The most important gateway into and out of western Germany, Aachen (in French, Aix-la-Chapelle) is located close to the point where the borders of The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany meet. The ancient Romans, who treasured this city, built luxurious bathhouses around the local hot sulfur springs. - The cathedral in Aachen, Germany, and the throne of Charlemagne.
After Charlemagne's death Norman invaders partially destroyed the cathedral, but it was restored by Emperor Otto III in 983. According to tradition, Otto opened Charlemagne's tomb and, to his amazement and terror, saw the body sitting upright in a huge marble chair, clothed in white robes, holding a scepter and wearing a crown. Frightened by the sight, Otto had the tomb closed. It remained untouched until it was reopened by Frederick I (Barbarossa) 169 years later. He removed the chair, crown, and scepter. They were used in the coronation ceremonies of 32 succeeding Holy Roman emperors. In the 14th century Aachen, then an important member of the Hanseatic League, controlled the territory between the Meuse and the Rhine rivers. Three congresses of European powers were held in the city. The first, in 1668, ended the War of Devolution between France and Spain. The second (1748) decided peace terms for the War of the Austrian Succession. The objective of the third (1818) was to bring order out of the chaotic period that followed the Napoleonic wars. Toward the close of the 19th century, the development of rich coal deposits in the nearby hills transformed the city into an important industrial and railroad center. Soon many kinds of iron and steel products, textiles, glass, and leather were manufactured. The city's peaceful commercial role changed in 1914, when the Germans launched from Aachen their surprise attack on Belgium at the beginning of World War I. In 1940, it was again one of the vantage points from which Nazi armies overran Belgium and The Netherlands in World War II. Its strategic position as Germany's westernmost city, as well as its network of highways and railway lines, made it a target for attack by the Allies at the start of their victorious march into Germany in 1944. Adolph Hitler signed a “death sentence” for the city by sending a no-surrender order to the troops that were defending it. Aachen was finally captured by United States Army divisions on Oct. 20, 1944, after a savage battering by American artillery. It was the first large German city to fall to the Allies. Charlemagne's cathedral, from which his relics had been removed to safety, was one of the few buildings still standing after the war. Although badly damaged, it has been restored. Aachen manufactures iron and steel, textiles, and glass. Other manufactured items are machinery and needles and pins. (See also Germany.) Population (1999), 243,600. |