Local heritage book of Baccum

including Ramsel und Münnigbüren

The parish of Baccum with only three villages (Baccum, Ramsel and Münnigbüren) was the smallest parish in the former county of Lingen. Throughout the changing regimes of this county the Catholic faith was at times forbidden, and later it was merely tolerated. However, since this sovereign territory bordered by the diocese of Munster, the Catholic faith was allowed to exist in the outlying areas of Münster. So it was possible that the largest segment of the population. in spite of governmental obstacles, remained Catholic and only a small minority belonged to the Evangelical Reformed faith.

Indeed this Evangelical Reformed minority was strongly supported, which was reflected in the allocation of positions. In addition, up until the "time of the French" it was required that all births, marriages and burials be reported to the Evangelical Reformed church. So fortunately from the present vantage point, there is a second source, at least for the Catholic segment of the population, namely the Evangelical Reformed church books. These Evangelical Reformed church books are all the more convincing, since there are no gaps. For example, stillborn births and those who died at a young age have all been recorded.

A Short Summary of the History of Lingen

In 1547 Maximilian Egmond conquered Lingen for the Catholic Kaiser Karl V, and was awarded the property of Lingen by the Kaiser. However Maximilian died one year after this conquest, and bequeathed Lingen to his only daughter, Anna of Egmond. She married Prince Wilhelm of Nassau-Orange in 1551 and sold the county for 120,000 Goldgulden (golden guilders) to Kaiser Karl V. The Kaiser abdicated in 1555 and conferred the county of Lingen, among other possessions, to his oldest son, Philipp, who thereby became Philipp II of Spain.

The shire of Lingen was now a Spanish possession and an eastern outpost of the Spanish realm. In this way Lingen was drawn into the 80 Years War, which flared up between Spain and those Spanish Netherlands who were striving for independence. It ended with the 30 Years War and the exclusion of the Netherlands from the Holy Roman Empire.

Meanwhile, in 1597, Prince Moritz of Orange conquered Lingen and in the time period of 1605-1632 the Spanish again attained reign over Lingen before it fell completely to Nassau-Orange. After the death (riding accident) of Wilhelm III of Orange-Nassau (King of England, Scotland, Ireland and Governor of the Netherlands), the protestant King of Prussia inherited the county of Lingen, which was again united with Tecklenburg.

In 1807 the French occupied Lingen and in 1810 it was merged into a Departement of France. In 1814 Lingen returned to Prussian control; however lower Lingen was ceded to the Kingdom of Hannover in 1815.
Then in 1866 with surrender of the Kingdom of Hannover to Prussia, Lingen became Prussian once again.

This data was compiled by Stefan Hilling.

Translated by Karen Gebhardt Shepard

Evangelic-reformed church

Latin-katholic church