Schinkel (Osnabrück district)

Schinkel is a district of Osnabrück, Germany, first mentioned in records in 1332. It is situated in the east of the city, into which it was incorporated on 1 April 1914. There are roughly 13,300 people in Schinkel.

The name Schinkel is possibly a reference to the flank-like (Schenkel) form of the Schinkelberg (Schinkel Hill); however the exact meaning and origin of the name are unknown. Contrary to some claims it is unlikely that the district was named after the Prussian builder Karl Friedrich Schinkel. Colloquially and among local residents, the district tends to be referred to as “der” (the) Schinkel.

The Schinkel district’s original boundaries originally encompassed today’s districts of Schinkel, Schinkel-Ost, Widukindland, the southern part of Dodesheide, the western part of Darum/Gretesch/Lüstringen and the north-west corner of Voxtrup; in the city of Osnabrück districts were not arranged based on the boundaries of former areas or communities.

Next to the district of Schinkel there is also the district of Schinkel-Ost, which is home to about 3,500 people. The district of Gartlage is also commonly regarded as being part of Schinkel, even though it never actually lay within Schinkel's boundaries.

During World War II most of the residential houses in Osnabrück were destroyed in air raids. The first attack on the Schinkel area, on 23 June 1940, was directed at the Osnabrücker Kupfer- und Drahtwerk (Osnabrück Copper and Wire Works, abbreviated OKD, today KM Europa Metal) – by the time the war finished in May 1945, 65% of it had been destroyed.

Today’s Schinkel is characterized by its integration of numerous nationalities. The district is home to numerous primary schools and kindergartens; however the local library had to close in 2010 due to the city’s troubled economic situation. The district is also popular among older citizens. Around the Schützenstraße area lies the beating heart of Schinkel: numerous shops, pharmacies, doctors and bank branches. Every Wednesday there is a Wochenmarkt (weekly market) on Ebertallee, located between the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche and the Pauluskirche. On Buerschen Straße there are several new facilities for senior citizens as well as the “Junger Schinkel” (Young Schinkel) project. A residential area with terraced houses has encouraged many families to live in Schinkel. Sports clubs (such as VfL Osnabrück, SC Türkgücü, VfB Schinkel, Blau-Weiß Schinkel, Sportfreunde Schinkel-Ost), a citizens’ association, numerous choirs and a convivial atmosphere also define this district's character. Its spacious indoor swimming pool – the Schinkelbad – attracts many visitors. Schinkel is also the location of the osnatel-Arena, located by the Bremer bridge – the stadium of VfL Osnabrück.

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Wikipedia