Hilden
Encyclopedia
Hilden is a city in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...

. It is situated in the District of Mettmann
Mettmann (district)
Mettmann is a Kreis in the middle of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring are the Ennepe-Ruhr and thedistrict-free cities Wuppertal, Solingen, Düsseldorf,Duisburg, Mülheim, Essen...

, 10 km (6.21 mi) west of Solingen
Solingen
Solingen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the northern edge of the region called Bergisches Land, south of the Ruhr area, and with a 2009 population of 161,366 is the second largest city in the Bergisches Land...

 and 15 km (9.32 mi) east of Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...

 on the right side of the Rhine. It is a middle sized industrial town with a forest and numerous attractions.

The Mayor is Horst Thiele, who took office in 2009. He was a candidate of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...

 (SPD).

Geography

With approx. 57,000 inhabitants, Hilden is the fourth largest city in the District of Mettmann. In contrast to the surrounding cities, it has no suburban districts or incorporated villages. Hilden has a compact urbanized city centre and borders some smaller woods.

History

Hilden was named in written sources already in the 10th century. In the 13th century in the centre of the early settlement a Romanic church was erected, which during the Reformation became Protestant. Later a second church for Catholics had been built. In the time of industrialization many factories especially in textiles, engineering and painting had been founded. In both World Wars the people of Hilden had many losses, a list of the soldiers' names is written on a memorial. During the Nazi rule Jews and opponents of the regime have been prosecuted. In the factories forced labourers, allegedly 3000, have been employed.

In 1945 American troops, then units of the British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...

 had occupied the town, stationed in the local barracks erected in 1937. The relationship between the population and the British soldiers were good especially after Germany's accession to NATO in May 1955, when former adversaries became allies. The initiative of the regiment to get in touch with local citizens led to the twin partnership Hilden - Warrington (1968), to school exchanges and various contacts between people. In March 1968 the British troops left Hilden, having been replaced by German military units which took over the barracks.

In the aftermath of the War refugees from East Germany found a new home in Hilden nearly doubling its population. In 1956 the Council of Hilden granted patronage to the association of refugees from the town and district of Wohlau, Lower Silesia
Lower Silesia
Lower Silesia ; is the northwestern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia; Upper Silesia is to the southeast.Throughout its history Lower Silesia has been under the control of the medieval Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy from 1526...

. They held several meetings in Hilden with more than 1000 former Wohlau citizens having received refuge in various parts of Germany.

Since the 1960s thousands of foreign migrant workers were employed in various industrial sections. An economical boom in the following decades contributed to further expansion of the town.

Politics

Since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, Hilden had four mayors; who enhanced the political, economic and social developments of the town:
  • Robert Gies - a Social Democrat and Mayor (1952–1969)
  • Ellen Wiederhold - a Christian Democrat, the first female and longest ruling Mayor (1969–1994)
  • Günter Scheib - a Social Democrat and Mayor (1994–2009)
  • Horst Thiele - a Social Democrat and Mayor (2009 - now)


The current City Council, elected in 2009, consists of 40 members: 13 Christian Democrats, 13 Social Democrats, 6 Liberals, 4 Greens, 4 Civic Action and 4 Independents. In summer 2010 one member left the Christian Democrat faction and two members left the Liberals founding their own faction. Missing a formal coalition the Council rules with changing majorities.

Transportation

Until the 1960s Hilden had an old fashioned tram, that connected the city in three directions with Düsseldorf-Benrath
Düsseldorf-Benrath station
Düsseldorf-Benrath station is about 10 kilometres south of Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof in the Düsseldorf district of Benrath. It is on the Cologne–Duisburg line, and is classified by Deutsche Bahn as a category 3 station. In addition, Düsseldorf Benrath station is served by two Regional-Express...

, Solingen-Ohligs
Solingen Hauptbahnhof
Solingen Hauptbahnhof is the only train station in Solingen, Germany offering ICE and IC long distance trains....

 and Wuppertal-Vohwinkel
Wuppertal-Vohwinkel station
Vohwinkel station is the most western station in the city of Wuppertal. It is placed in the district of Vohwinkel. It is a triangular station, built at a railway junction.-History:...

. It was nearly a tourist attraction, as it was one of the few trams that operated on metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...

 track. Meanwhile the trams have been replaced by buses.

Hilden station
Hilden station
Hilden station is located in the city of Hilden in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is on the Düsseldorf–Solingen line and is classified by Deutsche Bahn as a category 4 station. It is served by Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn line S 1 every 20 minutes and three bus routes , operated by Rheinbahn,...

 has local trains operating to Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof
is the Hauptbahnhof for the city of Düsseldorf in Germany, state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia.-History:The station was opened on 1 October 1891 opened as Düsseldorf Central Station...

, Solingen
Solingen Hauptbahnhof
Solingen Hauptbahnhof is the only train station in Solingen, Germany offering ICE and IC long distance trains....

 and Cologne
Köln Hauptbahnhof
Köln Hauptbahnhof is the central railway station in Cologne, Germany.The station is an important local, national and international hub, with many ICE, Thalys and Intercity trains calling there, as well as regional RegionalExpress, RegionalBahn and local S-Bahn trains...

. This service is now operated as line S 1 of the Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn, stopping at several newly built stations, including Hilden Süd station
Hilden Süd station
Hilden Süd station is in the city of Hilden in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is on the Düsseldorf–Solingen railway, which was opened on 3 January 1894 by the Prussian state railways...

. Line S 1 continues past Düsseldorf to Düsseldorf Airport station and the Ruhr
Ruhr
The Ruhr is a medium-size river in western Germany , a right tributary of the Rhine.-Description:The source of the Ruhr is near the town of Winterberg in the mountainous Sauerland region, at an elevation of approximately 2,200 feet...

 area.

Hilden is also accessible by the nearby intersecting freeways A3, A59
Bundesautobahn 59
is an autobahn in Germany that starts in Dinslaken and runs with three breaks along Duisburg, Düsseldorf and Cologne to Bonn.In the south of Duisburg it is the city highway, too....

 and A46.

Within Hilden, residential speed limit
Speed limit
Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...

s were reduced to 30 km/h (18.64 mph) (18.6 mph) in 1992 to encourage cycling. The main street in the center became a pedestrian zone.

Businesses

Hilden once has harboured textile factories, a big paint enterprise, pharmaceutical and metallurgic companies. After the economic crisis in the 1980s many of these companies have been closed. Flourishing companies now include the German headquarters of 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....

 and Qiagen
Qiagen
Qiagen is a provider of sample and assay technologies for molecular diagnostics, applied testing, academic and pharmaceutical research. Consolidated under the Dutch holding Qiagen N.V., the company operates more than 30 subsidiaries in over 18 countries. Qiagen’s shares are listed at the...

, as well as many other businesses and enterprises from the technology and logistics sector.

Festivities

  • carnival
    Carnival
    Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...

     parade (in February)
  • annual "Hildener Jazztage" - Hilden jazz days (in May/June)
  • Schützenfest - festivity of St. Sebastian's brotherhood (in June)
  • exhibition of fire fighters' brigade (August/September)
  • Day of German Reunification (on October 3)
  • Christmas market (in December)

People

  • Wilhelm Fabry
    Wilhelm Fabry
    Wilhelm Fabry , often called the "Father of German surgery", was the first educated and scientific German surgeon. He is one of the most prominent scholars in the iatromechanics school and author of 20 medical books...

    , founder of the scientific surgery
  • Ellen Wiederhold, head of a paint factory (Lackfabrik Wiederhold) and Mayoress of Hilden for 25 years (1969–1994)
  • Max Volmer
    Max Volmer
    Max Volmer was a German physical chemist, who made important contributions in electrochemistry, in particular on electrode kinetics. He co-developed the Butler–Volmer equation. Volmer held the chair and directorship of the Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry Institute of the Technische...

    , physical chemist, participant in Soviet nuclear projects, later president of the East German (GDR) academy of sciences
  • Michael Tarnat
    Michael Tarnat
    Michael Tarnat is a German former football player. He is a left-footed full-back who has also played wingback and defensive midfield. His nickname is "Tanne", meaning "fir" in English. He ended his career with Hannover 96, having previously played for MSV Duisburg, Karlsruher SC, Bayern Munich and...

    , soccer player

Partnerships

  • Warrington
    Warrington
    Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...

    , UK
    United Kingdom
    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

     (since 1968)
  • Nové Město nad Metují
    Nové Mesto nad Metují
    Nové Město nad Metují is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It had 10049 inhabitants in January 2007. The Metuje River flows through the town.Nové Město nad Metují was founded by Jan Černčický of Kácov in 1501....

     (near Náchod
    Náchod
    Náchod -History:Náchod was founded in 14th century by knight Hron of Načeradice, who founded a castle on a strategical place, where local trade road reaches the defile called Branka. The first written note dates back to 1254.-Castle:...

    ) in the Czech Republic
    Czech Republic
    The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

  • Wohlau in Lower Silesia - a sponsorship to German refugees who settled in HildenIt cooperates
  • Guizhou
    Guizhou
    ' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. Its provincial capital city is Guiyang.- History :...

     a province in South West China - cooperation and administrative support

External links

  • http://www.hilden.de/ - official homepage
  • http://www.wilhelm-fabry-museum.de/ - presentation of the 1000-year history of Hilden as well as the founder of the scientific surgery in 1560 Wilhelm Fabry
    Wilhelm Fabry
    Wilhelm Fabry , often called the "Father of German surgery", was the first educated and scientific German surgeon. He is one of the most prominent scholars in the iatromechanics school and author of 20 medical books...

  • http://baor-locations.co.uk/hilden.aspx - former British military base in Hilden
  • http://www.musketiere.org - local carnival club
  • http://www.muthilden.de - initiative for civic responsibility
  • http://www.asp-hilden.de - adventure playground
  • http://www.magic-kart.de/ - Go Kart
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