Kempen, Germany Explained
| Type: | Stadt |
| Kempen |
| Image Coa: | DEU Kempen COA.svg |
| Coordinates: | 51.3658°N 6.4194°W |
| Image Plan: | Kempen in VIE.svg |
| State: | Nordrhein-Westfalen |
| Region: | Düsseldorf |
| District: | Viersen |
| Elevation: | 30-68 |
| Area: | 68.79 |
| Postal Code: | 47906 |
| Area Code: | 02152 / 02845 |
| Licence: | VIE / KK |
| Gemeindeschlüssel: | 05 1 66 012 |
| Divisions: | 4 |
| Mayor: | Christoph Dellmann[1] |
| Leader Term: | 2020 - 25 |
Kempen (pronounced as /de/) is a town in the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approximately northwest of Düsseldorf, and east of Venlo.
History
- 1186: First mention in official documentation of Kempen as a place – the sovereign until 1794 is the Archbishop (electoral prince) of Cologne
- around 1290: Kempen is rebuilt as a fortified town
- 11 March 1294: First confirmation of Kempen as a town in official documentation
- 15th century: town blooms economically and culturally (population of approx. 4,200)
- 1542–1543: Kempen is the centre of the Reformation for the Lower Rhine
- 1579: The plague costs the town almost half of its inhabitants
- 1642: Kempen is conquered and destroyed by the allied French, Hessian and Weimar troops during the "Hessen War" (Thirty Years' War)
- 1794–1814: Kempen is under French rule. In the département of Roer established in 1797, Kempen becomes a canton seat in 1798 and a French town in 1801.
- 1815: After the Congress of Vienna, Kempen becomes Prussian and is the county seat
- 1929: Due to local reforms, Kempen becomes the administrative seat of the county of Kempen-Krefeld
- 1966 onward: Restoration of the old town
- 1970: Communal restructuring: The communities of Hüls, St. Hubert, Tönisberg and Schmalbroich join Kempen along with the localities of St. Peter and Unterweiden to form a single town
- 1975: In further local reforms, Hüls is assigned to the city of Krefeld. The county of Viersen is formed and Kempen becomes part of "Kreis Viersen"
- 1984: The county seat is transferred from Kempen to Viersen.
- 1987: A cultural forum is opened in the Franciscan monastery after comprehensive restoration and renovation work.
- 11 March 1994: Date of the 700-year jubilee of the confirmation of Kempen as a town
Twin towns – sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany. Kempen is twinned with:[2]
Notable people
Notes and References
- https://www.wahlergebnisse.nrw/kommunalwahlen/2020/index_bm.shtml Wahlergebnisse in NRW Kommunalwahlen 2020
- Web site: Partnerstädte. kempen.de. Kempen. de. 2021-02-28.
Wambrechies, France (1972)