St. Vith

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 50°16′N 06°07′E

  Sankt Vith
View of Sankt Vith
 
Location on map of Belgium
Coat of arms Location of Sankt Vith in the province of Liège
Geography
Country Belgium
Region Waloon Region flag Walloon Region
Community German-speaking Community of Belgium flag German-speaking Community
Province Province of Liège flag Liège
Arrondissement Verviers
Coordinates 50°16′N 06°07′E
Area 146.93 km²
Population (Source: NIS)
Population
– Males
– Females
- Density
9,169 (01/01/2006)
49.84%
50.16%
62 inhab./km²
Economy
Unemployment rate 4.87% (01/01/2006)
Mean annual income 10,950 €/pers. (2003)
Government
Mayor Christian Krings (Krings-FBL)
Governing parties Krings-FBL
Other information
Postal codes 4780-4784
Area codes 080
Web address www.st.vith.be

St. Vith (French: Saint-Vith; German: Sankt Vith; Luxembourgish: Sankt Väit) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, and in the German speaking community in Belgium. It was named after Saint Vitus.

On January 1, 2006, St. Vith had a total population of 9,169. The total area is 146.93 km², giving a population density of 62 inhabitants per km². The official language in the municipality is German.

[edit] History

St. Vith was an important marketplace for the region by the 12th century and received town rights in 1350. The town was burnt in 1543, 1602, and 1689.

Previously part of the Prussian Rhine Province, St. Vith was annexed by Belgium on March 6, 1925, after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I. An important road and railway junction, St. Vith was fought over in the 1944 Battle of the Bulge during World War II. The United States Army defended the town against German assault for a few days, delaying the German attack plan, before eventually retreating. Once it was captured by German forces, the town was bombed by the US Air Force on 25 and 26 December 1944. St. Vith was largely destroyed during the ground battle and subsequent air attack. American forces retook the town on January 23, 1945. The only remaining pre-war architecture is the Büchel Tower.

St. Vith is the setting for Michael Oren's novel, Reunion, concerning the fictional reunion of an American battalion which participated in the Battle of the Bulge.

[edit] External links


Flag of Liège province
Municipalities in the Province of Liège, Walloon Region, Belgium
Flag of Belgium
Huy: Amay | Anthisnes | Burdinne | Clavier | Engis | Ferrières | Hamoir | Héron | Huy | Marchin | Modave | Nandrin | Ouffet | Tinlot | Verlaine | Villers-le-Bouillet | Wanze
Liège: Ans | Awans | Aywaille | Bassenge | Beyne-Heusay | Blegny | Chaudfontaine | Comblain-au-Pont | Dalhem | Esneux | Flémalle | Fléron | Grâce-Hollogne | Herstal | Juprelle | Liège | Neupré | Oupeye | Saint-Nicolas | Seraing | Soumagne | Sprimont | Trooz | Visé
Verviers: Amel | Aubel | Baelen | Büllingen | Burg-Reuland | Bütgenbach | Dison | Eupen | Herve | Jalhay | Kelmis | Lierneux | Limbourg | Lontzen | Malmedy | Olne | Pepinster | Plombières | Raeren | Sankt Vith | Spa | Stavelot | Stoumont | Theux | Thimister-Clermont | Trois-Ponts | Verviers | Waimes | Welkenraedt
Waremme: Berloz | Braives | Crisnée | Donceel | Faimes | Fexhe-le-Haut-Clocher | Geer | Hannut | Lincent | Oreye | Remicourt | Saint-Georges-sur-Meuse | Waremme | Wasseiges