Vierde

Vierde is a village within the borough of Bad Fallingbostel in Soltau-Fallingbostel district in the Heidmark (southern part of the Lüneburg Heath in the state of Lower Saxony, Northern Germany).

Geographical location

The village lies on state road 163 northeast of Bad Fallingbostel.

History

The first recorded mention of the village was around 1337. The name Vierde is derived from the four (vier) full-sized farms (Vollhöfen) that once formed the village of Vierde.

Vierde was an agricultural village for centuries and, for the most part, still is today. Until the 19th century the keeping of Heidschnucken (moorland sheep) was the main source of income for the heath farmers. Only once the hardpan could be dealt with it was possible to cultivate crops, like grain and fruit trees, in order to generate new sources of income.

Long established families are closely linked to the history and development of the village. The oldest surnames include: 1379: Ghogeue, 1438: Bode 1438: Niegemeiger, 1438: de rode Cordesche, 1438: Metteke, 1438: Detmer: 1438: Eggerdeschen stede woste, 1528: Hans Lethsemann, 1528: Cordt Pruschhagen, 1528: Cordt tom Kampe, 1528: Dirick 1528: Enmers, 1899: Oelfke. Large farms still bear witness to the development of these families today.