Had the residents of Frohlinde known their future, they might have fought harder against their incorporation into Castrop-Rauxel. Frohlinde, first mentioned in 1159 as “Vrolinne,” held a strong historical connection to Dortmund. Yet, in 1926, this charming, southeastern district found itself joined with Castrop-Rauxel, while a small portion was ceded to Westerfilde. Imagine the village back then. Frohlinde was a quintessential Westphalian farming community, dotted with traditional farmhouses and a mill situated by a tranquil pond. The villagers, predominantly Catholic, belonged to the St. Lambertus parish in Castrop. The early 20th century brought change to Frohlinde. A new church, dedicated to the Holy Guardian Angels, marked a separation from the Castrop parish. Around 1910, houses sprung up along Dortmunder Straße, independent of the farm buildings. A modest schoolhouse was built on Hubertusstraße. Frohlinde lacked a traditional village center. However, a collection of small businesses emerged, like the grocery stores of Wille and Steinberg, the shoe shops of Kentner and Weckermann, and Reiterer’s drugstore. Butchers Henke and Schäfer provided meat, Alfred Diegel offered milk, and Hüning supplied household goods. These shops were complemented by several pubs. Haus Ratte, Zum alten Fritz, and Haus Gesmann, which even housed a post office until the 1960s, were popular gathering places. Sadly, few of these establishments remain today. Frohlinde’s landscape transformed further in the latter half of the 20th century. In 1956, a center for the Schönstatt Catholic movement was established. The movement’s 50th anniversary in 2006 was even graced by Archbishop Becker of Paderborn. During the mid-1970s, new housing developments arose between Schwerin and Frohlinde. The newly created streets bear the names of Castrop-Rauxel’s twin cities. The 1980s saw Frohlinde evolve into a desirable, and more expensive, residential area. The opening of a golf course in 1990 cemented this shift, sadly diminishing much of Frohlinde’s original rural charm.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to