Historic Emmen

How old is Emmen actually? This is a common question. The name ‘Emmen’ was first mentioned in a document from 1139. Or rather, the name ‘Empne’, because back then the name Emmen did not sound familiar at all.

Hunebed-builders
The presence of megalithic monuments shows us that  that five thousand years ago, there were already people living in the current area of Emmen. Were the Hunebed -builders perhaps the first people living here? No, they were definitely not.

Neanderthals
Finds of archaeologists have proved that the area of Emmen was already populated between 8800 and 4900 BC. They also did not seem to be the first inhabitants of Emmen. Amateur archaeologists Rieks and Henk Trip, father and son from Emmen, have found about 40,000 - year - old flint tools which were made and used by the Neanderthals. This fact suggests therefore, that there were already people at the place where currently Emmen is located, about 40,000 years ago.

The development of Emmen
Emmen is situated at the foot of the Drenthe Hondsrug (sand ridge), at the separation of peat and sand. In this area, particularly in the sand, for many centuries was husbandry the only source of livelihood. The peat bog to the east of Emmen became in the 19th century on large-scale excavated. Due to this, Emmen experienced a golden age until the early 20th century  – during which several peat villages arose such as New Amsterdam, Erica, Klazienaveen and Emmer-Compascuum.
As a result of the emergence of coal as fuel, in the years 1920 and 1930, peat extraction fell drastically back. Unemployment and poverty were the result. South- East Drenthe became a forgotten area, literally and figuratively on the edge of the Netherlands.


The turning point came in the fifties, in significant ways. With support from the government Emmen industrialized and urbanized at a rapid pace. Several labor-intensive production companies settled on the territory of Emmen. In particular, the advent of ENKA (later Akzo Nobel and now Emmtec) gave a major boost to employment and thus to prosperity. Emmen became a dynamic industrial city. As a result of the spectacular growth of the population, large housing estates were being built, facilities realized and roads constructed.
Emmen had enough free space for new houses. The town planners could freely begin their work, using the newest insights. The result was an "open green city", with smooth transitions between home and nature. Emmen acquired international fame by this.

For more historical facts about the town Emmen, visit  www.historisch-emmen.nl