Wewelsburg (village)

Wewelsburg is a village in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, part of the town of Büren, located in the district of Paderborn. It is primarily known for Wewelsburg Castle, a Renaissance castle significantly modified and expanded by the Nazi SS under Heinrich Himmler. The village surrounds the castle and has a long history intertwined with it. Historically a small agricultural community, the village's character was profoundly affected by the SS's presence and activities during the Nazi era. After World War II, Wewelsburg gradually returned to a more typical rural setting, though the castle remains a prominent landmark and a site of historical significance, housing a museum and memorial dedicated to the victims of the Nazi regime. The local economy is influenced by tourism related to the castle and its history.