Maubeuge

History

Maubeuge (ancient Malbodium, from Latin, derived from the Old Frankish name Malboden, meaning "assizes of Boden") owes its origin to Maubeuge Abbey, a double monastery, for men and women, founded in the 7th century by Saint Aldego, the relics of whom are preserved in the church. It subsequently belonged to the territory of Hainaut.

The town was part of the Spanish Netherlands and changed hands a number of times before it was finally ceded to France in the 1678 Treaty of Nijmegen. As part of Vauban's pré carré plan that protected France's northern borders with a double line of fortresses, it was extensively fortified as directed by Louis XIV of France.

Besieged in 1793 by Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, it was relieved by the victory of Wattignies, which is commemorated by a monument in the town. It was unsuccessfully besieged in 1814, but was compelled to capitulate, after a vigorous resistance, in the Hundred Days.

As a fortress, Maubeuge has an old enceinte of bastion trace which serves as the center of an important entrenched camp of 18 miles perimeter. The fortress was constructed after the War of 1870 but has since been modernized and augmented.

The forts were besieged in World War I by the German Empire. Maubeuge suffered heavily in World War II: 90% of the town centre was destroyed by bombardments in May 1940. Fighting again occurred in early September 1944, in and around the outskirts of Maubeuge, involving units of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division during the American push toward Belgium.

After the war the town was rebuilt: the new buildings culminated in the new Hôtel de Ville which was completed in 1970.

Heraldry

Or, 4 lions, 2 in bend sable armed and langued gules, 2 in bend sinister gules armed and langued azure, in chief an eagle sable beaked langued membered and armed gules, overall a crozier Or bendwise.

Geography

Climate

Maubeuge has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). The average annual temperature in Maubeuge is 10.6 C. The average annual rainfall is 880.8 mm with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around 18.5 C, and lowest in January, at around 3.2 C. The highest temperature ever recorded in Maubeuge was 37.5 C on 7 August 2003; the coldest temperature ever recorded was -17.5 C on 16 January 1985.

|Jan record high C = 15.0 |Feb record high C = 18.2 |Mar record high C = 24.9 |Apr record high C = 29.5 |May record high C = 32.0 |Jun record high C = 33.5 |Jul record high C = 35.5 |Aug record high C = 37.5 |Sep record high C = 34.5 |Oct record high C = 25.6 |Nov record high C = 19.5 |Dec record high C = 17.0 |Jan record low C = -17.5 |Feb record low C = -13.7 |Mar record low C = -12.5 |Apr record low C = -6.0 |May record low C = -2.0 |Jun record low C = -1.5 |Jul record low C = 3.3 |Aug record low C = 4.0 |Sep record low C = 0.0 |Oct record low C = -5.0 |Nov record low C = -11.5 |Dec record low C = -13.5 | access-date = September 7, 2022}}}}

Population

| graph-pos = bottom |1793 |4841 |1800 |4726 |1806 |5020 |1821 |5736 |1831 |6240 |1836 |6363 |1841 |7431 |1846 |7328 |1851 |7719 |1856 |8663 |1861 |10557 |1866 |10877 |1872 |13234 |1876 |14398 |1881 |17221 |1886 |18329 |1891 |18863 |1896 |19799 |1901 |20826 |1906 |21520 |1911 |23209 |1921 |21173 |1926 |23338 |1931 |24221 |1936 |23622 |1946 |20859 |1954 |24215 |1962 |27214 |1968 |32028 |1975 |35399 |1982 |36061 |1990 |34989 |1999 |33546 |2007 |32667 |2012 |30994 |2017 |29944

Economy

There are important foundries, forges and blast furnaces, together with manufactures of machine tools and porcelain.

The town has a board of trade arbitration, a communal college, a commercial and industrial school.

Transport

Being close to the Belgian border, Maubeuge station has two lines to Belgium: one leading North towards Mons, the other Eastbound to Charleroi. Neither have seen passenger service for several years; however, from December 2018 a limited service to Namur via Charleroi was announced. Trains to the South-West are frequent.

The nearest airports are Charleroi Airport, located 64 km north east, Lille Airport, located 83 km north west and Brussels Airport, located 103 km north of Maubeuge.

Tour de France

Maurice Garin, the winner of the inaugural 1903 Tour de France, began his cycling career in 1892 with the local Maubeuge cycling club, when he finished fifth in the 200 km Maubeuge-Hirson-Maubeuge race. In 2003, on the 100th anniversary of his win, he was commemorated with a street named after him.

Notable people

• Leandre Griffit, footballer
• Jan Gossaert, painter
• Benjamin Pavard, footballer
• Benjamin Saint-Huile, politician
• Kevin Van Den Kerkhof, footballer
• André Lurçat, architect

Sources

• http://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/1stinfantry/

Footnotes

References

1. (2 December 2020). "Répertoire national des élus: les maires".
2. [https://www.insee.fr/fr/metadonnees/geographie/commune/59392-maubeuge INSEE commune file]
3. "Treaty of Peace between France and Spain, signed at Nimeguen, 17 September 1678".
4. "The First! The Story of the 1st Infantry Division: WWII G.I. Stories Booklet (Lone Sentry)".
5. [http://www.ville-maubeuge.fr/php/decouvrir/histoire_1940_1944.php Official site of the town of Maubeuge] {{Webarchive. link. (3 February 2011 {{in lang). fr
6. "Hôtel de ville de Maubeuge". PSS Architecture.
7. {{Cassini-Ehess. 21595. Maubeuge
8. [https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-59392#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE
9. (29 June 2018). "NMBS lanciert nieuwe klassieke treinverbinding tussen Waalse steden en Parijs".
10. [http://www.lepays.net/jdj/01/02/20/MA/1/article_1.html Journal L'Alsace-Le Pays, 20 February 2001, Profile of Maurice Garin] {{webarchive. link. (1 November 2005)