Solingen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the northern edge of the region called Bergisches Land, south of the Ruhr area. Population: 163,923 (2005). Solingen is called the "town of blades", since it is known for the manufacturing of knives and scissors, with world-renown manufacturers such as Fiskars, Wüsthof, and Zwilling (J.A. Henckels). In medieval times the swordsmiths of Solingen coined the town's image, which is preserved to date. 90% of German knives are produced in Solingen.

History

---

Solingen was first mentioned in 1067 by an editor. He called the area "Solonchon". It was a tiny village for centuries, but became a fortified town in the 15th century. In World War II the Old Town was completely destroyed by an airraid in 1944 and 1.040 people died, so there are few sights in the center.

More recently, the city has been well known because of a May 29, 1993 fire in which two women and three girls died in an arson attack on the house of a Turkish family in Solingen. Seven more people were severely injured. Followers of Neo-Nazism were believed to have set the fire. The incident ignited further controversy when the German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, refused to attend the funeral for the Solingen victims.

Main sights

---

Remaining edifices in the city center include:

• Schloss Burg, the Castle of the counts of Berg
• Klosterkirche, church (1690)
• German Blade Museum, presenting swords and cutting tools of all epochs
• Müngstener Brücke, a railroad bridge connecting Solingen with the neighbour town of Remscheid. Standing at 107 m above the ground, it is the highest railroad bridge of Germany.

Famous people

---

Solingen was the birthplace of Nazi criminal-of-war Adolf Eichmann.

Twin cities

---

• - Złotoryja, Poland, since 1955
• - Gouda, Netherlands, since 1957
• - Chalon-sur-Saône, France, since 1960
• - Blyth, Northumberland, England, since 1962
• - Jinotega, Nicaragua, since 1985
• - Ness Ziona, Israel, since 1986
• - Thiès, Senegal, since 1990
• - Aue, Saxony, Germany, since 1990

Cities in North Rhine-Westphalia

Solingen | Solingen | Solingen | Solingen | Solingen | Solingen | Solingen | Solingen | ゾーリンゲン | Solingen | Solingen | Золинген | Solingen