Balge

Balge is a municipality in the district of Nienburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Weser river. The community belongs to the Marklohe ("Collective Community") which consists of seven municipalities including Balge.HistoryOn March 1, 1974 the community of Balge, Blenhorst, Bötenberg, Buchhorst, Holzbalge, Mehlbergen and Sebbenhausen were merged to form a new municipality called Blenhorst. The name was officially changed to Balge on January 23, 1976.PoliticsThe local council of governance consists of eleven women counsellors. Including: 6 SPD seats 5 seats for members at large from the Balge voting community (as of the election of September 11, 2011).Barbara King-Meyer (SPD) is honorary mayor from the community of BalgeSites In Blenhorst there is a sawmill and flour mill that has been in operation since 1769. In Bötenberg there is a watermill, the Benther Mill, that was first registered as a grain mill in 1553. It is no longer in operation, but was a grain mill and sawmill. The village church in Balge with its striking tower was built circa 1300 in Romanesque style.