Altenbrunslar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Altenbrunslar
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Suburb of Felsberg
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Altenbrunslar from the west, on a spring evening
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| Country | Germany |
| State | Hesse |
| District | Schwalm-Eder-Kreis |
| Town | Felsberg |
| Founded | 1381 |
| Elevation | 154-273 m (−741.7 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 306 |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) |
| Postal codes |
34587
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| Dialling codes | 05662 |
Altenbrunslar is a small village in North Hesse, Germany. It is part of the town Felsberg. The village is home to about 350 people.
Contents
Village Location and Nature
Altenbrunslar is located in North Hesse, Germany. It is one of sixteen communities that make up the town of Felsberg. The big city of Kassel is about 23 kilometers (14 miles) north of Altenbrunslar.
The village sits on the eastern side of the Eder River. This river joins the Fulda River about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) upstream. East of the village is the Quillerwald (Quiller Forest). This forest was once shared by many villages. People could cut wood and let animals graze there.
Rocks and Hills
The ground in Altenbrunslar is mostly made of a rock called Triassic Buntsandstein. This name means "colorful sandstone" because it has many different colors. The area has rolling hills formed by this sandstone. You can also see steep, dark rocks called basaltic outcrops. These are the remains of old volcanic necks. Imagine a volcano that has worn away over millions of years. Only the hard center, where the magma used to flow, is left behind.
A Look Back in Time
Ancient Discoveries
People have lived in this area for a very long time. The The Rhünda Skull, found nearby, shows that people were here 12,000 years ago. In the Quiller Forest, archaeologists found signs that people from the Corded Ware culture lived here around 2900–2450 BC.
When the A7 motorway was built in 1935, many ancient burial mounds were found. These were on a hill called Schleifsteinskopf in the Quiller Forest. Around the same time, a huge stone called the Riesenstein was set up near Wolfershausen. This menhir weighs more than 40 metric tons (about 88,000 pounds)!
From the Middle Ages to Today
The name Bruneslar was first used in 1154. The name Altenbrunslar first appeared in a document from 1381. This document listed the things owned by a knight named Friedrich III von Hertingshausen.
After the Protestant Reformation in 1527, the first Protestant vicar (a type of priest) started working in Altenbrunslar. His name was Ludolphus.
In 1760, during the Seven Years' War, a British general named John Manners led his troops through Brunslar. They built a bridge over the Eder River here to cross it.
The Railway Arrives
The first part of the Main–Weser Railway opened on December 29, 1849. This railway went right through Altenbrunslar. The first train was pulled by a Henschel locomotive called Hassia.
At first, Altenbrunslar did not have a train station. But after people asked for one, a station was built in 1902. Now, you can take a train from Altenbrunslar to Kassel in about 22 minutes.
World War II and the Flood
During the Second World War, the Allies bombed the Edersee Dam on May 16–17, 1943. This event was called Operation Chastise. The dam is about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) upstream from Altenbrunslar.
Half an hour after the dam was bombed, a huge flood wave reached Altenbrunslar. People in the village were warned by radio and ran into the forest. The whole Eder Valley and most of the village were flooded. The bridge mostly survived, but some houses near the river were damaged.
How the Village Was Governed
Over the years, Altenbrunslar has been part of different administrative areas. From 1413 to 1807, and again from 1813 to 1821, it was part of Felsberg. In 1971, Altenbrunslar joined with Neuenbrunslar to form the Brunslar Community. Then, on January 1, 1974, this community became part of the town of Felsberg.
Buildings and Landmarks
The first strong sandstone bridge over the Eder River in Altenbrunslar was built in 1885. Before that, there was only a temporary wooden bridge in summer. In winter, people used a ferryman to cross the river.
The small, evangelical chapel in Altenbrunslar is a special building. It was first built around the early 10th century in the Romanesque style. Later, a Gothic style choir was added. The upper part of the chapel, built in 1681, is made of half-timbered wood. This upper level was once used to store grain.
The chapel was fully repaired in 2000. Its church bell is very old. It is said to have come from the nearby ruined village of Brechelsdorf. On the bell, it says in old writing: "in the year of the Lord 1487 greetings to thee Mary".
Getting Around
Altenbrunslar has its own train station. Trains connect to the main Intercity-Express station in Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe in 22 minutes. From there, you can go to Kassel main station. To the south, Wabern is 16 minutes away by train.
The bridge over the Eder River is an important road for North Hesse. The L3222 state road crosses the bridge. The K151 district road from Ellenberg also joins here.
Nearby Places
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Wolfershausen | Ellenberg | Guxhagen | |
| Gudensberg |  |
Körle | ||
 Altenbrunslar  |
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| Felsberg | Gensungen | Melsungen |
Friendship Towns
Altenbrunslar is part of the twin town program through Felsberg. It is twinned with:
Vernouillet, France (since 1982)
Cheddar, United Kingdom (since 1987)
Felsberg also has friendship agreements with:
Felsberg, a community in Überherrn, Saarland
Felsberg, Graubünden, Switzerland- Dingelstädt, Thuringia
There has been a school exchange program between Felsberg school and a school in Vernouillet for over 30 years.
Famous People from Altenbrunslar
- Konrad Belz (born 1887 in Altenbrunslar, died 1936). He was a member of the communist party. He was imprisoned in 1933 and died later, likely due to injuries he received while imprisoned. In 2013, a special metal plate was placed in Kassel to remember him.
Village Events
On September 5–6, 2015, Altenbrunslar and Neuenbrunslar held a "bridge party" (German: Brückenfest Brunslar). This party celebrated the sandstone bridge over the Eder River. A local artist named Otto W. Werren had a cool idea. He used bright yellow-green old fire brigade hoses and wove them into the railings of the bridge. Young people from the villages helped with this project. For the party weekend, the bridge was lit up with different colored lights.
Altenbrunslar in the News
Altenbrunslar was chosen as Dolles Dorf (meaning "great village") on a TV show from Hessischer Rundfunk. A ten-minute film about the village was shown on TV on August 25, 2012.
Images for kids
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Fire hoses woven into the fences on the sides of the Brunslar bridge.
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Close-up of fire hoses woven into the posts of the fences on the sides of the Brunslar bridge.
