Emden facts for kids
Emden is a cool city and an important port in northwest Germany. It's located in the region of Lower Saxony, right on the Ems River. Emden is the main city in the area called East Frisia. In 2011, about 51,528 people lived there.
Quick facts for kids
Emden
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| Country | Germany | ||
| State | Lower Saxony | ||
| District | Urban district | ||
| Elevation | 1 m (3 ft) | ||
| Population
(2022-12-31)
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| • Total | 50,535 | ||
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) | ||
| Postal codes |
26721, 26723, 26725
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| Dialling codes | 04921, 04927 (Knock) | ||
| Vehicle registration | EMD | ||
| Website | www.emden.de | ||
Contents
Emden's Long History
County of East Frisia 1464–1744
Kingdom of Prussia 1744–1806
Kingdom of Holland 1806–1810
First French Empire 1810–1813
Kingdom of Prussia 1813–1815
Kingdom of Hanover 1815–1866
Kingdom of Prussia 1866–1871
German Empire 1871–1918
Weimar Republic 1918–1933
Nazi Germany 1933–1945
Allied-occupied Germany 1945–1949
West Germany 1949–1990
Germany 1990–present
We don't know the exact year Emden was founded. But we know it has been around since at least the 8th century. Over time, it had different names like Setutanda and Embda. In 1495, Emperor Maximilian I gave Emden special town rights. He also gave it a coat of arms, which shows "The Little Angel on the Wall."
Emden and the Reformation
In the 1500s, Emden became an important place for the Protestant Reformation. This was a time when many people wanted to change the Christian church. Countess Anna von Oldenburg ruled Emden then. She wanted to find a new way for religion. In 1542, she invited a Polish noble named John Laski to lead a Protestant church in Emden. He helped spread the new religion in East Frisia.
However, in 1549, the Emperor Charles V put pressure on the Countess. She had to ask Laski to leave. Even though the experiment ended, it was important for the Reformation in the Netherlands.
A City of Trade and Refuge
By the end of the 1500s, Emden became very rich. This happened because of a war called the Dutch Revolt. Spanish rulers blocked ports in other areas. So, Emden became the most important port on the North Sea for moving goods.
Thousands of Protestant refugees came to Emden during this time. They were escaping unfair treatment by the Spanish rulers. Emden was a Protestant city, and it welcomed them.
Emden Becomes Independent
In 1595, something called the Emden Revolution happened. This made Emden a special city-state. It became a free city, protected by the Dutch Republic. The Dutch language used in Brabant became the official language for trade and government. Emden was very wealthy in the 1600s. Many Dutch and Flemish people moved there. It was a center for a type of Protestantism called Reformed Protestantism.
Changes and Growth
In 1744, Prussia took over Emden. Later, in 1752, King Frederick the Great started the Emden Company. This company traded with Canton (now Guangzhou) in China. But the company failed when French forces captured Emden in 1757 during the Seven Years' War. British and German forces took the city back in 1758. For the rest of the war, the British used Emden as a major supply base.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Emden was part of the short-lived Kingdom of Holland. Around 1870, Emden started to become an industrial city. A paper mill and a shipyard were built.
The "Seaport of the Ruhr Area"
At the end of the 1800s, a large canal was built. It was called the Dortmund-Ems Canal. This canal connected Emden with the Ruhr area in Germany. This made Emden the "seaport of the Ruhr area." This lasted until the 1970s. Coal from the south came to Emden's port. Iron ore from other countries was shipped through the canal to the Ruhr area.
World War II and Rebuilding
In 1903, a big shipyard called Nordseewerke (North Sea Works) was started. It operated until 2010. During World War II, planes bombed Emden many times. Most of the city center was destroyed. On September 6, 1944, the biggest bombing raid happened. About 80% of the buildings in the city center were destroyed. However, the Emden shipyards were mostly unharmed.
After the war, Emden was under Allied control. People worked hard to rebuild the city. On September 6, 1962, exactly 18 years after the big raid, the new Emden city hall officially opened.
Emden's Climate
| Climate data for Emden (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) |
5.9 (42.6) |
9.0 (48.2) |
13.8 (56.8) |
17.4 (63.3) |
20.1 (68.2) |
22.1 (71.8) |
22.3 (72.1) |
18.9 (66.0) |
14.1 (57.4) |
9.0 (48.2) |
6.0 (42.8) |
13.7 (56.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.9 (37.2) |
3.1 (37.6) |
5.3 (41.5) |
8.9 (48.0) |
12.5 (54.5) |
15.5 (59.9) |
17.5 (63.5) |
17.6 (63.7) |
14.6 (58.3) |
10.5 (50.9) |
6.5 (43.7) |
3.9 (39.0) |
9.9 (49.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.5 (32.9) |
0.4 (32.7) |
1.6 (34.9) |
4.1 (39.4) |
7.6 (45.7) |
10.8 (51.4) |
13.0 (55.4) |
13.1 (55.6) |
10.5 (50.9) |
7.1 (44.8) |
3.8 (38.8) |
1.5 (34.7) |
6.2 (43.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 69.9 (2.75) |
51.8 (2.04) |
50.6 (1.99) |
42.2 (1.66) |
53.6 (2.11) |
71.9 (2.83) |
86.0 (3.39) |
83.0 (3.27) |
77.7 (3.06) |
75.0 (2.95) |
66.7 (2.63) |
75.3 (2.96) |
808.8 (31.84) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 20.6 | 16.0 | 15.6 | 13.9 | 14.0 | 15.3 | 17.7 | 16.7 | 16.4 | 18.6 | 19.3 | 21.0 | 205.4 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 89.4 | 86.5 | 82.4 | 77.8 | 76.6 | 77.7 | 78.5 | 79.6 | 82.9 | 85.9 | 89.7 | 90.3 | 83.2 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 42.9 | 70.7 | 122.3 | 185.4 | 214.1 | 202.8 | 202.4 | 186.4 | 145.9 | 103.3 | 52.7 | 42.2 | 1,582 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Emden's Economy and Jobs
The main jobs in Emden are in making cars and building ships. Volkswagen has a huge factory here. They build the Volkswagen Passat car and employ about 10,000 people. Emden's harbor is also one of the top three ports in Europe for shipping cars. Cars made in all Volkswagen factories in Germany are sent to Emden to be shipped overseas.
In 2017, over 1.4 million cars were shipped in and out of Emden. The Nordseewerke shipyard, part of ThyssenKrupp, builds special submarines. They also make different kinds of cargo ships. These include icebreakers and dredgers.
Another important part of Emden's economy is tourism. Many people visit Emden for a day trip. They often stay in nearby villages along the North Sea coast.
A university of applied sciences opened in Emden in 1973. About 4,240 students study there now. Most of them are learning technical subjects.
Sports and Fun in Emden
Football Excitement
The top football (soccer) club in Emden is BSV Kickers Emden. Their stadium can hold 7,200 fans. In 1994, about 12,000 people watched a game against Hamburger SV's reserve team. That's still the record for the stadium! That season, Kickers Emden finished first in their league. But they didn't get promoted to the Second League.
Water Sports Fun
Emden is very close to the North Sea. It also has the Ems River and many small rivers and canals. Because of all this water, boat sports are very popular. Both locals and tourists love to go boating here.
Famous People from Emden
Many interesting people have come from Emden. Here are a few:
- Johannes Althusius (1563–1638), a smart thinker about law and politics.
- Ludolf Bakhuizen (1630–1708), a famous Dutch painter.
- Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal (1667–1743), who was close to King George I of Great Britain.
- Henri Nannen (1913–1996), who started Stern magazine.
- Wolfgang Petersen (1941–2022), a well-known film director and producer.
- Otto Waalkes (born 1948), a very popular comedian, artist, and actor.
Ships and Places Named After Emden
Many ships have been named after the city of Emden. Three German light cruisers were called Emden. Two of them were used in World War I, and one in World War II. Today, the fifth navy ship named after the city is in service.
- SMS Emden (1906), a light cruiser in the German Imperial Navy.
- SMS Emden (1916), another light cruiser from the Imperial Navy.
- Emden (1925), a light cruiser in the German Navy during WWII.
- F221 Emden (1961), a frigate of the German Navy.
- F210 Emden (1979), another frigate of the German Navy.
- F266 Emden (2025), a new corvette for the German Navy.
There's even a deep spot in the Pacific Ocean named after the first SMS Emden ship. It's called Emdentief in German. It's about 10,400 meters (or 34,100 feet) deep!
The words "Yamandan" and "Emden" even became part of the Malayalam and Tamil languages. This happened after the SMS Emden bombed Madras Harbour in 1914. In these languages, the word means something huge or a person who is brave and works very carefully.
Several places in the United States are also named after Emden. These include Emden, Illinois, Emden, Missouri, Embden, Maine, and Embden, North Dakota. Many people from Emden moved to these places long ago.
Emden's Sister Cities
Emden is connected with other cities around the world. These are called "sister cities."
Arkhangelsk, Russia
Haugesund, Norway
See also
In Spanish: Emden para niños
