Гютерсло: Тарихы мен географиясы

the Gütersloh meteorite of 1851

Gütersloh is a city in North Rhine Westphalia, Germany, in the area of Westphalia and the administrative region of Detmold. Gütersloh is the administrative centre for a district of the same name and has a population of 100,194 people.

Gütersloh lies in the Emssandebene, south west of the Teutoburg Forest and on the north eastern edge of the Westphalian Basin and has no significant points of elevation. The city's lowest point is above sea level on the river Ems near the Princess Royal Barracks and the highest point is above sea level in the eastern township of Friedrichsdorf. The border to Rheda Wiedenbrück extends as part of the Rhedaer Forest, a large wooded area with predominantly conifers. The river Dalke flows through the city from east to west, crossing close to the Stadt Park as well as the city centre and river Ems. Gütersloh railway station is on the Hamm–Minden line.

The then official district of Gütersloh included the city of the same name. It also included seven other municipalities: Avenwedde, Ebbesloh, Friedrichsdorf, Hollen, Isselhorst, Niehorst and Spexard; which existed until 1969 and were incorporated as part of the 1969 North Rhine Westphalian municipal reform. Currently, all of them are now municipal sub division units within Gütersloh's borders.

During World War One there was a prisoner of war camp at Gütersloh which included British army prisoners from the capture of Ecoust in France.

A Royal Air Force station in Gütersloh was home of RAF Squadrons 2 and 4, which flew Hawker Hunter photo reconnaissance aircraft, then 19 and 92 Sqn, which flew Lightnings, and later 3 and 4, which flew the distinctive VSTOL Harrier. They were supported by 18 Squadron operating Chinook Helicopters and 230 Squadron, which flew Puma Helicopters. There were also personnel at the station from the RAF Regiment who provided Rapier ground to air missile support. It was the most easterly of Nato's airbases during the Cold War. The station was originally built for the Luftwaffe who flew Junkers bombers from the station and the runway was extended during this period using the labour of Soviet prisoners of war, a memorial to whom now stands near Junkers Farm, a farm building that was later used as a Scout hut within the station's perimeter fence. The farm building is now condemned, and the scouts use a larger building on Mansergh Barracks instead, but the scouts still use the area near the building during the summer, and the memorial is still mentioned on camps. RAF Gütersloh closed in 1993.

The British Army took over RAF Gütersloh in 1993 and renamed it Princess Royal Barracks, Gütersloh. It housed regiments of the Royal Logistic Corps, Army Air Corps and 114 Provost Company, Royal Military Police.

There was a second barracks in Gütersloh is called Mansergh Barracks, which was on the opposite side of town to the main camp. Mansergh Barracks was on the Verler Strasse near Spexard, it held a British secondary school called King's School and a primary school called Haig School for the armed forces. Mansergh Barracks was home to 40 Field Regiment, then 47 Field Regiment and finally, 26th Regiment Royal Artillery. During the time of the RAF base on the opposite side of town, there was also 10 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers (Harrier Support Squadron) and one Royal Army Ordnance Corps company which changed its name from 1 OFP to 1CTOC and finally 61 Ordnance Company. The Royal Engineers left when the Harrier Squadrons left Gutersloh and 61 Ordnance Company was amalgamated into the Royal Logistics Corps in 1993. The last British soldiers left Gütersloh in September 2019.

In Gütersloh there are approximately 10,000 Arameans. It has the largest number of Arameans of any other towns in Germany. In 2010, 100 companies in Gütersloh were run by Arameans. Three football clubs play in local leagues: Tur Abdin Gütersloh, Aramäer Gütersloh and St. Gabriel Gütersloh.

In local media, "Dalkestadt" is often used. An older nickname is "Nazareth" or "little Nazareth" because the Protestants in the 19th century were very religious. In Low German, the city is called Gütsel. The younger inhabitants often call it "G Town" or (jocularly) Lülaloh.

The cuisine in Gütersloh is mostly influenced by the traditional and substantial Westphalian way of cooking. A typical dish would be pumpernickel (a heavy, sweet rye bread), served with Westphalian ham. Also popular is the Pickert, a potato dish made of grated potatoes, flour, milk, eggs, currants and yeast. The recipe dates back to 1900 and it is still served in restaurants today. Regional beverages include the Steinhäger gin, made in the nearby community of Steinhagen, the bitter Schroeders Boonekamp and the special brews created in the Gütersloher brewery.