Bockenem
# Bockenem

Bockenem (German pronunciation: (listen); Eastphalian: Bokeln) is a town in the district of Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany that was founded in 1154. It is located on the German Timber-Frame Road.

## Surrounding villages

* Jerze
* Königsdahlum
* Bornum
* Mahlum
* Schlewecke
* Ortshausen
* Volkersheim
* Hary
* Störy
* Bönnien
* Werder
* Nette
* Upstedt
* Bültum
* Groß Ilde
* Klein Ilde
* Wohlenhausen

## Sights

* The village of Störy was famous for having the largest museum of small cars in the world. The museum, however, was closed around 2005.
* The nave of the Protestant Church in Bockenem was built in 1403, its baptismal font dates from 1703.
* Another interesting church can be seen in the village of Nette. The romanesque tower has firing slits and may have been used as a fortification in times of war. The nave dates from 1731. Close to the church, several well-preserved half-timbered houses can be seen.

## Local council (Stadtrat)

Local council, elections September 2016 :

| Party/List | CDU | SPD | UWG | Alliance 90/The Greens | Independents | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Seats | 11 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 24 |
| Vote share | 45.2% | 36.1% | 9.5% | 4.4% | 3.7% | 100% |

## International relations

Bockenem is twinned with:

* Güntersberge, Germany
* Zawadzkie, Poland
* Thornbury, United Kingdom.

Meteor Gummiwerke is also located in Bockenem. Meteor is an automotive sealing company that supplies seals worldwide. Meteor is the largest factory in Bockenem employing over 1500 people.

## Personalities

* Karl-Heinz Bädje, (1917-1998), honorary citizen of the city in 1991 and founder of the company Meteor.
* Henriette Schrader-Breymann, (1827-1899), pioneer of the kindergarten system in Germany and early women's rights activist.
* Friedrich Buchholz, Mayor of the town of Bockenem from 1827 to 1865, also worked there as a lawyer. (1802-1865) The centrally located Buchholzmarkt was named after him
* Ernst Deger (1809-1885), significant church painter, especially in the Rhineland
* Johann Schwartzkopff, (1596-1658), lawyer at the University of Helmstedt and from 1646 Chancellor in the Duchy of Braunschweig
* Johann Friedrich Weule, (1811-1897), founder of the tower watch company J. F. Weule
