Recklinghausen (district)
German district of North Rhine-Westphalia
Recklinghausen (German pronunciation: [ʁɛklɪŋˈhaʊzən] ) is a Kreis (district) in the centre of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is surrounded by the neighbouring districts of Borken, Coesfeld, Unna, Gelsenkirchen, Bottrop, and Wesel. The district administration is located in the city of the same name.
Apart from the Region Hannover, Kreis Recklinghausen is the largest non-city district in Germany by population.
History
During medieval times, the area surrounding present-day Recklinghausen was known as Vest Recklinghausen, a territory which belonged to the Electorate of Cologne. From 1446 to 1576, this area was leased to the lordship of Gemen (now a part of the city Borken) and Schaumburg-Lippe. In 1803, after the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss, the city and district became a principality united to the Duchy of Arenberg (the heads of the House of Arenberg still hold this princely title). In 1811, the territory was added to the Grand Duchy of Berg, and in 1815 it became part of the Prussian Province of Westphalia.
The district was created in 1816. After several changes it obtained its present borders with the last reorganizations of 1975–76.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Recklinghausen (district)” as german district of North Rhine-Westphalia. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as german district of North Rhine-Westphalia. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 14, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q6214. VIAF identifies the subject as 243391896. The Library of Congress control number is n82072923. Authority coordinates are 51.670, 7.170. 4 of 6 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 1 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1446, 1576, 1803 and 1811.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Recklinghausen (district)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Recklinghausen (district) primary sources, Recklinghausen (district) archive and Recklinghausen research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Recklinghausen (district)”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Recklinghausen (district)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.