Klötze () is a town in the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel (district), in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated approximately 20 km northwest of Gardelegen, and 35 km northeast of Wolfsburg.
Geography The town Klötze consists of the following Ortschaften or municipal divisions:Hauptsatzung der Stadt Klötze , § 16, 16 October 2019.
Dönitz Immekath Jahrstedt Klötze Kunrau Kusey Neuendorf Neuferchau Ristedt Schwiesau Steimke Trippigleben Wenze
History
Klötze was mentioned first in 1144 with the name Cloetze, which means a wooden block.https://www.stadt-kloetze.de/seite/10236/ausz%C3%BCge-aus-der-chronik-stadt-kl%C3%B6tze.html
In 1846 Klötze attained municipal status, had 2.765 inhabitants in 1855 and 3.199 in 1900.Dr. M. Broesike: Neumanns Orts- und Verkehrslexikon, p. 533. Leipzig 1905 The railway line from Salzwedel to Oebisfelde was inaugurated in 1889 with a railway station in Klötze.https://www.stadt-kloetze.de/seite/10236/ausz%C3%BCge-aus-der-chronik-stadt-kl%C3%B6tze.html The railway line proved to be an important economic factor for the town. In 2001, however, the line was closed.
On 22 February 1945 the town centre was hit by bombs which had missed the railway station and 50 inhabitants lost their lives.Holger Benecke: Bombenhölle forderte 700 Opfer. Das Inferno der "Kriegstrompete"/Bahnhöfe in Schutt und Asche. Altmarkzeitung, 22. Feb. 2000
From 1945 to 1990 Klötze was a part of the German Democratic Republic. After the reunification of Germany in 1990, the town faced economic difficulties.
In 2001 Klötze was awarded the official title of a government-approved resort town. In January 2010, with the disbanding of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft ("collective municipality") of Klötze, the town absorbed 11 former municipalities.Gebietsänderungen vom 01. Januar bis 31. Dezember 2010, Statistisches Bundesamt
Sights
The townhall dates from 1906. Various half-timbered houses can be seen in Schulstrasse and buildings dating from Gründerzeit are in Bahnhofstrasse, the main street of the town. Various shops and services are in Breite Straße as well. Klötze has also a sightworthy windmill.https://www.stadt-kloetze.de/seite/266234/sehenswertes.html
The protestant church, St. Ägidienkirche, is a hall church named after Saint Giles. It was built in 1759 in a half-timbered style.Thomas Hartwig: Alle Altmarkkirchen von A bis Z. Elbe-Havel-Verlag, Havelberg 2012. ISBN 978-3-981-4039-5-4, S. 270. The rococo organ dates from 1776.
Saint Joseph's Church, the catholic church of Klötze, was inaugurated in 1930.Alfred Hanus: Entwicklung der katholischen Kirchengemeinde in Weferlingen. Weferlingen 2005, S. 44.
On the road to Nesenitz, a village in the northwest of Klötze which was incorporated in 2010, a megalithic grave can be visited.
References
External links