Afferden (; li, Offere ) is a village in the
Dutch province of
Limburg. It is a part of the municipality of
Bergen (L.), and lies about 25 km southeast of
Nijmegen
Nijmegen (;; Spanish and it, Nimega. Nijmeegs: ''Nimwèège'' ) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and tenth largest of the Netherlands as a whole, located on the Waal river close to the German border. It is about 6 ...
.
History
The village was first mentioned in 1293 as Afordia. The etymology is unknown.
Afferden is a village along the
Maas. It was a ''
heerlijkheid
A ''heerlijkheid'' (a Dutch word; pl. ''heerlijkheden''; also called ''heerschap''; Latin: ''Dominium'') was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and judicial unit in rural areas in the Dutch-speaking Low Countries before 1800. ...
'' before 1176. The castle was destroyed in the 16th century. In 1648, it became part of
Spanish Guelders. In 1713, it became part of
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
, and in 1815, it became part of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands
, national_anthem = )
, image_map = Kingdom of the Netherlands (orthographic projection).svg
, map_width = 250px
, image_map2 = File:KonDerNed-10-10-10.png
, map_caption2 = Map of the four constituent countries shown to scale
, capital = ...
.
The Catholic St Cosmas and Damianus Church is a three aisled basilica like church with a tower at some distance. The tower dates from the late-13th century. The church dated from the 15th century, but was severely damaged in 1945 and demolished. The current church was built between 1957 and 1958 and designed by
Johannes Kayser
Johannes Hermandus Julius (Johan) Kayser ( Harlingen, 11 November 1842 - 's-Hertogenbosch, 15 March 1917) was a Dutch architect, who was primarily engaged with the construction of churches. Apart from this he also designed schools and abbeys and ...
. The tower was repaired in the same period.
The ruins of the Bleijenbeek Castle are to the east of Afferden. In 1390, a fortified farm with tower was built. The tower was destroyed in 1579. Around 1688, the castle was modified and extended in a
classical style. In 1945, it was reduced to a ruin.
Affereden was home to 460 people in 1840.
Afferden was severely damaged in 1944 and 1945.
During
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an Allies of World War II, Allied military operation during the World War II, Second World War fought in the Netherlands from 17 to 27 September 1944. Its objective was to create a Salient (military), salient into G ...
, the western side of the Maas was liberated by the British, however the Germans built defences on the eastern side.
The
grist mill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ...
Nooit Gedacht was built in 1958. Its predecessor was built in 1852. In January 1945, the inhabitants were evacuated, and when the miller returned in May 1945, the wind mill was reduced to ruins. Nowadays, it only operates on a voluntary basis.
Gallery
File:Afferden Community 01.jpg, Art in Afferden
File:Overzicht van de ruïne met omgeving, zicht op de voorgevel van het kasteel - Afferden - 20407910 - RCE.jpg, Ruins of Afferden Castle
File:Afferden, Nooit gedacht, beltmolen 08a.JPG, Wind mill Nooit gedacht
References
{{Authority control
Populated places in Limburg (Netherlands)
Bergen, Limburg