Kempen (Germany) Facts for Kids

Kempen is a charming town in Germany. It's located in the Viersen district of North Rhine-Westphalia. The town is about 30 km northwest of Düsseldorf. It's also 20 km east of Venlo. Long ago, Kempen was famous for making textiles. They produced silk, cotton, and linen.

Just a heads-up: don't mix up this Kempen with a place called Kempen in Posen. That one is now Kepno in Poland!

Famous People from Kempen
Kempen's History Through the Ages
Images for kids
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Famous People from Kempen

Thomas à Kempis

Kempen is the birthplace of Thomas à Kempis. He was a German-Dutch canon regular. This means he was a member of a religious community. He lived during the late medieval period.

Thomas à Kempis wrote a very famous book. It's called The Imitation of Christ. This book is one of the most popular Christian books ever. His name, "Thomas à Kempis," simply means Thomas "from Kempen."

In 1836, the Thomas Society was started in Kempen. Its goal was to remember Thomas à Kempis. Later, in the 20th century, two more groups were created. The Thomas Foundation started in 1979. The Thomas Archive opened in 1987. You can find the archive in the Cultural Forum at the Franciscan Monastery.

Kempen's History Through the Ages

Kempen has a long and interesting history. Here are some important dates:

1186: Kempen is first mentioned in official papers. The Archbishop of Cologne was in charge until 1794.
1290: The town of Kempen was rebuilt. It became a fortified town with strong walls.
1294: Kempen was officially recognized as a town. This was confirmed in official documents.
15th century: This was a great time for Kempen. The town grew rich and its culture bloomed. About 4,200 people lived there.
1542: Kempen became a center for the Reformation in the Lower Rhine area. This was a big religious change.
1579: A terrible plague hit Kempen. It caused almost half of the people to die.
1642: During the "Hessen War," Kempen was attacked. French, Hessian, and Weimar troops conquered and destroyed parts of the town. This was part of the Thirty Years' War.
1794-1814: Kempen was under French rule. It became a French town in 1801.
1815: After the Congress of Vienna, Kempen became part of Prussia. It was made a county seat.
1970: Many smaller communities joined Kempen. These included Hüls, St. Hubert, Tönisberg, and Schmalbroich. Also, St. Peter and Unterweiden became part of the town.
1975: Some local areas were reorganized again. Hüls became part of Krefeld. The Viersen county was formed, and Kempen joined "Kreis Viersen."
1984: The main county office moved from Kempen to Viersen.
1987: A cultural center opened in the Franciscan monastery. This happened after a lot of repair work.
1994: Kempen celebrated a big birthday! It was 700 years since it was officially recognized as a town.