Stolberg (Rhineland)

Stolberg (German pronunciation: [ˈʃtɔlbɛʁk]) is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It has a long history as an industrial town and belongs to the district Aachen and the lower district court of Eschweiler.

Geography

Stolberg is located approximately 5 km east of Aachen in a valley at the fringes of the Eifel which begins in the East with the Hürtgenwald and in the South in the municipality of Monschau. In the North Stolberg borders Eschweiler.

The core of Stolberg is commonly divided into Unterstolberg (Lower Stolberg) and Oberstolberg (Upper Stolberg) which includes most of the old parts of Stolberg. Other parts of Stolberg are Atsch, Büsbach, Donnerberg, Münsterbusch. In addition the villages of Breinig, Dorff, Gressenich, Mausbach, Schevenhütte, Venwegen, Vicht, Werth, and Zweifall have been incorporated into Stolberg.

History

Stolberg is first mentioned in documents from the 12th century. It became an important centre of brass production when Protestant brass producers resettled to Stolberg from Aachen around 1600 to escape religious persecution and economic restrictions. Accordingly the nickname of Stolberg Die Kupferstadt (the Copper City) does not indicate a connection of Stolberg with copper but derives from yellow copper, another term for brass. The Kupferhöfe (Copper yards), which were originally the locations of brass production and later developed into the mansions of the brass producers, reflect the influence those brass producers had on Stolberg and its economy.

Stolberg lost its importance in the brass production when pure metallic Zinc became available in the middle of the 19th century. Many brass producers moved into other industries, especially the glass and textile industries, or specialized in the mass production of haberdashery.

Stolberg belonged to the Duchy of Jülich until 1794 when it was occupied by France and became part of the Canton of Eschweiler in the Département de la Roer. After the Congress of Vienna, in 1815, Stolberg became part of the Kingdom of Prussia.

Stolberg acquired sad fame in the 1960s as the residence of the Contergan producer Grünenthal. Because of the heavy industry, there has been two diseases named after Stolberg: the 'Gressenich cadmium cattle dying' and the 'Stolberg lead children'.

Stolberg has a significant ultra-right history, e.g. as the headquarters of Wiking-Jugend from 1967 to 1991 and as a place of NPD activities. There are still three Neonazis in the town's parliament.

Main sights

The town's landmark is a castle which was rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century at the location of the former medieval castle of Stolberg. Other remarkable old buildings are the Kupferhöfe (Copper yards) and the old town in general.

At the eastern border of the territory of Stolberg is the Wehebachtalsperre (Beck Wehe reservoir) which includes a lookout point.

Sports teams

Stolberg has several football, handball, gymnastics, swimming, tennis clubs and a few traditional shooting clubs.

Other sports clubs include the gliding club Luftsportverein Stolberg, situated at the Diepenlinchen Airfield and the regionally successful artistic cycling club RSC Münsterbusch.

Notable natives

• Viktor Holtz, teacher
• Karl Fred Dahmen, painter
• Heinz Bennent, actor
• LaFee, singer

Transport

Although Stolberg lacks direct Autobahn access, the next autobahns are easily accessible via the neighbouring towns of Aachen and Eschweiler. Stolberg Hauptbahnhof (central station) is on the Cologne–Aachen railway and served by a Regional-Express train every half hour. Several smaller stations in the centre of Stolberg are connected to Aachen, Alsdorf, Eschweiler, Dutch Heerlen and Herzogenrath by the euregiobahn, a slower regional train.

Sister cities

• Faches-Thumesnil, France, since 1989
• Valognes, France, since 1990/1991
• Stolberg, Germany, since 1990

Friendship

• Grado, Italy, since 1968

See also

• Stolberg (Harz)
• Stollberg

References

External links

• Official town website
• The old town of Stolberg