Amel

For other uses, see Amel (disambiguation).
Amel
Amblève (French)
Municipality

Coat of arms
Amel

Location in Belgium

Coordinates: 50°21′N 06°10′E / 50.350°N 6.167°E / 50.350; 6.167Coordinates: 50°21′N 06°10′E / 50.350°N 6.167°E / 50.350; 6.167
Country Belgium
Community German-speaking Community
Region Wallonia
Province Liège
Arrondissement Verviers
Government
  Mayor Klaus Schumacher (GI)
  Governing party/ies GI
Area
  Total 125.15 km2 (48.32 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2013)[1]
  Total 5,459
  Density 44/km2 (110/sq mi)
Postal codes 4770-4771
Area codes 080
Website www.amel.be

Amel (French: Amblève) is a Belgian municipality in the Walloon province of Liège, and is part of the German-speaking Community of Belgium (German: Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgiens). On January 1, 2013, the municipality of Amel had a total population of 5,466. The total area is 125.15 km² which gives a population density of 44 inhabitants per km².

There are eighteen villages in Amel: Amel (village),[2] Born, Deidenberg, Eibertingen, Halenfeld, Heppenbach, Hepscheid, Herresbach[3] Iveldingen, Medell, Meyerode, Mirfeld, Möderscheid, Montenau, Schoppen, Stephanshof, Valender and Wereth.

The name Amel is of Celtic origin and means water. The river Amblève (German: Amel) flows through the municipality.

Amel is the birthplace of Karl-Heinz Lambertz, current leader (Minister-President) of the community executive of the German-speaking community of Belgium.

History

In 716, the Battle of Amblève, between Charles Martel with the Austrasians on one side and the joined forces of the Frisians and Neustrians under Ragenfrid and Chilperic II on the other side, was the first victory for Charles Martel.

Amel was the site of heavy fighting during the Battle of the Bulge. On 17 December 1944, the Wereth Massacre took place when eleven soldiers of the African American 333rd Field Artillery Battalion were tortured and executed by members of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. A memorial to the Wereth 11 was erected in the village in 1994.

See also

References

External links


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