What is Soest, Germany?
{{Infobox German location |name = Soest |type = Stadt |image_photo = Soest.jpg |imagesize = 300px |image_caption = Soest |image_flag = Flagge der Stadt Soest.svg |image_coa = DEU Soest COA.svg |coordinates = {{coord|51|34|16|N|8|06|33|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |image_plan = Soest in SO.svg |state = NRW |region = Arnsberg |district = [[Soest Rural District|Soest]] |elevation = 90 |area = 85.81 |population = 48682 |Stand = 2009-06-30 |pop_source = |postal_code = 59494 |area_code = 02921 |licence = SO |Gemeindeschlüssel = 05 9 74 040 |divisions = 19 |website = {{url|http://www.soest.de/}} |mayor = Eckhard Ruthemeyer |party = CDU }} {{Infobox Former Country |native_name = ''Freie Hansestadt Soest'' |conventional_long_name = Imperial and Hanseatic City of Soest |common_name = Soest |era = Middle Ages |status = City-state |empire = Holy Roman Empire |government_type = Republic |status_text = [[Free Imperial City|Imperial]], [[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic]] City {{nowrap|of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]}} |year_start = 1449 |year_end = 1609 |event_pre = Mentioned in <br>{{spaces|4}}{{nowrap|''Dagobertsche Schenkung''}} |date_pre = &nbsp;<br>836 |event_start = [[Soest Feud]] to gain <br>{{spaces|4}}''[[Reichsfrei]]heit'' from <br>{{spaces|4}}[[Archbishopric of Cologne|Abp Cologne]] |date_start = &nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>1444–49 |event_end = Annexed by<br>{{spaces|4}}[[Margraviate of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]], with<br>{{spaces|4}}[[Duchy of Cleves|Cleves]], on extinction<br>{{spaces|4}}of its ducal line |date_end = &nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>1609 | |p1 = Archbishopric of Cologne |image_p1