Picture this A quiet suburb nestled in the south of Dortmund. This is Renninghausen. We stand at the heart of a community rich in history. Renninghausen a name whispered through centuries. Its story unfolds before us.
Renninghausen first appeared in records in 1312. The document mentioned ‘campo Renninchusen’. Later records in 1334 called it ‘tho Renninchusen’. A priest Dietrich hailed from Rennynchusen in 1482. The name itself might mean ‘houses of Rando’s people’.
Imagine the medieval landscape. Fields stretched out. Small farms dotted the scenery. Life was simple. People worked the land. They lived according to the seasons. Renninghausen was part of the Brünninghausen community. It was within the parish of Wellinghofen. The area belonged to the historical Amt Hörde and the County of Mark.
In 1486 a tax record from the County of Mark revealed something interesting. ‘The Schult to Renninchus’ owed five gold gulden. ‘Gerlach to Reninchus’ owed ten oirt. These were significant taxes for the time. It reveals the economic realities of Renninghausen.
The Elsey Monastery held lands and a farm in Renninghausen. Their ownership lasted from 1312 until 1811. This connection lasted for almost five centuries. A 1423 exchange shows their influence. They traded property with Dietrich von Vittinghof.
Renninghausen’s growth wasn’t always smooth. The population fluctuated. In 2003 there were 2958 people. Eight years later in 2008 that number dropped to 2901. By 2013 it rose slightly to 3069. In 2018 it was 2947.
Today Renninghausen boasts a school center. The Schubert elementary school stands proudly. There’s the Robert Koch secondary school and the Helene Lange high school. The Brünninghausen comprehensive school also has its upper secondary levels here. Several kindergartens provide childcare options. The community church is a focal point of religious life in Renninghausen. It sits peacefully north of the school center.
The Bolmke forest a nature reserve separates the Schultenhof farm from the BVB stadium. This adds to the unique charm of Renninghausen. A place of both history and nature.
So we end our journey here in Renninghausen. This unassuming Dortmund suburb. It whispers tales of long-ago farmers and monks. Today it’s a peaceful community. A place where history and modern life intertwine. Remember Renninghausen. A fascinating piece of Dortmund’s past and present.