Erkelenz
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Erkelenz is a town in Rhineland, in the state North Rhine-Westphalia, in the rural district (Kreis) Heinsberg, has 45279 inhabitants (May 2005) and covers an area of 117,35 Km².
Contents
Geography
Erkelenz is situated in the lowland of the "Niederrheinische Bucht". The area is covered by loess, a very fertile soil. The landscape is called "Börde" and is plain. The agriculture is very productive.River
The Niers River has his sources at Kuckum and Keyenberg.Neighbouring towns
From North to West to south to East :
- Town of Wegberg (district Heinsberg)
- District-free city Mönchengladbach
- Municipality of Jüchen (district Rhein-Kreis Neuss)
- Municipality of Titz (district Düren)
- Town of Linnich (district Düren)
- Town of Hückelhoven (district Heinsberg)
- Town of Wassenberg (district Heinsberg)
Villages and hamlets of the town
In the area ot the city are 45 villages and hamlets.
- Bellinghoven
- Berverath
- Borschemich
- Commerden
- Etgenbusch
- Fronderath
- Geneiken
- Genhof
- Genfeld
- Genehen
- Gerderath
- Gerderhahn
- Golkrath
- Granterath
- Grambusch
- Hetzerath
- Holzweiler
- Houverath
- Houverather Heide
- Hoven
- Immerath
- Katzem
- Kaulhausen
- Keyenberg
- Kleinbouslar
- Kückhoven
- Kuckum
- Lentholt
- Lövenich
- Lützerath
- Matzerath
- Mennekrath
- Moorheide
- Neuhaus
- Oberwestrich
- Oerath
- Pesch
- Scheidt
- Schwanenberg
- Tenholt
- Terheeg
- Unterwestrich
- Venrath
- Vossem
- Wockerath
In the future the lignite open-pit mining called Garzweiler II will expand from the area of the towns Juechen and Gevenbroich ( district Rhein Kreis Neuss) and dig in the area of Erkelenz. Villages have to resettle.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms is parted horizontally. The upper part is blue, and contains the golden lion of the duchy of Guelders (Geldern). In the silver (white) lower part is a red medlar, also called rose of Geldern. The coat of arms shows the centuries old connection to the duchy. The colours from the shield became the colours of the city: blue and white.History
- 966: Erkelenz was first mentioned in a document as Herclinze, 1118 as Erkelenze.
- 1326: Erkelenz received town rights from the count of Guelders. (1339 the noble man became duke.) The area of Erkelenz was an exclave of the duchy of Guelders in the duchy of Jülich. The town belonged to the Upper Quarter Roermond.
- 1543: The Spanish Netherlands (Spanish Habsburg) got Erkelenz.
- 1713: After the war of the spanish succession the duke of Jülich, who was also prince of palatine (Pfalz-Neuburg) received the town.
- 1794: France captured the area, Erkelenz belonged to this state and became the capital of the district Canton Erkelenz in the Roer (département).
- 1815: After the defeat of Napoleon Erkelenz became part of Prussia. The district was now called Kreis Erkelenz.
- 1818/1819: The medieval walls and gates of the town were demolished.
- 1852: The railway Aachen-Düsseldorf was built
- 1897: The engineer Anton Raky established a drilling machine factory, today WIRTH Group.
- 1938: The synagogue was desecrated.
- 26th February 1945: Erkelenz was conquered by the 407th infantry regiment of the U.S. 102nd Infantry Division (Ozarks), US Ninth Army.
- 1945: The machine factory Hegenscheidt fled from Ratibor to Erkelenz.
- 1972: The district Kreis Erkelenz was abolished, it became part of the Kreis Heinsberg. The area of the town Erkelenz was enlarged from 25,3 Km² to 117,35 Km².
Town twinning
Saint James in France, at the border between Brittany and Normandy, in the near of Mont St. Michel.Transportation
- motorway Bundesautobahn 46
- motorway Bundesautobahn 61
- railwaystaton of the Deutsche Bahn
Buildings
- Der Kirchturm - The steeple of the catholic church St. Lambertus (1458 AD)
- Die Burg - The castle (1377 AD)
Museum
In the village Loevenich there is a fire museum.
- http://www.rheinisches-feuerwehrmuseum.de/
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
[Special]
- [Official webpage (German & English & French & Dutch)]
- [Private, informative website (German & English)]
- [Photos and informations (German)]
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