Gladbeck

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 51°34′N 6°58′E

Gladbeck
Coat of arms of Gladbeck Location of Gladbeck in Germany

Country Germany
State North Rhine-Westphalia
Administrative region Münster
District Recklinghausen
Population 77,926 (2005)
Area 35.9 km²
Population density 2,170 /km²
Elevation 52 m
Coordinates 51°34′ N 6°58′ E
Postal code 45964-45968
Area code 02043
Licence plate code RE
Mayor Ulrich Roland (SPD)
Website gladbeck.de

The city of Gladbeck (since 1919) is a municipality within the district of Recklinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Gladbeck was originally a small village of 300 inhabitants, until the 1870s when coal was found. It rapidly grew by immigration from the surrounding Prussian provinces Westphalia and Rhineland and from eastern provinces of Prussia including citizens with Polish as their native language. Gladbeck was heavily damaged in World War II.

In the 1950s Gladbeck started to have twin towns, with Enfield in Britain and Marcq-en-Barœul in France.

In the 1960s the coal industry went into a substantial crisis, with joblessness as result.