Heimatverein Steinfeld e.V.
 The History of Steinfeld
 by Stephan Honkomp

The earliest discoveries of human being in the Steinfeld area are from the time nearly 10.000 year before Christ (BC). The biggest part of these discoveries are work instruments. They belong to the young stone age (3.000-1.800 BC). From that time people found a um cemetary on the „Weuert" street. This place is just 150 yards away from the St. Johannes church. More witnesses from that age are the big stonegraves in the hills of Damme, the so called „Hünengräber". Further mound-graves from younger times (broncetime) were built on the small hills. Even last year a farmer found some stoneaxes on his fleld. But its not possible today to say something yout the reals place where the „stonetime people" villages were situated. 

Since theses days there must have been an old way from Vechta, to Lohne and Holthausen, Lehmden in direction to Damme western of the big moor. Even the romans under the leadership of Germanikus used that way for making their „trips" through the unknown parts of the swampy north-western Germany. 
Another recently known general, the Kaiser Charlesmagne went the same way with his troups for christianising the unbelieving saxons. He let people build churches and monasteries and gave the order for resettlement for this area. Another order was to destroy all the cultural places of the saxons, just like on the Nordenberg in Schemde. 
At least more than 200 years they called this country „no man's land". Piece by piece people got back into the country, and in 1187 Steinfeld became in-dependent from their mother church of Damme. So it was much easier for the Steinfeld people to their duty for going to church.
„Arnoldus, per misericordiam Dei Osnabrugensis ecclesiae Episcopus, universitati fidelium aeternea salutis bravium. Piae sollicitudinis officium"....., these are the first words of the official document of the bishop from Osnabrück written in latin language. So the words in the opening sentence of this document, which means translated: Arnold of god's mercy the bishop of Osnabrück, is wishing eternal heal and power to all the believers." At that time Heinrich der Droste, Gerhard Pincerna, Albert von Scemne, Bertram von Holthusen, Sivo von Muhlen, Ime von Muhlen, Ekbert von Haskamp, Ecwart von Harpendorpe have been eyewitnesses during the signing & sealing-celebration in Osnabrück in the year 1187 Until 1668 Steinfeld belonged to the bishopric of Osnabrück. Since that time it came to the bishop of Munster. After all it belonged since 1252 on the political sector to Munster. Because of that origins the peculiar name of the ,,Oldenburger Munsterland".
The locality of the first church of Steinfeld, is the today ,,Rathausplatz". The opening ceremony was on the April 24th in 1187. Until their final demolition in 1897 the church burned down several times.


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