Kerpen

Kerpen is the most populated town in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany). It is located about 20 kilometres southwest from Cologne.

For other uses, see Kerpen (disambiguation).
Kerpen
Bergerhausen Castle
Coat of arms
Location of Kerpen within Rhein-Erft-Kreis district
Mettmann (district)Rhein-Erft-KreisNorth Rhine-WestphaliaHeinsberg (district)Rhein-Kreis NeussCologneWesselingRhein-Sieg-KreisDüren (district)Euskirchen (district)PulheimBergheimErftstadtHürthKerpenBedburgBrühlFrechenElsdorf
Kerpen
Kerpen
Coordinates: 50°52′19″N 6°41′46″E
CountryGermany
StateNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. regionKöln
DistrictRhein-Erft-Kreis
Subdivisions9
Government
 • MayorDieter Spürck (CDU)
Area
 • Total113.94 km2 (43.99 sq mi)
Elevation
95 m (312 ft)
Population
 (2018-12-31)[1]
 • Total66,206
 • Density580/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Time zoneCET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes
50169, 50170, 50171
Dialling codes02237 (Balkhausen, Brüggen, Kerpen, Türnich),
02273 (Horrem, Neu-Bottenbroich, Sindorf),
02275 (Blatzheim, Buir, Manheim, Manheim-neu)
Vehicle registrationBM
Loersfeld Palace
Palace Loersfeld around 1860, Edition by Alexander Duncker
Loersfeld Palace

Division of the town

The town of Kerpen was created in 1975, when the previously independent municipalities Balkhausen, Blatzheim, Brüggen, Buir, Horrem, Kerpen, Manheim, Mödrath, Sindorf and Türnich were merged.

Monuments

Notable people

Kerpen is famous as the birthplace of such luminaries as Catholic priest and social reformer Adolph Kolping (8 December 1813 – 4 December 1865), Karlheinz Stockhausen (22 August 1928 – 5 December 2007), pioneer of electronic music composition, and Formula One motor racing driver Wolfgang von Trips (4 May 1928 – 10 September 1961.) More infamously, Kerpen was the birthplace of Christman Genipperteinga, a 16th century serial killer who reputedly murdered 964 people. In more recent times two former residents, the brothers Michael and Ralf Schumacher, have emulated von Trips in achieving success in Formula One. Patrice Bart-Williams is an acclaimed reggae artist.

Education

In 2008, Gymnasium der Stadt Kerpen was considered the largest school in Germany.[2]

Twinned cities

Since 1993, Kerpen has been twinned with Oświęcim in Poland, more commonly known by its German name "Auschwitz", site of the largest of the Nazi concentration camps. The town is also twinned with St. Vith in Belgium.

References
  1. "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden Nordrhein-Westfalens am 31. Dezember 2018" (in German). Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  2. "Die wohl größte Schule in Deutschland". ksta.de (in German). Retrieved 19 October 2019.
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