a fine Gothic structure of the 14th and 15th centuries. The town

hall

, a 15th-century Gothic building, contains portraits of some of the plenipotentiaries engaged in concluding the peace of Westphalia, the negotiations for which were partly carried on here from 1644 to 1648. Other important buildings are the museum, erected in 18881889 and containing scientific and historical collections; the episcopal palace and the law courts. The lunatic asylum on the Gertrudenberg occupies the site of an ancient nunnery. The town has an equestrian statue of the emperor William I., a statue of Justus Moser (17201794) and a memorial of the war of 187o1871. Linen was formerly the staple product, but it no longer retains that position. The manufactures include machinery,

paper

PAPER
PAPER (Fr. papier, from Lat. papyrus)

, chemicals, tobacco and cigars, pianos and beer. Other industries are spinning and weaving. The town has large iron and steel works and there are coal mines in the neighbourhood. A brisk trade is carried on in grain and

wood

, textiles, iron goods and Westphalian hams, while important cattle and horse fairs are held here.
Osnabruck is an ancient place and in 888 received the right to establish a mint, a market and a toll-

house

. Surrounded with walls towards the close of the xlth century, it maintained an independent attitude towards its nominal ruler, the bishop, and joined the Hanseatic League, reaching the height of its prosperity in the 15th century. The decay inaugurated by the dissension, of the Reformation was accelerated by the ravages of the Thirty Years' War, but a new period of prosperity began about the middle of the 18th century. The bishopric of Osnabruck was founded by Charlemagne about 800, after he had subdued the

Saxons

SAXONS

. It embraced the district between the Ems and the Hunte, and was included in the archbishopric of Cologne. By the peace of Westphalia it was decreed that it should be held by a Roman Catholic and a Protestant bishop alternately, and this state of affairs lasted until the secularization of the see in 1803. In 1815 the bishopric was given to Hanover. The last bishop was Frederick, duke of

York

, a son of the English king George III. Since 1857 Osnabruck has been the seat of a Roman Catholic bishop.
See Friederici and Stieve, Geschichte der Stadt Osnabruck (Osnabruck, 1816-1826); Wurm, Osnabruck, seine Geschichte, seine Bauund Kunstdenkmaler (Osnabruck, 1906) ; and Hoff meyer, Geschichte der Stadt and des Regierungsbezirks Osnabruck (Osnabruck, 1904). See also the Osnabrilcker Geschichtsquellen (Osnabruck, 1891 fol.); the Osnabriicker Urhundenbuch, edited by F. Philippi and M. Bar (Osnabruck, 1892-1902); and the publications of the Verein fur Geschichte and Landeskunde von Osnabruck (Osnabruck, 1882 fol.). For the history of the bishopric see J. C. Moller, Geschichte der Weihbischofe von Osnabruck (Lingen, 1887) ; and C. Stiive, Geschichte des Hochstifts Osnabruck (Jena, 1872-1882).

End of Article: OSNABRUCK

If you wish, you can link directly to this article.

<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/ORC_PAI/OSNABRUCK.html">
OSNABRUCK
</a>

(Previous)
OSMIUM [symbol Os., atomic weight 190.9 (0= r6)]

(Next)
OSNABURG

JCSM was founded in 1997 and exists to help the community and bring people into a life-changing and productive relationship with Jesus Christ. JCSM offers over 200,000 free web pages, including its weekly inspirational emails that were sent continuously for over a decade.

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries
P.O. Box 9297
San Diego, CA 92169
1-888-887-0417 or Email