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| Huertgenwald | ||
| federal state | North Rhine-Westphalia | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 8.706 (2019) | |
| height | 380 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Huertgenwald is a community in North Rhine-Westphalia.
background
The municipality of Hürtgenwald is located in the German - Belgian nature park Hohes Venn - Eifel and has been a national park municipality of the Eifel National Park since 1.1.2004.
It was formed through the voluntary amalgamation of the formerly independent municipalities of Bergstein, Brandenberg, Gey, Großhau, Hürtgen, Kleinhau and Straß with effect from July 1st, 1969.
As part of the municipal reorganization, the municipality of Hürtgenwald was created in its current size on January 1st, 1972 through the merger with the former municipality of Vossenack from the former district of Monschau.
The name Hürtgenwald is identical to the name of the large forest area in the closer and wider area of the village of Hürtgen. This forest area became known worldwide in connection with the heavy fighting of the Second World War in the winter of 1944/45 and achieved notoriety.
Districts
- in the Rurtal: Zerkall
- In the valley of the Kall: Simonskall
- Bergstein, Brandenberg, Vossenack, Germeter, Hürtgen,
1 Kleinhau, 2 Großhau, Strass, Gey, Raffelsbrand, Horm
Neighboring communities
- Longing (Local traffic takes you with regional bus or RTB via Düren, from there with regional train)
- Düren (Direct connections with regional bus or Rurtalbahn, takes 1/2 hour)
- Kreuzau (Direct connection from Zerkall with RTB, otherwise bus connection via Düren, from there you can continue with buses or the RTB)
- Stolberg (Rhineland) (Local traffic takes you with regional bus or RTB via Düren, from there with regional train)
- Nideggen (The district of Brück is served by the Rurtalbahn; otherwise there is a bus connection via Düren)
- Simmerath (On school days there is a direct bus connection from Vossenack, otherwise you drive via Düren and Aachen and takes over 2 hours).
getting there
Airports
- Cologne Bonn Airport: Travel time over Düren to Kleinhau by train and bus: just under 2 hours
- Düsseldorf International Airport: Travel time over Düren to Kleinhau by train and bus: approx. 2 hours
- Maastricht / Aachen airport: Travel time over Düren to Kleinhau by train and bus: 2 1/2 hours
- Liege Airport: Travel time over Düren to Kleinhau by train and bus: 2 1/2 hours
Railways and buses
- Zerkall is from the Rurtalbahn Düren and Heimbach served.
- The Obermaubach RTB stop is closer than Zerkall from many districts (6 km by bike to Kleinhau, or 5 km on foot, with inclines in both directions)
- Otherwise the districts are made with regional buses Düren (Bus route 286 Düren ZOB - Vossenack), there are also individual IC services. Düren is 12 km away from Kleinhau, from Düren there are moderate inclines, sloping in the opposite direction.
- The ICE / Thalys stop Aachen is 50 km away; Gradients are to be expected in both directions.
In the street
B 399 Düren - Monschau crosses Hürtgenwald
By boat
The Rur is only conditionally suitable for canoeing between Heimbach and Obermaubach passable (according to Zerkall).
By bicycle
- The RurUfer cycle path reaches the district of Zerkall.
- The Kalltal cycle path runs predominantly in the municipality of Hürtgenwald. The upper end point, above the Kalltalsperre, is in the area of the neighboring municipality Simmerath, at the lower end point in Zerkall it connects to the Rur-Ufer-Radweg. The Kalltal cycle path enables the ascent in Venn foreland with only moderate inclines. It has a total length of about 30 km.
mobility
- The districts Kleinhau, Brandenberg and Bergstein are connected by individual trips on bus route 286.
- The districts Gey, Großhau, Kleinhau, Hürtgen and Vossenack are connected by bus line 286.
- There are also direct journeys between the districts of Hürtgen and Bergstein.
- A direct connection between the districts Zerkall and Bergstein (5 km direct distance) does not exist. You have to take bus line 286 to Düren and then with the Rurtalbahn (RTB) to Zerkall, duration at least 1 3/4 hours.
Tourist Attractions
- 1 Hürtgenwald Peace Museum, Pastor-Dickmann-Str. 23, Vossenack.
Recalls the fighting at Hürtgenwald in 1944 and 1945, especially the "All Souls Battle".Open: Sun 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and by arrangement.Price: The regular admission price is € 3.
- Kalltal with Simonskall. Development partly from the 17th century.
- 2 Wehebachtalsperre
- Rurtal
activities
hike
The local hiking clubs have established a well-marked network of trails; E.g. the historical hiking trail in the Kall valley of the Eifelverein OG Vossenack e.V., which introduces the industrial history of the Kall valley. Guests are always welcome on the hikes organized by the hiking associations. Hiking map No. 2 of the Eifelverein is recommended.
There is an information point for the Eifel National Park in the Zerkall district.
Swimming pools
In the district of Vossenack there is a public outdoor pool, which is heated and open in the summer months.
Canoeing
In the district of Zerkall there is a canoe rental with which you can travel down the Rur.
High ropes course
The Rureifel-Jülicher Börde regional forest office operates a high ropes course in the area of Raffelsbrand. Access from the B 399.
Bike park
A mountain bike course has been set up from Vossenack in the Kall valley to Simonskall. Access via the country road to Simonskall. In the Kall valley, a shuttle bus brings the participants back to the starting point.
Cycling
- Rur-Ufer cycle path
- Kalltal cycle path
shop
In the individual districts there is a small selection of shopping opportunities, in the Kleinhau district an industrial area with two supermarkets and other retail stores has emerged.
kitchen
Eifel specialties are the Döppekooche and the Monschauer Dütchen, which are offered by gastronomy in Simonskall. Otherwise one orientates oneself on the Rhenish cuisine.
The local drink is Els, a wormwood-based topping that is drunk as a herbal bitters. It is available as Vossenacker Els (mostly produced in the private sector) or as Monschauer Els (commercially produced as a distilled mixed product).
nightlife
In a few districts (such as Vossenack, Kleinhau, Hürtgen) there are bars everywhere. Balls are held on the occasion of shooting festivals and carnival. But one cannot speak of a nightlife in the strict sense of the word.
accommodation
The tourist center is in the districts of Vossenack with Simonskall and Zerkall. There are also corresponding accommodations (hotels, guest houses)
health
There are hospitals in Simmerath, Düren, AachenIn the OT Kleinhau, Vossenack and Gey there are general practitioners, in Vossenack a dentist, and a rescue station in the OT Kleinhau.
Practical advice
There are post offices in Vossenack (Fresh Market Luysberg) and Kleinhau (Tobacco Monika Jansen)
trips
- Rur dam Schwammenauel with possibilities for water sports, Rursee shipping
- Nideggen (Castle, old town center)
- Heimbach (Rur reservoir, Hengebach Castle, Mariawald Monastery)
- Monschau (picturesque old town)
literature
The literature mainly focuses on the Siegfried Line and the battle in the Hürtgenwald in 1944/45. From the numerous publications here are some examples (without rating) - Hölle im Hürtgenwald, Adolf Hohenstein & Wolfgang Trees, Triangel Verlag, Aachen, 1981, ISBN 3-922974-01-5 (the classic of the Hürtgenwald literature) - Hürtgenwald 1944/1945 - Military history tour planner, Rainer Monnartz, Helios Verlag Aachen, 2008, ISBN 978-3-938208-68-7
Interesting in this context is a film documentary by the Konejung Foundation: YOU ENTER GERMANY Hürtgenwald - the long war on the Westwall, Rheinische Edition, ISBN 978-3-935221-90-0
Web links
http://www.huertgenwald.de - Official website of Hürtgenwald
