Kerkrade
Encyclopedia
Kerkrade (ˈkɛrkˌraːdə) is a town
and a municipality
in the southeastern Netherlands
.
It is the western half of the divided region and de facto city, taken together with the eastern half, the German town
of Herzogenrath
. The original name of the undivided municipality under the Holy Roman Empire
was Herzogenrath.
Nowadays the two towns, including outlying suburban "villages", have a combined population approaching 100,000.
, just across the German border. Herzogenrath began as a settlement, called Rode, near the river Worm
(or Wurm in German) in the 11th century. In 1104 Augustinian
monks founded an abbey, called Kloosterrade, to the west of this settlement.
It was called 's-Hertogenrode or 's-Hertogenrade (Dutch: the Duke's Rode) after the duchy of Brabant
took control over the region; in French it was called Rolduc (Rode-le-duc). As is the case for many parts of the Southern Netherlands
, the place changed hands several times in the last few centuries. It was under Spanish control from 1661, Austrian between 1713 and 1785 and French
between 1795 and 1813. In 1815, when the kingdom of the Netherlands was formed (see Vienna Congress), the border was drawn through Herzogenrath, the western part being Kerkrade.
In the 18th century the monks of Rolduc began small-scale coal mines
. More modern exploitation by others started in 1860, causing Kerkrade to grow significantly, especially as a consequence of the permanent settlement of mainly Southern-European miners in this Northern-European place. When the Willem Sophia mine was opened around 1900, the town grew even more rapidly, absorbing old villages like Chèvremont. In the decades following 1960, all the mines in Limburg were closed.
One of the oldest buildings in the municipality is Oud Ehrenstein, a castle the origins of which lie in the 14th century.
, this border was for many years marked only with a low wall, about 30 cm high, running along the length of the street. There was a separate 2-way road on each side, and cars had to pass through the official crossing points, but pedestrians could readily step over the wall (although there were signs informing of the border). In 1995, it was decided to remove the wall completely. Nieuwstraat/Neustraße is now a single two-way road, with the extra space now occupied with trees and bicycle lanes. The border is unmarked, and is crossed even when going round a roundabout or overtaking a vehicle.
There was another station, Kerkrade West or Spekholzerheide. It closed for public rail in 1988, and since 1992 it is in use by a museum-railway-company, ZLSM.
Kerkrade is the home of the football
club Roda JC.
The patron saint
of Kerkrade is Saint Barbara
, who is also the patron saint of miners.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and a municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in the southeastern Netherlands
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...
.
It is the western half of the divided region and de facto city, taken together with the eastern half, the German town
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...
of Herzogenrath
Herzogenrath
Herzogenrath is a municipality in the district of Aachen in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It borders the Dutch town of Kerkrade, the national border in one section running along the middle of a main road.-History:...
. The original name of the undivided municipality under the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
was Herzogenrath.
Nowadays the two towns, including outlying suburban "villages", have a combined population approaching 100,000.
History
The history of Kerkrade is closely linked with that of the adjacent town of HerzogenrathHerzogenrath
Herzogenrath is a municipality in the district of Aachen in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It borders the Dutch town of Kerkrade, the national border in one section running along the middle of a main road.-History:...
, just across the German border. Herzogenrath began as a settlement, called Rode, near the river Worm
Wurm
The Wurm is a river in Germany , a left tributary of the Rur. The source of the Wurm are several brooks in the forests southwest of Aachen, which form the Wurm after the Diepenbenden reservoir. From there the Wurm nowadays flows through canals through the city of Aachen, until it resurfaces at the...
(or Wurm in German) in the 11th century. In 1104 Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
monks founded an abbey, called Kloosterrade, to the west of this settlement.
It was called 's-Hertogenrode or 's-Hertogenrade (Dutch: the Duke's Rode) after the duchy of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
took control over the region; in French it was called Rolduc (Rode-le-duc). As is the case for many parts of the Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
, the place changed hands several times in the last few centuries. It was under Spanish control from 1661, Austrian between 1713 and 1785 and French
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
between 1795 and 1813. In 1815, when the kingdom of the Netherlands was formed (see Vienna Congress), the border was drawn through Herzogenrath, the western part being Kerkrade.
In the 18th century the monks of Rolduc began small-scale coal mines
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
. More modern exploitation by others started in 1860, causing Kerkrade to grow significantly, especially as a consequence of the permanent settlement of mainly Southern-European miners in this Northern-European place. When the Willem Sophia mine was opened around 1900, the town grew even more rapidly, absorbing old villages like Chèvremont. In the decades following 1960, all the mines in Limburg were closed.
One of the oldest buildings in the municipality is Oud Ehrenstein, a castle the origins of which lie in the 14th century.
The border along Nieuwstraat/Neustraße
One part of the border between the Netherlands and Germany runs along the middle of the street Nieuwstraat/Neustraße. Because of relatively unrestricted cross-border travel within the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, this border was for many years marked only with a low wall, about 30 cm high, running along the length of the street. There was a separate 2-way road on each side, and cars had to pass through the official crossing points, but pedestrians could readily step over the wall (although there were signs informing of the border). In 1995, it was decided to remove the wall completely. Nieuwstraat/Neustraße is now a single two-way road, with the extra space now occupied with trees and bicycle lanes. The border is unmarked, and is crossed even when going round a roundabout or overtaking a vehicle.
Population centres
Kerkrade's outlying neighborhoods and housing developments include:- EygelshovenEygelshovenEygelshoven is a small village near the town of Kerkrade in the southeast of the Netherlands, close to the German and Belgian borders.It has two former coal mines, Laura and Julia, which were named after the wives of the two owners...
- Kaalheide
- Bleierheide
- Spekholzerheide
- Terwinselen
- HolzHolzHolz is a German surname meaning wood or timber, and may refer to:* Karl Holz , current chairman and CEO of Euro Disney SCA* Karl Holz , NSDAP Gauleiter of Franconia and SA Gruppenführer...
- Rolduckerveld
- Hopel
- Chèvremont
- Haanrade
- GrachtGrachtThe word gracht is a Dutch term that is encountered by English-speaking people when confronted with Dutch art , Dutch history or tourism...
- RolducRolducRolduc is the name of a medieval abbey in Kerkrade, the Netherlands, which is now a Roman Catholic seminary and an affiliated conferencing center.-History:...
Music
Every fourth year the World Music Contest, a competition for amateur, professional, and military bands, is held in Kerkrade. Also, for the last three years, the Drum Corps Europe championships have been held here.Natives of Kerkrade
- Wiel CoerverWiel CoerverWiel Coerver was a football manager from the Netherlands and the developer of the Coerver Method, a soccer coaching technique. He won the UEFA Cup with Feyenoord Rotterdam in the 1973-1974 season....
(born 1924)- footballer and manager - Willy BrokampWilly BrokampWilly Brokamp is a former footballplayer For MVV Maastricht in the 1960s and 1970s who recruited him from RKVV Chèvremont . His nickname was “The blond arrow”....
(born 1946) – footballer - Gerd Leers (born 1951) – politician
- Heintje SimonsHeintje SimonsHendrik Nikolaas Theodoor Simons, known as Heintje and later on as Hein Simons, , is a Dutch singer and actor....
(born 1955) – singer - Pierre VermeulenPierre VermeulenPierre Vermeulen is a retired Dutch footballer who was active as a forward and half-back. Vermeulen made his professional debut at Roda JC and also played for Feyenoord Rotterdam, MVV Maastricht, Paris Saint-Germain FC, Tours FC, Spartak Moscow, and Angers SCO.-Honours:* 1983-84 : Eredivisie...
(born 1956) – footballer - René TrostRené TrostRené Hubertus Johannes Trost is a former Dutch football defender and currently football manager from MVV....
(born 1965) – footballer - Sieb DijkstraSieb DijkstraSybrandus Johannes Andreas Dijkstra is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper.-Career:...
(born 1966) – footballer - Jörg MüllerJörg MüllerJörg Müller is a Dutch-born German race driver.- Racing career :In 1989 Müller won the titles in German Formula Opel Lotus Challenge and in European Formula Ford 1600....
(born 1969) – race driver - Roy BejasRoy BejasRoy Bejas is a Dutch footballer who last played for Fortuna Sittard. Bejas is a forward who was born in Kerkrade and was part of the professional Roda JC squad, but did not make an official debut with the club.-References:...
(born 1987) – footballer
Transportation
There are 4 stations in Kerkrade:- Kerkrade Centrum railway stationKerkrade Centrum railway station-History:The station was opened in 1933 and is the last station on the Heuvellandlijn . The train service is operated by Veolia.The station is about 200m north of the German border....
- Chevremont railway stationChevremont railway stationChevremont is a railway station located in Kerkrade, The Netherlands.-History:The station was opened on 15 May 1949 and is located on the Heuvellandlijn...
- Eygelshoven railway stationEygelshoven railway stationEygelshoven is a railway station located in Eygelshoven, The Netherlands.-History:The station was opened on 15 May 1949 and is located on the Heuvellandlijn...
- Eygelshoven Markt railway stationEygelshoven Markt railway stationEygelshoven Markt is a railway station located in Eygelshoven, The Netherlands.-History:The station was opened in 1909 and operated under the name Eygelshoven until closure in 1952 and subsequent demolition. The station was rebuilt and opened on 9 December 2007 under the name Eygelshoven Markt...
There was another station, Kerkrade West or Spekholzerheide. It closed for public rail in 1988, and since 1992 it is in use by a museum-railway-company, ZLSM.
Miscellaneous information
The building of a dam in the Anstel, a brook flowing west of Kerkrade, has led to the formation of a reservoir with an area of about 20 ha. This and its surroundings are very rich in flora and fauna.Kerkrade is the home of the football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club Roda JC.
The patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Kerkrade is Saint Barbara
Saint Barbara
Saint Barbara, , Feast Day December 4, known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian saint and martyr....
, who is also the patron saint of miners.
External links
- Official Website
- Encyclopedia on Kerkrade (Dutch) – a wiki using MediaWikiMediaWikiMediaWiki is a popular free web-based wiki software application. Developed by the Wikimedia Foundation, it is used to run all of its projects, including Wikipedia, Wiktionary and Wikinews. Numerous other wikis around the world also use it to power their websites...
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