Time-travel back to 1259 for a moment. That is when Alt Laatzen was first officially mentioned. This place carries centuries of stories within its boundaries. Alt Laatzen is now a district in the city of Laatzen. It is located in the region of Hannover in Lower Saxony.
Let us delve into the past. Urn finds suggest settlement long before written records. These findings predate Roman times. The first written mention of Alt Laatzen occurred on July 6, 1259.
Now, focus on the old Laatzen chapel. It stands as the southernmost example of North German Brick Gothic architecture. The chapel was first mentioned on January 13, 1325. Back then Laatzen was a village. Most villagers were dependent farmers.
The von Lathusen family were the largest landowners here. The name Laatzen evolved from their name. Later the rights to this land passed to Marienrode Monastery. Laatzen, along with Döhren and Wülfel, formed the “Little Free.” Residents could sell their farms without permission. They could hunt and practice trades without permission. They paid taxes to the king and had to serve in the military.
Alt Laatzen remained mostly agricultural until the 19th century. The Industrial Revolution transformed it. It slowly changed into an industrial workers’ settlement. It still retained its rural charm. World War II brought heavy bombing. After the war the village rapidly turned into a town.
In 1964 Laatzen merged with Grasdorf. This voluntary union created the city of Laatzen. Then in 1974 a regional reform occurred. The city of Laatzen merged with Rethen, Grasdorf, Gleidingen, and Ingeln-Oesselse. In return the trade fair grounds became part of the city of Hanover.
Consider Alt Laatzen’s coat of arms. It tells a story too. The upper part has a golden lion on a red background. This represents the “Little Free.” Laatzen, Wülfel, and Döhren belonged to this jurisdiction. The Counts of Lauenrode and the Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg had a lion in their coat of arms. The design likely references the Welfen lion. The lower part shows a silver wave on a green background. This symbolizes Laatzen’s location on the Leine River. The river is embedded in green meadows.
Alt Laatzen offers more than just history. The Laatzener Masch provides a biologically diverse wetland. Here you can find the Laatzen Air Bath. It is a former outdoor pool. You can also see the “Wiesendachhaus”.
Then there is the “Städtische Siedlung” Laatzen. This is a suburban settlement of 98 brick houses. It was built between 1918 and 1921. Paul Wolf, a city planning officer from Hannover, designed it.
Visit the aviation museum. It holds a collection of aircraft models. The old town hall was supposedly built in 1731. After a fire, it was rebuilt in 1812. From 1872 it served as the manor house of the Schwake estate. From 1937 to 1976 it was Laatzen’s town hall. Today it is a registry office.
The Rudolf-Schröder-Haus was built in 1912/13. It served as the administrative building for the consumer society. This two-story building stands on a plastered base. It has a listed facade. Today it is on the Siemens company grounds on Hildesheimer Straße.
The chapel in North German Brick Gothic style was first mentioned in 1325. It was destroyed in 1943 during the war. It was rebuilt in 1953/54 and reopened in 1954. It stands on Alte Rathausstraße. It belongs to the Immanuel parish.
St. Mathilde’s Catholic Church is on Eichstraße. It is named after Saint Mathilde. It was consecrated in 1938. Air raids in World War II caused significant damage. This occurred on September 22, 1943, April 11, 1944, and March 14, 1945. Since 1982 it has been part of the St. Oliver parish in Laatzen.
The Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Church was built between 1959 and 1961. The nearby Gothic brick chapel had become too small. The church’s parish belongs to the Laatzen-Springe church district. In 2000 a café opened in the church’s foyer for the EXPO.
Today Alt Laatzen is home to the Sportliche Vereinigung Laatzen from 1894. The first men’s water polo team plays in the 2nd Bundesliga North. The SpVg Laatzen has about 1200 members. They are spread across 9 departments and 12 sports. They maintain the “Auf der Dehne” sports ground. It has 3 football pitches and several tennis courts.
In the street Steinbrink stands the Schützenhaus. This is the seat of the Laatzen shooting club founded in 1904. Alt-Laatzen is the home of the Freie Fanfarenkorps Alt-Laatzen. It is a modern music club in the tradition of the fanfare corps.
Several regular events occur here. These include the Eichstraßenfest. There is also the Schützenfest. Don’t forget the farewell to summer in the park. It takes place at the Old Town Hall. The Immanuel congregation performs Jakub Jan Ryba’s Bohemian Christmas Mass.