Etten-Leur () is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the Dutch province

North Brabant North Brabant ( ; ), also unofficially called Brabant, Dutch Brabant or Hollandic Brabant, is a province in the south of the Netherlands. It borders the provinces of South Holland and Gelderland to the north, Limburg to the east, Zeeland to ...

. Its name is a combination of the two villages from which the municipality originally arose: Etten and Leur.

History

The villages were always part of one municipality, originally called "Etten c.a." ( cum annexis), this later to change to "Etten en Leur". The current name was adopted in 1968. By that time, the villages had grown into one. Both villages, created in the Middle Ages, were relatively prosperous during the period of the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...

, the exception being the period of the

Eighty Years' War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish Empire, Spanish government. The Origins of the Eighty Years' War, causes of the w ...

in which the area was a major battleground. This prosperity was caused by the fact that Etten was a centre for the production of

peat Peat is an accumulation of partially Decomposition, decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, Moorland, moors, or muskegs. ''Sphagnum'' moss, also called peat moss, is one of the most ...

, and Leur was a local trading port, as it had a harbour. Decline in economic importance marked both villages during the nineteenth century. In 1836

Arnold Damen Arnold Damen, S.J. (1815–1890) was a Dutch Jesuit missionary who is noted for bringing Jesuit education to Chicago. Biography Damen was born in Leur, North Brabant (The Netherlands) on March 20, 1815, and joined the Jesuit missions in North A ...

left Leur in order to work as a missionary in the United States. The painter

Vincent van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artworks ...

briefly lived in Etten, making him the most famous citizen in the history of Etten and Leur. During World War II, the two villages were freed from German occupation in late October 1944 by elements of the U.S. 104th Infantry Division. The economic decline was halted when, in 1950, the Dutch government decided to encourage population growth and industrial development. As a result of this development, both towns have grown towards each other and merged into one: Etten-Leur.

Topography

''Dutch topographic map of Etten-Leur (town), March 2014''

Education

* Katholieke Scholengemeenschap Etten-Leur, a Catholic high school *Munnikenheide College

Transportation

Etten-Leur railway station Etten-Leur is a railway station located in Etten-Leur, Netherlands. The station was opened on 11 December 1854 and is located on the Roosendaal–Breda railway. The station is operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen. The station was closed between 25 S ...

Notable people

Jan Jacob Rochussen Jan Jacob Rochussen (23 October 1797 – 21 January 1871) was a Dutch politician. He served as finance minister from 1840 to 1843 and Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1845 to 1851. He served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers ...

(1797 in Etten – 1871) a Dutch politician; Finance Minister 1840/1843 and

Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies The governor-general of the Dutch East Indies (, ) represented Dutch rule in the Dutch East Indies between 1610 and Dutch recognition of the independence of Indonesia in 1949. Occupied by Japanese forces between 1942 and 1945, followed by the ...

1845/1851 *

Peter de Clercq Peter de Clercq (born 1959, Etten-Leur) is a Dutch diplomat who currently is the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), where he also serves as United Nations Resident C ...

(born 1959 in Etten-Leur) a Dutch diplomat, who currently works with the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

Stef Broks Stef Broks (born 1st of May 1981, Etten-Leur, The Netherlands) is a Dutch musician, teacher and entrepreneur, best known for his work with Dutch progressive metal band Textures (2001-present). He is known for playing rock and metal with a fusi ...

(born 1981 in Etten-Leur) a Dutch drummer, played with Textures * Danny van Trijp (born 1996 in Etten-Leur) a Dutch Darts player, who currently plays in PDC events *

opened his first art studio in Etten in 1881. His career as an artist began in Etten.

Gallery

File:Etten Leur, de Sint Lambertuskerk RM15407 foto4 2015-05-30 18.14.jpg, Church: de Sint Lambertuskerk File:Etten Leur, de Leurse Haven foto9 2015-05-24 19.50.jpg, Port: de Leurse Haven File:Etten- Leur, de Zwartenbergse molen RM15433 foto3 2015-05-24 19.26.jpg, Windmill: de Zwartenbergse molen File:Etten Leur, molen in nieuwbouwwijk foto5 23015-05-24 19.44.jpg, Windmill in modern quarter File:Etten Leur, Hill's Pet Nutrition Manufacturing BV langs de Mark foto4 2015-05-24 19.12.jpg, Factory (Hill's Pet Nutrition Manufacturing BV) at de Mark

References

Notes

Sources

*Information about the history of Etten-Leur has been retrieved from th
Regional Archive of Western Brabant
an
Info Etten-Leur

External links

* * {{Authority control Municipalities of North Brabant Populated places in North Brabant