Osterholz-Scharmbeck (; Northern Low Saxon: Oosterholt-Scharmbeek) is a town and the capital of the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Osterholz-Scharmbeck is situated in between the cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven. Geography Neighbouring places Bremen (22 km) Delmenhorst (31 km) Achim (37 km) Bremerhaven (39 km) Brake (40 km) Zeven (41 km) Bremervörde (43 km) Nordenham (46 km) Oldenburg (48 km) Rotenburg (50 km) Division of the town Official parts Freißenbüttel Garlstedt Heilshorn Hülseberg Ohlenstedt Pennigbüttel Sandhausen Scharmbeckstotel Teufelsmoor Historical parts Ahrensfelde Altenbrück Altendamm Auf Dem Raden Auf Dem Rusch Bargten Bredbeck Buschhausen Büttel Feldhof Haslah Hinter Dem Horn Kattenhorn Lange Heide Lintel Muskau Myhle Niedersandhausen Ovelgönne Ruschkamp Settenbeck Vorwohlde Westerbeck Wiste History The town was first mentioned in 1043 as Scirnbeci. From 1180 on the Scharmbeck belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. The monastery in Osterholz was founded in 1182 and persisted until 1650, when Lower Saxony became mostly Protestant. In 1648 the Prince-Archbishopric was transformed into the Duchy of Bremen, which was first ruled in personal union by the Swedish and from 1715 on by the Hanoverian Crown. In 1823 the Duchy was abolished and its territory became part of the Stade Region in the Kingdom of Hanover. In 1927 the two communities of Osterholz and Scharmbeck were merged under the name of Osterholz-Scharmbeck and in 1929 town privileges were granted. Between 1978 and 1992, 4,200 soldiers of the U.S. Army's 2nd Armored Division (Forward) were stationed, and another 4,000 family members resided in Osterholz-Scharmbeck. Population Growth 1904: 4.701 1909: 6.060 1945: 12.500 1961: 19.258 1987: 24.150 2004: 31.145 2005: 31.055 2010: 30.218 Mayor The mayor is Torsten Rohde (independent). He was elected in May 2014 with 59,02 % of the votes. The predecessor was Martin Wagener (SPD). Notable people Roland Baar (born 1965), rowing sportsman Eduard Neumann (1903–1985), professor and rector of the Free University of Berlin Bodo Ramelow (born 1956), politician (The Left), since 2014 Minister President of Thuringia Jimmy Fallon's paternal grandmother, Luise Schalla was from here Books Friedrich Kühlken: Zwischen Niederweser und Niederelbe – Eine Heimatkunde des Landes Bremen und des Niedersächsischen Regierungsbezirks Stade. Osterholz-Scharmbeck 1950. Reelf Menckhoff: Chronik von Osterholz-Scharmbeck – Band 1: Von den Anfängen bis 1929. Stadt Osterholz-Scharmbeck 2004. Jürgen Meyer-Korte, Rolf Metzing: Osterholz-Scharmbeck: Picture and Development of a City. Saade, Osterholz-Scharmbeck 1979. Johann Segelken: Osterholz-Scharmbecker Heimatbuch. Saade, Osterholz-Scharmbeck 1987, . Ernstheinrich Meyer-Stiens: Heimliche Hauptstraße, die Bahnhofstraße in Osterholz-Scharmbeck 1865