Oberhausen is a city in northwest Germany roughly thirty miles from the border of The Netherlands. Located on the river Emscher in the Ruhr Area, Oberhausen is part of the German state North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). Incidentally, NRW is the most populous state in Germany.
City Origin
The city gets its name from the railway station erected in 1847. The name “Oberhausen” refers to some castles in the area. By this time, “castles” were just fancy homes, not fortified defense bastions.
In the 19th century, the NRW region of Germany attracted people to work in the coal mines, and then later, the legendary German steel mills. The new borough of Oberhausen was formed to accommodate a growing population and awarded town rights in 1874.
During World War Two, the area was a bombing target for the Allies. The Germans built a synthetic oil factory nearby, which meant locals had to endure bombing raids. The Allies reached Oberhausen on 4 April 1945.
Modern Oberhausen
Within the short-film making niche, Oberhausen is known for hosting the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen. The city began hosting the festival in 1954 and has since collected many memorable highlights. One of these highlights is the Oberhausen Manifesto, a declaration for a new German cinema that looks to the future.
One popular attraction is Gasometer Oberhausen. The new exhibition space was converted from a gas storage facility. This is a representation of recycling Germany’s industrial past, some of which occupy dark spots in world history. Converted from an old zinc factory, The LVR is an Industrial Museum that examines the city’s industrial past.
Oberhausen is a beautiful town. While stationed in Germany I was tasked to drive at 0 dark thirty (middle of the night for civilians BWAHAHAHAHA) to one of the Castles as mentioned to pick up a Major and bring him back with me. Even at night I could appreciate the serenity and beauty as with much of Germany.