Lippe

Lippe, or, as it is generally called, but incorrectly, LIPPE-DETMOID, a small principality of northern Germany, lying between Westphalia on the W. and Hanover on the E. The Weser touches it on the N. and the Teutoburger Wood crosses it in the S. Area, 475 sq. m.; pop. (1875) 112,442; (1890) 128,495, of whom only 4332 were Catholics. The present constitution of Lippe dates from 1853; capital, Detmold (q.v.); other towns, Lemgo and Horn. The surface is hilly; woods cover 28 per cent., and are well cared for. The principal occupation is agriculture, with the rearing of cattle and swine. The products of these callings, with timber, salt, meerschaun pipes, tobacco, and starch, are the chief results of the industrial activity exported. Every spring some 12,000 of the inhabitants spread themselves over central Europe, as far as south Russia, to burn bricks, and return home in the autumn. The little country is governed by an administrative college, and a House of (twenty-one) Representatives, elected directly by the people, who are for that purpose divided into three classes. The princes of Lippe belong to one of the oldest sovereign families of Germany, and can be traced back to the 10th century. The first who took the name of count of Lippe was Bernhard in 1129. The family split into three branches in 1613—Lippe, Brake, and Schaumburg. The second of these became extinct in 1709. For the third, see SCHAUMBURG-LIPPE. See historical works (1847-87) by Falknann.