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'''Rethen''' is a former municipality in the [[Gifhorn (district)|district of Gifhorn]], Lower Saxony. The village was probably founded during the [[Saxon Wars]] of [[Charlemagne]]. In the Middle Ages, Rethen was a border town between the Roman Catholic [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Hildesheim|Diocese of Hildesheim]] and [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Halberstadt|Diocese of Halberstadt]]. In 1974 Rethen and [[Eickhorst]] were incorporated into the municipality of [[Vordorf]], which belongs to the [[Papenteich|Samtgemeinde Papenteich]]. Today the village has about 1200 inhabitants.
[[File:Rethen Kirche 2022.jpg|thumb|Rethen Church]]

==Geography==

===Geographical position===
Rethen is located in middle [[Germany]], in relatively short distance north of the city of [[Braunschweig]] and not far from the major cities of [[Salzgitter]] and [[Wolfsburg]]. The village lies south of the [[Lüneburg Heath]] and three kilometers northwest of [[Vordorf]], the seat of the municipality. Rethen is located directly on the Lower Saxony L 321. Nearest major traffic routes are the B 4 (4&nbsp;km to the east), the B 214 (6&nbsp;km to the west) and the [[Bundesautobahn 2|A2]] (6&nbsp;km to the south). Nearest middle centers are [[Gifhorn]], [[Peine]] and [[Wolfenbüttel]].

=== Geology===
The village is centrally located on the sandy-loamy plateau of the [[Papenteich]] approximately 75–82 m above sea level. The landscape around Rethen is predominantly characterized by arable farming and individual wooded areas. The various soils of the district are of medium to good quality.<ref name="ZGB_Verlegung_B4">[[Zweckverband Großraum Braunschweig|ZGB]]: [http://www.zgb.de/barrierefrei/misc/downloads/Landespl_Feststellung_B4.pdf ''Regional planning for the relocation of the B4 in the area between Braunschweig and Gifhorn''] (PDF; 1,9&nbsp;MB).</ref> Flat soils over [[calcareous marl]] are better rated, in the village also called "unser Klei". Sands and loams are glacial-post-glacial depositions. Isolated boulders near the surface, small boulders and flints are boulder deposits of the [[Elster glaciation|Elster]]- and [[Saale glaciation]].

A special feature are the near-surface limestone marl layers of the so-called "Rethen-Meiner Upper Cretaceous basin" in the Rethen area as well as in Meine and Vordorf, formed in a shallow sea about 80 million years ago. The limestone marl contains fossils from this Cretaceous period, such as [[sponge]]s, [[sea urchin]]s, and [[mussel]]s. Until the beginning of the 20th century, a commercially used lime pit south-east of Rethen was a rich finding place. Today the pit is no longer opened up, however, even today isolated finds are made in the course of soil excavations such as construction pits.<ref name="DGGV">[https://www.dggv.de/veranstaltungen/tag-des-geotops/tag-des-geotops-veranstaltungen/detail/geotop/papenteich-gifhorns-fenster-in-die-zeit-der-saurier-1.html ''Papenteich - Gifhorn's window into the time of the dinosaurs'']</ref>
<div align="left"><gallery widths="150" heights="150">
 Fossil Porosphaera Globularis Rethen (Vordorf), Germany.jpg|<div class="center">Fossile Porosphaera Globularis, found in Rethen</div>
 Fossil Echinoidea (Seeigel), Rethen (Vordorf), Germany.jpg|<div class="center">[[Fossile]] of a [[Sea urchin]] (Echinoida), found in Rethen</div>
</gallery></div>

=== Waters ===
[[File:RiedeNördlichRethen201905.jpg|thumb|Die [[Vollbütteler Riede]] nördlich von Rethen]]
Rethen used to be known for its very productive water springs, which were used equally by Rethen residents and the inhabitants of neighboring villages. For decades, a spring near the village pond has been available to the public and is still regularly used by farmers today. In the Rethen district there are also two creeks with historical significance:
* [[Vollbütteler Riede]] ''(also: Mühlenriede, Mönchsgraben)''
The Mühlenriede was a [[border|boundary marker]] between the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Hildesheim]] and the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Halberstadt]] around the year 1000. At that time, the stream bore the name ''Druchterbiki'', which later gave rise to the name ''Druffel-Bach''. According to old border maps, the creek rises north of Rethen and flows past the villages of Algesbüttel, Klein Vollbüttel, Druffelbeck and [[Ribbesbüttel]] into the creek [[Hehlenriede]] and finally into the [[Allerkanal]].
* [[Rötgesbütteler Riede]] ''(also: Dingbanksriede)''
The name of this small creek derives from the old dingbanks near [[Rötgesbüttel]], before they were moved to the Schierenbalken in the 16th century. The historic dingbanks are located about 3.5 kilometers northeast of Rethen on Rötgesbüttel territory.

=== Natural Reserve Maaßel ===
[[File:MU Maaßeler Lindenwald 3489.jpg|thumb|Naturschutzgebiet Maaßel]]
In the north of Rethen, the soils become increasingly wet and the predominantly agricultural area is increasingly interspersed with tree cover. This tree cover then turns into an [[Oak]]-[[Carpinus betulus|hornbeam]] forest. The forest area extends between Rethen, Rötgesbüttel and Vollbüttel. The area belongs to the new [[Naturschutzgebiet]] (nature reserve) [[Maaßel]] since 2019.

==People==
===Demographic development===
It is not possible to find any exact population figures for the time before the year 1821. The only reliable dates are sporadic documents, mentioning the number of different farms and buildings in Rethen. In 1489 a document listed 3 ''[[Hufner]]'' (full farmers), 4 [[smallholding]]s and 13 ''[[Kötner]]'' (small [[Prussia]]n house owners). This didn't change much until the next notification in 1773 with 6 ''Hufner'', 14 ''Kötner'' and 4 ''Brinksitzer'' (lowest level farmers). An enlargement of the village started after the end of the 18th century. As a result of these sparse notes, scientists believe that between 200 and 250 people were living in the village during the [[middle age]]s.

The next enlargement was triggered by [[refugee]]s of [[World War II]]. Many of them removed later further to the west. This was mainly because of the nonexistent possibilities of housing space within the village. The latest enlargement started during [[suburbanization]] in the 1990s, activated by new preparations of land for building and the vicinity to several larger cities and highways. Model calculations shows a further growth of population figures during the next decades based on the facts named above.<ref>[http://www.zgb.de/barrierefrei/misc/downloads/Stadt2030_H8.pdf Contribution for research project City 2030] {{in lang |de}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable zebra"
|- class="hintergrundfarbe6"
! colspan="7"| ''Rethen<br /><small>Demographic development since 1821</small>''
|-
! Development !! Year !! Population !! Year !! Population !! Year !! Population
|-
|rowspan="7" class="hintergrundfarbe2"|
{{Graph:Chart
|width=390
|height=180
|type=line
|x=
1821,1848,1890,1900,1905,1912,
1925,1939,1950,1961,1970,
1980,1990,2000,2005,2006,
2013,2015,2021
|y=
328,365,386,420,470,514,
499,503,848,687,725,
843,879,1222,1223,1214,
1137,1125,1138
|yAxisMin=0
|xAxisMax=2018}}
| 1821 || 328
| 1933 || 478
| 2000 || 1222
|-
| 1848 || 365
| 1939 || 503
| 2005 || 1223
|-
| 1890 || 386
| 1950 || 848
| 2006 || 1214
|-
| 1900 || 420
| 1961 || 687
| 2013 || 1137
|-
| 1905 || 470
| 1970 || 725
| 2015 || 1125
|-
| 1912 || 514
| 1980 || 843
| 2021 || 1138
|-
| 1925 || 499 
| 1990 || 879 
| || 
|colspan="6" style="font-size:90%;"|
Quellen:
<ref name="AlteAnsichten">Brand, Renate: ''Papenteich in alten Ansichten.'' Eschenbach 1995, ISBN 3-89570-057-6.</ref><ref name="Verwaltungsgeschichte GF">{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070228034603/http://www.verwaltungsgeschichte.de/gifhorn.html |title=Verwaltungsgeschichte Gifhorn bis 1939 |date=2007-02-28}}</ref><ref name="Papenteicher Nachrichten 395">Papenteicher Nachrichten, Ausgabe 395 - May 2007, S. 5.</ref><ref name="Einwohenrstatistik Papenteich">[https://www.papenteich.de/pics/medien/1_1465548653/Einwohnerstatistik_Papenteich.pdf Einwohnerstatistik Papenteich], retrieved 23 October 2018.</ref><ref name="Gemeindeverzeichnis1900">[https://www.gemeindeverzeichnis.de/gem1900/gem1900.htm?hannover/gifhorn.htm Gemeindeverzeichnis von 1900], retrieved 31 December 2021.</ref><ref name="Kirchengemeindelexikon">[https://kirchengemeindelexikon.de/einzelgemeinde/rethen-vordorf Kirchengemeindelexikon zu Rethen (Vordorf)], retrieved 31 December 2021.</ref><ref name="Verwaltungsgeschichte.de">[https://treemagic.org/rademacher/www.verwaltungsgeschichte.de/gifhorn.html Verwaltungsgeschichte Gifhorn], retrieved 31 December 2021.</ref>
|}

==History==

=== Prehistory ===
The first signs of settlement within the boundaries of Rethen go back more than 5000 years. In 1995 [[megalithic]] tomb remains were found near the village. The settlement, belonging to the tomb, is assumed within 3&nbsp;km.

===Abandoned villages===
There are several [[Abandoned village]]s in the immediate vicinity, including Dudanroth (1000 AD), Bromhorst (1007 AD) or Arnsbüttel. Most of these are located outside the present-day municipal boundaries. All settlements fell desolate between the 13th and 16th centuries. Explicitly documented are:

* ''' Algesbüttel ''' was mentioned first time in the year 1022. The place had around 7 farms and one church. The last documentary mentioning was in 1480 as a [[fiefdom]] of [[Lüneburg]].
* ''' Ossenrode ''' (Asenroth) was mentioned first time in the year 1112. The place had around 4 farms and was situated in the north-east of Rethen. Archaeological records belongs to the 12th and 14th century.
* ''' Zinsrode ''' (Sinesrode) was situated between Rethen and [[Vordorf]]. The place is located but not ascertained. At the surface area several arranged stones can be seen. The last documentary mentioning was in the end of the 15th century.
* ''' Wendenbüttel ''' (Wendenbutle) was mentioned first time in the year 1007 and was situated in the south of Rethen. Archaeological records belongs to the 10th and 14th century.

===Foundation===
====Documentary mentions====
The first documentary mention of Rethen comes from 2 April 1301. At that time, the village was purely agricultural, with mainly cattle breeding and only a little arable farming. The content of the deed is the sale of five hooves and four meadows in "Rethene". The knight Balduin von Wenden and his squires Ludolf and Georg sold this property to the [[Monastery St. Crucis (Braunschweig)]].<ref name="Urkundenbuch2-244">''Braunschweiger Urkundenbuch, Bd. 2'', S. 244. [https://archive.org/stream/urkundenbuchders213stad#page/244/mode/1up Online bei archive.org]</ref>
[[File:Tempelhof Braunschweig Beck.png|thumb|The Knights Templer Building in Braunschweig, Depiction from the 18th century]]

Some years later, a legal dispute between Duke Otto of Brunswick and Lord of Süpplingenburg and the St. Crucis Monastery over five hooves is documented. It is not known whether these are the same hooves as those of the knight Baldiun. In any case, Otto and probably also the [[Knights Templar]]s in Brunswick laid claim to these hooves. After the dissolution of the Knights Templar in 1312, Otto was informed in 1314 that he and the Knights Templar had no right to the property in Rethen.<ref name="Urkundenbuch2-416">''Braunschweiger Urkundenbuch, Bd. 2'', S. 416. [https://archive.org/stream/urkundenbuchders213stad#page/416/mode/1up Online bei archive.org]</ref>

==== Church ====
The church can also be dated back to the early days of the village. The first mentions are found in the years 1323 and 1341; they concern the parish household and the election of churchwardens. The church tower that still exists today may have existed at that time (estimates put it in the 13th century). The Gothic-style tympanum above the portal is more likely to date to the 15th century, based on similar depictions in neighbouring parishes.

====Indirect mentions====
Rethen is thus in any case older than the documented mentions indicate. An older age was already indicated in 1641. Georg von Rethen, mayor of Braunschweig, wrote about his family history that his ancestor Heinrich Bethmann had already been granted estates in Rethen and the church patronage by Bishop Hartbert of Hildesheim in 1199. However, no documentary evidence of this is known.<ref>Oskar Kiecker/Hans Lütgens: ''Die Kunstdenkmale der Provinz Hannover'', Regierungsbezirk Lüneburg, Kreis Gifhorn, Hannover 1931.</ref>

====Toponymy====
In the latest scientific published papers (1994), Rethen is considered as a [[Frankish Empire|frankish]] founding, related to the founding of [[Meine]]. It is believed, that the [[Franks]] founded several settlements while they subdued the [[Saxons]] in the 8th century.  In that century, an important road crossed the, in that time existing, Northforest in east–west direction, supposable in the vicinity of Rethen and Meine. A number of examples were already explored, where several Frankish settlements where assigned to one central village. However, this relation continued just short time. Already in the 11th century, the border between  the [[Bishopric of Halberstadt]] and the [[Bishopric of Hildesheim]] divided both villages. Several tryouts of the different Bishops of Hildesheim to take over the Rethen area failed. The border existed for around 500 years, up to the [[Protestant Reformation]].

===Nobility===
[[Image:Alte Kirche von Rethen um 1899.jpg|thumb|The old church of Rethen before its demolition in 1901]]
According to the family chronics, written in 1641, already around 1211 "Heinrich Bethman from Chur in the land of Rhetia" received the feudality about court, [[patronage|jus patronatus]] about church and the right of hunting. The documentary mentioning of these rights was firstly found in a document from the year 1383/85. Based on his long-standing experience in the war service Bethmann suppositiously built his house in some kind of a [[water castle]] on a small island in the village pond. During the following decades the village was attacked several times by different local [[Robber baron (feudalism)|robber baron]]s. In the years 1308, 1380, 1381 and 1388 they destroyed Rethen nearly completely. At one of these raids (presumably on 13 July 1381) the water castle was also destroyed.

Consequently, the masters of Rethen left the village after about 150 years of presence and relocated in [[Braunschweig]]. Also the left Rethen, they kept the patronage right about Rethen. The family became extinct presumably in the 18th century. After the connection of the parishes of [[Adenbüttel]] and Rethen in the first half of the 16th century, the master von Rethen and the [[Freiherr]] von Marenholz (patronage right in Adenbüttel) concerted the patronage right in the combined church municipality. Nevertheless, in the course of the time the right went over more and more to the family of Marenholz. This exercised it up to the death of the last patron (baron of Marenholz-Nolte) in 1969.

=== Early modern period till modernity ===
[[Image:Karte vom Papenteich im Amt Gifhorn um 1600.jpg|thumb|Map from 1600, showing the villages in the region Papenteich]]
In the year 1625, during the [[Thirty Years' War#Danish intervention (1625–1629)|Danish intervention]] in the [[Thirty Years' War]], troops of [[Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperors Ferdinand II]] troops made their winter camp near Rethen. Houses and Church were [[Looting|looted]] and the citizens had to work at [[sconce (fortification)|sconce]]s construction near [[Wolfenbüttel]]. Also in the 1640s lootings are reported more than once, mostly by [[Swedish Empire|Swedish]] soldiers.

The village was spared by the [[Seven Years' War]] as well as during the [[French Revolutionary Wars]] and was charged only by taxes and war loans. Only worth mentioning is the murdering of a shepherd by French Dragoons in 1758. During the [[Austro-Prussian War]] in 1866 as well as during the [[Franco-Prussian War]] in 1870/71 people from Rethen were drawn and  returned home without worse injuries.

Living in the village was mainly affected by the changes in agriculture during the 19th century. These concerned several reorganisations of the local surface as well as the intensification of husbandry linked with strong deforestation. In the second half of the 19th century an intensive cultivation of [[sugar beets]] starts, strongly favoured by the construction of the sugar beet factory in [[Meine]].

===World War I===
In common with many Europeans, the people of Rethen expressed a great enthusiasm for [[World War I]] at the start of the conflict in 1914. In all, 78 citizens were drawn into the [[German Empire]]'s army; 14 of them died during the war. In the winter of 1914/15, refugees from Russian-occupied territories were quartered in Rethen. French [[prisoners of war]] were brought to Rethen to help in road construction and agricultural work. By the end of war, especially during the "Steckrübenwinter" ([[Rutabaga]] winter) in 1916/17, ordinary life became difficult for the people of Rethen as it did for their fellow countrymen throughout Germany. In spite of food rationing, high unemployment, and a generally poor economy, no revolution took place. In the last days of the war, a [[German workers' and soldiers' councils 1918–1919|workers' and soldiers' council]] arose, but after a short time it collapsed and was followed by a [[Civil parish#Parish councils|parish council]].

=== World War II ===
During World War II no big war enthusiasm took place in Rethen. The agricultural work had to be done by women and old people. They were partly supported by [[foreign worker]]s and [[Prisoner of war|Prisoners of war]], mainly from [[France]], [[Poland]] and [[Russia]]. The treatment of the different ethics was quit unequal. While the Russians remained in [[prisoner-of-war camp]]s, the Polish and French were accommodated with the villagers. However, even this accommodation was mostly rather inadequate cause the villagers feared denunciation and announcement by other inhabitants loyal to government in case of a friendly treatment of the prisoners.

The heaviest bomb attack Rethen experienced on 23 August 1944 at 11:30 o'clock. Four [[gravity bomb]]s came down close by the village. Besides, a larger amount of [[Incendiary device|incendiary bombs]] were thrown down directly above the village and caused several conflagrations. The community building, two stables, three wheat stocks and four residential buildings were burned down completely. Fires in other buildings could be extinguished by the inhabitants themselves. Fire brigades from the whole [[Papenteich]] and [[Braunschweig]] appeared. In spite of the massive attack, no people were injured.

On 10 April 1945, American soldiers, coming from [[Peine]], occupied Rethen peacefully. The military order to the [[Volkssturm]] to defend the village was refused, and the weapons were sunk in the village pond. Most American soldiers stayed just a few days, and only a small part remained for one quarter.

==Culture and sightseeing==

===Language===
Linguistically Rethen belongs to the [[German language]] area around [[Hannover]]. However, a part of the population still use German combined with phrases from the old Brunswick and the [[Papenteich]] [[Lower Saxon language|Low Saxon]]. In former times the everyday speech of Rethen was an [[eastphalian language|Eastphalian]] [[Papenteich]] dialect, whereas the speech in school and church was [[Standard German]].

With the changes of the 20th century, the Low Saxon dialect disappeared more and more. After [[World War II]] it was displaced completely by standard German.

===Religion===
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" align="right" style="margin-left:10px"
! style="background:#efefef;" | Denomination
! style="background:#efefef;" | People
! style="background:#efefef;" | Percentage
|-
| [[Protestant]]ism/[[Lutheranism]] || align="right" | 740 || align="right" |  61% 
|-
| [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]] || align="right" | 114 || align="right" |  9%
|-
| [[Atheism]] and others || align="right" | rest || align="right" |  30%
|}

Since the Protestant Reformation the people in Rethen were part of the [[Lutheranism]] church and highly affected by the ecclesiastical life.

The first changes were noted in the early 19th century. Until then 350 people visited the [[worship]] in average. This number reduced during the next decades (1938: 100 people) to the present-day level of 70 (1990s). Likewise the percentage of Protestant interest in the whole population decreased from 91% to 61%.

=== Voluntary associations ===
[[Image:Freiwillige Feuerwehr Rethen (Vordorf).JPG|thumb|Fire Brigade Rethen]]
The following [[voluntary association]]s and institutions are situated in Rethen: 
* '''Skittle Clubs''': founded 1928 ("Morgenstern" – Morning star) and 1954 ("[[Gemütlichkeit]]") the members of both [[Skittles (sport)|Skittle Clubs]]:  meeting regularly every week.
* '''TSV Rethen''': founded 1947 the club had about 637 member in the year 2000. The club offers [[volleyball]], [[tennis]], [[gymnastics]], [[dance]] and [[tai chi]]. The [[Football (soccer)|football]] department had been outsourced in 2006.
* '''FSV Adenbüttel Rethen''': founded on the 29 April 2006 as a merger of the [[Football (soccer)|football]] departments of TSV Rethen and MTV Adenbüttel.
* '''Schützenverein''': founded 1962 the [[Shooting sports|Schützenverein]] had about 637 members in the year 2000. The club owns an [[air gun]] – [[shooting range]] and organises the yearly [[Schützenfest]]
* '''Youth Club Rethen''': founded 1973 is the youth club Rethen the oldest self-governing youth club in [[Northern Germany]]. In 1998 the club had more than 90 members.
* '''Choir "Polyhymnia"''': founded 1895

===Sightseeing===

==== Megalithic tomb====
[[Image:Großsteingrab von Rethen (Vordorf).jpg|thumb|The megalithic grave of Rethen]]
In 1995, during farming activities, a [[Megalithic tomb]] ([[Dolmen]]) was found within the Rethen district (near the Maaßel forest). Six (rather small) stones form an arrangement, straightened in east–west direction. Based on investigations of the local archaeological department, the tomb is dated  on 3,000 B.C. It is assumed, that the arrangement was a collective grave, build as a kind of cottage.  The [[Neolithic]] settlement belonging to the grave is supposed in a vicinity of about 3&nbsp;km.

The grave is probably a disturbed arrangement, which was covered earlier with wood or stones. Some bigger stones as well as the cover were probably removed in former times and used, e.g., for the building of a house. The arrangement was made accessible and handed over to the public in 1996. The Rethen Dolmen was the first known megalithic tomb in the [[Gifhorn (district)|district of Gifhorn]].<ref>[http://www.zeitwanderer.de/mythos_und_logos/regionalgeschichte/dolmen/rethen.html The Megalithic tomb of Rethen] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008035701/http://www.zeitwanderer.de/mythos_und_logos/regionalgeschichte/dolmen/rethen.html |date=2007-10-08}} {{in lang |de}}</ref>

==Economy and infrastructure==

===Infrastructure===
* '''Road network''': The nowadays road network was constructed in the second half of the 19th century. The streets names was established in 1976. Previously the houses were just numbered.
* '''Freah water/sewage''': Although Rethen ever has more than enough clear groundwater, the village was attached to the public water supply network in 1963. In 1977 Rethen was connected to the sewage system as well.
* '''Energie''': The electric power supply was installed in 1916.
* '''natural gas''' The grid gas supply was installed in 1996

=== Public facilities ===
[[Image:Kindergarten Rethen (Vordorf).JPG|thumb|Kindergarten Rethen]]
'''Kindergarten''': In the year 1992 a [[kindergarten]] was established opposite to the sports field. During the preceding centuries children from Rethen visited the kindergartens in the surrounding villages and cities. The operator of the kindergarten is the "Kindergarten Vordorf e. V." The kindergarten offers places for up to 50 children in two age-mixed groups.

==Politics==
In its early times Rethen belonged to area of the [[House of Welf|Welf]] dynasty, but changed a lot between the House of Brunswick and the House of Lüneburg.  With the construction of the Gifhorn District in 1549, Rethen belongs to the Gografschaft Rötgesbüttel. Up to 1972 Gifhorn belonged to the [[Lüneburg (region)|region of Lüneburg]] (formally principality Lüneburg). After the district reform of 1972, Gifhorn was affiliated to the [[Braunschweig (region)|region of Braunschweig]]. In the short era of the [[Kingdom of Westphalia]] it belongs to the [[Canton in France|Canton]] [[Rötgesbüttel]] and with that to the [[Département Oker]].

In 1970 Rethen and 14 other municipalities formed the [[Samtgemeinde]] [[Papenteich]] with the administrative centre in [[Meine]]. In this time Rethen was still an independent municipality. The union with Vordorf and Eickhorst followed under the new name "Gemeinde Vordorf" (Municipality Vordorf) with the election of the first  municipality council on June 28, 1974.

==Further reading==
* Falk, Michael (2001), Geschichtliches aus Rethen – Namen, Zahlen und Daten, Dokumente und Fotos; Adenbüttel 2001
* Der Landkreis Gifhorn. Hrsg. von Niedersächsischen Landesverwaltungsamt. Bremen 1972. (Die Landkreise in Gifhorn, Bd. 26. {{ISBN|3-87172-327-4}}.)
* Klose, Heinz (1983) Geschichtliches aus dem Papenteich; Meine 1983; {{ISBN|3-87040-029-3}}.
* Meibeyer, Wolfgang (2004) Siedlungskundliches über den Papenteich; Schriftreihe des Landkreises Gifhorn; Gifhorn 2004; {{ISBN|3-929632-70-5}}

==External links==
{{Commons|Gifhorn#Vordorf|Landkreis Gifhorn, Vordorf-Rethen}}
* [http://www.papenteich.de/ Papenteich Homepage] de

== Sources ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Gifhorn (district)]]