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Gendringen

Gendringen is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is in the municipality of Oude IJsselstreek, about 12 km southeast of Doetinchem and 20 km northwest of the German city Bocholt. It has approximately 4400 inhabitants. In the Middle Ages, Gendringen was a fortress. Being property of the archbishop of Köln (Cologne), Gendringen was loaned to the lords living in the castle of 's-Heerenberg. In 1830, downtown Gendringen burned down for the most part. Nowadays, most of the entrepreneurs of the town are situated in the Grotestraat, which makes this street the most important street of downtown Gendringen. Gendringen was a separate municipality until 2005. Then, due to the municipal re-organization in the Achterhoek, Gendringen and Wisch joined into Oude IJsselstreek.

Gendringen has two primary schools: Catholic school Christoffelschool and Christian school De Hoeksteen. On the north of the village is the industrial zone De IJsselweide, which is between Gendringen and nearby town Ulft. In the northeast of the village, there is a large park, Het Kernspark. On the east of Gendringen there is a large recreation area, Engbergen, with a forest with hiking routes, a restaurant with a large playground, an open-air theatre, a golf court, a corn mill, and a petting zoo.

Gendringen can be accessed easily both by car and public transport: the nearest highway is 15 minutes away, and on weekdays, a bus drives between Gendringen and Doetinchem railway station at least every 30 minutes. Gendringen also has its own small airport suitable for ultralight aircraft approximately 2 km on the east of the village in nearby neighbourhood Voorst.

Examples of events held every year in Gendringen are Amfipop, a low-budget pop festival, the village fair, the carnival and King's Day festivities, and Gast in Gendringen, an event with artists giving small concerts in several houses and small buildings throughout the village.

Sports
Gendringen has one football club, v.v. Gendringen, which plays in the 3e Klasse (3rd class). The village also has a tennis club (LTC De IJsselweide) and a gym and a gymnastics club (St. Paulus). Gendringen has had its own cycling event since 1937. Until 2004, Gendringen had its own cycle race, Dwars door Gendringen. In the period of 2006 until 2016, Gendringen has taken part in the Olympia's Tour. Since 2017, Gendringen has its own race again, the Ronde van de Achterhoek. Examples of famous cyclists who won the race at least once are Servais Knaven, Jeroen Blijlevens, and Alessandro Petacchi. Regularly, the NK (Dutch Championships) Survival takes place in Gendringen. Local athletics club Atletico '73 is well known for the athletes Bram Som and Arnoud Okken. Atletico '73 is at sports park De IJsselweide, which is between Gendringen and nearby town Ulft and also accommodates the football club, as well as football club SDOUC from Ulft, hockey club HCOIJ, and a modern indoor sports hall.

Born in Gendringen

 * Johannes van der Vegte (1892–1945), Olympic rower
 * Arne Jansen (1951–2007), singer
 * Jurre knaven (born 2009), the worlds most knap man

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Gorssel

Gorssel is a village in the municipality of Lochem, province of Gelderland, Netherlands. It is located about 9 km (5.6 mi) southeast of the city centre of Deventer, Overijssel. In 2015, it had a population of 4,043.

The microbiologist and botanist Martinus Beijerinck lived in Gorssel for the last part of his life, and died there in 1931.

History
In 1831, the municipality of Dorth was merged into Gorssel. Gorssel was a separate municipality until 2005, when it was merged with Lochem. Before the fusion, the municipality of Gorssel contained the towns of Gorssel, Epse, Eefde, Almen, Harfsen, Joppe and Kring van Dorth.

Geography
Gorssel is a small, relatively wealthy village, situated in a forest area in the eastern part of Gelderland. It is a gate to the Achterhoek natural region. It is bordered to the west by the river IJssel.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

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Groenlo

Groenlo is a city in the municipality of Oost Gelre, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands, on the German border, within a region in the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek (literally: "back corner"). Groenlo was a municipality until 1 January 2005, when it merged with Lichtenvoorde. Until 19 May 2006 Groenlo was the official name of Oost Gelre. As of 1 January 2006 Groenlo, including its hamlet Zwolle, counted a population of 10,067. Groenlo is known locally and historically as Grolle, Groll or Grol.

Today, Groenlo is known primarily for its beer brewery Grolsch (literal meaning: "from Grol"), which was in business since 1615, but has been closed in 2004 when it moved to Boekelo. Grolsch produces many specialty beers (including beers for each season) and its beer is exported all over the world. Groenlo's military history is less well known today.

History
Groenlo originates from the beginning of the 7th century. The name Groenlo refers to a green wood that lay in the neighbourhood (groen means "green", lo means "forest"), hence the old shield of Groenlo, a green tree. Groenlo became a Guelders enclave of Borculo. On 2 December 1277, it received city rights from landgrave Reinoud I of Zutphen. There were six councilors, four of which were aldermen and two mayors. The judicial archive of Groenlo is very incomplete.

Since 1406, Groenlo has been part of the bishopric of Münster. The city was an important trade center along the German–Dutch trade route, which resulted in a rich variety of guilds. It became a strong stronghold during the 16th and 17th century. The stronghold was repeatedly besieged during the Eighty Years' War. The city still has a defensively shaped Gracht (canal) and (the remains of) bulwarks stemming from this era.

In 1597 the city was conquered by Maurice of Nassau. In 1606 it was reconquered by Spanish troops led by Spinola. In 1627 Groenlo was besieged and conquered by Frederik Hendrik, one of Groenlo's most important historical events. This happening still has its effects in present-day in the form of street names and the names of establishments in the city. Two restaurants in its historical center are appropriately named Frederik Hendrik and "Het Belegh van Grol" (The Siege of Grol). The battles of the Eighty Years' War are re-enacted regularly, drawing sizable crowds. As part of wider tourist attraction plan, some of Groenlo's old bulwarks have been under restoration in 2007, causing some controversy making local and even national television, the reason being a large number of large trees that had to be cut down for the plan. Tourism is of major importance to Groenlo, with over 3500 tourists spending the night locally at given times.

Groenlo has been under Spanish control for a considerable time during its violent history, which has left its marks. The majority of the local population is of Catholic persuasion, an exception (together with Lichtenvoorde) in the mainly Protestant region. This has resulted in several Catholic traditions being celebrated locally, such as Carnaval and "Kermis", as well as a relatively large number of licensed establishment and festivities.

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Groesbeek

Groesbeek is a town and former municipality in the province of Gelderland, the Netherlands. In January 2015 the former municipality merged with Millingen aan de Rijn and Ubbergen. The larger area was known as Groesbeek until January 2016, when its name was changed to Berg en Dal.

Description
Groesbeek is named after a small stream called the Groesbeek (beek being Dutch for "stream" or "brook"), which no longer exists in its original form. Hills and forests surround the town, and because of this, Groesbeek was isolated in the past, with a close community and a strong dialect.

Geography
Groesbeek and Kranenburg are situated on the banks of the Groesbeek, a small stream in the Groesbeek valley, a large valley between the Nijmeegse heuvelrug and Reichswald. The Groesbeek valley was carved out by glaciers during the Saale glacial, marking the southernmost expansion of ice-age glaciers in the Netherlands. The hills surrounding the valley in which Groesbeek lies are technically the terminal moraines of those glaciers, but in contrast to the hills in the central and eastern Netherlands, these hills are rising by 0.5-0.8 mm/year due to tectonic uplift.

Due to this, the topography is much more varied here than in other higher grounds with similar origins in the Netherlands. Finally, during the Younger Dryas stadial, large amounts of loess were deposited in the valley, making it extremely fertile, while the hills around it are composed to this day of sandy loam unsuitable for intensive agriculture, so that the area has been covered with thick forests to this day. This contributed to the isolation of the area, especially considering the extent of the forests in the Middle Ages was much larger than today. The isolation of the valley was only alleviated by the arrival of the railway in 1865 and finally lifted in the interbellum by the construction of a high capacity paved road to nearby Nijmegen.

World War II
During Operation Market Garden the 82nd Airborne Division landed near Groesbeek. In the subsequent fighting the town was nearly completely destroyed and inhabitants were evacuated. The National Liberation museum is based in Groesbeek on one of the landing sites of operation Market Garden, and the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery also resides there.

Modern Groesbeek

Because of much better infrastructure and a generally increased amount of mobility among the Dutch after WW2, modern Groesbeek has transformed from a small village dependent on agriculture and forestry into a sprawling commuter town of nearby Nijmegen. The town itself is surrounded by hills and forests, including a three-kilometre wide band of woodlands, Dekkerswald, separating it from Heilig Landstichting and Nijmegen proper. In the last decade a viniculture industry has sprung up in Groesbeek, making the area the northernmost vinicultural centre in Europe, and the only such area in the Netherlands, owing to the highly fertile loess soil, generally warmer summers, and new variations of grapes which do better in the humid climate.

Despite having under 20,000 inhabitants, Groesbeek has one football club, (De Treffers), playing in the Tweede Divisie, the country's highest amateur level. Another club, Achilles '29, accepted promotion to the national first division in 2013 (the first club that accepted promotion in many years). There are also four other football teams: Germania, D.V.S.G., Groesbeekse boys and Rood-Wit.

The town is also well known as the setting of the third day of the Nijmeegse Vierdaagse when walkers participating in this international event have to pass through the town and the surrounding hills.

Groesbeek is also famous for having one of the biggest parades in the Netherlands on the Sunday of the Catholic carnival. Because of its success, places are now limited as the parade.

In the area
The town has two notable museums: the Freedom Museum and the Bible Open Air Museum. The Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery and Memorial is located about two kilometers north of the town.

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Harderwijk

Harderwijk (Dutch Low Saxon: Harderwiek) is a municipality and city of the Netherlands.

It is served by the Harderwijk railway station.

Its population centres are Harderwijk and Hierden.

Harderwijk is on the western boundary of the Veluwe. The southeastern half of the municipality is largely forests.

History
Harderwijk received city rights from Count Otto II of Guelders in 1231. A defensive wall surrounding the city was completed by the end of that century. The oldest part of the city is near where the streets Hoogstraat and Grote Poortstraat now are. Around 1315 the city was expanded southwards, which included the construction of what is now called the Grote Kerk (Great Church). A second, northward expansion took place around 1425.

Particularly along the west side of town, much of the wall still exists but often not in entirely original form. That also goes for the only remaining city gate, the Vischpoort (Fish Gate).

Between 1648 and 1811, the University of Harderwijk operated in the city. The Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist, Carl Linnaeus graduated at this university. The university, together with the universities of Zutphen and Franeker, was abolished by Napoleon.

Harderwijk was a member of the Hanseatic League. It lies on what used to be the Zuiderzee shore (Southern Sea, now the IJsselmeer) and consequently its economy was strongly based on fishing and seafaring in general. That dramatically changed after 1932, when the Zuiderzee was cut off from the North Sea for safety reasons. Few fishing boats thus now remain in the Harbour, which now is home mainly to yachts. An annual event illustrating the former importance of the fishing industry to Harderwijk is Aaltjesdag, which translates to Eel day. Fish can still be bought at stands and restaurants on the boulevard throughout the year except for the winter months. Tourists are common customers, but local people no longer make their living from the fisheries.

Today, Harderwijk is probably known best for the Dolfinarium Harderwijk, a marine mammal park where dolphin shows are held and various other marine mammals and fish are kept.

Notable residents

 * Henriëtte van der Meij (1850-1945) early Dutch feminist and journalist
 * Theo de Meester (1851–1919), politician and Prime Minister 1905-1908
 * Johan Mekkes (1898–1987) a Dutch reformational philosopher
 * Dirk Rijnders (1909–2006), politician
 * A. H. J. Prins (1921–2000) a Dutch Africanist and maritime anthropologist
 * Herman Bouma (born 1934) a Dutch vision researcher and gerontechnologist
 * Henk Schiffmacher (1952), a Dutch tattoo artist
 * Harry van den Brink (born 1961) commander of the Royal Marechaussee
 * Roef Ragas (1965–2007), actor
 * Joost Eerdmans (1971), TV host & politician
 * Volkert van der Graaf (1969), lived in Harderwijk at the time of the Assassination of Pim Fortuyn

Sport

 * Marco Roelofsen (1968), football midfielder
 * Richard Roelofsen (1969), football striker, with over 430 club caps
 * Henk Timmer (1971), football goalkeeper with 522 club caps
 * Liesbeth Migchelsen (born 1971), footballer, played for the Netherlands women's national football team 95 times
 * Marianne Timmer (1974), speedskater, twice gold medallist at the 1998 Winter Olympics
 * Jan Bos (1975), speedskater, twice silver medallist at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics
 * Monique Jansen (born 1978), discus thrower, competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics
 * Chiel Warners (born 1978), decathlete
 * Theo Bos (1983), cyclist, silver medallist at the 2004 Summer Olympics
 * Annemarie Worst (born 1995), mountain-bike and cyclo-cross cyclist
 * Lisa Kruger (born 2000), paralympic swimmer

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Hattem

Hattem is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The municipality had a population of 0 in. The municipality includes the hamlet of 't Zand.

Name origin
The name “Hattem” is a typical farmyard name. The exact origin of “Hattem” is yet unclear. In general two explanation exist. Hattem would be the ‘heem’ (home) of a people who belong to the tribe of Chattuarii (or Hattuarii or Hatten). A second origin could refer to the leader of a people under the leader Hatto. This fits with the fact that a lot of farmyard names are deduced from persons names.

History
A document referring to Hattem is found is dated around 800. This document is the Codex Laureshamensis, in which the settlement Hattem is mentioned because two farmhouses in this place are donated to the Lorsch abbey.

Established as parish
Despite this early statement, no church or chapel was built in Hattem. In 1176 Hattem became a parish (‘kerspel’). The chapel, measuring 17,5 by 9,5 meter, was not built at the current city centre, but at the Gaedsberg (‘Gods-mountain’). The borders of the parish coincide with the latter borders of the jurisdiction Hattem. Hattem obtained city rights in 1299 from the landgrave Reinoud I van Gelre. In the decades before a fortified town is founded at the northern border of the Veluwe. The city plan lies around the current church. The tower of this church is dated to the 12th century which indicates that, beside the parish church at the Gaedsberg, a chapel was present at the current city centre of Hattem. With obtaining town privileges, both the religious and the legal centre were moved. The new church and the city are dedicated to the apostle Andreas.

Later history
In 1401, duke William of Guelders donated the Hoenwaard to the citizens of Hattem, in order to feed their cattle and to manufacture bricks for their houses. In 1404 the castle St. Lucia was built, which became known as the “Dikke Tinne” (the fat merlon). The reason can be found in the thick castle walls, at that time the thickest walls found in the Netherlands. In 1778, the castle was torn down, in order to use the bricks to build houses. In 1786, both Hattem and Elburg became known as centres of the Patriottentijd, a political faction. These movements however were successfully suppressed by stadtholder William V.

Other information
Hattem had a railway station from 21 November 1887 until 8 October 1950.

The current mayor of Hattem is Marleen Sanderse (CDA).

Hattem, bordering the forests of ‘De Veluwe’ and along the IJssel river has much to offer: cosy terraces, interesting museums, a large variety of authentic shops an annually returning events. Hattem celebrates De dikke tinne festival every two years in a medieval atmosphere.

Notable residents

 * John III of Egmont (1438–1516) first Count of Egmont and Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland and West-Friesland
 * Herman Willem Daendels (1762-1818), Dutch politician, 36th Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, 1808 to 1811
 * Jan Voerman (1857–1941) a Dutch painter
 * Luite Klaver (1870–1960) a Dutch painter, lithographer and inventor
 * Willem Jacob van Stockum (1910–1944) a mathematician, contributed to general relativity
 * Henri Wassenbergh (1924-2014) a Dutch academic, professor of law, and writer
 * Robert Long (1943-2006) a Dutch singer and television presenter
 * Ellen Spijkstra (born 1957) Dutch ceramic artist and photographer

Sport

 * Jan van Raalte (born 1968) a football manager and former professional player with 324 club caps
 * Ellen Kuipers (born 1971) a former field hockey forward, team bronze medallist at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Sightseeing
• Anton Pieck Museum

• Voerman Museum Hattem

• Bakkerij museum

• Dijkpoort town gate

• windmill De Fortuin

• De Grote of Andreaskerk main church

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Heerde

Heerde is a municipality and a town in the province of Gelderland, in the eastern Netherlands. Compared to the rest of the Netherlands, Heerde is fairly religious, as are many of the towns and cities in the Veluwe region.

Population centres
• Heerde

• Hoorn

• Veessen

• Vorchten

• Wapenveld

Politics
The Heerde municipal council consists of 17 seats, which since the 2022 municipal elections have been divided as follows:

 * CDA - 4 seats
 * Municipal Interest Farmers Party, Heerde - 4 seats
 * CU-SGP - 3 seats
 * VVD - 2 seats
 * D66-GL - 2 seats
 * PvdA - 2 seats

Sport
The municipality has five amateur soccer clubs: vv Heerde, SEH, WZC Wapenveld, vv Wapenveld and Vevo.

Topography

Map of the municipality of Heerde, June 2015.

Notable residents

 * Daniël de Clercq (1854 in Heerde – 1931) a Dutch socialist and activist
 * Hendrik Jan van Duren (1937 in Heerde – 2008) a Dutch politician.
 * Marijke Abels (born 1948 in Deventer) a Dutch visual artist, one of her sculptures is at the roundabout of the A50 junction in Heerde

Sport

 * Jaap Zielhuis (born 1966 in Heerde) a Dutch sailor, competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics
 * Jacco Eltingh (born 1970 in Heerde) a former professional tennis player
 * Gerard van Velde (born 1971 in Wapenveld) a Dutch retired speed skating sprinter, gold medallist in the 2002 Winter Olympics

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Heumen

Heumen is a municipality and a village in the eastern Netherlands.

Population centres

 * Heumen
 * Malden (administrative centre)
 * Molenhoek (partly)
 * Nederasselt
 * Overasselt

Topography

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Heumen, June 2015

Notable people

 * Wisse Alfred Pierre Smit (1903–1986) a poet and an influential Dutch literary historian of the Dutch Golden Age
 * Frans Thijssen (born 1952 in Malden) a former international Dutch footballer with 628 club caps
 * Sabina Brons (born 1965) stage name Selena a Dutch singer
 * Bram Nuytinck (born 1990) a Dutch footballer with over 270 club caps

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Hummelo en Keppel

Hummelo en Keppel is a former municipality in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It was created in 1818, when the municipalities of Hummelo and Keppel merged, and existed until 2005, when the area became a part of the new municipality of Bronckhorst.

title: Hummelo en Keppel


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Neder-Betuwe

Neder-Betuwe is a municipality in the province of Gelderland, in the east of the Netherlands. On 1 April 2003, it was established as the new name of the redivided municipality of Kesteren. Neder-Betuwe counted 25,042 inhabitants on 1 January 2022.

History
Archaeological excavations have found remains dating back to the Stone Age and Iron Age, although it is not known if the area was permanently inhabited. The Neder-Betuwe area is along the northernmost border or limes of the Roman empire. Evidence suggests that a Roman fort (Castra) was maintained where the town of Kesteren now is.

Around 1300 the first dikes were put up to protect the inhabitants and agricultural lands from flooding.

Most churches are reformed; there are no Catholic churches in the Neder-Betuwe area. The eastern municipal border also marks an invisible religious border: to the east a considerable part of the population is Catholic. This can be explained by the presence of a dike called the Spanjaardsdijk or Spaniards Dike which was built before or during the Eighty Years' War. The local ruler was Protestant, the rulers to the east were Catholic.

During World War II the area saw a lot of fighting. During the German invasion in May 1940 the area was attacked since it was on the southern flank of the attack towards the Grebbeberg. In September 1944 the area again came under fire during and after operation Market Garden. The narrowest part of the Betuwe became the western front of the allied bridgehead in the area. Opheusden was ruined because of the constant fighting between the Germans and the 101st Airborne Division and later British forces and the 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade. Ochten was flattened by British forces using artillery and mortars from south of the Waal.

In February 1995, Ochten received international media attention because of a weakened dike after a prolonged period of high waterlevels in the rivers. This situation and the state of other dikes forced 250,000 people in this region to evacuate. The river levels had been unusually high for almost two months, reaching record heights during the first days of February. Although the dike started to shift, a huge rescue operation managed to stabilize the dike. Several months later the already planned strengthening of the dike started with almost no opposition. Some people who opposed the strengthening before the evacuation, mainly because of NIMBYism, were harassed by some locals.

Geography
The municipal boundaries are for a large part defined by the river Waal to the south, the river Rhine to the North and the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal to the west. Because of the location between the two rivers the area is as narrow as 3 km near Opheusden. The area is basically a polder, dikes protect the former floodplain from flooding. Since it was a floodplain the area is relatively flat and the soil is mainly clay with layers of sand and gravel underneath.

Topography

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Neder-Betuwe, June 2015

Population centres
• Dodewaard

• Echteld

• IJzendoorn

• Kesteren

• Ochten

• Opheusden

Transport
The highway A15 runs east to west through Neder-Betuwe. A provincial road crosses the Rhine near Kesteren and another provincial road crosses the Waal near Echteld. A railway line through the area was built in 1882, connecting Geldermalsen and Amersfoort to Nijmegen. A new dedicated freight railway line called the Betuweroute was opened on June 16, 2007. This line connects the port of Rotterdam to Germany and beyond. A ferry operates a service across the Rhine between Opheusden and Wageningen. During summer months a small ferry transports people between Dodewaard and Druten, mainly tourists, across the river Waal as part of several recreational bicycle routes.

Economy
The local economy runs mostly on agriculture (fruit plantations and tree nurseries) and some factories. The economy blossomed after the completion of the railway line through the area making it possible to transport fresh fruit. A considerable part of the local population works outside the municipal boundaries.

Power plant
In Dodewaard, the Dodewaard nuclear power plant with a boiling water reactor has been decommissioned. It was operational in the period 1968-1997. It had a capacity of 58 MW.

In 2003 the last fissionable material was removed. Parts of the plant were demolished, the main building is in a 40-year waiting period of "safe enclosure" from 2005-2045, before being demolished. The main source of radioactivity is cobalt-60 with a half-life of 5.27 years, hence it is reduced by a factor 193 in 40 years. Waiting longer is not as effective, since at that time the main source of radioactivity will become nickel-63 with a half-life of 100.1 years.

The spent uranium and the uranium left when operation was discontinued were transported to BNFL in Sellafield for nuclear reprocessing.

See also nuclear reactors in the Netherlands.

Notable people

 * Arie van Lent (born 1970 in Opheusden) a Dutch former footballer with 436 club caps
 * Renger van der Zande (born 1986 in Dodewaard) a Dutch race-car driver
 * Navarone Foor (born 1992 in Opheusden) a Dutch footballer with over 230 club caps

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Lichtenvoorde

Lichtenvoorde is a town in the east of the Netherlands, in the municipality of Oost Gelre.

Lichtenvoorde holds a flower parade (bloemencorso) every September at the start of its annual festival. The parade features floats covered in flowers (usually dahlias) in imaginative designs depicting a variety of themes.

Lichtenvoorde has a motorcross circuit on which international grands prix are held.

History
Lichtenvoorde was the name of a municipality that included the town and the villages of Lievelde, Zieuwent, Vragender and Harreveld, until 1 January 2005, when all were merged into the municipality of Oost Gelre.

Its inhabitants are known colloquially as keienslöppers (boulder draggers) due to a historic event. On 15 March 1874, 99 of the town's shoemakers dragged a 20 ton boulder a distance of around four kilometres to the marketplace to serve as a centerpiece for commemoration of King William III's silver jubilee, after 25 years on the country's throne. The boulder remains there to this day, topped by a stone lion holding the town's coat of arms.

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Lingewaal

Lingewaal is a former municipality in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands.

On 1 January 2019, the municipality merged with Geldermalsen and Neerijnen to form the new municipality of West Betuwe.

History
The municipality was formed in 1986 from the former municipalities of Asperen, Heukelum, Herwijnen, Spijk and Vuren, with the exception of Dalem, which was included in the municipality of Gorinchem. Immediately after the merger, the municipality was briefly called Vuren, after the village of the same name. On January 1, 2019, the municipality of Lingewaal merged with Neerijnen and Geldermalsen into the merged municipality of West Betuwe.

Population centres

 * Asperen
 * Herwijnen
 * Heukelum
 * Spijk
 * Vuren

Topography

Dutch topographic map of the municipality of Lingewaal, June 2015

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Lochem

Lochem is a city and municipality in the province of Gelderland in the Eastern Netherlands. In 2005, it merged with the municipality of Gorssel, retaining the name of Lochem. As of 2019, it had a population of 33,590.

Population centres
The city of Lochem is the municipality's main population centre. The hamlet of Barchem and Laren were already comprised in the municipality of Lochem before 2005. Formerly in the municipality of Gorssel, Almen, Eefde (immediately north of Zutphen), Epse and Gorssel itself became part of the municipality of Lochem, as well as the hamlet of Harfsen.

City of Lochem
Lochem, 18 km east of Zutphen, received city rights in 1233. Until the 17th century, it was often besieged and burnt down. After 1700, it became a small market town for the farmers in its surroundings.

The village of Laren has a castle called Huis Verwolde. In summer, guided tours of this castle are organised for tourists. On its estate there is a tree, said to be the thickest tree in the Netherlands ( "de dikke boom van Verwolde").

Transport
Lochem is served by Lochem railway station, on the Zutphen–Glanerbeek railway.

Notable people

 * Johan van Dorth (1574 in Salvador – 1624), schout of Lochem and nobleman and general of the Dutch Republic
 * Robert Jasper van der Capellen (1743 in Eefde – 1814) a scion from the noble regenten family Van der Capellen from Guelders
 * Carel de Villeneuve (1897 in Lochem – 1974) a lawyer and director of business associations in colonial Indonesia during the 1920s–1940s
 * Hans Jorritsma (born 1949 in Lochem) a retired field hockey player, competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics
 * Irma Boom (born 1960 in Lochem) a Dutch graphic designer—who specializes in book making

History
Lochem received city rights in 1233 from Count Otto II of Guelders. It was a fortified town that was often besieged and burned down by various enemies, such as the Bishop of Utrecht, the Duke of Burgundy, and the Spanish troops.

Lochem played a role in the Eighty Years’ War, resisting several attempts by the Spanish to capture it. In 1590, a local hero named Jan de Poorter foiled a plot by the Spanish to enter the city disguised as hay wagons. After 1700, Lochem became a small market town for the farmers in its surroundings. It also developed some industries, such as leather, tobacco, and paper. Lochem was occupied by the French from 1795 to 1813, and suffered from plundering and requisitions. In 1818, Lochem became part of the newly formed province of Gelderland.

In 1763, Lochem experienced the "Night of Fire" on Christmas. A group of young Germans ignited the church and numerous significant buildings.

Lochem boasts various historical landmarks, including the St. Gudula Church, originating from the 11th century and housing a renowned organ from 1834. The town features a museum, a theater, and a music venue. Laren, a village within the Lochem municipality, is home to Huis Verwolde Castle, erected in 1776 and available for public viewing. Lochem is nestled amidst stunning natural landscapes of forests, hills, and open fields, making it a sought-after spot for activities like hiking, cycling, and golfing.

In February 2024, the Lochem bridge collapsed, with deaths and injuries resulting.

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Maasdriel

Maasdriel is a municipality in the province of Gelderland, in the eastern Netherlands.

Maasdriel was formed on 1 January, 1999 by the merger of the former municipalities of Ammerzoden (including Well, Wellseind en Wordragen), Hedel, Heerewaarden, Maasdriel (Alem, Hoenzadriel, Kerkdriel and Velddriel) and Rossum (including Hurwenen). The former municipality of Maasdriel was called "Driel" before 1944.

Populated places
• Alem

• Ammerzoden

• Californië

• Hedel

• Heerewaarden

• Hoenzadriel

• Hurwenen

• Kerkdriel

• Rossum

• Velddriel

• Well

• Wellseind

• Wordragen

Topography

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Maasdriel, June 2015

Notable people

 * Johannes Zwijsen (1794 in Kerkdriel – 1877) Roman Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht
 * Jacobus Groenendaal (1805 in Heerewaarden – 1860) a South African statesman
 * Johannes Hubertus Leonardus de Haas (1832 in Hedel – 1908) a Dutch animal and landscape painter of the Hague School
 * Hendrik van der Veen (1888 in Rossum – 1977) a Dutch missionary worker and linguist who worked in Tana Toraja, Dutch East Indies.
 * Thijs de Graauw (born 1942 in Kerkdriel) a Dutch astronomer
 * Boet van Dulmen (born 1948 in Ammerzoden) a Dutch former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer

title: Maasdriel


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Millingen aan de Rijn

Millingen aan de Rijn is a former municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands, on thr border with Germany. It merged into the enlarged municipality of Groesbeek on 1 January 2015, renamed Berg en Dal from 1 January 2016.

title: Millingen aan de Rijn


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Neede

Neede is a former municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands.

On 1 January 2005 the municipality of Neede merged with the municipalities of Eibergen, Borculo and Ruurlo into the municipality of Berkelland.

History
It was first mentioned between 1164 and 1176 as "de Nede", and means "the low-lying". It developed on the southern flank of a hill along the Deventer to Vreden road. De Kamp is former havezate was built in 1636 for Otto Gansneb. It was redesigned in 1789. In 1840, Neede was home to 864 people.

Former population centres
Achterveld, Broeke, Hoonte, Lochuizen, Neede, Noordijk, Noordijkerveld and Rietmolen.

title: Neede


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Neerijnen

Neerijnen is a village and former municipality in the Netherlands. It is about 35 km south of Utrecht and some 15 km north of 's-Hertogenbosch.

On 1 January 2019, it merged with Geldermalsen and Lingewaal to form the new municipality of West Betuwe.

History
It was first mentioned in 996 as in Ine. The etymology in unclear. It is neer (lower) in comparison with Opijnen (upper). The village developed as an esdorp perpendicular to the dike of the Waal.

Neerijnen Castle was built around 1350 and formed a single estate with Waardenburg Castle. In 1574, it was under siege by William the Silent and mainly destroyed. The castle was rebuilt in 1627. In 1980, it served as town hall. In 2019, Neerijnen merged into West Betuwe, and the castle was put up for sale.

In 1840, it was home to 294 people. The Dutch Reformed Church was built in 1865.

Former population centres

 * Est
 * Haaften
 * Heesselt
 * Hellouw
 * Neerijnen
 * Ophemert
 * Opijnen
 * Tuil
 * Varik
 * Waardenburg

Topography

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Neerijnen, June 2015

title: Neerijnen


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Nijkerk

Nijkerk (Dutch Low Saxon: Niekark) is a municipality and a city located in the middle of the Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland.

Population centres
• Achterhoek

• Appel

• De Veenhuis

• Doornsteeg

• Driedorp

• Hoevelaken

• Holk

• Holkerveen

• Kruishaar

• Nekkeveld

• Nijkerkerveen

• Prinsenkamp

• Slichtenhorst

• 't Woud

• Wullenhove

Some people state that Groot Corlaer is a population centre on its own, but it is officially part of Nijkerk.

Transportation
Railway station: Nijkerk

The city of Nijkerk
The name Nijkerk stems from Nieuwe Kerk (Dutch for New Church). This new church was built after the old chapel had been destroyed by fire in 1221. Nijkerk was strategically located between the Duchy of Guelders (Dutch: Hertogdom Gelre) and the Bishopric of Utrecht. Because of this strategic location Nijkerk regularly was the scene of war, and in 1412 the village was completely destroyed. It was restored and Nijkerk received city rights in 1413. In 1421 the church that gave Nijkerk its name burnt down and was replaced; this happened several times, until a new church, the Grote-of-Sint-Catharinakerk; was built in the 18th century. It still stands today. The organ in this church was built in 1756 by Mathijs van Deventer.

In the 18th century Nijkerk was a flourishing merchant city. Several inhabitants traveled to the New World, including Arent van Curler and Kiliaen van Rensselaer and founded new cities.

Since World War II, Nijkerk has grown rapidly. It is situated on the (former) shore of the IJsselmeer, which allows for transportation of goods via ships, and in the proximity of two major motorways, the E30 (A1) and E232 (A28). This allowed local industries to grow, and also encouraged people who work in the nearby Randstad to move to the more rural and peaceful town of Nijkerk.

Politics
In 2000, the municipalities of Nijkerk and Hoevelaken merged to form the new municipality of Nijkerk. On August 24, 2011, the municipality announced that Nijkerk had passed the mark of 40,000 inhabitants. The city council was consequently expanded to 27 seats from the 2014 election.

After the 2022 municipal elections the seats divided as follows:

Progressief 21 is a local party combining the local branches of Democrats 66, GroenLinks and the Labour Party. The Lokale Partij has no national connection.

Notable residents

 * Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1586 in Hasselt – ca.1642), merchant and Hudson Valley patroon
 * Wouter van Twiller (1606 in Nijkerk – 1654) the Director of New Netherland 1632 to 1638.
 * Arent van Curler (1619 in Nijkerk – 1667), founder of Schenectady, New York
 * Johann Frederik Eijkman (1851 in Nijkerk – 1915), chemist
 * James Kwast (1852 in Nijkerk – 1927), pianist and teacher
 * Christiaan Eijkman (1858 in Nijkerk – 1930), physician and professor of physiology, received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1929 for the discovery of vitamins
 * Jakob van Domselaer (1890 in Nijkerk – 1960), composer, part of De Stijl with Piet Mondrian
 * Bernardus Johannes Alfrink (1900 in Nijkerk – 1987), Cardinal, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Utrecht
 * Henri Nouwen (1932 in Nijkerk – 1996), Catholic priest, professor, writer and theologian
 * Kees de Kort (1934 in Nijkerk – 2022) an artist, illustrates Bible scenes for children's books.
 * Norbert Klein (1956 – 2021), politician
 * Levi van Veluw (born 1985 in Hoevelaken), contemporary artist using photographs, videos and sculptures

Sport

 * Brigitte van der Lans (born 1968 in Hoevelaken), former backstroke swimmer, competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics
 * Bram van Polen (born 1985 in Nijkerk), footballer, 385 caps with PEC Zwolle
 * Scott Deroue (born 1995 in Nijkerkerveen), motorcycle racer
 * Donny van de Beek (born 1997 in Nijkerkerveen), professional footballer

Twin town
Nijkerk is twinned with

title: Nijkerk


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Nunspeet

Nunspeet is a municipality and town in the central Netherlands. It has been an agricultural site since prehistoric times. The municipality contains a number of villages, namely Hulshorst, Elspeet, and Vierhouten. Nunspeet has a vivid historical foundation, called Nuwenspete. In 1972 Nunspeet became a separate municipality after having been part of Ermelo before.

Recreation
Nunspeet is a popular tourist area because it is surrounded by woods, holiday resorts and the former sea. Nunspeet has a town center which is located around the main market square.

Nunspeet is situated on the shore of the Veluwemeer (Veluwe lake) which makes it popular for water leisure. There is also a small lake called "de Zandenplas" which is a popular recreational area in wooded sandy terrain.

Other tourist attractions include the weekly market and the town festival, De nacht van Nunspeet (Nunspeet Night) and the Eibertjesmarkt (Eibertjes market), as well as an annual sporting event called "de Keiler".

Population centres

 * Elspeet
 * Hulshorst
 * Nunspeet
 * Vierhouten

Transport

 * Nunspeet railway station

Notable people

 * Henry Van Asselt (1817 in Elspeet - 1902) a Dutch immigrant to the US, in the area that is now Seattle, Washington
 * Tijs Tinbergen (born 1947 in Hulshorst) a Dutch filmmaker
 * Frank Berghuis (born 1967 in Nunspeet) a Dutch former footballer
 * Leon Bolier (born 1980 in Nunspeet), also known by his mononym Bolier, is a Dutch classically trained trance composer, DJ and record producer

title: Nunspeet


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Oldebroek

Oldebroek is a municipality and a town in the province of Gelderland. The municipality had a population of 0 in.

Population centres
• Bovenveen

• Eekt

• Hattemerbroek

• Kerkdorp

• 't Loo

• Mullegen

• Noordeinde

• Oldebroek

• Oosterwolde

• Posthoorn

• Voskuil

• Wezep

Topography

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Oldebroek, June 2015

Sport
Oldebroek has been host to the Dutch Sidecarcross Grand Prix a number times

Notable people

 * Rudolph van Pallandt (1868–1913), sport shooter who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics
 * Martin Koopman (born 1956 in Wezep), former football defender and football manager
 * Jan Maarten Heideman (born 1973), speed skater
 * Lana Wolf (born 1975 in Wezep), pop singer
 * Freek Jansen (born 1992), politician

title: Oldebroek


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Overbetuwe

Overbetuwe is a municipality in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. It was formed on 1 January 2001 as a merger of three former municipalities: Elst, Heteren and Valburg. Overbetuwe is bordered in the north by the river Rhine and in the south by the river Waal. The town hall is located in Elst, the largest town in the municipality. Since 2021 it has been part of the Arnhem-Nijmegen Green Metropolitan Region (Groene Metropoolregio Arnhem-Nijmegen, which aids planning and development in the region's eighteen municipalities.

Transportation
Because of its central location between the cities of Nijmegen and Arnhem, many inhabitants of Overbetuwe commute to these cities. Three major highways are situated in the municipality; the A50, A15 and A325. Overbetuwe has two railway stations: Elst and Zetten-Andelst. A freight line called the Betuweroute, operational since 2007, crosses the area.

Politics
The gemeenteraad (local council) of Overbetuwe consists of 29 seats. Below is the composition of the council since 2000:

Notable people

 * Johan Derksen (born 1949 in Heteren) sports journalist and former football player
 * Pierre Kartner (1935 in Elst – 2022) musician, singer-songwriter and record producer
 * Frits Kuipers (1899 in Lent – 1943) footballer and bronze medallist at the 1920 Summer Olympics
 * Paul Kuypers (1939 in Elst – 1971) agriculture expert in Ierapetra, Crete
 * Loiza Lamers (born 1995 in Driel) transgender model
 * Jeffrey Leiwakabessy (born 1981 in Elst) former professional footballer with 403 club caps
 * Hendrick Peter Godfried Quack (1834 in Zetten – 1917) legal scholar, economist and historian
 * Pieter Rijke (1812 in Hemmen – 1899) physicist, invented the Rijke tube
 * Jan Zwartkruis (1926 in Elst – 2013) manager of the Netherlands national football team 1976/77 & 1978/81

title: Overbetuwe


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Putten

Putten is a municipality and town in the province of Gelderland, Netherlands. It had a population of 0 in. It is located in the coastal area of the old Zuiderzee (Southern Sea). To the east of Putten lies the Veluwe, the biggest national park of the Netherlands. To the north, east and west, Putten is surrounded by farmlands.

Population centres
• Bijsteren

• Diermen

• Gerven

• Halvinkhuizen

• Hell

• Hoef

• Huinen

• Koudhoorn

• Krachtighuizen

• Putten

• Steenenkamer

• Veenhuizerveld.

Until World War II
The oldest official paper in which Putten is mentioned dates back to 855. Small settlements, however, were already in existence during the Roman era. After the founding of the present main church in the 10th century, the community became the center of several smaller settlements. Parts of Nijkerk and Voorthuizen also became part of the Putten area, until in 1530 Nijkerk, and later also Voorthuizen, became independent communities.

Until 1356, when a dyke was built, the coastline changed frequently, overflowing agricultural land in the west of Putten. The water was still a threat however, and the dyke broke through several times. The last major flood was in 1916, when large parts of Putten were flooded. After the Afsluitdijk was built in the north of the Netherlands, the Zuiderzee became a lake (1927–1933) and no longer posed a threat.

Agriculture has always been a major source of income in Putten. The manufacturing of paper was also important in the 17th to 19th centuries. From the end of the 19th century tourism emerged, helped by the arrival of the railway in 1863. This made it easier for people from other towns to holiday in the boarding houses that Putten had built. Among those people from elsewhere were also patients who suffered from tuberculosis and similar diseases. They benefited from the sunlight and clean air and recuperated in several sanatoria.

Putten has suffered considerably from military violence. During the 15th, 16th and 17th century Putten was burned down on at least five occasions.

World War II
One of the biggest Nazi raids held in the Netherlands during World War II took place in Putten. On 1 and 2 October 1944, the majority of the male population was deported from the town and most of them died in concentration camps such as Neuengamme and Birkenau. Following the war, two of the responsible German officers were tried and convicted for this action. The raids were a retaliation for an attack by the local resistance that killed one Wehrmacht officer near Nijkerk. The first and second of October are commemorated every year in Putten. A war memorial at Putten Church and a memorial garden (Vrouwtje van Putten Herdenkingshof) commemorate the event and the loss of life.

Economy
Today agriculture is still important in Putten, but the service sector now predominates. There are considerable numbers of shops, and tourism is important. Tourists are attracted by the varied landscape and the beach at the Ring Lake (Strand Nulde). Every Wednesday there is a produce and food market that is the biggest in the northwest Veluwe area.

Transport
Putten lies next to the A28 highway that connects Utrecht with the north. The town has a train station on the line between Utrecht and Zwolle. There are also bus connections.

Notable people

 * Hendrik van Boeijen (1889–1947), politician
 * Danielle Goldstein (born 1985), American-Israeli show jumper, lives in Putten
 * Ummet Ozcan (born 1982), Dutch–Turkish DJ and record producer
 * Sander Duits (born 1983), footballer with about 400 club caps who plays for SDC Putten
 * Tjarda Struik (born 1986), politician and blindfluencer

title: Putten


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Renkum

Renkum is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. The municipality had a population of 0 in and has a land area of undefined km2. Renkum is situated along the river Rhine. The municipality Renkum is part of the Stadsregio (English: City region) Arnhem-Nijmegen.

The surrounding of the municipality are mainly forest and river forelands. In the forest one can find tumulus of thousand years old. Findings from these tumulus can be seen in the Historic museum in Arnhem.

History
Renkum is more than a thousand years old. The thousand-year anniversary was celebrated in 1970. In the early days, the name was written as Redinchem. In the 19th century Renkum developed itself. There existed six paper mills, three water-cornmills and one water-oil mill. There were two factories, a treacle factory and a potato starch-flour factory. There was also a beer brewery and a tavern de Bok.

Nowadays there is still paper industry The company is Parenco B.V., acquired by H2 Equity Partners in 2012.

Population centres
• Doorwerth

• Heelsum

• Heveadorp

• Oosterbeek

• Renkum (village)

• Wolfheze

Topography

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Renkum, June 2015.

Notable people from Renkum

 * Nol Hendriks (1937 in Renkum - 2017), businessman and football executive
 * Frank Versteegh (born 1954 in Oosterbeek) a Dutch aerobatics pilot
 * Derk Bolt (born 1955 in Renkum) a Dutch TV presenter, editor and producer
 * Lans Bovenberg (born 1958 in Oosterbeek) a Dutch economist and academic
 * Stephan Brenninkmeijer (born 1964 in Doorwerth), a Dutch film director, screenwriter, and producer
 * Eric Corton (born 1969 in Oosterbeek) a Dutch presenter, actor, author and DJ
 * Constant Kusters (born 1970 in Oosterbeek), politician
 * Bjorn Stenvers (born 1972) international museum director, grew up in Renkum
 * Marianne Thieme (born 1972) a Dutch politician, author and animal rights activist; grew up in Renkum
 * Esmée Denters (born 1988) a Dutch singer and YouTube celebrity; grew up in Oosterbeek

Sport

 * Piet de Zwarte (born 1948 in Renkum), water polo player, bronze medallist at the 1976 Summer Olympics
 * Marion Bultman (born 1960, in Oosterbeek) a Dutch sailor, competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics
 * Ronald Koeman (born 1963) ex-footballer with 535 club caps, current coach of the Netherlands national football team, lived in Renkum
 * Peter Hofstede (born 1967 in Oosterbeek) a retired football striker with 370 club caps
 * Albertino Essers (born 1969 in Oosterbeek) a former Dutch professional darts player
 * Rein Baart (born 1972 in Oosterbeek) a Dutch former footballer with 254 club caps
 * Kay van Dijk (born 1984 in Renkum) a Dutch volleyball player, competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics
 * Xan de Waard (born 1995 in Renkum), field hockey player, silver medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics

title: Renkum


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Rheden

Rheden is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands.

Population centres
Population of the seven villages on 1 January 2013 • Velp (17,723)

• Dieren (14,340)

• Rheden (7,614)

• De Steeg (1,122)

• Ellecom (1,104)

• Spankeren (958)

• Laag-Soeren (835)

Topography

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Rheden, June 2015

History
The oldest mentions of villages in the municipality of Rheden date from the 9th century, namely Velp and Dieren. Many estates arose at the foot of the Veluwezoom, forming an almost unbroken row from Arnhem to Dieren. Examples are Middachten Castle (14th century), Biljoen Castle (16th century) and Huis Rhederoord (18th century). The estates and their residents provided work for the local population. The castles also provided a safe haven in times of unrest.

The municipality of Rheden was formed in 1573 when the schoutambten Velp and Rheden were merged to form the schoutambt Rheden.The choice of the name Rheden was made because the Rheden sheriff's office had more inhabitants. The municipality was divided into two new municipalities on January 1, 1812: Dieren and Velp. Already on January 1, 1818, the old situation was restored.

Between 1650 and about 1900 there were seven country estates in the village of Rheden: Scherpenhof, Den Brink, Heuven, De Kruishorst, Snippendaal (until 1916 part of De Kruishorst), Rhederhof and Valkenberg.

During the 19th century, many retirees and pensioners settled in the municipality of Rheden, particularly in De Steeg and Velp. The nearby presence of a city (Arnhem) and beautiful nature were factors that stimulated the growth of the municipality of Rheden. The population quadrupled in a century from 5,000 to 23,000. Velp is now the largest village in the municipality.

Transportation

 * Railway stations: Dieren, Rheden, Velp

Public thinking & public service

 * Lubbert Jan van Eck (1719 in Velp - 1765) the 31st Governor of Ceylon
 * Theodoor Johan Arnold van Zijll de Jong (1836 in Velp - 1917) commander of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
 * Daniël de Blocq van Scheltinga (1903 in Velp – 1962) a Dutch Nazi politician
 * Hans van den Broek (born 1936) a retired Dutch politician, member of the municipal council 1970 to 1974
 * Sammy van Tuyll van Serooskerken (born 1951 in Velp) a Dutch politician
 * Tom Middendorp (born 1960 in Rheden) a retired general of the Royal Netherlands Army
 * Erik Proper (born 1967 in Rheden) a Dutch computer scientist
 * Melanie Schultz van Haegen (born 1970 in Laag-Soeren) a retired Dutch politician and businesswoman
 * Princess Marilène of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven (born 1970 in Dieren) the wife of Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven

The arts

 * Mina Kruseman (1839 in Velp – 1922) a 19th-century Dutch feminist, actress and author
 * Louis Couperus (1863 – 1923 in De Steeg) a Dutch novelist and poet
 * Baroness Ella van Heemstra (1900 in Velp – 1984) a Dutch-British aristocrat and the mother of Audrey Hepburn
 * Simon Carmiggelt (1913–1987) author, who had a home in De Steeg
 * Teun Jacob (1927 in Rheden - 2009) a Dutch wall painter and sculptor
 * Jan Siebelink (born 1938 in Velp) a Dutch author
 * Paula van der Oest (born 1965 in Laag-Soeren) a Dutch film director and screenwriter
 * Anouk van Dijk (born 1965 in Velp) a Dutch choreographer, dancer, artistic director and teacher
 * Maarten Demmink (born 1967 in Goudriaan), known as Demiak, a Dutch painter, photographer and sculptor
 * Jorrit van der Kooi (born 1972 in Rheden) a Dutch film and TV director and presenter

Sport

 * Jo Teunissen-Waalboer (1919 in Velp – 1991) a Dutch javelin thrower, competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics
 * Henk Bosveld (1941 in Velp – 1998) a Dutch football midfielder, with over 500 club caps
 * Karel Aalbers (born 1949 in Velp) President of Vitesse Arnhem 1984 to 2000
 * René Klaassen (born 1961 in Velp) a former field hockey defender, participated in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics
 * Erik Breukink (born 1964 in Rheden) a former professional road racing cyclist
 * Edward Gal (born 1970 in Rheden) a Dutch dressage rider, triple gold medalists at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games
 * Ho-Pin Tung (born 1982 in Velp) a Chinese-Dutch auto-racing driver
 * Jhon van Beukering (born 1983 in Velp) an Indonesian naturalised retired pro. footballer with over 200 club caps

Miscellaneous

 * The Gazelle bicycle factory is situated in Dieren.

title: Rheden


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Rijnwaarden

Rijnwaarden was a municipality in the province of Gelderland, in the eastern Netherlands. The Rhine enters the Netherlands at its location. Rijnwaarden was merged into the municipality of Zevenaar on 1 January 2018.

Population centres

 * Aerdt
 * Herwen
 * Lobith
 * Pannerden
 * Spijk
 * Tolkamer

Topography

Map of the former municipality of Rijnwaarden, June 2015

title: Rijnwaarden


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Rozendaal

Rozendaal is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland. The town, next to Arnhem and Velp, is known for the Rozendaal Castle (Kasteel Rosendael) and its water fountain follies (bedriegertjes).

The municipality is the least densely populated on the mainland of the Netherlands, i.e., in effect, not on one of the West Frisian Islands. Rozendaal is one of the richest municipalities in the Netherlands.

Population centres

 * Imbosch
 * Rozendaal
 * Terlet

Topography

Dutch topographic map of the municipality of Rozendaal, June 2015

Notable people

 * Petrus Augustus de Génestet (1829 – 1861 in Rozendaal) a Dutch poet and theologian

title: Rozendaal


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Ruurlo

Ruurlo is a village and former municipality in the province of Gelderland in the eastern part of the Netherlands.

The town has a station on the Zutphen to Winterswijk railway line, and is served by trains every half-hour in both directions. In the evening there is an hourly service.

Ruurlo Castle lies just outside the town and is a popular place for weddings. The castle was used as the town hall until 1 January 2005, when the municipality Ruurlo merged with the municipalities of Borculo, Neede and Eibergen into the municipality of Berkelland.

History
It was first mentioned in the 1180s as Ritherlo, and means "catlle near forest". The village developed in the Middle Ages around Ruurlo Castle. The castle was first mentioned in 1326. It was enlarged in 1571, 1627 and 1727. The gardens date from 1801. After the 1984 restoration was completed, it served as town hall.

The Dutch Reformed Church has 14th century elements. The tower dates from the late-15th century and was restored in 1793 and 1894. The Catholic Saint Willibrord was completed in 1871, and was designed by Pierre Cuypers. In 1840, it was home to 419 people.

The Ruurlo railway station opened in 1878. The building was demolished in 1982, and replaced by a simple bus stop which was removed in 2000. The saw and gristmill Agneta dates from 1851. It was originally an oil mill, but was redesigned in 1917. The mill is sometimes used for sawing, however it is usually performed with an electric engine.

Former population centres
Brinkmanshoek, De Bruil, De Haar, Heurne, Mariënvelde, Ruurlo and Veldhoek.

title: Ruurlo


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Scherpenzeel, Gelderland

Scherpenzeel is a municipality and a town in the Dutch province of Gelderland. As of, it has a population of 0, with approximately 6,000 adults. The community of Scherpenzeel also contains a part of the hamlet of Moorst.

Dutch topographic map of the municipality of Scherpenzeel, June 2015

Founding
Centuries ago, what is now the Netherlands was still a collection of small states, ruled by bishops, earls, dukes, and lords. These rulers were constantly at war over territory, causing fortifications and defenses to be built in border areas. This was the case in the Veluwe hills, which lay along the border of what is now Utrecht and Gelderland, where many castles and fortresses were constructed as safe havens. Hence, the name "Scherpenzeel", formerly known as "Scarpenzele", allows us to infer that there was a settlement built around a house ("zele") with sharpened poles ("scarpen"), the prototype of an old castle.

The possession of Scherpenzeel was at various times claimed by either Gelderland or Utrecht, but it has now been a part of Gelderland since September 1814.

Scherpenzeel House (town hall)
The town's most notable landmark, Scherpenzeel House (Huize Scherpenzeel in Dutch; located at 3 Burgemeester Royaardslaan) began as a 14th-century tower house. In the following centuries, it underwent several modifications. In 1652, it was expanded considerably by Lady Aleyd of Scherpenzeel. In the years 1857–1858, it acquired its present Neogothic form, designed by S.A. van Lunteren, who also designed the surrounding park. At the time it belonged to the Royaard family, who maintained residence there until 1956. In 1975, Scherpenzeel House was declared a national monument and entrusted to the municipality. The building was used as the town hall until 2003.

In 2005, it was let to the Friends of Geldersche Castles Foundation, who keep it open to the public and allow wedding ceremonies to be held there.

title: Scherpenzeel, Gelderland


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Steenderen

Steenderen is a former municipality and a village in the eastern Netherlands. It has been part of the new municipality of Bronckhorst since 2005.

History
It was first mentioned in 1046 as Stenere, and means "stone buildings on a sandy ridge". In 1217, a parish church is established. The Dutch Reformed Church has elements dating from the 14th century. In 1782, it suffered a fire after a lightning strike, and was rebuilt. The church was restored between 1966 and 1972. In 1840, it was home to 486 people.

The grist mill Bronkhorstermolen dates from 1844 and was restored in 1960. The potato and chips factory Aviko was founded in Steenderen in 1962. In 2019, a 35 m refrigerator tower was constructed, giving Steenderen three towers.

Former population centres

 * Baak
 * Bronkhorst
 * Olburgen
 * Rha
 * Steenderen
 * Toldijk

title: Steenderen


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Tiel

Tiel is a municipality and a town in the middle of the Netherlands. The town is enclosed by the Waal river and the Linge river to the South and the North, and the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal to the East. Tiel comprises the population centres Kapel-Avezaath, Tiel and Wadenoijen. The city was founded in the 5th century CE.

The town of Tiel
Tiel is the largest town in the Betuwe area, which is famous for being one of the centres of Dutch fruit production. Orchards in the area produce apples, pears, plums and cherries. Tiel once housed the famous jam factory De Betuwe. After production was moved to Breda in 1993, the entire complex was demolished, although a part was reconstructed later. Reminding of this industry is a jam manufacturing museum and a statue of Flipje, the raspberry-based comic figure who starred in De Betuwe's, jam factory advertisements since the 1930s.

Originally located on the Linge river Tiel became an important centre of trade in the early Middle Ages, especially after the demise of Dorestad in the 9th century. Tiel had two big churches, one of which, the St. Walburg, was a collegiate church that belonged to the Teutonic Knights and vanished after the Reformation while the other church, the St. Maarten, became Protestant. Much of the historic centre was destroyed during the Second World War.

Every year, on the third Saturday in September, a festival known as Fruitcorso is held to celebrate the fruit harvest from the Betuwe area. On this day, a parade of wagons, decorated with fruit, travels through the city. Appelpop is a free, two-day music event that is held yearly on the second Friday and Saturday of September.

Tiel has also been known for its pewter industry. The last pewter factory and museum, which mainly produced collectibles for tourists, went bankrupt in early 2004, but has since been revived.

Ancient history
Roman artifacts (Rings, statues, grave stones etc) have been found in Tiel.

The "Stonehenge of the Netherlands" is an ancient site that is over 4,000 years old. The structure shows a similarity to Stonehenge in southern England; so it was dubbed "Stonehenge of the Netherlands" by the local media.

It was used as a burial mound and for religious practices. It is located in Tiel, Netherlands, and its excavation started in 2017. According to the town's website, this was the first such discovery in the Netherlands.

The mound contained remains of around 60 individuals. Three mounds were discovered; the main one is about 20 metres (65 ft) in diameter. Its passages align with the sun at equinoxes and solstices, and according to the archeologists it served as a solar calendar.

Around one million objects, dating from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, have been found. The oldest artifacts can be traced back to 2500 BCE.

One of the most interesting finds was a glass bead which is the oldest ever discovered in the Netherlands. The archeologists think it originated in Mesopotamia, modern day Iraq. The group assumes that the Bronze Age inhabitants of this area had contact with groups more than 3,000 miles away.

The archaeologists also discovered offerings like animal skeletons, human skulls and bronze spearheads.

Public service

 * Joan van der Capellen tot den Pol (1741–1784) statesman, active in the Batavian Republic
 * David Hendrik Chassé (1765–1849) soldier who fought both for and against Napoleon
 * Theodoor Gerard van Lidth de Jeude (1788–1863) physician, veterinarian and zoologist
 * Antonie Frederik Jan Floris Jacob van Omphal (1788–1863) lieutenant-general and extraordinary aide-de-camp to William III of the Netherlands
 * Cornelis Pijnacker Hordijk (1847–1908) jurist and politician, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies 1888/1893
 * William Hendriksen (1900–1982) New Testament scholar and writer of Bible commentaries
 * Marinus van IJzendoorn (born 1952) human development professor, co-leader of Generation R

The arts

 * Annie Foore (1847–1890) writer who lived in Dutch East Indies
 * Mary Dresselhuys (1907–2004) stage actress
 * Eylem Aladogan (born 1975) installation artist and sculptor
 * Frans Duijts (born 1979) singer
 * Abdellah Dami (born 1982) journalist, presenter and writer
 * Corrie van Binsbergen (born 1957) jazzmusician and composer

Sport

 * Herman Claudius van Riemsdijk (born 1948) chess player
 * Jan van Deinsen (born 1953) football player
 * Nico Rienks (born 1962) rower, two-time gold medallist at the 1988 and 1996 Summer Olympics
 * Anton Janssen (born 1963) football player
 * Wilma van Velsen (born 1964) swimmer and team bronze and silver medallist in the 1980 and 1984 Summer Olympics
 * Dirk Jan Derksen (born 1972) football player
 * Bobbie Traksel (born 1981) racing cyclist
 * Erik Pieters (born 1988) football player
 * Barry Maguire (born 1989) football player
 * Mattijs Branderhorst (born 1993) football player

title: Tiel


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Ubbergen

Ubbergen is a village and former municipality in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland. On 1 January 2015 it merged into the enlarged municipality of Groesbeek, renamed Berg en Dal from 1 January 2016.

Notable people
Notable people who were born in Ubbergen include:
 * Don Burgers (1932–2006), politician for the KVP and the CDA
 * Amber (1970), Dutch-German singer, songwriter and music producer
 * Yelmer Buurman (1987), professional racing driver

title: Ubbergen


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Voorst

Voorst is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands.

Population centres

 * Appen (near a wood where nice walks can be taken)
 * Bussloo (with a recreation centre with a small lake and beach)
 * De Kar (near a motorway junction (A1, Amsterdam- Berlin)
 * De Vecht
 * De Wijk
 * Gietelo (castle ruin of Nijenbeek on the IJssel dyke)
 * Klarenbeek (partly in the municipality Apeldoorn; small railroad station)
 * Klein-Amsterdam
 * Nijbroek
 * Posterenk (also near the A1, with an old Dutch wind-mill)
 * Spekhoek
 * Steenenkamer, actually an outskirt of Deventer
 * Terwolde
 * Teuge (with an airfield, where parachuting is taught)
 * Twello, half-way between Apeldoorn and Deventer, which is the main village of the municipality, having over 11,000 inhabitants; the town-hall, some industry, most schools, a railway station, a shopping centre etc. can be found there
 * Voorst, an old village along the road between Apeldoorn and Zutphen, with a beautiful old church; 1 mile south of Voorst, another small railroad station was opened in 2006
 * Wilp, a tiny village on the IJssel opposite to Deventer; it has a small, very old church and a hospital for mentally handicapped people; the village already existed in 768; Saint Lebuinus built a chapel there; the name is  allegedly derived from wel-apa that is: well-water; it is possible, that prehistoric Celtic or Germanic people worshipped a holy well there.

Dutch topographic map of the municipality of Voorst, June 2015

Notable people

 * Ludolph Anne Jan Wilt Sloet van de Beele (1806 in Voorst – 1890) the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies 1861/1866
 * Johannes Gijsbertus Bastiaans (1812 in Wilp - 1875) a Dutch organist, composer and music theorist
 * Anthony Winkler Prins (1817 in Voorst – 1908) a Dutch writer of the Winkler Prins encyclopedia.
 * Willem Anne Assueer Jacob Schimmelpenninck van der Oye (1834 in Voorst – 1889) a Dutch baron and politician
 * Jan Terlouw (born 1931 in Kamperveen) a retired Dutch politician, physicist and author
 * Evert Jan Baerends (born 1945 in Voorst) a Dutch theoretical chemist and academic

Sport

 * Jan-Dirk Nijkamp (born 1964 in Voorst) a Dutch sprint canoer who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics
 * Jurgen Streppel (born 1969 in Voorst) a retired football player with 373 club caps
 * Robert Horstink (born 1981 in Twello) a volleyball player, competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics

title: Voorst


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Vorden

Vorden is a former municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands, about 10 kilometres south-east of Zutphen. On 1 January 2005 the municipality merged with Hummelo en Keppel, Steenderen, Hengelo en Zelhem, to form the new municipality Bronckhorst.

Vorden is intersected by the road from Zutphen to Ruurlo (N319) and by the Baak creek (locally called Vorden Creek), which flows to the IJssel. Vorden is located on the Zutphen - Winterswijk railway line, which was opened in 1878 and has a central station on the station road.

The town of Vorden
The name 'Vorden' occurred for the first time in documents from 1121 AD. The town has long had a predominantly agricultural function. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century this started to change, when some industry and self-employed started to flourish.

Vorden is known for its eight castles: Vorden (that served as town-hall), Onstein, Medler, Hackfort, Kieftskamp, Wierse, Wildenborg and Den Bramel.

The surrounding area of Vorden is known to hold equestrian events periodically including an annual fox hunt, now replaced by drag hunting, in late autumn.

History
In the Middle Ages Vorden originated on a deck area located on the "Vordensche" brook, close to house Vorden. The village probably owes its name to the word 'Voorde', which means ford. In 1235 it became an independent parish. Until 2005, Vorden was an independent municipality, but as a result of a municipal reorganisation, on 1 January of that year, Vorden merged with the neighboring municipalities of Hummelo and Keppel, Steenderen, Hengelo and Zelhem to form the municipality of Bronckhorst. Other centers in the former municipality were Delden, Kranenburg, Linde, Medler, Mossel, Veldwijk, Vierakker, Wichmond, Wientjesvoort and Wildenborch.

In 2014, the centre of Vorden was redesigned, with a number of roads being moved and in some places the pavements were also made wider. In addition, trees have been planted and a new parking lot has been laid out for long-term parkers.

Castle village
Vorden is best known for the eight castles it has, making it one of the most castles-rich villages in the Netherlands. House Vorden is on the outskirts of the village, the other seven are in a circle around it.

House Vorden was first mentioned in 1315. In 1580, during the Eighty Years' War, it was looted and restored thirty years later. In 1976 it was restored and functioned as a town hall. In 2004, the municipality of Vorden sold the castle to a private individual. Since then the castle has been used as a wedding location.

Hackfort Castle was first mentioned in 1324. After being partially destroyed by a fire in 1586, during the Eighty Years' War, it was rebuilt. The current façade in Louis XVI style got it in 1788. Nowadays it is divided into apartments.

Castle Den Bramel of the version mentioned for the first time in 1396 and that from about 1645, little more remains; the current building dates largely from the period 1720–1726.

The Kieftskamp Castle in Louis XV style, was erected in 1776. In 1920 and 1930 it was expanded.

The Wildenborch Castle is a former manor, first mentioned in 1372. After devastation in 1490 it was rebuilt between 1523 and 1533. In the 17th century it was largely demolished. The remaining gate tower became part of a new country house built in 1782. The son of the clients was the poet Anthony Staring, who lived there from 1791 to 1840. The rebuilding of 1847 was undone in 1931.

De Wiersse Castle was first mentioned in 1288. In the meantime, it was rebuilt in 1681. In the 18th century and in 1925 it underwent renovations.

Castle Onstein, in Louis XIV style, was built in 1711 on a spot where a mansion from 1613 had previously stood. Nowadays in the possession of Hans Melchers.

The Medler Castle, is a mansion dating from the 17th century, which was later renovated several times.

The Enzerinck Castle, is a neoclassical country house built in 1835–1836. The Wientjesvoort dating from 1850 has the same style.

Public Services
Shops and Supermarkets: The majority of the stores can be found at the Dorpsstraat, Zutphenseweg, Burgemeester Galleestraat and the Raadhuisstraat. There are several supermarkets, drug stores and clothing stores.

Weekly market: Every week a market takes place on Friday morning in the center of Vorden, around the N.H. Church. The weekly market includes fish stalls, baker's stalls, and food stalls / sellers.

Schools: Vorden has five primary schools: the Dorpsschool (public), the Vordering (Catholic), the Hoge (Christian) and the Kraanvogel (neighborhood Kranenburg). Since autumn 2014, the Hofakker has been added, for education on an anthroposophical basis. Vorden also has secondary school 't Beeckland (VMBO); this is part of the Ulenhof College in Doetinchem.

Cycling and Walking routes

 * The eight-castle route is 33 kilometers in total and there are eight castles on the way.
 * The Berend Route, a bike ride of about 20 kilometers around Vorden.
 * The Pieterpad runs through Vorden. The route leads from Pieterburen on the Groningen Wadden Sea coast to the Sint-Pietersberg near Maastricht.
 * The Trekvogelpad (migratory bird route) crosses the Pieterpad in Vorden at castle Vorden and runs from Bergen aan Zee to Enschede.

Notable people

 * Henrica Iliohan (1850–1921), suffragist

title: Vorden


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Warnsveld

Warnsveld is a town in the eastern Netherlands, about 2 km east of Zutphen.

History
The first mention of the village in writing is from the year 1121 as Wansveld, and means "field of Warin or Warni (person)". Warnsveld developed in the Middle Ages along the Berkel.

Warnsveld's Martinuskerk (Church of Saint Martin) has a tower from around 1100. In the 15th century, both the church and tower were enlarged. The church was restored between 1954 and 1957, and the 19th century modifications were undone.

The former havezate 't Velde was first mentioned in 1326. Shortly after 1535 it redesigned in early Renaissance style. It was extensively modified and enlarged in 1701. It is nowadays used by the police academy.

Warnsveld was home to 505 people in 1840. In 1841, the road between Zutphen and Lochem was paved, and estates were built along the road.

Warnsveld was a separate municipality until 2005, when it was merged with Zutphen. The former municipality had a population of about 9,000, and covered both the village of Warnsveld and nearby Warken.

People born in Warnsveld

 * Richard Constant Boer (1863-1929), linguist
 * Gert Holstege (born 1948), neuroscientist
 * Ellen ten Damme (born 1967), singer & actor
 * Anne-Wil Lucas-Smeerdijk (born 1975), politician
 * Jan Werle (born 1984), chess player Grandmaster
 * Thijs van Amerongen (born 1986), cyclo-cross cyclist

People died in Warnsveld

 * Ida Gerhardt (1905-1997), poet
 * Philip Kouwen (1922-2002), artist

title: Warnsveld


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Wehl

Wehl is a town in the eastern Netherlands, about 5 km west of Doetinchem.

Wehl was a part of Prussia until 1808, when it was joined to the Netherlands. In those years it was officially a part of Zeddam. Wehl became an independent municipality in 1813, when it was given back to Prussia; in 1816, it returned to the Netherlands. It remained an independent municipality until the municipal reorganization on 1 January 2005, when Wehl became part of the larger neighbouring municipality of Doetinchem.

The former municipality also included the village of Nieuw-Wehl, 3 km to the west.

History
It was first mentioned around 1200 as Wele. The etymology is unknown. The village developed between the Rhine and the Oude IJssel. In 1466, it became an independent parish. In 1647, it became an enclave of the Duchy of Cleves and no longer part of the Dutch Republic.

The Catholic St. Martinus Church dates from 15th century, and has a tower from the 13th century with 12th century elements. Between 1894 and 1895, it was redesigned into its current form. In 1816, it became part of the Netherlands. In 1840, it was home to 408 people. After World War II, Wehl started to expand rapidly. In 1885, the Wehl railway station opened on the Winterswijk-Zevenaar railway line. The station is still there, but the building was demolished in 2010. In 2005, it merged into Doetinchem.

Notable people

 * Chris Mijnarends (born 1939), field hockey player who competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics
 * Tim Sanders (born 1986), footballer

title: Wehl


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West Maas en Waal

West Maas en Waal is a municipality in the Dutch province of Gelderland.

The municipality covers the western part of the Land van Maas en Waal, an island located between the Meuse and Waal rivers.

Population centres
• Alphen aan de Maas

• Altforst

• Appeltern

• Beneden-Leeuwen

• Boven-Leeuwen

• Dreumel

• Maasbommel

• Moordhuizen

• Wamel

Topography

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of West Maas en Waal, 2013.

Demographics

 * Dutch: 93.6%
 * Black people: 0.4%
 * European: 4.7
 * Arabs: 0.4%
 * Other non-Western: 0.9%:

Notable people

 * Samuel Story (1752 in Maasbommel – 1811) vice admiral of the Batavian Republic Navy
 * Jona Lendering (born 1964 in Beneden-Leeuwen) historian and the author of books on antiquity, Dutch history and modern management
 * Marco Pastors (born 1965 in Beneden-Leeuwen) civil servant and former politician
 * Iris van Herpen (born 1984 in Wamel) fashion designer, known for fusing technology with traditional Couture craftsmanship

Sport

 * Jan van Deinsen (born 1953) a retired football midfielder, 276 caps
 * Ivo den Bieman (born 1967 in Wamel) retired footballer, played mainly in Scotland with about 260 caps
 * Arno van Zwam (born 1969 in Beneden-Leeuwen) former football goalkeeper, over 300 caps

title: West Maas en Waal


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Westervoort

Westervoort is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. The town has two rivers inside its borders, the Rhine and the IJssel. It is a commuter town closely linked to Arnhem, the capital of Gelderland, which is situated on the west bank of the IJssel river, the east bank being occupied by Westervoort. It is the smallest Dutch municipality by area.

Transport
On 11 December 2011, a new railway station was opened in Westervoort. This meant that for the first time in 75 years the inhabitants of Westervoort could make use of railway transportation again. Next to the recently opened station, public buses run through Westervoort. These buses establish a direct connection to Arnhem and the surrounding towns of Duiven and Zevenaar. The A12 motorway runs north of Westervoort and has an exit serving both Westervoort and the western parts of Duiven. In the south of Westervoort a small ferry boat connects Westervoort to the town of Huissen by crossing the Rhine.

Notable residents

 * Johan Andreas Dèr Mouw (1863–1919) poet and philosopher
 * Theo Snelders (born 1963) football goalkeeper with 464 club caps
 * Sophie Souwer (born 1987) a Dutch rower, competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics
 * Jermaine Wattimena (born 1988) darts player

title: Westervoort


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Wijchen

Wijchen is a municipality and a town in the province of Gelderland, in the eastern part of the Netherlands.

Population centres
Number of residents per population centre per 12 December 2009: Source: Statistics Netherlands

The population centre Woezik (3,820 residents on 1 January 2005) and the township Laak are statistically included in Wijchen.

Neighbourhoods
Neighbourhoods in Wijchen include:
 * Centre: Kloosterakker
 * Wijchen-Oost: Valendries, Oosterweg and Uilenboom.
 * Woezik: Veenhof and Saltshof.
 * Wijchen-Noord.
 * Achterlo: Homberg, Heilige Stoel and Kraaijenberg.
 * Wijchen-West: Blauwe Hof and Aalsburg.
 * Wijchen-Zuid: Abersland, Diepvoorde, Huissteden, Hoogmeer, De Ververt, De Geer, Elsland, De Weertjes, De Grippen, Zesakkers, Zevendreef, Sluiskamp, Oudelaan, and Kronenland.
 * Kerkeveld: De Gamert, De Meren, Diemenwei, De Flier, De Lingert.
 * Huurlingsedam.

Streets in most neighbourhoods are numbered instead of named. This is not common practice in the Netherlands, therefore the street numbers are included in the house numbering. E.g. someone living in Abersland, 11th street, house #05 will usually use Abersland 1105 in his address.

Wijchen Castle (town hall)
Parts of Wijchen Castle (Kasteel Wijchen in Dutch) date from the 14th century, but it took its current Mannerist form in the years 1609–1629. It is surrounded by a moat and used to serve as the town hall. Currently, the town hall is down the road, while the castle is only used for important meetings.

Notable residents

 * Ine Lamers (born 1954) photographer and video installation artist
 * Ronald van der Kemp (born 1964) fashion designer
 * Arjen Thonen (born 1992) DJ and music producer better known as SWACQ[NL]

Sport

 * Fred Rutten (born 1962) a football coach and a former footballer with 317 caps
 * Ralf Elshof (born 1962) cyclist, competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics
 * Roy Makaay (born 1975) football manager and former footballer with 526 caps
 * Claudia van Thiel (born 1977) volleyball player, competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics
 * Lieke Klaus (born 1989) BMX racer
 * Joel Piroe (born 1999) footballer, Leeds United

title: Wijchen


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Winterswijk

Winterswijk (also known as Winterswiek or Wenters) is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands. It has a population of 0 and is situated in the Achterhoek, which lies in the easternmost part of the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands.

It was also known as Winethereswick, Winriswic or Wenterswic; the Low Saxon wich or wic means the living place of a certain person. The person would likely have been called Wenether, Winitar or Winter.

Geography
Winterswijk is located in east of the province of Gelderland in the east of the Netherlands. It is part of the region of Achterhoek.

History

Founded around 1000 AD it remained an isolated farming community until 1830 when the road from Borken to Zutphen via Winterswijk and Groenlo was built. Around 1840 many emigrated to America — Michigan in particular. After 1870 the town became a centre for textiles, such as spinning and weaving and indeed the Tricot factory employed a large proportion of the local population in its heyday. In 1878 the railway line to Zutphen was built primarily for the textile industry, which was set up by Jan Willink. Some of the families such as the Willinks have lived there since 1284.

World War II and liberation
Winterswijk was liberated on 31 March 1945. The day prior, on 30 March there was a tank battle in one of the townships called Woold, with sixty Sherman tanks. The 53rd Welsh Division and the 3rd British Infantry Division, were moving from Bocholt via Aalten to Winterswijk. The tank battle resulted in sixteen German and nine British soldiers losing their lives. On 31 March, around nine AM allied forces had a struggle just over five kilometers south of Winterswijk following reinforcements from the NSB. On 31 March the first allied troops finally reached the Slingestream near Winterswijk. 31 March is marked as the official day to remember the liberation of Winterswijk, despite the fact that in the late afternoon of 31 March parts of Miste and Woold were already liberated. After the liberation of Winterswijk they founded a Rest-Centre for British soldiers in the Sociëteit de Eendracht, where the British soldiers, could find some rest.

Although the Jewish community of Winterswijk was greatly decimated during the war, a synagogue still exists. Yet no regular services are being held. The synagogue is open for visitors and guided tours.

Railway stations

 * Winterswijk
 * Winterswijk West

Notable residents

 * John H. Corscot (1839–1926), mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, 1893 to 1895
 * Piet Mondriaan (1872–1944), painter, pioneer of 20th century abstract art, lived in Winterswijk ages 8–20
 * Willem van Otterloo (1907–1978), conductor, cellist, composer
 * Max van Dam (1910–1943) artist, murdered in the Sobibor extermination camp
 * Johanna Reiss (born 1932), Dutch-American writer, longtime resident of New York City
 * Bram Stemerdink (born 1936), politician, Minister of Defence 1976/77
 * Gerrit Komrij (1944-2012) poet, novelist, critic, journalist and playwright
 * Dick Mol (born 1955) paleontologist and specialist in the field of mammoths
 * Johan Houwers (born 1957) politician, real estate broker and convicted mortgage fraudster
 * Herman Brock Jr. (born 1970) left-handed Dutch bluegrass, Americana and Blues musician

Sport

 * Willy Hillen (born 1943) former sports shooter, competed at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics
 * Jan Vreman (born 1965), football manager and former player for De Graafschap
 * Martijn Meerdink (born 1976), football player
 * Jurgen Wevers (born 1979), football goalkeeper
 * Myrthe Schoot (born 1988) volleyball player, competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics
 * Stef Dusseldorp (born 1989), racing driver

title: Winterswijk


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Wisch, Gelderland

Wisch is a former municipality in the Dutch province of Gelderland. The municipality was created in 1818, in a merger of Terborg and Varsseveld, and existed until 2005, when it became a part of the new municipality of Oude IJsselstreek.

Besides the villages of Terborg and Varsseveld, the municipality also covered the villages and hamlets Bontebrug, Heelweg-Oost, Heelweg-West, Silvolde, Sinderen, and Westendorp.

title: Wisch, Gelderland


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Zaltbommel

Zaltbommel, also known, historically and colloquially, as Bommel, is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands.

The city of Zaltbommel
The town of Zaltbommel was first mentioned as "Bomela" in the year 850. Zaltbommel received city rights in 1231 and these were renewed in 1316. In 1599 during the Eighty Years War, Zaltbommel was besieged by Spanish forces but was relieved by an Anglo-Dutch force led by Maurice of Orange. The bridge over the Waal at Zaltbommel (which has since been replaced) features in a celebrated twentieth-century Dutch sonnet, De moeder de vrouw, by Martinus Nijhoff.

Zaltbommel was expanded to its current size on 1 January 1999, by a merger of the municipalities of Brakel, Kerkwijk and Zaltbommel. The municipality is situated in the heart of the Netherlands, close to the A2 Motorway, the railway line from Utrecht to 's‑Hertogenbosch and the rivers Waal and Maas.

Topography

Dutch Topographic map of Zaltbommel (municipality), Sept. 2014

Population centres
The municipality, consists of 13 population centres and had a population of 0 in.

Notable residents

 * Maarten van Rossum (ca.1478–1555) military tactician and commander
 * Elbertus Leoninus (1519 or 1520 – 1598) jurist and statesman, helped negotiate the Pacification of Ghent
 * Marigje Arriens (ca.1520–1591) an alleged Dutch witch
 * Caspar Barlaeus (1584–1648) polymath and Renaissance humanist, a theologian, poet, and historian
 * Andreas Essenius (1618–1677) Dutch Reformed theologian, controversialist and academic
 * Jacob Abraham de Mist (1749–1823) statesman, Head of State of the National Assembly of the Batavian Republic
 * Lion Philips (1794–1866) tobacco merchant, grandfather of Gerard and Anton Philips
 * Sophie Pressburg (1797–1854), grandmother of Anton and Gerard Philips
 * Hendrik Antonie Lodewijk Hamelberg (1826–1896), consul general and special envoy of the Orange Free State
 * Gerard Philips (1858–1942), industrialist, co-founder of Philips Electronics
 * Anton Philips (1874–1951), industrialist, co-founder of Philips Electronics
 * Johannes van Maaren (1890–1963) wrestler, competed at the 1920, 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics
 * Anouchka van Miltenburg (born 1967) retired politician

The arts

 * Lucas Vorsterman (1595–1675), Baroque engraver
 * Warnard van Rijsen (1625–1670), a Dutch Golden Age painter.
 * Johannes Vorstermans (ca.1643– ca.1699/1719) Dutch Golden Age landscape painter.
 * Gerard Hoet, (1648–1743) Dutch Golden Age painter
 * Jan Soukens (c.1650–c.1725) a Dutch Golden Age painter
 * Suzanne Leenhoff (1829–1906), pianist, married Édouard Manet at Zaltbommel in 1863
 * Peter van Anrooy (1879–1954) composer and conductor of classical music
 * Fiep Westendorp (1916-2004), illustrator
 * Thorwald Jørgensen (born 1980) classical musician, specialises in the theremin

title: Zaltbommel


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Zelhem

Zelhem is a town in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It has approximately 11,000 inhabitants. Zelhem is located in the municipality of Bronckhorst, about 7 km northeast of Doetinchem.

Zelhem was a separate municipality until 2005, when it became a part of Bronckhorst. The municipality used to cover an area of 81.89 km2.

History
The village is more than 1200 years old. The modern name Zelhem originated from Salehem. This name was given to the village when a chapel was built and a gift-document was presented to the inhabitants.

The name Salehem comes from two words 'Sale' which means 'house' and 'heim' which means 'place where people are home'.

The founder of this chapel was a passionate preacher called Liudger. He brought religion to the land of the Saksen. Between 1450 and 1500 the church as we know it was built. It was dedicated to St. Lambertus, bishop of Maastricht in the time of Ludger (hence the name 'Lambertikerk').

The myth of Smoks Hanne
The village also has a myth of 'Smoks Hanne'. She lived in Zelhem somewhere in the nineteenth century. Nowadays she's pictured as a good witch flying on a broom. The funny part is that Smoks Hanne only has one clog (on her left foot) and the broom she's flying on is backwards. It is assumed that Smoks Hanne lost her clog during flight. Unfortunately there's not much information about this old lady. But when the village celebrated its 1200th anniversary, the theme was all about her.

People born in Zelhem

 * Hedzer Rijpstra (1919-2011), politician
 * Jan Remmelink (1922–2003), jurist
 * Leo Klein Gebbink (born 1968), hockey player

title: Zelhem


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Zevenaar

Zevenaar is a municipality and a city in the Gelderland province, in the eastern Netherlands near the border with Germany.

In January 2018 the neighbouring municipality of Rijnwaarden was merged with Zevenaar.

Population centres

 * Angerlo
 * Babberich
 * Giesbeek
 * Lathum
 * Ooy
 * Oud-Zevenaar
 * Zevenaar

History
The earliest signs of human activity are remains of a 700 BC settlement found near present-day Zevenaar. In 1049, Emperor Hendrik III donated a large amount of land to five warlords the leader of whom was named Bartholomeus II of Sevenaer. They founded a castle to protect the old Roman settlements from the Germans.

In 1355 Sevenaer passed from the control of the county/Duchy of Guelders (to which the modern Dutch province of Gelderland refers) to the Duchy of Cleves (Cleveland).

In 1487, the duke of Cleves gave Sevenaer city rights. Sevenaer was an important strategic point – the area between Gelderland and Cleveland was the border between the regions that would, over the centuries, be controlled from different centers of power – the modern states of The Netherlands and Prussia (later, Germany). Some of the Castles and houses in Zevenaar have foundations dating back to the 14th century, including Huize Sevenaer.

When Sevenaer obtained city rights, it had the monopoly on markets and on sale of bread and beer with the surrounding towns. Also the jurisdiction in Sevenaer was founded, with the town government charging taxes so that the town could build roads and public buildings. For the 500 inhabitants this was a heavy tax. Because of the plundering by passing armies, there were not enough supplies and money to build anything. In that time some well-to-do families got the right to participate in government. Sevenaer then experienced a prosperous period.

In 1614 Sevenaer, as part of the Duchy of Cleves, fell under control of the Margraviate of Brandenburg which would eventually become part of Prussia.

In 1793 the city had 900 inhabitants.

In 1816, Sevenaer became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Two years later the old spelling of Sevenaer was changed to the current name: Zevenaar. The municipality then had 2564 inhabitants. The 19th century was a time of poverty, bad harvests, sicknesses and hunger, with little trade and work. Many people lived by agriculture or from charity. In 1856 Zevenaar was connected to the European railroad system which, some decades later, led to the increase in workforce.

In 1920, the cigarette factory Turmac came which insured more employment.

After the second World War, which caused a lot of damage, people started to rebuild, and new residential areas arose around the old core. In the 1950s approximately 10,000 people lived in Zevenaar. By 2005, that number had more than doubled to 22,500 inhabitants. The municipality of Zevenaar consists of the following residential areas, which together had 31,840 inhabitants in January 2007 (source: CBS). • Angerlo

• Babberich

• Giesbeek

• Lathum

• Ooy

• Old Zevenaar

• Zevenaar,

Notable residents

 * Andreas Masius (1514–1573) Catholic priest, humanist and European scholar
 * H. L. M. van Nispen van Sevenaer (1879–1958) politician, nobleman, Mayor of Laren and Blaricum and resistance fighter
 * Karel de Nerée tot Babberich (1880–1909) symbolist artist
 * Theo van de Klundert (born 1936 in Herwen en Aerdt) Dutch economist and academic
 * Thijs van Leer (born 1948) Dutch musician, known for the band Focus.
 * Jan van Aken (born 1961 in Herwen en Aerdt) Dutch writer and academic
 * Jeroen van Veen (born 1969 in Herwen en Aerdt) Dutch classical pianist and composer
 * Linda Wagenmakers (born 1975) singer and voice actress
 * Esmée Denters (born 1988) female singer

Sport

 * Minie Brinkhoff (born 1952) retired Dutch cyclist
 * Erik Parlevliet (1964–2007) field hockey player, team bronze medallist at the 1988 Summer Olympics
 * Phillip Cocu (born 1970) professional football manager with SBV Vitesse and former player with 598 club caps
 * Servais Knaven (born 1971 in Lobith) Dutch professional road bicycle racer, competed at the 1992 and 2004 Summer Olympics
 * Danny Heister (born 1971) professional table tennis player
 * Elke Slagt-Tichelman (born 1977) politician
 * Nick Oudendag (born 1987) professional basketball player
 * Wesley Koolhof (born 1989) tennis player

title: Zevenaar