Gronau, North Rhine-Westphalia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gronau
Saint Anthony Church
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. region	Münster
District	Borken
First mentioned	1365
Elevation	27 m (89 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	49,824
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	48599
Dialling codes	+49 (0)2562 +49 (0)2565 (Epe)
Vehicle registration	BOR
Website	www.gronau.de

Gronau (officially Gronau (Westf.)) is a town in Germany. It is located in the Borken district within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Gronau is very close to the border with the Netherlands, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of the Dutch city of Enschede. The town is split into two main parts: Gronau and Epe.

A Look at Gronau's Past

Early Records and Growth

The first official mention of Gronau in historical documents was in the year 1365. The district of Epe is even older, first appearing in records from 1188.

A big change came to Gronau with the start of the Industrial Revolution. The first textile factory opened in 1854. Many investors from the Netherlands helped this textile industry grow quickly. By 1875, new railway lines connected Gronau to important cities like Münster, Dortmund, and Enschede.

Developing the Town

As the textile industry grew, so did Gronau. A building association, the Gronauer Bauverein, was started in 1893 to help build more homes. Before World War I, many important buildings were constructed. These included a new town hall, a district court, and the Saint Anthony parish church. Schools, hospitals, a swimming pool, waterworks, and an electricity plant were also built. The city park was created for everyone to enjoy.

Gronau officially became a town on December 27, 1897. This meant it had special rights and its own local government.

Difficult Times and Mergers

During the night of November 9 to 10, 1938, a sad event known as "Reichsprogromnacht" occurred. The synagogue in Wallstraße was damaged during the persecution of Jewish people. Sadly, most Jewish residents from Gronau and Epe were later sent away to terrible camps. Today, there is still a Jewish cemetery in Gronau. In the Epe district, the old Jewish synagogue is being rebuilt to become a cultural center for the community.

In 1975, the town of Gronau and the nearby municipality of Epe joined together. They became one larger municipality, still called Gronau. The textile industry, which had been so important, ended when the van Delden Group went out of business in 1980-1981.

Culture and Music in Gronau

JazzFest Gronau logo

The Annual JazzFest

Since 1989, Gronau has hosted an exciting annual music event called the Jazzfest Gronau. This festival brings together many talented musicians from Germany and around the world. Famous artists like Jan Garbarek, McCoy Tyner, Al Di Meola, and Gregory Porter have performed here.

The Jazzfest is supported by local and regional sponsors. It attracts a growing audience each year. Between 12,000 and 18,000 people attend the festival, including the outdoor concerts. About 65% of the visitors come from other countries, showing how popular it is.

Getting Around Gronau

Roads, Rails, and Airports

Gronau is easy to reach by road. Major highways like the A 30 and A 31 connect to the town. The Dutch Rijksweg 35 and the German Bundesstraße B 54n also lead to Gronau.

The Gronau (Westf) railway station connects Gronau by train to Enschede in the Netherlands. It also links to cities like Dortmund and Münster in Germany. For air travel, the closest airports are Münster Osnabrück Airport and Enschede Airport Twente. However, Enschede Airport Twente does not have regular flights.

Overview map of Gronau and Epe

Famous People from Gronau

Many interesting people have connections to Gronau. The Dutch singer Rania Zeriri lives here. The Polish tennis player Agnieszka Radwańska grew up in Gronau. Her father was a tennis coach at the local club. Blaise Nkufo, a Swiss football player, also lived in Gronau. Klaus Vogelgesang, a German artist, grew up in the town.

Born in Gronau

Several notable individuals were born right here in Gronau:

• Winfried Berkemeier (born 1953), a footballer.
• Bernd Düker (born 1992), another footballer.
• Rolf Eckrodt (born 1942), who was the CEO of Mitsubishi Motors from 2001 to 2005.
• Tim Hölscher (born 1995), a footballer.
• Cengiz Koç (born 1977), a former German heavyweight boxer.
• Erich Lindenberg (1938–2006), a painter and the older brother of Udo Lindenberg.
• Udo Lindenberg (born 1946), a very famous German singer and musician.
• Gregor Luthe (born 1970 in Epe), a scientist who works as a chemist, toxicologist, and inventor.
• Jens Wissing (born 1988), a football player.

(in German)

Twin Towns – Sister Cities

Twin towns or sister cities are a way for cities in different countries to form special bonds. They often share culture and learn from each other. Gronau is twinned with:

• Bromsgrove, England, United Kingdom
• Epe, Netherlands
• Mezőberény, Hungary

See also

In Spanish: Gronau (Borken) para niños