Tax return Hattingen is a town on the south bank of the River Ruhr in the Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It has a picturesque historic district with Fachwerk (timber-framed houses) built between the 14th and 16th centuries.
It was first mentioned in 1396 when the Duke of Mark granted permission to build a city wall. In 1554 it became a member of the Hanseatic League and grew into one of the most important coal trading towns in the area. The town is fortified with stone walls and defensive towers, and has five city gates. In addition, it has several guilds, notably those of butchers and drapers, which acquire a reputation even in distant regions.
During the Protestant Reformation, Hattingen falls into the hands of the catholic church. Count Engelbert von der Mark grants municipal law to the city and establishes three guilds, including the drapers. The town also gains the privilege to hold weekly markets and fairs.
The Henrichshutte, built in the 17th century at a height of 60 metres above the surrounding countryside, becomes one of the most important employers in the region and dominates the economy. In the 19th and 20th centuries Hattingen develops into an industrial town. There are numerous factories in the area and the town is also famous for its steel production.
In the 2004 local elections, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) won 24 seats on the city council. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) came second with 18. Alliance 90/The Greens and the Free Democrats took seven, and the WBG (a conservative list) and FLW (a left wing list) both had two seats.
In the 2020 German federal election, Hattingen was represented in the Bundestag by Rainer Bovermann of the SPD. In the Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis constituency, he is standing for re-election. In the 2021 state election, he will be contested by Lars Konig of the CDU and by Axel Echeverria of the Left. The mayor of Hattingen is Sonja Leidemann (SPD). She was re-elected in 2017 and sworn in for a third term in office on 18 June 2017. The council has a total of 30 members. Steuererklärung Hattingen