Viersen
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Viersen (Script error: No such module "IPA".; Template:Langx) is the capital of the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Viersen is situated approximately 8 km north-west of Mönchengladbach, 15 km south-west of Krefeld and 20 km east of Venlo (Netherlands).
Division of the town
The city of Viersen is made up of three (formerly independent) cities: Süchteln, Dülken and Viersen, which combined in 1970, and one former village, Boisheim, which combined with Viersen in 1968.
Politics
The current mayor of Viersen is Christoph Hopp of the [[ Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) since November 2025.
Template:Update section Previous mayoral election was held on 13 September 2020, with a runoff held on 27 September, and the results were as follows:
| Candidate | Party | First round | Second round | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Christoph Hopp | Christian Democratic Union | 11,438 | 40.5 | 11,572 | 49.2 |
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Sabine Anemüller | Social Democratic Party | 10,965 | 38.8 | 11,955 | 50.8 |
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Martina Maaßen | Alliance 90/The Greens | 3,418 | 12.1 | ||
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Simon Männersdörfer | The Left | 1,098 | 3.9 | ||
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Frank a Campo | Free Democratic Party | 935 | 3.3 | ||
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Siegfried Martin | National Democratic Party | 404 | 1.4 | ||
| Valid votes | 28,258 | 98.2 | 23,527 | 99.5 | ||
| Invalid votes | 521 | 1.8 | 118 | 0.5 | ||
| Total | 28,779 | 100.0 | 23,645 | 100.0 | ||
| Electorate/voter turnout | 63,176 | 45.6 | 63,169 | 37.4 | ||
| Source: City of Viersen (1st round, 2nd round) | ||||||
City council
The Viersen city council governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 13 September 2020, and the results were as follows:
| Party | Votes | % | +/- | Seats | +/- | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Christian Democratic Union (CDU) | 11,806 | 41.9 | Decrease 1.9 | 22 | Decrease 2 |
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Social Democratic Party (SPD) | 6,669 | 23.7 | Decrease 2.3 | 13 | Decrease 2 |
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) | 5,491 | 19.5 | Increase 7.9 | 11 | Increase 5 |
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | The Left (Die Linke) | 1,417 | 5.0 | Decrease 0.5 | 3 | ±0 |
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Free Democratic Party (FDP) | 1,343 | 4.8 | Decrease 0.1 | 3 | ±0 |
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Alternative for Germany (AfD) | 1,142 | 4.1 | New | 2 | New |
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | Die PARTEI | 195 | 0.7 | New | 0 | New |
| bgcolor=Template:Party color| | National Democratic Party (NPD) | 107 | 0.4 | Decrease 1.0 | 0 | Decrease 1 |
| Valid votes | 28,170 | 98.0 | ||||
| Invalid votes | 584 | 2.0 | ||||
| Total | 28,754 | 100.0 | 54 | Decrease 2 | ||
| Electorate/voter turnout | 63,176 | 45.5 | Increase 2.1 | |||
| Source: City of Viersen | ||||||
Economy
The company Mars Incorporated (chocolate bars) is situated in one of Viersen's industrial districts named Dülken-Mackenstein.
Template:Ill (a big supermarkets chain in Germany) had his headquarter in Viersen, until it was closed in 2010.
Cable manufacturer SAB Bröckskes employs 550 people (430 of them in Viersen-Süchteln).[1]
Culture
Recurring events
- Viersen Jazz Festival (International Jazz Festival in Viersen's Festival Hall) 4th weekend each September.[2]
- The World Championships of Carom billiards take place in Viersen's Festival Hall. March
- Big Carnival Parades in all 3 city parts. The one in Dülken is one of the biggest and most traditional Parades in North Rhine-Westphalia. February
- The Dülkener Schöppenmarkt, a type of flea/junk market, which takes place on the day after the last Carnival parade, is one of Germany's biggest. February
- Big free flea market in Viersen's pedestrian zone, where only children are allowed to sell.[3] Biggest market of this type in Germany. Summer
- "Viersen blüht" (Viersen is blooming) is a voluntary initiative which places arrangements and sculptures of flowers all over the city's pedestrian zone. Summer
- International Biker Meeting, organized by the local biker-club "MC Viersen 1980 e.V.". 2nd weekend each September
- Big kite-flying-festival. Autumn
Erwin Heerich: Monument
Main sights
- Viersen sculpture collection
- Städtische Galerie im Park Viersen
- Viersen Bismarck Tower
- Festhalle Viersen
Transport
Viersen is connected to the region by a dense bus network and Viersen station. The station is served by various local and regional rail lines.
Notable people
- Gustav von Mevissen (1815–1899), businessman and politician
- Max Nonnenbruch (1857–1922), painter
- Illa Martin (1900–1988), dendrologist, botanist, conservationist and dentist
- Albert Vigoleis Thelen (1903–1989), author and translator
- Hilde Bruch (1904–1984), psychoanalyst
- Erik Martin (1936–2017), writer, songwriter and composer of songs
- Helmut Reisen (born 1950), economist
- Udo Voigt (born 1952), politician
- Holger Henke (born 1960), political scientist
- Elmar Theveßen (born 1967), TV-journalist and author
- Till Brönner (born 1971), musician, arranger and producer
- Mirja Boes (born 1971), comedian, actress and singer
- Martin Plum (born 1982), politician
- Roosevelt (born 1990) music producer and singer
- Tim Stützle (born 2002), professional ice hockey player
- Ali Haurand (1943-2018), double bassist, bandleader, Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and Viersen jazz festival founder
Twin towns – sister cities
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- Template:Flagicon Calau, Germany
- Template:Flagicon Kaniv, Ukraine
- Template:Flagicon Lambersart, France
- Template:Flagicon Mittweida, Germany
- Template:Flagicon Pardesiya, Israel
- Template:Flagicon Peterborough, England, United Kingdom
References
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- ↑ Portrait (pdf)
- ↑ www.jazzfestival-viersen.de
- ↑ viersen.de
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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External links
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- Kempen, Germany
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