Until 1 January 2007 Korsør Municipality was a municipality (Danish: kommune) in the former West Zealand County, on the southwestern coast of the island of Zealand, in eastern Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 74.25 km2, and had a total population of 20,873 (2006). Its last mayor was Flemming Erichsen, a member of the Social Democrats.
Korsør Municipality bordered Skælskør Municipality to the south, Hashøj Municipality to the east and Slagelse Municipality to the north. It connected to Nyborg Municipality through the Great Belt ferries. To the west was the Great Belt (Storebælt), the strait that separates Zealand and the island of Funen peninsula.
The municipality ceased to exist as the result of Kommunalreformen 2007 (the Municipality Reform of 2007). It was merged with Slagelse, Hashøj and Skælskør municipalities to form a new Slagelse municipality. The new municipality belongs to Region Zealand.
History Korsør was likely built in the 1100-1300s, and was granted the status of a market town (Danish: Købstad) in 1425 - possibly earlier. Korsør became a prominent transit town between Zealand, Funen and Langeland.Ddb.byhistorie.dk "Korsør" Retrieved 8 October 2020
In the Middle Ages, when Denmark was divided into hundreds, the area of Korsør Municipality was under Slagelse Hundred. Slagelse Hundred came under Korsør County when it was established in 1662. In 1798 Korsør County was merged with Sorø County and Antvorskov County. This county lasted until the 1970 Danish Municipal Reform where it merged with Holbæk County to create West Zealand County (Danish: Vestsjællands Amt). After the 2007 municipal reform this changed to Region Zealand.
From 1842, where parish municipalities were created, and until 1970 consisted of two parish municipalities. From 1875 it also consisted of Korsør Market Town Municipality.
In the Municipality Reform of 2007 Skælskør Municipality was merged with Hashøj, Slagelse and Korsør Municipality to form a new Slagelse Municipality.Denstoredanske.lex.dk "Slagelse Kommune" Retrieved 8 October 2020
Historical divisions Historical municipal divisions of Korsør Municipality 2007 1970 1875 1842 1425TownsKorsørSvenstrupFrølunde FedForlev-Vemmelev
Mayors Since the creation of the municipality in 1970 and until it was dissolved in 2007, the mayors of Korsør Municipality were:Danskekommuner.dk "Korsør Kommune" Retrieved 8 October 2020 #MayorPartyTerm1 Poul Hvidtved Larsen Social Democrats1970-19782 Povl Mortensen Social Democrats1978-19913 Flemming Erichsen Social Democrats1991-2007
Towns
The largest town of the municipality was Korsør, where more than two thirds of the municipality's population lived. The remaining population lived in rural areas, as well as the two larger settlements of Forlev and Svenstrup. Notable villages in the municipality include Frølunde Fed.
Korsør was located in the western part of the municipality. Until the construction of the Great Belt Bridge Korsør was largely a transit town.
Below are the populations from 2006 of the three larger settlements of the municipality.Statistikbanken.dk "BEF44: Folketal 1. januar efter byområder, landdistrikter (AFSLUTTET)" Retrieved 9 October 2020
Korsør 14,850 Forlev 2,164 Svenstrup 1,949
Politics Municipal council Below are the municipal council elected from the municipality's creation in 1970 and until 2001, which was the last election before the municipality was dissolved. Election Party Totalseats Electedmayor19701041217Poul Hvidtved Larsen (A)197493321197894211Povl Mortensen (A)19811021111119851132119899331119939323Flemming Erichsen (A)1997821132200181224Data from Statistikbanken.dk and editions of Kommunal Aarbog
Parishes
The municipality consisted of five parishes and five churches. Halskov Parish (Halskov Church) Hemmeshøj Parish (Hemmeshøj Church) Saint Paul's Parish (Danish: Sankt Povls Sogn) (Saint Paul's Church) Tårnborg Parish (Tårnborg Church) Vemmelev Parish (Vemmelev Church)
Symbols The coat of arms of Korsør is a blue cross on golden background.
References