Ensiklopedia Dunia

Technopedia Center

Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
S1 Informatics S1 Information Systems S1 Information Technology S1 Computer Engineering S1 Electrical Engineering S1 Civil Engineering

faculty of Economics and Business
S1 Management S1 Accountancy

Faculty of Letters and Educational Sciences
S1 English literature S1 English language education S1 Mathematics education S1 Sports Education

Hechtel-Eksel - Wikipedia

Coordinates: 51°07′N 05°22′E / 51.117°N 5.367°E

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hechtel-Eksel
Municipality

Flag Coat of arms
Location of Hechtel-Eksel
Hechtel-Eksel Location in Belgium Location of Hechtel-Eksel in Limburg
Coordinates: 51°07′N 05°22′E / 51.117°N 5.367°E / 51.117; 5.367
Country	Belgium
Community	Flemish Community
Region	Flemish Region
Province	Limburg
Arrondissement	Maaseik
Government
• Mayor	Jan Daelemans (HE)
• Governing party/ies	HE lijst burgemeester
Area
• Total	76.68 km² (29.61 sq mi)
Population (2018-01-01)^[1]
• Total	12,290
• Density	160/km² (420/sq mi)
Postal codes	3940-3941
NIS code	72038
Area codes	011
Website	www.hechtel-eksel.be

Hechtel-Eksel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦɛxtəl ˈɛksəl]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On 1 January 2018 it had a total population of 12,290 an area of 76.70 km² giving a population density of 150 inhabitants per km².

The municipality was created in January 1977 as a merger of the two former municipalities Hechtel and Eksel.

Events

Hechtel was home to the "KBC Night of Athletics", a yearly international athletics meeting and the annual International Airshow at Sanicole Airport, taking place in September.

Battle of Hechtel

For seven days during World War II, from 6 to 12 September 1944, the town of Hechtel became the front line between German and British troops in what is known as the battle of Hechtel.^[2] German troops consisted of the 2nd Hermann Göring Tank Regiment. The 1st battalion was in Hechtel, with the 2nd placed 2km to the east in Wijchmaal.^[3] British forces were from the 1st and 2nd Battalion Welsh Guards, Irish Guards, Scots Guards 'X'-Company, Grenadier Guards and other supporting units.^[4]

During the battle, 62 British and 127 German soldiers were killed with another 250 captured.^[5] Thirty-five civilians also lost their lives with most being executed by German troops. The town centre was heavily damaged.

The battle ended on 12 September when the Irish Guards flanked the Germans, took a strategic bridge isolating the German forces.^[3]

A German Jagdpanther tank destroyer knocked out during this battle in on display at the Imperial War Museum Duxford - although its exact provenance is uncertain, it is claimed to be one knocked out by Hugh Griffiths^[6] and was previously at the Imperial War Museum London. The battle is commemorated every year on the 2nd Sunday of September.^[7]

Hechtel was the site of the death of the famous Anglican priest Hugh Lister, who served as a combatant officer in the Welsh Guards.

References

^ "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
^ Bussels, Joseph (1972). De Slag om Hechtel: Bevrijdingsgevechten 6 – 12 September 1944 [The Battle of Hechtel: Liberation Battles 6 – 12 September 1944] (in Dutch). Hechtel: Selbstverl. OCLC 164617953.
^ ^a ^b Paterson, Lawrence (2021). Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 'Hermann Göring’: A History of the Luftwaffe's Only Armoured Division, 1933–1945. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England: Greenhill Books. pp. 194–195. ISBN 978-1-78438-611-5.
^ Retallack, John (1981). The Welsh Guards. London: F. Warne. pp. 110–112. ISBN 978-0-7232-2746-5.
^ Memorial The Battle Of Hechtel at Traces of war.com
^ "Sd Kfz 173 Jagdpanther (Tank Destoyer [sic])". Imperial War Museum Collections. Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
^ The annual Liberation of Hechtel commemorations

2 “Hugh Lister (1901–44): Priest, Labor Leader, Combatant Officer.” Anglican and Episcopal History 70 (2001): 353–74.

External links

Media related to Hechtel-Eksel at Wikimedia Commons
Map of Hechtel-Eksel
Official website - Available only in Dutch
Sanicole Airshow official website Archived 2008-06-15 at the Wayback Machine

Places adjacent to Hechtel-Eksel

Lommel, Overpelt

Balen (VAN)
Leopoldsburg

Hechtel-Eksel

Peer

Beringen

Houthalen-Helchteren

v t e Municipalities in the province of Limburg, Flanders, Belgium
Hasselt	As Beringen Diepenbeek Genk Gingelom Halen Ham Hasselt Herk-de-Stad Heusden-Zolder Leopoldsburg Lummen Nieuwerkerken Sint-Truiden Tessenderlo Zonhoven Zutendaal
Maaseik	Bocholt Bree Dilsen-Stokkem Hamont-Achel Hechtel-Eksel Houthalen-Helchteren Kinrooi Lommel Maaseik Oudsbergen Peer Pelt
Tongeren	Alken Bilzen Borgloon Heers Herstappe Hoeselt Kortessem Lanaken Maasmechelen Riemst Tongeren Voeren Wellen
Bold indicates cities Italic indicates municipalities with language facilities

This Belgian Limburg location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Categories:

Hidden categories:

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
Geographic	MusicBrainz area