Meppen (; Northern Low Saxon: Möppen) is a town in and the seat of the Emsland district of Lower Saxony, Germany, at the confluence of the Ems, Hase, and Nordradde rivers and the Dortmund–Ems Canal (DEK). The name stems from the word Mappe, meaning "delta". Geography The town lying on the mouth of the Hase into the Ems in the central part of the Emsland between the cities of Lingen and Papenburg. Lying about from the Dutch border, the town has an area of 188.45 km2 and is 15 m above sea level. The population was 34,196 as of 30 June 2005. Quarters of Meppen: Following villages are situated in Meppen: In 1974, 13 independent municipalities in the close vicinity of the town were integrated into Meppen. History Meppen, formerly a fortified town, boasts 12 centuries of history. The first documented mention of Meppen dates from 834, in a deed of donation by Frankish emperor Louis the Pious, transferring a missionary establishment of that name to the abbey of Corvey. 945 -- Emperor Otto the Great grants the town the rights to mint coins and collect tolls, followed in 946 by market rights. 1252—Countess Jutta von Vechta-Ravensberg sells her possessions to the Bishop of Münster. Meppen becomes part of the Niederstift Münster (i.e. Lower Prince-Bishopric of Münster). 1360—Meppen is granted the right to build city fortifications by Bishop Adolf of Münster, and thereby, town rights. Over the next three centuries until 1660, Meppen is built up as a fortified town. 1762—at the end of the Seven Years' War, the fortifications are demolished. Some walls remain standing today, however. 1803—Resolutions of the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss assign Meppen to Louis Engelbert, 6th Duke of Arenberg, to compensate for the loss of his possessions on the west bank of the Rhine. Meppen becomes the capital of the dukedom of Arenberg. 1811—Meppen is incorporated into the First French Empire as a cantonal seat. 1813–1814—Occupation by Prussia. 1814–1815—Resolutions of the Congress of Vienna assign Meppen and the Duchy of Arenberg to the Kingdom of Hanover. 1855—Meppen connected to the Hannoverschen Westbahn railway line upon its opening. 1866—Hanover becomes a province of Prussia. 1871—Part of the German Empire. 1938—Kristallnacht: the German police and SA broke down into Jewish houses and carried out mass arrests, beatings and tortures of Jews. Germans burned down the synagogue and destroyed Jewish homes and enterprises. Some Jews were deported to the Oranienburg concentration