Almelo

History

The name Almelo comes from the Germanic words alma (which means elm) and lauha.

The city had a moat, but no walls, and therefore never held any military significance. Huis Almelo (Almelo House) likely existed since the 12th century and remains in the hands of the Van Rechteren Limpurg family to this day. For centuries, the family held various rights in the city of Almelo, including the right to administer justice.

After the then lord of Almelo, Zeger van Rechteren (1623-1674) banned the practice of Catholicism in 1664, the nuns of the St. Catherine Monastery in Almelo left in 1665 and settled 300 meters across the German border, just southwest of Glane in the Netherlands, in a monastery they named Maria Vlucht (Maria Flight). After the monastery was closed, the church treasures were dispersed throughout the region.

At the end of the 19th century, textile emerged as a major employer and drew many workers to Almelo, at first from within the Netherlands.

The municipality of Almelo was formed from a merger (1914) between the municipalities of Ambt Almelo and Stad Almelo.

World War II

During World War II, Almelo was one of the locations where the Twente raid took place in September 1941. Ten Jewish men were arrested in Almelo and perished in the Mauthausen concentration camp. A monument commemorating the 242 Jews from Almelo who died, as well as those who hid them, stands in the Almelo Jewish cemetery.

On 15 November 1944, eight resistance fighters against the Reichskommissariat Niederlande regime robbed the De Nederlandsche Bank (Dutch Central Bank) on Wierdensestraat. The loot amounted to 46.1 million guilders, the largest haul ever during a robbery in the Netherlands.

After war

Since the 1960s workers from Spain and Turkey came to Almelo. The first mosque of the Netherlands was built in Almelo in 1976 for the Turkish population of the city. Almelo also has a sizeable number of Armenians who built their own Armenian Apostolic Church in 2003.

In the 1970s the industry dwindled and most factories were relocated to countries with cheaper labour. Some factories remain in the city centre and are now in use for apartments or offices.

Geography

Economy

Currently, a major employer in Almelo is Urenco Nederland. This is a uranium enrichment plant which uses the gas centrifuge method and produces uranium with about five percent U-235, for nuclear reactors. An industrial bakery, Bolletje, Malvern Panalytical, the Stichting Ziekenhuisgroep Twente (a hospital) and the regional court are also major employers.

Demographics

As of 2020, Almelo has a total population of about 73,107. The city has a significant Turkish population.

Transport

Football

Heracles Almelo, a professional football club playing in the Eredivisie is based in Almelo.

Cycling

Since 1983 Almelo has organised the Profronde van Almelo, an elite men's and women's professional road bicycle racing event.

Notable people

• Catharina Julia Roeters van Lennep (1813–1883) a Dutch artist
• Bertha Tideman-Wijers (1887–1976) composer
• Izaak Kolthoff (1894–1993) an analytical chemist and chemistry educator
• Judith Ledeboer OBE (1901–1990) architect
• Evert Willem Beth (1908–1964) philosopher and logician
• Gerritdina Benders-Letteboer (1909–1980) an active member of the Dutch Resistance
• Wubbo Ockels (1946–2014) a physicist and astronaut of the European Space Agency
• Herman Finkers (born 1954) comedian, known for his friendly, dry-witted humour
• Tom Egbers (born 1957) a Dutch English journalist, writer and TV presenter
• Liesbeth van Tongeren (born 1958) a Dutch politician, Director of Greenpeace Netherlands 2003–2010, grew up in Almelo
• Hero Brinkman (born 1964) a police officer and former Dutch politician
• Jos de Blok (born 1960) founder and CEO of Buurtzorg
• Michiel Veenstra (born 1976) Radio-dj on KINK
• Ilse de Lange (born 1977) a Dutch country and pop rock singer-songwriter
• Loes Haverkort (born 1981) a Dutch movie, TV and theater actress
• Azra Akın (born 1981) Miss Turkey World 2002 and Miss World 2002

Sports

• Kea Bouman (1903 – 1998) female tennis player; only Dutch female tennis player to win a Grand Slam singles tournament
• Lex Mullink (born 1944) a retired rower, bronze medallist at the 1964 Summer Olympics
• Hendrie Krüzen (born 1964) football midfielder, over 500 club caps
• Brian van Loo (born 1975) retired soccer goalkeeper, 261 club caps
• Marnix Smit (born 1975) retired soccer player, 231 club caps with Heracles Almelo
• Arnold Bruggink (born 1977) retired soccer player, 447 club caps
• Mark Looms (born 1981) soccer player, 329 club caps
• Kirsten Wild (born 1982) track and road race cyclist; multiple National Champion
• Marc Höcher (born 1984) a Dutch football player with over 350 club caps
• Dennis Kuipers (born 1985) a Dutch rally driver
• Anouk Dekker (born 1986) a Dutch footballer with over 250 club caps
• Maret Balkestein-Grothues (born 1988) a Dutch volleyball player
• Maud Roetgering (born 1992) a football defender 184 caps with FC Twente Vrouwen
• Bent Viscaal (born 1999) a Dutch racing driver

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Almelo is twinned with:

Gallery

File:Sint Georgiuskerk Almelo.JPG|The Catholic St. Georgius church in Almelo File:Almelo - Sculptuur op de hoek van de Oranjestraat en de Molenstraat - 1.jpg|Almelo - Sculptuur op de hoek van de Oranjestraat en de Molenstraat File:Huize Almelo.jpg|Huize Almelo File:Almelo, spoorviadukt bij de Wierdensestraat foto2 2012-09-10 13.01.jpg|Almelo, spoorviadukt bij de Wierdensestraat File:Afbeelding 403Aadorp22-12-2007.jpg|Afbeelding File:Almelo, sculptuur van een vogel bij het Marktplein IMG 5768 2020-05-31 13.14.jpg|Bird sculpture by artist Anne Wenzel at the Marktplein File:Almelo, restaurant in voormalige fabriek IMG 5759 2020-05-31 13.00.jpg|Restaurant in former factory File:Almelo, het Twentekanaal (zijkanaal naar Almelo) vanaf de Wierdensebrug IMG 5748 2020-05-31 12.37.jpg|Twentekanaal (branch to Almelo)

References

References

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2. {{Dutch municipality population. dataref
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7. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130128024345/http://www.oudvriezenveen.nl/hmv/dgoorlogbankoverval.html Vereniging Oud Vriezenveen] oudvriezenveen.nl (gearchiveerd)
8. "Ontstaan Armeense Kerk Almelo - Onze Kerk".
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10. "CBS Statline".
11. (2023-06-09). "Lots of information about the municipality of Almelo".
12. "Almelo (Municipality, Overijssel, Netherlands) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location".
13. (2023-09-29). "Armeniërs in Almelo voelen zich in de steek gelaten: "De wereld kijkt gewoon toe"".
14. [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250760/ IMDb Database] retrieved 25 October 2019
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16. [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1538020/ IMDb Database] retrieved 25 October 2019