Bergheim, North Rhine-Westphalia

Geography

Bergheim is about 22 km west of Cologne, approximately 72 metres above sea level. Its highest point is the Glessener Höhe (Glessen Height) at 204 metres. The Erft River flows through Bergheim. The town lies in the Zülpicher Börde, which belongs to the Kölner Bucht. Economically and geographically Bergheim is in the Rhenish lignite coalfield.

History

There is a burial hill in Niederaußem, dating from about 4000 BC. Romans settled in Bergheim around 50 BC. They constructed the major Roman road, the Via Belgica, that crossed the area where Bergheim is today. Later the Franks took control over the region. In the Middle Ages, Bergheim was granted city rights and later became part of the County of Jülich. In the 19th and 20th centuries Bergheim grew rapidly through the settlement of industry based on the local lignite coal. In World War II, the Wesseling synthetic oil plant was bombed during the Oil Campaign of World War II. Then in April 1944, a large underground plant for synthetic oil manufactured from lignite was set up outside Bergheim.

Districts

• Ahe
• Auenheim
• Bergheim-Mitte
• Büsdorf
• Fliesteden
• Glesch
• Glessen
• Kenten
• Niederaußem
• Oberaußem
• Paffendorf
• Quadrath-Ichendorf
• Rheidt-Hüchelhoven
• Thorr
• Zieverich

Points of interest

Points of interest are the Niederaussem Power Station with the world's tallest cooling tower as well as the Kottenforst-Ville Nature Park.

Notable people

• Gerhard Fieseler (1896–1987), fighter pilot in the First World War and aircraft constructor (Gerhard-Fieseler-Werke)
• Günter Grass (1927–2015), writer, Nobel Prize 1999, lived in Bergheim-Oberaussem for several years after the end of the World War II
• Sarah Kreuz (born 1989), singer, second place with DSDS
• The footballer Lukas Podolski grew up in Bergheim, played in the youth team of FC Jugend 07 Bergheim from 1991 onwards. In 1995 he changed to the D-youth of the 1. FC Köln
• Michael Schumacher (born 1969), Formula 1 racing driver and seven-time world champion, attended the Geschwister-Scholl-Realschule in Bergheim
• Lukas Sinkiewicz (born 1985), footballer
• Victoria Ulbrich (born 1992), singer and former band member of Queensberry

Twin towns – sister cities

Bergheim is twinned with:

• BEL Andenne, Belgium
• FRA Chauny, France

References

http://www.wiktorp.cku.szkola.pl/Bergheim/Bergheim.htm

References

1. [https://wahlen.kdvz-frechen.de/kdvz/buewbergheim2017/05362008/html5/Buergermeisterwahl_NRW_105_Gemeinde_Kreisstadt_Bergheim.html Bürgermeisterwahl Kreisstadt Bergheim 25.06.2017], accessed 29 June 2021.
2. (February 6, 1945). "Meeting No. 45/6". Enemy Oil Intelligence Committee.
3. (2018-01-31). "STEK BM 2035: Dokumentation Ergebnisse Stadtdialog 1. Phase "Wo steht Bergheim heute?"". Bergheim.