Kerpen


Kerpen is the most populated town in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis. It is located about 20 kilometres southwest from Cologne.

Division of the town

The town of Kerpen was created in 1975, when the previously independent municipalities Balkhausen, Blatzheim, Brüggen, Buir, Horrem, Kerpen, Manheim, Mödrath, Sindorf and Türnich were merged.

Monuments

Kerpen is famous as the birthplace of such luminaries as Catholic priest and social reformer Adolph Kolping, Karlheinz Stockhausen, pioneer of electronic music composition, and Formula One motor racing driver Wolfgang von Trips. More infamously, Kerpen was the birthplace of Christman Genipperteinga, a 16th century serial killer who reputedly murdered 964 people. In more recent times two former residents, the brothers Michael and Ralf Schumacher, have emulated von Trips in achieving success in Formula One. Patrice Bart-Williams is an acclaimed reggae artist.

Education

In 2008, Gymnasium der Stadt Kerpen was considered the largest school in Germany.

Twinned cities

Since 1993, Kerpen has been twinned with Oświęcim in Poland, more commonly known by its German name "Auschwitz", site of the largest of the Nazi concentration camps. The town is also twinned with St. Vith in Belgium.