View source for Meschede

{{More citations needed|date=August 2008}}

{{Infobox German location
|name              = Meschede
|type              = Stadt
|image_photo       = Meschede_Ausschnitt_Kern.jpg
|imagesize         = 
|image_caption     = View over Meschede
|image_flag        = Flagge Meschede.svg
|image_coa         = Stadtwappen Meschede.svg
|coordinates       = {{coord|51|21|N|8|17|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan        = Meschede in HSK.svg
|state             = NRW
|region            = Arnsberg
|district          = Hochsauerlandkreis
|elevation         = 260
|area              = 218.5
|pop_source        = 
|postal_code       = 59872
|area_code         = 0291
|licence           = HSK
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 05 9 58 032
|divisions         = 17 
|website           = [http://www.meschede.de/ www.meschede.de]
|mayor             = Christoph Weber<ref>[https://www.wahlergebnisse.nrw/kommunalwahlen/2020/index_bm.shtml Wahlergebnisse in NRW Kommunalwahlen 2020], Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, accessed 21 June 2021.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2020&ndash;25
|party             = CDU
}}

'''Meschede''' ({{IPA|de|ˈmɛʃədə|lang|De-Meschede.ogg}}) is a town in the [[Hochsauerland]] district, in [[North Rhine-Westphalia]], Germany. It is the capital of the district [[Hochsauerlandkreis]].

==Education==

One of the five branches of [[South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences]] (also: Fachhochschule Südwestfalen (FH SWF)) is located here.

==Geography==
Meschede is situated in the [[Ruhr (river)|Ruhr]] valley, near to the [[Hennesee]], south of the nature-park [[Arnsberger Wald]]. Major towns in the vicinity of Meschede are [[Paderborn]] (51&nbsp;km), [[Kassel]] (85&nbsp;km), [[Siegen]] (57&nbsp;km), [[Hagen]], [[Dortmund]] (60&nbsp;km) and [[Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia|Hamm]] (49&nbsp;km).

=== Neighbouring municipalities ===
* [[Arnsberg]]
* [[Bestwig]]
* [[Eslohe]]
* [[Schmallenberg]]
* [[Sundern]]
* [[Warstein]]

=== Division of the town ===
After the local government reforms of 1975 Meschede consists of these districts and villages:
{|
| valign="top" |
* Baldeborn
* Berge
* Berghausen
* Beringhausen
* Blüggelscheidt
* Bockum
* Bonacker
* Calle
* Drasenbeck
* Einhaus
* Enkhausen
* [[Enste, North Rhine-Westphalia|Enste]]
* Ensthof
* Erflinghausen
* [[Eversberg]]
* Frenkhausen
* Freienohl
| valign="top" |
* Frielinghausen
* Galiläa
* Giesmecke
* Grevenstein
* Heggen
* Heinrichsthal
* Höhringhausen
* Horbach
* Immenhausen
* Klause
* Köpperkopf
* Köttinghausen
* Kotthoff
* Laer
* Löllinghausen
* Löttmaringhausen
* Mielinghausen
| valign="top" |
* Mosebolle
* Mülsborn
* Obermielinghausen
* Olpe
* Remblinghausen
* Schederberge
* Schedergrund
* Schüren
* Stesse
* Stockhausen
* Vellinghausen
* Visbeck
* Wallen
* Wehrstapel
* Wennemen
* Windhäuser
* Wulstern.
|}
[[File:Meschede 2009 Stadt.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Panorama of Meschede]]

==History==
Meschede was founded as a settlement around a convent, the ''Walpurgis-Stift'' , in the 10th century. In [[1572]], it became a member of the [[Hanseatic League]].

In the 18th century, many inhabitants of Meschede died during at least two epidemics of [[dysentery]].

Both in [[World War I]] and in [[World War II]], Meschede was notorious as a location where the Germans exploited [[POW]]s in  labour camps. In February, 1945, the town was destroyed by Allied air raid bombings, because of its strategically important railway station, but rebuilt after the war.

In 1921, the [[Sauerländer Heimatbund]] was founded.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

In 1970, Meschede's St. Walburga Hospital was the site of a [[smallpox]] outbreak, as described in the book ''[[The Demon in the Freezer]]'' by [[Richard Preston]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

==Economy==
Meschede is the seat of three major companies: 
* a department of [[Deutsche Telekom]]
* the [[Veltins Brewery]]
* the Honsel factory, founded in [[1908]], that produces car parts and other products from aluminum, owned by the Canadian company [[Martinrea]].

An industrial zone is located near the crossing of the A 46 with the B 55 (see below).

Tourism also is important to the town's economy.

==Transportation==

Meschede is connected with two national roads, the federal roads [[Bundesstraße 7|B 7]] and [[Bundesstraße 55|B 55]], and the motorway [[Bundesautobahn 46|A 46]].

Meschede has a [[railroad station]], and is connected via the [[Sauerland Net]], RB 57, to [[Arnsberg]] and other towns.

It has an airfield, the [[Meschede-Schüren Airfield]], with a 900 m runway.

==Climate==

The city's climate is continental.  The lowest temperature recorded was {{convert|-20|°C|0|abbr=on}}, its highest was recorded at {{convert|39|°C|0|abbr=on}}.

==Culture==
[[Spanish fricco]] is a traditional stew dish of Meschede.<ref>{{cite web | title=Rezept fürs Mescheder Traditionsgericht Frikko bleibt geheim | website=Westphalen Post | date=15 January 2020 | url=https://www.wp.de/staedte/meschede-und-umland/rezept-fuers-mescheder-traditionsgericht-frikko-bleibt-geheim-id228151247.html | language=de | access-date=14 April 2022}} {{subscription required}}</ref>

==Mayors==
*1952–1961: Engelbert Dick (CDU)
*1961–1969: Josef Busch (CDU)
*1969–1974: Bruno Peus (CDU)
*1975–1998: Franz Stahlmecke (CDU)
*1998–1999: Bruno Peus (CDU)
*1999–2015: Hans-Ulrich (Uli) Hess (CDU)
*2015–present: Christoph Weber (CDU)

==Notable people==
*[[Joseph Hippolyt Pulte]] (1811–1884), homeopathic physician 
*[[August Macke]] (1887–1914), painter
*[[Carola Matthiesen]] (1943– 2015), German University Teacher 
*[[Klaus-Jürgen Wrede]] (born 1963), board game creator, author of the [[Carcassonne (board game)|Carcassonne]]
*[[Matthias Ungemach]] (born 1968), rower, trained here
*[[Laura Hoffmann]] (born 1991), footballer
*[[Susanne Kreher]] (born 1998), skeleton racer
*[[Hannah Neise]] (born 2000), skeleton racer
*[[Alexandra Föster]] (born 2002), rower

==Main sights==
*[[Abbey Königsmünster]], built by the [[Order of Saint Benedict]].
*Lake [[Hennesee]] near Meschede is the main recreational area of the town.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Meschede is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref name=twins>{{cite web |title=Partnerstädte|url=https://www.meschede.de/tourismus-freizeit-kultur/stadtportrait/partnerstaedte/|website=meschede.de|publisher=Meschede|language=de|access-date=2021-02-25}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Cousolre]], France (1965)
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Le Puy-en-Velay]], France (1975)

Meschede also has friendly relations with:<ref name=twins/>
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Neufraunhofen]], Germany

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.meschede.de/ Official site] {{in lang|de}}

[[File:Meschede im winter2004.jpg|thumb|left|Meschede in winter 2004]]
[[File:Meswinter2005november.jpg|thumb|left|Meschede in winter 2005]]

{{Commons|Meschede}}

{{Cities and towns in Hochsauerland (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in North Rhine-Westphalia]]
[[Category:Hochsauerlandkreis]]