# Viersen

Viersen (German pronunciation: ; Limburgish: Veeëse) is the capital of the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

## Geography

Viersen is situated approximately 8 km north-west of Mönchengladbach, 15 km south-west of Krefeld and 20 km east of Venlo (Netherlands).

### Division of the town

The city of Viersen is made up of three (formerly independent) cities: Süchteln, Dülken and Viersen, which combined in 1970, and one former village, Boisheim, which combined with Viersen in 1968.

## Politics

The current mayor of Viersen is Sabine Anemüller of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) since 2015. The most recent mayoral election was held on 13 September 2020, with a runoff held on 27 September, and the results were as follows:
| Candidate | Candidate | Party | First round | First round | Second round | Second round |
| Candidate | Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| | Christoph Hopp | Christian Democratic Union | 11,438 | 40.5 | 11,572 | 49.2 |
| | Sabine Anemüller | Social Democratic Party | 10,965 | 38.8 | 11,955 | 50.8 |
| | Martina Maaßen | Alliance 90/The Greens | 3,418 | 12.1 |
| | Simon Männersdörfer | The Left | 1,098 | 3.9 |
| | Frank a Campo | Free Democratic Party | 935 | 3.3 |
| | Siegfried Martin | National Democratic Party | 404 | 1.4 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 28,258 | 98.2 | 23,527 | 99.5 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 521 | 1.8 | 118 | 0.5 |
| Total | Total | Total | 28,779 | 100.0 | 23,645 | 100.0 |
| Electorate/voter turnout | Electorate/voter turnout | Electorate/voter turnout | 63,176 | 45.6 | 63,169 | 37.4 |
| Source: City of Viersen (1st round, 2nd round) |||||||

### City council

The Viersen city council governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 13 September 2020, and the results were as follows:
| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/- | Seats | +/- |
| | Christian Democratic Union (CDU) | 11,806 | 41.9 | 1.9 | 22 | 2 |
| | Social Democratic Party (SPD) | 6,669 | 23.7 | 2.3 | 13 | 2 |
| | Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) | 5,491 | 19.5 | 7.9 | 11 | 5 |
| | The Left (Die Linke) | 1,417 | 5.0 | 0.5 | 3 | ±0 |
| | Free Democratic Party (FDP) | 1,343 | 4.8 | 0.1 | 3 | ±0 |
| | Alternative for Germany (AfD) | 1,142 | 4.1 | New | 2 | New |
| | Die PARTEI | 195 | 0.7 | New | 0 | New |
| | National Democratic Party (NPD) | 107 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 28,170 | 98.0 | | | |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 584 | 2.0 | | | |
| Total | Total | 28,754 | 100.0 | | 54 | 2 |
| Electorate/voter turnout | Electorate/voter turnout | 63,176 | 45.5 | 2.1 | | |
| Source: City of Viersen |||||||

## Economy

The company Mars Incorporated (chocolate bars) is situated in one of Viersen's industrial districts named Dülken-Mackenstein.
Kaiser's Tengelmann AG [de] (a big supermarkets chain in Germany) had his headquarter in Viersen, until it was closed in 2010.
Cable manufacturer SAB Bröckskes employs 550 people (430 of them in Viersen-Süchteln).

## Culture
### Recurring events

* Viersen Jazz Festival (International Jazz Festival in Viersen's Festival Hall) 4th weekend each September.
* The World Championships of Carom billiards take place in Viersen's Festival Hall. March
* Big Carnival Parades in all 3 city parts. The one in Dülken is one of the biggest and most traditional Parades in North Rhine-Westphalia. February
* The Dülkener Schöppenmarkt, a type of flea/junk market, which takes place on the day after the last Carnival parade, is one of Germany's biggest. February
* Big free flea market in Viersen's pedestrian zone, where only children are allowed to sell. Biggest market of this type in Germany. Summer
* "Viersen blüht" (Viersen is blooming) is a voluntary initiative which places arrangements and sculptures of flowers all over the city's pedestrian zone. Summer
* International Biker Meeting, organized by the local biker-club "MC Viersen 1980 e.V.". 2nd weekend each September
* Big kite-flying-festival. Autumn

## Main sights

* Viersen sculpture collection
* Städtische Galerie im Park Viersen
* Viersen Bismarck Tower
* Festhalle Viersen

## Transport

Viersen is connected to the region by a dense bus network and Viersen station. The station is served by various local and regional rail lines.

## Notable people

* Gustav von Mevissen (1815–1899), businessman and politician
* Max Nonnenbruch (1857–1922), painter
* Illa Martin (1900–1988), dendrologist, botanist, conservationist and dentist
* Albert Vigoleis Thelen (1903–1989), author and translator
* Hilde Bruch (1904–1984), psychoanalyst
* Erik Martin (1936–2017), writer, songwriter and composer of songs
* Helmut Reisen (born 1950), economist
* Holger Henke (born 1960), political scientist
* Elmar Theveßen (born 1967), TV-journalist and author
* Till Brönner (born 1971), musician, arranger and producer
* Mirja Boes (born 1971), comedian, actress and singer
* Udo Voigt, politician
* Roosevelt (born 1990) music producer and singer
* Tim Stützle (born 2002), professional ice hockey player

## Twin towns – sister cities

Viersen is twinned with:
* Calau, Germany
* Kaniv, Ukraine
* Lambersart, France
* Mittweida, Germany
* Pardesiya, Israel
* Peterborough, England, United Kingdom