Old Town Hall Neuenhaus

From 1806 to 1813, Neuenhaus was occupied by French soldiers. These years are referred to as the "French period". A drawing in the Old Town Hall still commemorates them today. It hangs on the first floor in the large hall with a fireplace.
In it, a French soldier has drawn himself and his superior, who measures the length of the stride with a tape measure. Underneath it is written: Il manque un pouce. (Pronounced: Ihl monk ön puß). This means that one inch is missing. The soldier had not kept the correct stride length during the drill and was locked up in the town hall for it. He painted this picture while under arrest.
Today's "old" town hall was built in 1793 for the town of Neuenhaus. In earlier times, the mayors and councillors met here, but it was also used as a school. Today, only exhibitions, concerts and civil weddings take place here.
On the roof of the Old Town Hall we see an octagonal turret. A small bell hangs in it. It is rung when a child is born in Neuenhaus.
The square behind the town hall was a cemetery until about 220 years ago. At that time, little attention was paid to hygiene and the prevention of epidemics. For example, people drew their drinking water from open wells that were distributed throughout the city. The water was often contaminated. It was not until the "French period" that the cemetery west of the Dinkel was rebuilt. The dung heaps that lay on the street in front of the houses also had to be removed.

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