Among the 15 villages of the Osterstader Marsh Rade has been mentioned firstly already around the year 1100. The village name was then written as Rothe changed later to Rahde and then became today's Rade. Rade has been - just like the whole Osterstader Marsh - often been afflicted by catastrophes. On the 1st of November 1570 the whole of Osterstade was under water after a flood. A special mention in old chronicles got the "Catarinenflut" from 1685. The year 1703 registered several breeched levees near Rade. The Christmas flood in the year 1717 brought 'indescribable disaster'. In 1756 and 1825 breeched levees happened on the complete section from Rekum to Rade. The 603 hectare encompassing area is largely situated only 70cm above sea level. The floods brought from time to time not only destitute over the village but created with the fat marsh soil also one of the essential conditions for stock farming and cabbage growing that for a long time founded respectable wealth. Apart from the floods there were two other strokes of fate for Rade, which formed the village picture considerable. In April 1854 a great fire destroyed 19 farms, in May 1929 eleven farms fell victim to the flames. The wind carried the fire from farm to farm especially as the roofs were thatched. Only a few soft roofs are left in the village since the last fire disaster.
The Weser run originally a lot nearer along the village. Through the Weser correction the waterway was moved towards the west. The old village was situated immediately behind the dyke at a narrow winded road not at the present through road. The village road was extended in 1840. For two decades Rade even had railway connection. The connection Farge-Wulsdorf-Bremerhaven was built in 1910/11 and operated until the year 1931. The handling of goods took still place until 1938 then the operation ceased.
Since the middle of the 20ty century farmer had not only to battle the constant floods at the outer dykes but also conquer behind the dyke the heavier water rush from the higher situated geest due to expansion of the on-site preflooder; lower situated areas were sometimes for weeks under water when due to the tide ratio in the Weser drainage was not possible. As solution the Rader Sielacht built in the year 1969 a estuary water drawing plant for two million Marks, whose three pumps are able to pump up to three cubic metre water into the outer deep channel.
The village with its 300 citizens who belonged until 1885 to the department Hagen and then belonged first with the neighbouring communities to Blumenthal and only later came to the district Osterholz, concentrates today not only on agriculture. Many citizens work outside and agriculture is, if at all a sideline. These connections to the outside lead probably to the village's open-mindedness. The village did built early on a little public swimming pool, which is used today mostly by water sportsmen for their training.
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