Vught

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Vught
Location of Vught
Country Netherlands
Province North Brabant
Area (2006)
 - Municipality 34.46 km²  (13.3 sq mi)
 - Land 33.50 km² (12.9 sq mi)
 - Water 0.96 km² (0.4 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2007)
 - Municipality 25,250
 - Density 754/km² (1,952.9/sq mi)
  Source: CBS, Statline.
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Website: www.vught.nl


Vught (pronunciation (help·info)) is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands. It is a town where lots of commuters live and has recently been named "Best place to live" by the Dutch magazine Elsevier.

Contents

[edit] Population centres

[edit] Politics

The (interim) mayor of the town is Joep Baartmans-van den Boogaart (since 2006). A new major is expected to be appointed by the end of april 2007. There are several (local) politic parties active in Vught. The major (but not the only) parties are: SP (5 seats) Gemeentebelangen (4 seats), VSA (4 seats), VVD (4 seats), CDA (3 seats), Fractie van Erp (1 seat).

[edit] World War II

Vught is known for its concentration camp (Herzogenbusch) built by Nazi-Germany during World War II. It was part of camp Herzogenbusch, but usually better known as "Kamp Vught" (Camp Vught). The camp mainly held Dutch and Belgian political prisoners, both men and women. The guard staff included SS men and a few SS women, headed by Oberaufseherin Margarete Gallinat. The horror story of too many women stuffed into 1 cell needs to be added/linked here.

Vught was freed by Canadians at the end of the war.

[edit] Camp nowadays

Since World War II, the barracks of Camp Vught have been assigned to Moluccans, (origin: Indonesia), for use as their living quarters. (This really needs more explanation to the general public. 'Kamp Vught' was not simply assigned to Moluccans, it was a temporary housing, awaiting a final 'new life' as promised by the Dutch government in appreciation for their efforts during the war the Dutch fought in Asia. Separate article is in order here) A prison was built, next to Camp Vught, which was first used for young criminals, but nowadays it is used for criminals requiring a maximum security facility. This maximum security department of the prison is called EBI (Extra Beveiligde Inrichting/Extra secured facility) and there is only one in the Netherlands. The 'EBI' houses the top criminals of The Netherlands.

[edit] Landmarks and Nature

Just outside the town border lies the lake IJzeren Man (literally translated Iron Man). It was named after the machine that dug it in the 19th century. The sand ground was used to uplift buildinggrounds in the nearby city of 's-Hertogenbosch. The lake is about 2 kilometers long, has a small island and is now mainly used for recreation. Vught has a castle, called Maurick, its history goes back till 13th century. In 1629 the castle was occupied by Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange. Frederick Henry wanted to have the castle as his headquarter for his besiege of 's-Hertogenbosch. Nowadays the castle is a restaurant awarded with a Michelin Star.

[edit] Ewald Marggraff

In the town of Vught lived a rich nobleman, Ewald Marggraff. Ewald, a hermit, who had studied law and owned a large amount of land and buildings, was constantly at war with the local authorities, mostly over land issues. Ewald chose to let all his possessions degenerate, which was of course frowned upon by the authorities. Nature however liked it; animal species were living there that had disappeared elsewhere. Unfortunately his land holdings in and around the town of Vught were never accessible to the general public. On December 7, 2003 Ewald's life ended tragically; Ewald's manor(Zionsburg) burned down and Ewald was found later in the hallway, next to the front door. Ewald's land is now owned by a non-profit organization Marggraff stichting, founded by Ewald's sisters. The organisation has opened up the land for public access, allowing people from all around Vught to hike in the forests that were always there but were never accessible before. There are plans to rebuild the Ewald manor. In cooperation with SIX Architects BNA from Zeist, The Netherlands, a plan was made to reconstruct the building. These plans are now under consideration by the local authorities.

[edit] Department of corrections

Vught has a prison with status 'highly guarded prison' (dutch: EBI). Amongst the criminals that are imprisoned there are:


[edit] Transportation

Vught has a railway station with connections to Amsterdam/Utrecht via 's-Hertogenbosch, Maastricht via Eindhoven, Tilburg and Nijmegen. Two highways, A2 and A65/N65 are connected to Vught.

[edit] Famous people associated with Vught

[edit] External links


 
North Brabant Province

Aalburg | Alphen-Chaam | Asten | Baarle-Nassau | Bergeijk | Bergen op Zoom | Bernheze | Best | Bladel | Boekel | Boxmeer | Boxtel | Breda | Cranendonck | Cuijk | Deurne | Dongen | Drimmelen | Eersel | Eindhoven | Etten-Leur | Geertruidenberg | Geldrop-Mierlo | Gemert-Bakel | Gilze en Rijen | Goirle | Grave | Haaren | Halderberge | Heeze-Leende | Helmond | 's-Hertogenbosch | Heusden | Hilvarenbeek | Laarbeek | Landerd | Lith | Loon op Zand | Maasdonk | Mill en Sint Hubert | Moerdijk | Nuenen, Gerwen en Nederwetten | Oirschot | Oisterwijk | Oosterhout | Oss | Reusel-De Mierden | Roosendaal | Rucphen | Schijndel | Sint Anthonis | Sint-Michielsgestel | Sint-Oedenrode | Someren | Son en Breugel | Steenbergen | Tilburg | Uden | Valkenswaard | Veghel | Veldhoven | Vught | Waalre | Waalwijk | Werkendam | Woensdrecht | Woudrichem | Zundert
Netherlands | Provinces | Municipalities| map

Coordinates: 51°39′N, 5°18′E

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