Steinfeld's short chronological table (english)

• Affter the Christianization of the Saxons Steinfeld became part of the Damme mother church while politically belonging to the area of the Dersaburg
• 977 The farm village of Mühlen is mentioned in extant documents
• 1146 Holthausen and Haskamp are first mentioned
• 1187 During the reign of Bishop Arnold of Osnabrück Steinfeld is declared independent of Damme
• 1187 Harpendorf and Schemde are found mentioned
• 1248 A person named Vrowinuw is mentioned as being the pastor of Steinfeld
• 1252 Steinfeld becomes part of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster
• 1296 Ondrup is mentioned
• 1422 Lehmden is mentioned
• 1498 A list of all farmers in the district of Vechta exists
• 1543 Steinfeld turns Lutheran
• 1549 The following villages are mentioned: Harpendorf: Steinfeld, Düpe, Schemde; Mühlen: Ondrup; Holthausen: Haskamp and Lehmden
• 1568-1609 Various occupations by Spanish-Dutch (Imperial) troops
• 1574 The Nieberding house is inscribed with a still extant inscription
• 1593 The Spanish pillage and burn the village
• 1613 Steinfeld is turned back towards Catholicism
• 1618-1648 Steinfeld is repeatedly occupied and attacked by various forces during the 30 Years War
• 1625 The church burns down and a new one is built
• 1645 General Tilly's troops pillage and destroy the church
• 1652 First mention of a school for children
• 1668 Steinfeld becomes part of the diocese of Münster
• 1685 The oldest extant house in Steinfeld is built
• 1699 The Red Pest (Dysentery) kills many people
• 1704 Major fire destroys the 14 houses around the church
• 1705 The church is renewed and enlarged
• 1708 The first organ is installed in the church
• 1713 Hailstorm destroys the entire harvest on the feast of St. John
• 1716 Another major fire around the church, this time 8 houses are destroyed
• 1718 Hailstorm on St. Lawrence day wipes out the oat harvest
• 1718 Osnabrück and Diepholz troops attack and pillage the town in a border dispute
• 1745 Dirk Wiberding brings 10 red potatoes with him from the Netherlands to start a new crop
• 1789 Almost the entire village burns down, only the houses around the church are saved
• 1803 The area becomes part of the Duchy of Oldenburg (pop. 2284)
• 1811 Steinfeld is under French occupation
• 1817 A school for sailors is started in Steinfeld mostly out of desparation
• 1821 A type of Pony Express is started for mail service between Oldenburg and Osnabrück (pop. 3576)
• 1833 Start of the great emigration period
• 1837 A postal carriage is substituted for the riders
• 1845 Schützenverein is founded
• 1855 There are still 195 seamen in the town
• 1859 Many people leave to go to Hungaria
• 1875 Only 2521 people are left after the emigration period
• 1897 A new church is built
• 1899 The train comes to Steinfeld
• 1899 Bishop Hermann consecrates the new church
• 1945 April 12, English troops occupy the town
• 1945 1500 refugees are housed among the population
• 1976 Alwin Schockemöhle from Mühlen wins Gold in Montreal Equestrian competition
• 1986 The new city hall is first used
• 1989 "Ortsgemeinschaft Tscherman" in Neusiedl am See/Austria becomes a sister city
• 1990 Population 8783