Lutter, named after a nearby creek, was founded by Emperor
Otto I in 956 as a part of the
Gandersheim Abbey estates within the
Duchy of Saxony. A
water castle was first mentioned in 1259, leased by the
Bishops of Hildesheim to local nobles. In various times, it was claimed by the
Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg, but re-acquired by the Hildesheim bishops in 1323. Thereupon the denotation
Bischofslutter appeared in order to differ it from nearby
Königslutter. The name
Lutter am Barenberge (i.e. the Harz mountains) is documented since the 14th century. In the fierce
Hildesheim Diocesan Feud of 1523, Lutter was again conquered by Duke
Henry V of Brunswick and the Hildesheim prince-bishop
John IV of Saxe-Lauenburg could only retain the locality of Ostlutter. During the
Thirty Years' War, the
Danish troops under King
Christian IV retired to Lutter Castle, where they were defeated by
Imperial and
Catholic forces led by Count
Tilly in the 1626
Battle of Lutter, a rout that changed the course of the
Thirty Years' War. According to the Final Act of the
Vienna Congress, the former Hildesheim estates of Ostlutter in 1815 passed to the
Kingdom of Hanover (Prussian
Province of Hanover from 1866), while Lutter proper remained with the
Duchy of Brunswick. Both parts were not re-united until an administrative reform of 1941.
Demographics As of 30 June 2020 there were 2,296 inhabitants in the municipality Lutter am Barenberge, of which 1,583 in Lutter am Barenberge proper, 313 in Nauen and 400 in Ostlutter. == References ==