map

Dorsten is situated at an altitude of 31 m on the river Lippe in North Rhine-Westfalia.

The earliest archeological traces of settlements date from aruond 700 BC. A Roman military settlement existed here between 11 and 7 BC. During the 8th century the region was christianized. The oldest mentions of settlements at this place at both sides of the river Lippe date from AD 890 and are found in registers of the monastery of Werden. In 1032 one part (villa Durstine) came in possession of the monastery of St Victor in Xanten and was placed under the patronage of the counts of Kleve. During the folowing centuries, parts of what today constitutes the city of Dorsten were mentioned in church registers of Essen, Cologne and Münster. Dorsten was granted the formal status of a town by the Archbishop of Cologne in 1251. The favourable location at the river and at major trading routes soon made Dorsten a wealthy town. It even became a minor member of the Hanse federation of trading towns. During the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) the town was conquered by the landgrave of Hessen-Kassel who fortified the town before it was regained by the Imperial troops for the Electorate of Cologne. Trading declined and after the war the town could not regain its former importance. After the secularization of 1802/1803 Dorsten at first came in possession of the Duke of Arenberg and in 1811 became part of the Napoleonic Grand Duchy of Berg. After the Congress of Vienna in 1815 it became part of Prussia (Province Westfalia). During the late 19th century mining for coal began. After World War I Dorsten remained occupied by Belgian troops until 1925. The construction in 1915–1931 of the Wesel-Datteln canal greatly improved the economic situation of the town. During World War II about 80% of the old town were destroyed. Today Dorsten has a population of 82,000 (2000).