Kettwig is a small town (20.000 inhabitants) in the same region as Essen (which Kettwig is governed by), Dusseldorf, and Duisburg. It is situated on the river Ruhr and has been a passing point for the barges and ferries for 230 years, from 1635 to 1865.
In 1865, the medieval bridge shown in Kettwig's coat of arms has been reconstructed. On both sides of the river Ruhr the architecture is as beautiful as ever and hasn't changed much.
The Ruhr basin is the main industrial area for Germany. It's products are coal, steel, machinery and textiles.
Kettwig has been famous for it's colorful and patterned textiles which included expensive wool for clothes and silk for umbrellas . People came from all over Germany and East Europe to work in the mills. The industry was founded by the Scheidt families. John W. Scheidt was the founder of the big weaving and spinning factory, existing from 1720 until 1974.
In the old town there are many half-timbered houses, some of them as early as the 14th. century. The oldest building is an Evangelical Church from the 13th. The buildings are very narrowly placed together. The roads and paths are cobbled and are very very narrow and are short with the houses opening onto the path. The 1st and maybe 2nd. floor hang over the path in the Tudor fashion. Near the old town and sometimes in it are places like the town hall and different restaurants and pubs, among them "The Parliament", founded in 1645, but named in 1848, when the democrats there assembled.
In the town hall the Friends of Kettwig Museum have built an exhibition. Members of the community and the friends of Kettwig are allowed to go to a meeting every wednesday to talk about the town's evolution. In the museum of Kettwig there are shown tools, textiles, books and maps . Among the maps there are some showing the Ruhr valley from 1580, 1624 and 1803.
The Friends of Kettwig Museum meet every wednesday at 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Come along, please, have a look on our small town's museum and join the "Museumsfreunde" by membership !
Alex Fillingham