- Geldern
Infobox German Location
Art = Stadt
Name = Geldern
Wappen = Wappen Geldern.jpg
lat_deg = 51 |lat_min = 31 |lat_sec = 11
lon_deg = 06 |lon_min = 19 |lon_sec = 57
Lageplan =
Bundesland = Nordrhein-Westfalen
Regierungsbezirk = Düsseldorf
Kreis = Kleve
Höhe = 24
Fläche = 96.91
Einwohner = 34073
Stand = 2006-06-30
PLZ = 47591–47608
PLZ-alt = 4170
Vorwahl = 0 28 31
Kfz = KLE (until 1975: GEL)
Gemeindeschlüssel = 05 1 54 012
Gliederung = 8
Adresse = Issumer Tor 36
47608 Geldern
Website = [http://www.geldern.de/ www.geldern.de]
Bürgermeister = Ulrich Janssen
Partei = CDUGeldern (Dutch: "Gelderen", archaic English: "Guelder(s)") is a
city in the northwest of the federal stateNorth Rhine-Westphalia ,Germany . It is part of the district of Cleves, which is part of the administrative region Düsseldorf.Geography
Location
Geldern lies in the plains of the lower, northern
Rhineland , west of theRhine . Its average elevation is 27 m AMSL. The riverNiers , a tributary of the Meuse, flows through Geldern. The streamGelderner Fleuth flows into the Niers in Geldern.It is close to both
Düsseldorf International Airport andAirport Weeze , also calledAirport Niederrhein (referring to theLower Rhine region).ubdivisions
Geldern is subdivided into the following
borough s:
* Geldern City
* Hartefeld
* Kapellen
* Lüllingen
* Pont
* Veert
* Vernum
* WalbeckNeighbouring towns and municipalities
Geldern shares borders with
Kevelaer andSonsbeck to the north,Issum to the east,Kerken andStraelen to the south, and the Dutch municipalitiesArcen en Velden and Bergen to the west.Coat of arms
The first coat of arms of the city of Geldern was a shield with three
medlar s, referring to an event in thedragon legend, see below. The lion ofGuelders , recognizable in the present coat of arms, has been used since theMiddle Ages .History
Dragon legend
According to folk legend, local noblemen Wichard and Lupold of Pont fought a fire-breathing
dragon around 878. They found it under amedlar tree, and one of them stabbed it with hisspear . The dying dragon rattled two or three times: "Gelre! Gelre!". In commemoration of this heroic feat, the Lords of Pont founded the city of Geldern at the confluence of theNiers and the Fleuth.Middle Ages
The city of Geldern was first documented in 812. Several versions of the name have been used: "Gelre, Gielra, Gellero, Gelera" and similar. The probable ancestor of the Counts of Guelders was Gerhard Flamens, who received
Wassenberg as afief from Emperor Henry II in 1020. His great-grandson Gerhard IV of Wassenberg was the first to call himself Count of Guelders (as Gerhard I), from 1096. The title "count" came from other properties, probably inTeisterbant . From 1125 only the title "of Guelders" was used. Wassenberg itself was given to the Duke of Limburg (and later to Jülich) as a wedding gift in 1107. The counts of Guelders moved their residence to the castle in Geldern, that was built probably around this date at the crossing of the Niers. The castle and the accompanying medieval settlement were the origin of the present city, and also gave its name to thecounty and laterduchy ofGuelders .The settlement was fortified in the 13th century with earth and stone walls and moats. The walls were named after the four
cardinal directions and had three gates. Geldern receivedcity rights in 1229. It was the residence of the counts and dukes of Guelders until 1343, and capital of the Upper Quarter of Guelders until 1347. Themonastery of theCarmelites was built in the early 14th century. The Late Gothic parish church ofMary Magdalene was built between 1400 and 1418.Often in its history, Geldern lay in the battlefield of territorial disputes. It was subordinate to Spanish rule from 1543 until 1578, when it was occupied by the Dutch. By treason Geldern returned to Spanish control in 1587, which lasted until 1703. During this period (more exactly between 1662 and 1664) the castle Haag (first documented in 1337, located 1 km north of Geldern) was expanded. Since
World War II only the outer castle remains.18th century
From 1701 until 1714 the
War of the Spanish Succession took place. The city was underPrussia n siege since February 1703, but only surrendered on21 December . At the end of the war, at the 1713Treaty of Utrecht , the previously Spanish Upper Quarter of Guelders was divided over four powers:Austria , the United Provinces,Prussia and theDuchy of Jülich . With the larger part of the forler Upper Quarter, Geldern fell to Prussia and became the seat of administration ofPrussian Guelders . KingFrederick II of Prussia visited Geldern in August 1740. He ordered the demolition of the city fortifications in 1764.Modern era
Between 1794 and 1814 Geldern was occupied by the French. They disbanded the old structures and created a new, more strict administration. The canton of Geldern was part of the arrondissement of
Cleves , which was a part of the département of the Roer. In 1802 the monastery of the Carmelites was secularized.In the course of the Prussian reorganization of administration, the district of Geldern was formed on
23 April 1816 . It was one of over 40 rural districts of the provinceJülich-Kleve-Berg , the northern half of the laterRhine Province . In 1863 therailway lineCologne -Krefeld - Geldern -Cleves was opened, and anarrow-gauge local line in 1902 (closed in 1932).In
World War II Geldern wasbomb ed several times, at the end of 1944 and on14 February 1945 , which led to severe devastations in the city centre. Only a few houses were saved, about 82 % was destroyed. The parish church was also severely damaged, and the main building of castle Haag was completely destroyed. The parish church of Mary Magdalene was rebuilt in 1952, and redecorated in 2003/2004.Religion
The
population of Geldern is mostlyCatholic . There are several Catholic churches, including the historically important parish church of Mary Magdalene at the market square. There are twoProtestant churches: the Holy Spirit church near the market, and one in the borough Walbeck.Territorial reorganization
The present composition of the city of Geldern was created at the territorial reorganization of
North Rhine-Westphalia , on1 July 1969 . The municipalities of Kapellen, Vernum, Pont, Veert and Walbeck were incorporated into Geldern.On
1 January 1975 the former districts of Cleves and Geldern and parts of the districts ofMoers and Rees were merged to form the new district of Cleves.Population
Culture and tourism
Buildings
There is an approx. 60 km long cycle path along the
Fossa Eugeniana , a never completedcanal from theRhine nearRheinberg to the Meuse nearVenlo . Hiking is possible around the former castle Haag, part of which still remains, and is home to a.o. a golf club. A mill tower and therefectory of the 16th century former monastery ofAugustinian nuns. There are somewind mill s in the vicinity.Events
Every summer Geldern hosts a
street art contest, which attracts international artists. Geldern has the largestWhitsun funfair of the lower Rhine, a street party in summer, and aChristmas Market . Several other events are organized in summer.City twinnings
Geldern is twinned with
Fürstenberg inBrandenburg (Germany), and with Bree inBelgium .Transport
Aviation
Geldern is served by the airports
Weeze Airport (20 km) andDüsseldorf International Airport (55 km).Trains and buses
The
Deutsche Bahn railway station of Geldern lies on the line fromCleves toDüsseldorf viaKrefeld . There are two trains per hour. Buses are used for public transport in the city and the surrounding area.Roads
Geldern is connected to the German motorways 40 (E 34) and 57 (E 31) by the federal roads B9 and B58.
Personalities
*
Björn Böhning , current leader of theYoung Socialists in the SPD
*Benedictus Buns , 1642-1716, priest and composer.
*Helmut Linssen , finance minister of North-Rhine Westphalia
*Lydia Hüskens , German politician
*Paul Nolte , German historian
*Dominic Saleh-Zaki , German actor
*Xenia Seeberg , German actress
*Thomas Struth , German photographerReferences
*"Geldrischer Heimatkalender", Historischer Verein für Geldern und Umgegend (Herausgeber), erscheint jährlich
*Irmgard Hantsche, "Geldern Atlas - Karten und Texte zur Geschichte eines Territoriums", Geldern 2003, ISBN 3-921760-39-9
*Johannes Stinner und Karl-Heinz Tekath, "Gelre -- Geldern -- Gelderland - Geschichte und Kultur des Herzogtums Geldern", Geldern 2001, Verlag des Historischen Vereins für Geldern und Umgegend, ISBN 3-921760-31-3
*Heinz Bosch, "Illustrierte Geschichte der Stadt Geldern 1848-1969", Band I: "Von den revolutionären Ereignissen 1848 bis zum Ausbruch des ersten Weltkriegs 1914", Geldern 1994
*Gregor Hövelmann, "Geschichte des Kreises Geldern. Eine Skizze. Erster Teil: 1816-1866", Geldern 1974External links
* [http://www.geldern.de/ official website] de icon
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Pedigree
Geldern is the material pedigree of (Heinrich)
Heine
*Gustav Heine-Geldern (Gustav Heine von Geldern ) (1812-1886), Austrian publicist, brother ofHeinrich Heine
*Robert von Heine-Geldern (1885-1968), Austrian ethnologist
*Simon von Geldern
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