Erftstadt () is a town located about 20 km south-west of

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 million ...

in the

Rhein-Erft-Kreis The Rhein-Erft-Kreis ( ksh, Rhing-Ärff-Kries) is a district in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Neuss, district-free Cologne, Rhein-Sieg, Euskirchen, Düren. History The district in its current borders was ...

, state of

North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhab ...

, Germany. The name of the town derives from the river that flows through it, the

Erft The Erft () is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It flows through the foothills of the Eifel, and joins the Lower Rhine (left tributary). Its origin is near Nettersheim, and its mouth in Neuss-Grimlinghausen south of the Josef Cardin ...

. The neighbouring towns are Brühl,

Kerpen Kerpen (; Ripuarian: ''Kerpe'') is the most populated town in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany). It is located about 20 kilometres southwest from Cologne. Division of the town The town of Kerpen was created in 1975, wh ...

Zülpich Zülpich ( ksh, Zöllech) is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany between Aachen and Bonn. It belongs to the district of Euskirchen. History The town is commonly agreed to be the site with the Latin name of ''Tolbiacum'', famous for the ...

and

Weilerswist Weilerswist () is a municipality in the district of Euskirchen in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the Eifel The Eifel (; lb, Äifel, ) is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It oc ...

. A landslide during the

2021 European floods In July 2021, several European countries were affected by severe floods. Some were catastrophic, causing deaths and widespread damage. The floods started in the United Kingdom as flash floods causing some property damage and inconvenience. L ...

led to the collapse of several houses.

Education

In Erftstadt are four further schools: two

gymnasiums A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational i ...

and two ''Realschulen''. The largest gymnasium is the Ville-Gymnasium-Erftstadt, also known as VGE.

Twin towns – sister cities

Erftstadt is twinned with: *

Wokingham Wokingham is a market town in Berkshire, England, west of London, southeast of Reading, north of Camberley and west of Bracknell. History Wokingham means 'Wocca's people's home'. Wocca was apparently a Saxon chieftain who may a ...

, England, United Kingdom (1977) * Viry-Châtillon, France (1980) * Jelenia Góra, Poland (1995) The party Alliance 90/ The Greens applies for becoming a sister city of the Ukrainian city Ternopil, just as Jelenia Góra is, in the city council.

Wards of Erftstadt

The town of Erftstadt consists of the following 17 ''

Stadtbezirk A ''Stadtbezirk'' (also called ''Ortsbezirk'' in Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate) is an administrative division in Germany, which is part of a larger city. It is translated as "borough". In Germany, ''Stadtbezirke'' usually only exist in a metropo ...

e'': * Ahrem *Blessem *Bliesheim *Borr *Dirmerzheim * Erp *Frauenthal *Friesheim *Gymnich *Herrig *Kierdorf *Konradsheim *Köttingen * Lechenich * Liblar *Niederberg *Scheuren Most of the town administration is in Liblar, the most populous ''Stadtbezirk''. The second-most populous ''Stadtbezirk'' is Lechenich.

Notable people

Carl Schurz Carl Schurz (; March 2, 1829 – May 14, 1906) was a German revolutionary and an American statesman, journalist, and reformer. He immigrated to the United States after the German revolutions of 1848–1849 and became a prominent member of the ne ...

(1829–1906), politician and first German-born cabinet secretary (Secretary of the Interior 1877–1881) in the US * Jean Bungartz (1854–1934), animal artist, specialist author, photographer, breeder, lived from 1886 to 1913 in Lechenich * Josef Kentenich (1885–1968), founder of the

Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement The Apostolic Movement of Schoenstatt (german: Schönstatt-Bewegung) is a Catholic Marian movement founded in Germany in 1914 by Fr Joseph Kentenich, who saw the movement as a means of spiritual renewal for the Catholic Church. The movement ...

Bernd Alois Zimmermann Bernd Alois Zimmermann (20 March 1918 – 10 August 1970) was a German composer. He is perhaps best known for his opera '' Die Soldaten'', which is regarded as one of the most important German operas of the 20th century, after those of Berg. As ...

(1918–1970), composer, born in Bliesheim *

Hennes Weisweiler Hans "Hennes" Weisweiler (5 December 1919 – 5 July 1983) was a German professional football player and coach. As a coach, he won major titles with Bundesliga clubs Borussia Mönchengladbach and 1. FC Köln in the 1970s. With 11 titles, 8 with ...

(1919–1983), football coach, born in Lechenich * Manfred Donike (1933–1995), cyclist, chemist and well-known doping investigator * Manfred Donike (1960–2003), cyclist and functionary *

Ismail Jakobs Ismail Jakobs (born 17 August 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a left back or left winger for Ligue 1 club Monaco. Born in Germany, he represents the Senegal football team, Senegal national team. Club career 1.FC Köln After star ...

, soccer player

References

External links

Liblar and Carl Schurz
Rhein-Erft-Kreis Districts of the Rhine Province {{RheinErftKreis-geo-stub