Mortsel
Encyclopedia
Mortsel is a city
and municipality
close to the city of Antwerp located in the Belgian
province of Antwerp
. The municipality only comprises the city of Mortsel proper. On January 1, 2006 Mortsel had a total population of 24,427 people. The total area is 7.78 km² which gives a population density
of 3,138 inhabitants per km². This is the highest population density of any municipality in the Flemish Region
(Flanders), and second-highest (to Saint-Nicolas
) outside the Brussels-Capital Region.
The city consists of the areas Mortsel-Dorp, Oude-God and Luithagen. Mortsel is bordered by Antwerp (districts Wilrijk
, Berchem
and Deurne), Borsbeek
, Boechout
, Hove
, and Edegem
.
The headquarters of Agfa-Gevaert
are situated in Mortsel.
Mortsel was the victim of one of the major tragedies and errors of World War II
. On April 5, 1943, the bombing of the Minerva car factory, then used to repair Luftwaffe
planes
, was the target of a big bombing raid by the Allies, but the target was missed and a residential area hit instead, resulting in the death of 936 civilians, including 209 children.
The last V2
launched against Antwerp also fell in Mortsel, killing 27 people, on March 27th, 1945.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
and municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
close to the city of Antwerp located in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
province of Antwerp
Antwerp (province)
Antwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp...
. The municipality only comprises the city of Mortsel proper. On January 1, 2006 Mortsel had a total population of 24,427 people. The total area is 7.78 km² which gives a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 3,138 inhabitants per km². This is the highest population density of any municipality in the Flemish Region
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
(Flanders), and second-highest (to Saint-Nicolas
Saint-Nicolas, Belgium
Saint-Nicolas is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. It is effectively a part of the greater Liège conurbation stretching west from Liège city centre towards Liège airport. As of January 1, 2006 Saint-Nicolas had a total population of 22,666....
) outside the Brussels-Capital Region.
The city consists of the areas Mortsel-Dorp, Oude-God and Luithagen. Mortsel is bordered by Antwerp (districts Wilrijk
Wilrijk
Wilrijk is a district of the municipality and city of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. Wilrijk had been a separate municipality before January 1, 1983; the enlarged municipality of Antwerp was decentralized in 2000 and Wilrijk became one the city's nine districts.This suburb is also known...
, Berchem
Berchem
The 'Ring', Antwerp's circular motorway which follows the track of the former city defense walls, cuts Berchem in two parts, separating the urban inner city area of Oud-Berchem from the more residential and suburban areas Groenenhoek en Nieuw Kwartier .-Demography:Berchem's total surface is over ,...
and Deurne), Borsbeek
Borsbeek
Borsbeek is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Borsbeek proper. On January 1, 2006 Borsbeek had a total population of 10,257. The total area is 3.92 km² which gives a population...
, Boechout
Boechout
Boechout is a municipality of Belgium located in the Flemish province of Antwerp.The municipality comprises the towns of Boechout proper and Vremde. On January 1, 2006 Boechout had a total population of 12,090. The total area is 20.66 km² which gives a population density of 585 inhabitants per...
, Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
, and Edegem
Edegem
Edegem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Edegem proper. On January 1, 2006 Edegem had a total population of 21,668. The total area is 8.65 km² which gives a population density of 2,504 inhabitants per km²...
.
The headquarters of Agfa-Gevaert
Agfa-Gevaert
Agfa-Gevaert N.V. is a European multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, and distributes analogue and digital imaging products and systems, as well as IT solutions. The company has three divisions. Agfa Graphics offers integrated prepress and industrial inkjet systems to the...
are situated in Mortsel.
Mortsel was the victim of one of the major tragedies and errors of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. On April 5, 1943, the bombing of the Minerva car factory, then used to repair Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
planes
Planès
Planès is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-References:*...
, was the target of a big bombing raid by the Allies, but the target was missed and a residential area hit instead, resulting in the death of 936 civilians, including 209 children.
The last V2
V-2 rocket
The V-2 rocket , technical name Aggregat-4 , was a ballistic missile that was developed at the beginning of the Second World War in Germany, specifically targeted at London and later Antwerp. The liquid-propellant rocket was the world's first long-range combat-ballistic missile and first known...
launched against Antwerp also fell in Mortsel, killing 27 people, on March 27th, 1945.
Famous people
- Alex AgnewAlex AgnewAlex Agnew is a Belgian stand up comedian. In February 2003 Alex was the first Belgian to win the prestigious Leids Cabaret Festival.After this initial success he has been performing in comedy shows like De Bovenste Plank and Comedy Casino on the Belgian television channel Canvas.Alex is the son of...
, stand-up comedian - Luc BrewaeysLuc BrewaeysLuc Brewaeys is a Belgian composer, conductor, pianist and recording producer at the VRT...
, (born in Mortsel in 1959), composer, conductor, pianist and recording producer - Jens De Vos, guitar player
- Luc Descamps, writer
- Philippe Geubels, stand-up comedian
- Wim Helsen, stand-up comedian
- Dimitri Leue, actor
- Clem SchouwenaarsClem SchouwenaarsClem Schouwenaars was a Belgian writer. He grew up in a Roman catholic family. His youth was not a happy one. Two of his brothers an one of his sisters died young, and his only remaining sister was killed during a bombardment in 1943...
(b. Mortsel, 1932-1993), writer - Luc TuymansLuc TuymansLuc Tuymans is a contemporary artist who lives and works in Antwerp, Belgium. Tuymans is considered one of the most influential painters working today. His signature figurative paintings transform mediated film, television, and print sources into examinations of history and memory.-Life:Tuymans...
, painter - Jos VandelooJos VandelooJosephus Albertus "Jos" Vandeloo is a Belgian writer and poet. He grew up in a mining family and graduated as a chemist for the mining industry....
, writer - Siska Schoeters, radio personality
- Koen de Winter, designer
- Bart De WeverBart De WeverBart Albert Liliane De Wever is a Belgian politician and since 2004 has been the president of the New Flemish Alliance , a Flemish party that strives for an independent Flanders in a united Europe. He has also been a member of the Flemish parliament since 2004...
, politician