Celle
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2008-07-11T12:20:31Z
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/84.233.252.147|84.233.252.147]] ([[User talk:84.233.252.147|talk]]) to last version by Olessi
{{otheruses}}
{{Infobox German Location
|Art = Stadt
|Name = Celle
|Wappen = Wappen Celle.png
|lat_deg = 52 |lat_min = 37 |lat_sec = 32
|lon_deg = 10 |lon_min = 04 |lon_sec = 57
|Lageplan =
|Bundesland = Niedersachsen
|Landkreis = Celle
|Höhe = 40
|Fläche = 176.01
|Einwohner = 71185
|Stand = 2007-01-01
|PLZ = 29221–29229
|Vorwahl = 05141, 05145, 05086
|Kfz = CE
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 03 3 51 006
|LOCODE = CEL
|Gliederung = 17 districts
|Adresse = Markt 14/16<br />29221 Celle
|Website = [http://www.celle.de/ www.celle.de]
|Bürgermeister = Martin Biermann
|Partei = CDU
}}
'''Celle''' ({{IPA2|ˈtsɛlə}}) is a town and capital of the district of [[Celle (district)|Celle]], in [[Lower Saxony]], [[Germany]]. The town is situated in the southernmost part of the [[Lüneburg Heath]] on the banks of the river [[Aller]], a tributary of the [[Weser]].
==Geography==
[[Image:Schlosscelle.jpg|thumb|left|Schloss Celle, the ducal palace]]
Celle includes 17 sections, some of which were previously independent villages: Altencelle, Altenhagen, Blumlage/Altstadt, Bostel, Boye, Garssen, Gross Hehlen, Hehlentor, Hustedt, Klein Hehlen, Lachtehausen, Neuenhaeusen, Neustadt/Heese, Scheuen, Vorwerk, Westercelle, and Wietzenbruch.
==History==
Celle was first mentioned in a document of <small>A.D.</small> [[986]] as Kellu, (settlement on the river) and had the right to mint and circulate its own coins ([[:de:Münzrecht|''Münzrecht'']] [minting privileges]) during the 11th century. In [[1292]] Duke Otto II the Strict (1277–1330), a [[Welf]] who ruled the [[Principality of Lüneburg]] from 1277 to 1330, granted Celle its [[town privileges]]. In [[1378]] Celle became the residence of dukes of [[Saxony-Wittenberg]] and in [[1433]], the dukes of [[Brunswick-Lüneburg]]. The ducal palace was situated on a triangle between the river Aller and its tributary, the Fuhse. A moat connecting the rivers was built in 1433, turning the town centre into an island. In [[1705]] the last duke of the Brunswick–Lüneburg line died, and Celle, along with the Principality of Lüneburg, passed back to the [[Electorate of Hanover|Hanover]] line of the Welfs.<!-- NOT "Guelfs," who were an Italian line. Source: German Wikipedia articles on Celle, Otto II. (Lüneburg), etc., and English Wikipedia articles on Welf, Este, and Guelphs. --> In August 1714, [[George I of England|George Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick–Lüneburg]] (King George I) ascended to the British throne. Between then and 1866, when the town became [[Prussia]]n during the [[Austro-Prussian War]] as part of the [[province of Hanover]], Celle was a possession of the British [[House of Hanover|Hanoverian line]].
On [[April 1]], [[1939]] Altenhäusen, Klein Hehlen, Neuenhäusen, Vorwerk and Wietzenbruch were incorporated into Celle. On [[April 8]], [[1945]] the only serious allied bombing attack on the city during [[World War II]] occurred, especially on the industrial areas and main train station, in which about 4,000 prisoners were. The attack claimed hundreds of casualties, but some of the prisoners managed to escape into the nearby woods. [[SS]] guards and Celler citizens participated in the so-called 'Celler rabbit hunt' ([[Celler Hasenjagd]]) The 'hunt' claimed several hundred dead and went on until [[April 10]], [[1945]]. The exact number of victims has not been determined.
In 1986 the [[Celle Hole]], a 1978 breach in a prison wall blamed on the [[Red Army Faction]], was revealed to have been a government plot.
== Military ==
[[Image:Bolkow Bo 105 2.jpg|thumb|right|German Army Anti-tank helicopter [[Bölkow Bo 105]] at Celle Air Base]]During the [[Third Reich]], Celle was an important garrison location. Parts of infantry regiments 17 and 73 and the 19th artillery regiment were garrisoned in the town. Celle was the seat of a military district command and a brigade reporting office.
The different barracks (including the Freiherr von Fritsch Barracks in Cambridge and the dragoons barracks in the city) into the nineties were used as sites for the Armored Brigade 33 "Celle." The [[Celle Air Base]] (Immelmann barracks) in the District of Wietzenbruch is now the site of the Training Centre of the Army Aviation School. In some barracks British troops withdrew, although one of which even today serves as a British garrison (formerly von Seeckt barracks, currently Trenchard Barracks). The barracks now are in the process of conversion to civilian use. The new City Hall is in the former Heidemarie barracks, and the former British Cambridge Dragoons barracks has now become a youth cultural centre. Today Celle has, since reunification, in large part lost its function as a major garrison town.
==Landmarks==
[[Image:Celle4.jpg|thumb|left|The old town centre]]
[[Image:Cellestreets.jpg|thumb|left|A half-timber house-lined street in Celle]]
The buildings in Celle’s old town centre date back to the [[16th century]], among them numerous (and some 480 restored) [[Timber framing|half-timber houses]], making Celle an important city for tourism in the southern Lüneburg Heath region. The most impressive building is the ducal palace, Schloss Celle, which was built in [[1530]] at the site of the former castle. Another major attraction is the Stadtkirche (town church, [[1308]]) with its white tower, from where the town trumpeter blows a fanfare twice a day (an old tradition that was revived as a tourist attraction). Celle has a [[synagogue]] built in [[1740]], one of the few synagogues that survived the [[Nazi Germany|Nazi]] [[Kristallnacht|pogrom night]] of [[1938]], thanks to its location next to an important leather factory that would have been collaterally damaged<!--according to the German Wikipedia article on Celle--->.
[[image:Weser watershed 3.png|thumb|The [[Weser]] watershed, showing the location of Celle on the Aller]]Celle is also known for the '''Bomann Museum''', a museum of regional history and modern art; and for being an entry point for tourists to the Lüneburg Heath.
During World War II, the [[Bergen-Belsen concentration camp]], where [[Anne Frank]] died, was located near Celle; today, a memorial and exhibition center mark the camp site.
The Albrecht-Thaer-Schule, a school in Celle, was founded by [[Albrecht Thaer|Albrecht Daniel Thaer]] in 1796.
Celle also hosts a ''Weihnachtsmarkt'' (Christmas market) every year in the old town centre.
== Industry ==
Tourism is a large contributor to Celle’s economy, especially in the summer months during jazz, wine, and other festivals, which thousands of visitors. The town is also known for its links to the oil industry and engineers many parts for drilling; notable companies are [[Baker Hughes]] and Itag. Celle is also known as a ''Beamtenstadt''—city of civil servants, due to the large number of government officials and lawyers who work there.
==Twin towns==
Since January 17, 1990, Celle has been a [[twin town]] of [[Sumy]], [[Ukraine]]. Celle also has city partnerships with:
* {{flagicon|Italy}} Celle Ligure, Italy
* {{flagicon|Finland}} [[Hämeenlinna]], [[Finland]]
* {{flagicon|Denmark}} [[Holbæk]], [[Denmark]]
* {{flagicon|Poland}} [[Kwidzyn]], [[Pomeranian Voivodship]], [[Poland]]
* {{flagicon|France}} [[Meudon]], [[France]]
* {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Tavistock, Devon|Tavistock]], [[United Kingdom]]
* {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Tyumen]], West [[Siberia]], [[Russia]]
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]], [[United States of America|USA]]
==See also==
* [[Lüneburg-Celle]]
* [[Celler Hasenjagd]] Massacre in Celle to inmates of a concentration camp after the air raid on [[April 8]] [[1945]]
== External links ==
{{commonscat|Celle}}
* [http://www.celle.de/ Official site] {{de icon}}
{{Cities and towns in Celle (district)}}
[[Category:Towns in Lower Saxony]]
[[da:Celle (Tyskland)]]
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[[nn:Byen Celle]]
[[pms:Celle (Gërmania)]]
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[[pl:Celle (Niemcy)]]
[[pt:Celle (Baixa Saxônia)]]
[[ro:Celle]]
[[ru:Целле]]
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[[zh:策勒 (德国)]]