Roetgen is located approximately 16 km (10 mi) south-east ofAachen, near the border withBelgium. It is in the north of theHigh Fens-Eifel Nature Park on theWeser stream which rises a few kilometres to the south. Between Roetgen and Rott is theDreilägerbach Reservoir, which is fed by the Dreilägerbach stream and the artificially Schleebachgraben and Hasselbachgraben ditches. The attachedwaterworks supplies large parts of Aachen and the Dutch town ofKerkrade withdrinking water.
The parish of Roetgen includes the villages of Roetgen,Rott andMulartshütte, which is the oldest part of Roetgen.
To the northwest is the borough ofAachen with its quarters ofKornelimünster andWalheim, to the northeast is the town ofStolberg with its quarters ofVenwegen andZweifall, to the southeast is theSimmerath parish ofLammersdorf. To the west, on the far side of the German-Belgianborder lies the town ofEupen and the municipalities ofRaeren, whose parish ofPetergensfeld borders immediately on Roetgen north of Charliers Mill.
Roetgen is attractive for commuters as it is already part of theEifel and yet is still close in proximity to Aachen.
In World War II, Roetgen was the first German town to fall under American control. American forces arrived in the town on 12 September 1944 at 14:30 hours.[3]
The city was the location of thecourt martial ofUS ArmyPrivateEddie Slovik in November 1944, notable because of all US military personnel in World War II accused ofdesertion, Slovik was the only one sentenced to death and actuallyexecuted.
On March 13, 2019, Roetgen was hit by a low-end F3tornado. The tornado caused moderate to severe damage to buildings and trees. Vehicles were also overturned and flipped. 5 people were injured by the tornado.[4][5][6][7][8]
St. Mary's Chapel (Marienkapelle, 1636–1660) is the surviving part of the first Roman Catholic parish church in Roetgen. It was partially demolished when the Neogothic St. Hubert's Church (1854–1856) was built. It was consecrated to SaintHubertus ofLiège, theVirgin Mary andJohn the Baptist.
In Roetgen's town hall there is a sculpture of a weaver byHermann Pier (1925–1985); outside on the forecourt is a replica. It has historical as well as artistic value, because this craft was an important part of Roetgen's economic history.
Charliers Mill (substructure ofrubble stone, 1768) is an oldwater mill (today a domestic residence) on theWeser stream. In the countryside behind the mill, with its pastures, rows of beech rows and ponds runs Stage 1 of theEifelsteig hiking trail.