Flowing gently, the Kleine Wümme whispers tales of Bremen’s evolving landscape. This small waterway has a history deeply intertwined with the city’s development. Today, let’s explore the Kleine Wümme.
The Kleine Wümme begins its journey from the Holter Fleet. It eventually joins the larger Wümme at Dammsiel. For centuries, since the 12th century, the Kleine Wümme’s course has been shaped by agriculture in the Hollerland region.
But how has such a small stream been so crucial? Well, the Kleine Wümme has been a silent witness to Bremen’s growth. As Bremen expanded, especially with the Vahr development in the 20th century, parts of the Kleine Wümme were rerouted into the city’s canal system. New canals were also created.
Interestingly, without the sluices in the Wümme dike dating back to the 13th century, the Kleine Wümme, specifically the section between Horn-Lehe and the Wümme, would be a tidal water. The Bremische Deichverband now manages water levels and flows.
Want to try your luck at fishing? The Kleine Wümme has a designated fishing area. It stretches from the Stau Achterstraße in Bremen-Horn to the Hochschulring near Stadtwaldsee/Hemmstraße A27. Remember to check the regulations and permit.
Once upon a time around 1648, the Kleine Wümme flowed southwest of Osterholz, Vahr and Horn. Its meandering path suggests it hadn’t been straightened yet. The Kuhgraben passed behind the Kleine Wümme’s dike, without connecting to it.
Fast forward to the 19th century. By 1764, parts of the Kleine Wümme were already channeled. A map from 1798 shows two upper reaches. The southern one originated in today’s Holter Fleet near Osterholz’s old center. It followed Holter Straße, now Sebaldsbrücker Heerstraße. The northern one sprang north of today’s Osterholzer Friedhof. It flowed as a straight fleet along Achterdiek and Achterstraße.
Did you know that in the 1910s, the construction of Osterholzer Friedhof led to a channel? This diverted the southern upper reach into the northern one, marking the Kleine Wümme’s new beginning. The old southern part was filled.
Even the construction of the Blockland highway from 1933 to 1937 impacted the Kleine Wümme. The northern upper reach was cut off. A new fleet was created west of the highway.
In the early 1950s, the connection from Holter Fleet to Heufeldsfleet was established. This formed a new upper reach, stretching from Alt-Osterholz to Berckstraße.
Today, the Kleine Wümme shows a pseudobifurcation at Holter Fleet. It flows towards Osterholzer Landwehr and towards the southwest corner of Osterholzer Friedhof. After crossing Sebaldsbrücker/Osterholzer Heerstraße, it becomes the Kleine Wümme.
As we conclude our brief journey, remember the Kleine Wümme. It is more than just a small stream. The Kleine Wümme is a living thread in Bremen’s historical tapestry, a testament to how nature and urban development can intertwine.