Dalhem facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dalhem Dålem  (Walloon)
Municipality
Coat of arms
Dalhem Location in Belgium
Country	Belgium
Community	French Community
Region	Wallonia
Province	Liège
Arrondissement	Liège
Area
• Total	36.06 km2 (13.92 sq mi)
Population  (2018-01-01)Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
• Total	Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1,575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Postal codes	4606-4608
Area codes	04
Website	www.dalhem.be

Dalhem is a town in Wallonia, a region in Belgium. It is located in the province of Liège. The name Dalhem comes from a Germanic word meaning "place of residence in the valley."

As of January 1, 2012, Dalhem had a population of 6,996 people. The total area of the municipality is about 36 square kilometers. This means there are about 180 people living in each square kilometer.

What is Dalhem?

Dalhem is a municipality, which is like a local government area. It includes several smaller towns and villages. These districts are Berneau, Bombaye, Dalhem, Feneur, Mortroux, Neufchâteau, Saint-André, and Warsage.

The current municipality of Dalhem was created in 1977. This happened when many smaller Belgian towns joined together. The historic Château de Wodémont is also located within this municipality.

Dalhem's Past

Dalhem has a long and interesting history. Around the year 1080, a strong fortress was built here. It stood on a high rock where two rivers, the Berwijn and Bolland, met.

Becoming a County

Dalhem started to grow a lot in the 12th century. Around 1180, some local leaders, called "lords of Voeren," moved to Dalhem. They then began to call themselves "lords of Dalhem." Later, their lands were given to the Count of Hochstaden. This made Dalhem an important county.

The town of Dalhem became the main center for the county. It was where the government was run. However, the legal power stayed in a nearby place called 's-Gravenvoeren.

Losing Independence

In 1244, Dalhem lost its independence. It came under the control of the Duchy of Brabant. This happened after the Duke of Brabant defeated the last count of Dalhem, Dirk van Hochstaden. From then on, a special official called a bailiff ruled Dalhem for the duke.

Dalhem, along with two other areas, was known as the 'Lands of Overmaas'. Sometimes, the region of Limburg was also included. Together, these areas were sometimes called the 'Province of Limburg'. Dalhem remained the capital of its county until 1797.

Changes in Control

In 1648, the Netherlands was divided. One part was controlled by Spain, and the other was an independent country called the Dutch Republic. On December 26, 1661, Dalhem and its castle became part of the Dutch Republic's territory. This was due to a special agreement called the Partagetraktaat.

The Dutch found the coal mines around Dalhem very important for their economy. The castle also served as a good military base. In 1665, Robert van Ittersum built the town hall in Dalhem. You can still see a special lion symbol above its gate today. The town hall has been updated several times since then.

A New Ruler

On November 8, 1785, another treaty was signed. This one was between Austria and the Dutch Republic. A large part of Dalhem, including the town, was given to Austria. In return, the Dutch Republic received parts of Austrian Valkenburg. This meant Dalhem became part of the Southern Austrian Netherlands. Many people in Dalhem were happy about this change. They felt it gave them more religious freedom, as the previous rulers had strict rules for Catholics.

World Wars and French Rule

In August 1914, at the start of World War I, the village of Warsage was one of the first places captured by the German army. Sadly, six Belgian civilians were killed by the German Army as a punishment on the first day of the occupation.

Later, in 1797, the French Republic took control of the Southern Netherlands, including Dalhem. Dalhem became part of a new area called the 'department of Ourthe'. This area later became the province of Liège during the time of the United Netherlands.

Sports in Dalhem

If you like rugby union, there's a team called Coq Mosan. They play in the village of Berneau, which is part of the Dalhem municipality.

Famous People from Dalhem

• Albert Thys (1849–1915): A businessman who worked in the Belgian Congo.
• Henri Francotte (1856–1918): A historian who studied ancient times. He was also the mayor of Dalhem.
• Roger Claessen (1941–1982): A well-known football player.

Images for kids

See also

In Spanish: Dalhem para niños