Geldern | |
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 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Geldern within Kleve district  | |
 Location of Geldern | |
  Geldern  Geldern | |
| Coordinates:51°31′11″N06°19′57″E / 51.51972°N 6.33250°E /51.51972; 6.33250 | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Admin. region | Düsseldorf |
| District | Kleve |
| Subdivisions | 8 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–25) | Sven Kaiser[1] (CDU) |
| Area | |
• Total | 96.97 km2 (37.44 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 24 m (79 ft) |
| Population (2023-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 34,604 |
| • Density | 356.9/km2 (924.2/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 47591–47608 |
| Dialling codes | 0 28 31, 0 28 32 (Lüllingen) 0 28 38 (Kapellen) |
| Vehicle registration | KLE (until 1975: GEL) |
| Website | www.geldern.de |
Geldern (German pronunciation:[ˈɡɛldɐn]ⓘ;Dutch:Gelre,Gelder,Gelderen; archaic English:Guelder(s)) is a city in thefederal German state ofNorth Rhine-Westphalia. It is part of thedistrict of Kleve, which is part of theDüsseldorfadministrative region. The nearbyDutch province ofGelderland is named after this city.
Geldern lies in the plains of the lower, northernRhineland, west of theRhine. Its average elevation is 27 mAMSL. The riverNiers, a tributary of theMeuse (Maas), flows through Geldern. The streamGelderner Fleuth flows into the Niers in Geldern.
It is close to bothDüsseldorf Airport andAirport Weeze, also calledAirport Niederrhein (referring to theLower Rhine region).
Geldern is subdivided into the followingboroughs:
Geldern shares borders withKevelaer andSonsbeck to the north,Issum to the east,Kerken andStraelen to the south, and theDutch municipalitiesVenlo andBergen to the west.
| Climate data for Walbeck, Gerldern (1991-2020) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.3 (37.9) | 3.8 (38.8) | 6.7 (44.1) | 10.4 (50.7) | 14.3 (57.7) | 17.1 (62.8) | 19.0 (66.2) | 18.4 (65.1) | 15.0 (59.0) | 11.0 (51.8) | 6.9 (44.4) | 4.0 (39.2) | 10.8 (51.5) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 63.6 (2.50) | 57.8 (2.28) | 53.2 (2.09) | 41.7 (1.64) | 55.9 (2.20) | 64.8 (2.55) | 74.2 (2.92) | 76.2 (3.00) | 62.2 (2.45) | 65.3 (2.57) | 67.7 (2.67) | 73.1 (2.88) | 755.7 (29.75) |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 57 | 76 | 127 | 180 | 212 | 212 | 218 | 201 | 154 | 111 | 62 | 46 | 1,656 |
| Source:Deutscher Wetterdienst[3][4][5] | |||||||||||||
The first coat of arms of the city of Geldern was ashield with threemedlars, referring to an event in thedragon legend. The lion ofGuelders, recognizable in the present coat of arms, has been used since theMiddle Ages.
Francia 812–843
Middle Francia 843–855
Kingdom of Lotharingia 855–959Duchy of Lower Lorraine 959–ca. 1096
County of Guelders ca. 1096–1339
Duchy of Jülich 1393–1423
Duchy of Guelders 1423–1543
Habsburg Netherlands 1543–1556
Dutch Republic 1578–1587
Kingdom of Prussia 1713–1794
French Republic 1794–1804
Kingdom of Prussia 1815–1871
German Empire 1871–1918
Weimar Republic 1919–1933
Nazi Germany 1933–1945
Allied-occupied Germany 1945–1949
West Germany 1949–1990
According to folk legend, local noblemen Wichard and Lupold of Pont fought a fire-breathingdragon 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.
The city of Geldern was first documented around 900. 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 receivedWassenberg as afief from EmperorHenry 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 titleof Guelders was used. Wassenberg itself was given to theDuke of Limburg (and later toJülich) 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 wasfortified in the 13th century with earth and stone walls and moats. The walls were named after the fourcardinal 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 theUpper Quarter of Guelders until 1347. Themonastery of theCarmelites was built in the early 14th century. TheLate Gothic parish church ofMary Magdalene was built between 1400 and 1418.
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Often in its history, Geldern lay in the battlefield of territorial disputes. It was subordinate toSpanish rule from 1543 until 1578, when it was occupied by theDutch. Geldern returned to Spanish control in 1587, which lasted until 1703. During this period (more exactly between 1662 and 1664)Schloss Haag (first documented in 1337, located 1 km north of Geldern) was expanded. (SinceWorld War II only the outer castle has remained.)
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From 1701 until 1714 theWar of the Spanish Succession took place. The city was underPrussian siege beginning February 1703, but only surrendered on 21 December. At the end of the war, at the 1713Treaty of Utrecht, the previously SpanishUpper Quarter of Guelders was divided between four powers:Austria, theUnited Provinces,Prussia and theDuchy of Jülich. With the larger part of the former 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.
Between 1794 and 1814 Geldern was occupied by theFrench. They disbanded the old structures and created a new, more strict administration. The canton of Geldern was part of the arrondissement ofCleves, which was a part of the département of theRoer. In 1802 the monastery of the Carmelites wassecularized.
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 theProvince of Jülich-Cleves-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).
InWorld War II Geldern wasbombed several times, at the end of 1944 and on 14 February 1945, which led to devastation 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 ofSchloss Haag was completely destroyed. The parish church of Mary Magdalene was rebuilt in 1952, and redecorated in 2003/2004.
Thepopulation of Geldern is mostly RomanCatholic. There are several Catholic churches, including the historically important parish church of Mary Magdalene on the market square. There are twoProtestant churches: the Holy Spirit church near the market, and one in the borough of Walbeck.
The present composition of the city of Geldern was created at the territorial reorganization ofNorth Rhine-Westphalia, on 1 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 andRees were merged to form the newdistrict of Cleves.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1885 | 5,690 |
| 1905 | 6,551 |
| 1937 | 7,228 |
| 1946 | 5,288 |
| 2003 | 33,314 |
There is an approx. 60 km long cycle path along theFossa Eugeniana, a never completedcanal from theRhine nearRheinberg to theMeuse nearVenlo. Hiking is possible around the formerSchloss Haag, part of which still remains, and is home to Golfclub Schloss Haag e.V. There is a mill tower and therefectory of the 16th century former monastery ofAugustinian nuns. There are somewind mills in the vicinity, including one within 1 km of Geldern-Kapellen.
Every summer Geldern hosts astreet painting contest, which attracts international artists. Geldern has the largestWhitsun(Pentecost)funfair of the lower Rhine, a street party in summer, and aChristmas Market. Several other events are organized in summer.
Geldern is served by two nearby airportsWeeze Airport (19 km) andDüsseldorf Airport (55 km). The international airport in Amsterdam is 180 km or about 2 hours by car.
TheDeutsche 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.
Geldern is connected to the German Autobahns:motorwaysA40 (E 34) andA57 (E 31) by the federal roadsB9 andB58.
Bree, BelgiumFürstenberg, Germany
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
(in German)Towns and municipalities inKleve (district) | ||
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