Local heritage book of Meyenburg

Meyenburg is a small place situated at the edge of the Geest and the Osterstader Marsh, in a splendid wooded- heath -moor landscape. The village-like character there has been maintained since its founding in 1109.
The name stems from the Old High German Megin, which means large. Meyenburg - Meginborch = large castle. Traditional lore has it that the name Meyenburg comes from the many „May trees"� (birch), or the personal name „Meio"�, or from the Dutch word Meiger = swamp, but there is a low probability for this claim.

The founding of the castle falls into the time of colonization of the swamps and marshes around Bremen, which was begun by the then Archbishop Friedrich of Bremen. Accordingly, the first settler is said to have been a VON WERSABE, who with 12 attendants (pages), whom he settled around his castle, came to Meyenburg from Wersabe, a town in the Osterstader Marsh, the location of the old castle. A large boat landing close to the church can still be seen there today.

The castle was a swamp castle, protected by two moats, which were fed by nearby running water. The outer moat is still there today. A dam connected the castle with the Geest. The castle location in Meyenburg stands on wooden pilings, which were rammed into the swamp. These pilings from former times are still there today on which a farmhouse stands. In former times one could count 31 fireplaces in the place. Today Meyenburg has about 1,200 inhabitants. Up until 1974 Meyenburg was an independent community. Due to the regional reform at that time it was annexed to the community of Schwanewede.
In the first years after its founding there was no church in Meyenburg, so the inhabitants had to attend church in Uthlede respectively Bruch.

As the population increased, Messrs. Johann, Martin and Hermann VON WERSEBE thought it proper to build their own church. They turned to the Pope at that time, Johannes XXIII (anti-Pope 1410-1415) and asked permission, which was granted to them. So in the year 1415 they built the first church on the place where the current one stands and dedicated it to HL. Luciae. This church, having become delapidated, was newly renovated in 1857 by the heirs of Anton Dietrich VON WERSEBE.
Berend VON WERSEBE was the first of the knighthood of the duchy of Bremen, who recognized the Lutheran faith in about 1515.

Translated by Karen Gebhardt Shepard