Boundary stone between Lippe and Bielefeld: Return to Lippe soil!

Boundary stone between Lippe and Bielefeld: Return to Lippe soil!

The magnificent boundary stone on Federal Highway 66, which has stood in Bielefeld for some time, could soon take its place on Lippe soil again. This eventful history surrounding the historical monument is currently a concern for the community of Leopoldshöhe and its citizens. The boundary stone, which was first erected in 1788, symbolizes not only a border marker, but also the settlement of a centuries-long conflict between Prussia and Lippe.

The stone, with a height of 2.50 meters and decorated with battlements, was moved to Bielefeld due to the new construction of federal highway 66. But the community was anything but happy about this decision. Manfred Burkamp, ​​the deputy mayor of Leopoldshöhe, expressed dissatisfaction with the local association about the lack of communication regarding the transfer. The local association for village history in Ubbedissen-Lämershagen had suggested a new location for the stone, but the community only found out about the move when it received the order to remove the stone from the list of monuments.

A piece of history

The boundary stone has an eventful history behind it: 20 years ago it was sacrificed to expand the B66 and was then moved a few meters south. The decision-making processes surrounding its location were coordinated by the district government and designed to meet mandatory criteria such as traffic safety and visibility. However, differences cannot be ignored. Burkamp says that the boundary stone should return to its old home after the construction work is completed, whereupon he received the promise to think about it.

Past data shows that the oldest boundary stones in East Westphalia-Lippe are over 400 years old and were originally dated 1579. With their help, previous borders between different rulers and cities were marked, which were often accompanied by changeable political situations and extensive border negotiations. The town sign of the so-called historical boundary stones is still a continuation of the valuable cultural site, which is actively specialized and documented by volunteer local guardians.

Current developments

• Ursprünglicher Aufstellort: 1788, zur Zeit einer schlechten Landstraße zwischen Oerlinghausen und Bielefeld.
• Kunststoffplatte mit Wappen der Provinz Westfalen und lippischer Rose wurde 1881 hinzugefügt.
• Inschrift „Freistaat Preußen“ und „Freistaat Lippe“ erfolgte 1918.
• Der Grenzstein ergibt nach wie vor einen wichtigen kulturhistorischen Bezug über die Bauprojekte der letzten Jahrzehnte.

The discussion about the boundary stone clearly shows how closely people are rooted in their historical heritage. With each stone setting, not only a piece of history but also the identity of the region is kept alive. The current considerations for another move are being followed with excitement by the committed citizens and their local politicians. We'll keep you updated on developments, because as the saying goes? “There’s something going on!” For more details on the history and landmarks in the region, take a look at the reports from lz.de, nw.de and bezreg-detmold.nrw.de.