DUDERSTADT

duderstadt, a town of germany, in the prussian province of hanover, situated in a beautiful and fertile valley (formerly called _goldene mark_) watered by the hahle, and on the railway wulften-leinefelde. pop. (1905) 5327. it is an interesting medieval town with many ancient buildings. notable are the two roman catholic churches, beautiful gothic edifices of the 14th century, the protestant church, and the handsome town-hall. its chief industries are woollen and cotton manufactures, sugar-refining and cigar-making; it has also a trade in singing-birds. duderstadt was founded by henry i. (the fowler) in 929, passed later to the monastery of quedlinburg, and then to brunswick. it was a member of the hanseatic league, and during the thirty years' war became a stronghold of the imperialists. it was taken by duke william of weimar in 1632; in 1761 its walls were dismantled, and, after being alternately prussian and hanoverian, it passed finally in 1866 with hanover to prussia.