[Rundweg neuere Geschichte]

Dorsten's History - Station 7: The Erler Findling

Between 600,000 and 12,000 B.C., during one of the ice-ages, the "Findling" erratic boulder was transported by glacial mass movement, from Scandanavia to the location of its later discovery. During the last century, the erratic boulder also experienced interesting transportation and reached its present location.

The report, "The conquered "Findling" erratic boulder" with the sub-title "The industrious craftsmen of the memorial at work" ("Der bezwungene Findling" mit dem Untertiel "Die fleißigen Schaffer des Ehrenmals am Werk") from the "ZENO newspaper, local newspaper of Dorsten and its Splendour" published on 22nd June 1934 ("Zeno-Zeitung Volkszeitung Dorsten und die Herrlichkeit") was discovered by the pupil, Kai Kreutzberger. The exact date of the raising of the erratic boulder had not been known for a long time. "But only in 1934!", he said. ("Doch erst 1934!" sagte er)

The local history society of Erle demanded the return of the natural memorial. Meanwhile, the differences have been buried. The "Findling" erratic boulder of Erle has become part of the history of Dorsten and the mayors of the town of Dorsten and the community of Raesfel-Erle have agreed that the "Findling" erratic boulder of Dorsten remains as a historical memorial at its "involuntary" location in Dorsten. On the evening before the 8th May 2002, the local history fans of Erle also accepted the invitation of the Mayor of Dorsten.



600000 -12000 v.Chr.

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During one of the ice-ages, the "Findling" erratic boulder was transported by glacial mass movement, from Scandanavia to the location of its later discovery.

In India, Mahatma Gandhi began his peaceful opposition against the British Empire.

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1930

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The natural boulder from the ice-ages (2.25 x 1.25 x 0.75 m), which is one of the last of its kind in the area, is stored on the property of Farmer Bökenhoff in Erle Östlich, who gives it to the local war society. The boulder is, however, not yet used as a war-memorial.

Werner Heisenberg receives the Nobel Prize for Physics

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1932

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The objections of the natural monument trustee hinders the sale of the stone-boulder to Gelsenkirchen.

The raising of the erratic boulder

1933

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The citizens of Dorsten transport the "Findling" erratic boulder into the
"Lippestadt".
Translator's note: Lippestadt is a nickname for Dorsten, as it is a town on the River
Lippe.

The Memorial to the Volunteer Corps at the Canal Bridge

1934

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The National Socialists use the stone-boulder as a memorial for the Volunteer Corps of Lichtschlah and Loewenfeld, who, in 1919/20 with bloodshed defeated the rebellions of the Spartacists in and around Dorsten. The protest of the state's national monument trust commissioner remain unsuccessful.

1945

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At the end of World War II, the English destroy the Volunteer Corps Memorial. The "Findling" erratic boulder is sunk in the Wesel-Dattel-Canal.

The Soviet Union starts their first Atomic Bomb Test.

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1949

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The around 65 hundredweight heavy stone-boulder is salvaged from the canal and is positioned temporarily in the northern part of the area called Westwall.

Memorial Plaque

1952

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The local district association of homecomers, prisoners of war and relatives of people missing in war presents the "Findling" erratic boulder to the Town of Dorsten as a memorial to the unexplained fates of more than 100,000 German prisoners of war.

In the People's Republic of China, Mao Tse-tung faces the growing opposition of the

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1966

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Erle's local history fans and the district's representative for nature conservation demand the return of the "Findling" erratic boulder to Erle.

2001

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Erle's local history society makes renewed demands for the return of the natural monument. The Mayors of the town of Dorsten and of the Raesfeld-Erle community come to the agreement that the Erle "Findling" erratic boulder remains as a historical memorial at its "involuntary" location in Dorsten.

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Daten und Fakten

Eröffnung - 7th May 2002

Adresse - Westwall, close to the Memorial

Geodaten - 51°39'36.59 6°57'44



Kai Kreutzberger, member of the History-Club of the Grammar School, presents his findings. The exact date of the raising of the "Findling" erratic boulder had, for a long time, been unknown. "1934!", he said.

Christa Setzte, the town's archivist can also be seen in the picture. Her interest - and that of Josef Ulfkotte's - in the "Findling" erratic boulder at area known as "Westgraben" had been awakened by a contribution in the Local History Calendar from 2002.

Erle's local history society demands the return of the natural monument. In the mean time, the argument is over. Erle's "Findling" erratic boulder of Erle has become part of Dorsten's history and the Mayors of the town of Dorsten and of the Raesfeld-Erle community come to the agreement that the Erle "Findling" erratic boulder remains as a historical memorial at its "involuntary" location in Dorsten.

On the evening before the 8th May 2002, the local history fans of Erle also accepted the invitation of the Mayor of Dorsten.

Their chairman, Klaus Werner: "We can live with the next-best solution" .