Name.27s origin Nordhorn

view of povelberg

one story holds town s name – means north horn – came when town under attack, in case horn – so-called nothorn or emergency horn – blown watchmen warn vechteinsel (vechte island) inhabitants , call help. since town lay north of bentheim (now bad bentheim) , castle, said yielded name nordhorn.

a horn, however, used boatmen on river vechte warn each other of ships’ movements in fog. indeed, since 1970s, tuter ( tooter ), bronze memorial beginnings of inland shipping, has stood @ old harbour.

since settlement harbour arose between schüttorf , emlichheim in middle ages coat of arms bore horn charge, seems nordhorn have arisen this.

a more scientifically based variation on arms mean holds horn meant in sense of pointed end , making nordhorn northern point – jutting northerly end of field vechte valley. heinrich specht pointed out in 1941 town chronicle in reference spur, or horn , of land on town s first centre built. (lit.: nordhorn geschichte einer grenzstadt. publisher: heimatverein der grafschaft bentheim)

a more fanciful story holds locals once worshipped god nod, node or nothe, beginning of festival heralded blows on ox , cow horns. pay homage him, holy fire, called nodfyr, lit either striking flintstones or rubbing dry sticks together. god s name , hornblowing, town s name said have come.

the name, of course, has nothing emergency horn or god named nod. no(r)dhorn perhaps similar maa(r)s , meu(r)s or marsh river. has caused confusion; silent r or difficulty in pronouncing r due proximity france.

nordhorn called nothoorn or notthöörntin in local speech. in compilation werdener heberigister, town s name recorded in 890 norhthornon (note silent r ) , in 1050 northornon. in 1184 northorne. on town seals between 1400 , 1715 appears form northorne, , 1827 forth become nordhorn. (lit.: specht, 1941/1979).