Tax return Hattingen
From the Saxonic times until the Middle Ages the lands around the town belonged to different tribes. Later the territory fell under the influence of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire.
The city of Hattingen was founded in the 12th century as a defensive fortress and became a member of the Hanseatic League in 1554. In 1720 there were 52 coal mines operating within the municipal area.
During the Industrial Era steel production in Hattingen became one of the main industries. In 1853 the Henrichshutte was founded and became the largest employer of the city. The Henrichshutte dominated the economy of Hattingen until it closed in 1987. The city survived the structural change and today it is a centre of industry and tourism.
Since the end of WW2 the city has experienced enormous growth. The total population has risen to over 60,490. During the war 1610 buildings were destroyed and 3681 severely damaged. Of the 5674 inhabitants who died, 909 were soldiers of the Wehrmacht and the rest were civilians. The city tries to recover from the effects of the war.
New houses are built in the suburbs, while the historic downtown is redeveloped. In the last few years, several parks were created. The city also tries to establish itself as an agglomeration with the communities of Blankenstein, Buchholz, Holthausen and Welper.
The city of Hattingen is represented in the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia by five representatives. The most recent election was in 2020, when Sonja Leidemann (SPD) was re-elected mayor of Hattingen. In the same election Rainer Bovermann of the SPD was elected as representative for the community of Blankenstein and the part of the district of Winz that is included in the municipal area of Hattingen. The municipal area of Hattingen consists of the city of Hattingen and most parts of the community of Blankenstein as well as the communities of Bruchscheid-Stuter, Niederelfringhausen, Oberelfringhausen, Welpere and Winz. The municipal area covers 71 square kilometers and has 60,490 inhabitants. Steuererklärung Hattingen
