Kaldenkirchen (Germany)
Encyclopedia
Kaldenkirchen is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia
in Germany
, situated close to the Dutch
border at Venlo
. It is part of the municipality of Nettetal
.
. Some inhabitants of Kaldenkirchen belonged to the 13 German families who were members of the Religious Society of Friends
and Mennonite
s. These families left Krefeld in 1683 with a ship called Concord and headed for Philadelphia where they settled in the newly founded suburb called Germantown
.
In 1856 King Frederick William IV of Prussia
permitted the use of “town” for this city. After the Wiener Kongress Congress of Vienna in 1814 Kaldenkirchen belonged to Prussia
. In 1903 the German Emperor Wilhelm II permitted the city arms.
The synagogue was destroyed during the Kristallnacht
.
During the last weeks of the Second World War
the city was evacuated
. In 1947 a fire destroyed 90 % of the forest. In 1961 Kaldenkirchen had 6305 inhabitants, 23 % of them Heimatvertriebene
. On January 1, 1970 Kaldenkirchen became part of the newly founded city of Nettetal.
. At the turn of the century the roof tiles industry was active for some years due to the resources of clay
in the Grenzwald (forest bordering Germany and the Netherlands).
As Kaldenkirchen is situated near the border it was an important reloading point with a main customs office and many freight forwarder
s until 1993.
Currently there are various inter-regional companies like the plant nursery Lappen, the producer of sound cards TerraTec
, the food company Halal
Mekkafood and the German Branch Office of Panini Comics
.
/NL and single-tracked traffic to Mönchengladbach
.
St. Clemens, the Protestant Church and the Rokoko Pavillon built in the second half of the 18. century.
. The manor house
Altenhof was almost 500 years the property of Earl of Spee. The nearby Grenzwald is a popular Recreation area
and Nature reserve
.
Right at the border there is the Sequoiafarm Kaldenkirchen
, a precious Arboretum
that has been used as a Biological institute for many years and is full of historical interest.
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...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, situated close to the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
border at Venlo
Venlo
Venlo is a municipality and a city in the southeastern Netherlands, next to the German border. It is situated in the province of Limburg.In 2001, the municipalities of Belfeld and Tegelen were merged into the municipality of Venlo. Tegelen was originally part of the Duchy of Jülich centuries ago,...
. It is part of the municipality of Nettetal
Nettetal
Nettetal is a municipality in the district of Viersen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Nettetal is not a town itself, but a federation of villages that have developed around the river Nette, and the worked-out gravel pits that now form five lakes. It is situated on the border with the...
.
History
For the first time the place name “Caldenkirken” appeared in a document dated 1206. Until 1794 the city belonged to the Duchy of JülichDuchy of Jülich
The Duchy of Jülich comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay left of the Rhine river between the Electorate of Cologne in the east and the Duchy of Limburg in the west. It had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital...
. Some inhabitants of Kaldenkirchen belonged to the 13 German families who were members of the Religious Society of Friends
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
and Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
s. These families left Krefeld in 1683 with a ship called Concord and headed for Philadelphia where they settled in the newly founded suburb called Germantown
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
.
In 1856 King Frederick William IV of Prussia
Frederick William IV of Prussia
|align=right|Upon his accession, he toned down the reactionary policies enacted by his father, easing press censorship and promising to enact a constitution at some point, but he refused to enact a popular legislative assembly, preferring to work with the aristocracy through "united committees" of...
permitted the use of “town” for this city. After the Wiener Kongress Congress of Vienna in 1814 Kaldenkirchen belonged to Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
. In 1903 the German Emperor Wilhelm II permitted the city arms.
The synagogue was destroyed during the Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass, and also Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht, and Novemberpogrome, was a pogrom or series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on 9–10 November 1938.Jewish homes were ransacked, as were shops, towns and...
.
During the last weeks of the Second World War
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...
the city was evacuated
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
. In 1947 a fire destroyed 90 % of the forest. In 1961 Kaldenkirchen had 6305 inhabitants, 23 % of them Heimatvertriebene
Heimatvertriebene
Heimatvertriebene are those around 12 million ethnic Germans who fled or were expelled after World War II from parts of Germany annexed by Poland and Russia, and from other countries, who found refuge in both West and East Germany, and Austria...
. On January 1, 1970 Kaldenkirchen became part of the newly founded city of Nettetal.
Economy
For more than 150 years the economic life of Kaldenkirchen was characterized by the tobacco industryTobacco industry
The tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any warm, moist environment, which means it can be farmed on all...
. At the turn of the century the roof tiles industry was active for some years due to the resources of clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
in the Grenzwald (forest bordering Germany and the Netherlands).
As Kaldenkirchen is situated near the border it was an important reloading point with a main customs office and many freight forwarder
Freight forwarder
A freight forwarder, forwarder, or forwarding agent is a person or company that organizes shipments for individuals or other companies and may also act as a carrier...
s until 1993.
Currently there are various inter-regional companies like the plant nursery Lappen, the producer of sound cards TerraTec
TerraTec
TerraTec Electronic GmbH is a German manufacturer of sound cards, computer speakers, webcams, computer mice, video grabbers and TV tuner cards....
, the food company Halal
Halal
Halal is a term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. The term is used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law...
Mekkafood and the German Branch Office of Panini Comics
Panini Comics
Panini Comics is an Italian comic book publisher. A division of Panini Group, best known for their collectible stickers, it is headquartered in Modena, Italy...
.
Transport
Kaldenkirchen has direct access to the autobahn A61 and has two exits. It also has a train station with double-tracked passenger and freight traffic to VenloVenlo
Venlo is a municipality and a city in the southeastern Netherlands, next to the German border. It is situated in the province of Limburg.In 2001, the municipalities of Belfeld and Tegelen were merged into the municipality of Venlo. Tegelen was originally part of the Duchy of Jülich centuries ago,...
/NL and single-tracked traffic to Mönchengladbach
Mönchengladbach
Mönchengladbach , formerly known as Münchengladbach, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located west of the Rhine half way between Düsseldorf and the Dutch border....
.
Main sights
The main sights are the Catholic Parish ChurchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
St. Clemens, the Protestant Church and the Rokoko Pavillon built in the second half of the 18. century.
. The manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
Altenhof was almost 500 years the property of Earl of Spee. The nearby Grenzwald is a popular Recreation area
Recreation area
A recreation area is a type of protected area designated in some jurisdictions. In the United States, National Recreation Areas are administered by several different agencies. They typically do not meet the strict guidelines to become national parks. In U.S...
and Nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
.
Right at the border there is the Sequoiafarm Kaldenkirchen
Sequoiafarm Kaldenkirchen
The Sequoiafarm Kaldenkirchen is a German arboretum that has been used as a biological institute for many years. Part of the protected area in the city of Nettetal, it is situated in the "Kaldenkirchen Grenzwald" . Nettetal lies in the Lower Rhine region of Germany.- History and use :In 1946, Illa...
, a precious Arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
that has been used as a Biological institute for many years and is full of historical interest.