Gummersbach, Cologne Region, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

🇩🇪 Gummersbach is a town in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, being the district seat of the Oberbergischer Kreis. It is located 50 km (31 mi) east of Cologne.

History In 1109 Gummersbach was mentioned in official documents for the first time. The document in question concerned the lowering of the episcopal tax for the church in Gummersbach by Archbishop Frederick I. At that time the name of the town was spelled as Gumeresbracht. Gummersbach received town privileges in 1857.

In 1855 Gummersbach's industrial history began with the foundation of the company Steinmüller. With the company's success the little village began to grow to a town. After the company was bought in 1998 the production in Gummersbach was closed and most of the company's area was unused. Due to the fact that by the time this area made up half of the downtown area the town of Gummersbach bought this area to develop it. In the following years a multifunctional arena, shopping mall, university, movie theater, court, police station, hotel, offices and a park were built.

Communities, localities and villages Apfelbaum – Becke – Berghausen – Bernberg – Birnbaum – Börnchen – Bracht – Bredenbruch – Brink – Bruch – Brunohl – Berghausen – Deitenbach – Derschlag – Dieringhausen – Drieberhausen – Dümmlinghausen – Elbach – Erbland – Erlenhagen – Flaberg – Frömmersbach – Grünenthal – Gummeroth – Hardt – Hardt-Hanfgarten – Helberg – Herreshagen – Hesselbach – Höfen -Hömel – Hülsenbusch – Hunstig – Kalkuhl – Karlskamp – Koverstein – Lantenbach – Lieberhausen – Liefenroth – Lobscheid – Lützinghausen – Luttersiefen – Mühle – Neuenhaus – Neuenschmiede – Niedergelpe – Niedernhagen – Niederseßmar – Nochen – Oberrengse – Ohmig -Peisel – Piene – Rebbelroth – Recklinghausen – Reininghausen – Remmelsohl – Rodt – Rospe – Schneppsiefen – Schönenberg – Schusterburg – Sonnenberg – Steinenbrück – Straße – Strombach – Unnenberg – Veste – Vollmerhausen – Waldesruh – Wasserfuhr – Windhagen – Wörde – Würden

Tourist Industry • The Vogteihaus, former residence of the Vogt, built in 1700. It is also referred to as die Burg ("the castle"), and lies in the town centre, on the Kaiserstraße. • The Bunte Kerke ("colourful church") in the village Lieberhausen, a Protestant church with medieval wall paintings. • The Protestant church of the village Hülsenbusch, rebuilt in the 18th century after a fire, in Baroque style.

Education • Communal elementary schools in the towncentre and the districts Becke, Bernberg, Derschlag, Dieringhausen, Hülsenbusch, Niederseßmar, Steinenbrück and Windhagen • Jakob Moreno school, school for learning-disabled children • Town secondary school Gummersbach-Hepel. • Town secondary school Gummersbach-Steinberg • Town high school – Lindengymnasium. • Occupational lecture Gummersbach • Business school Gummersbach • Cologne University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering Science. • Educational centre for technology and economy • Music school Gummersbach e.V. • Town comprehensive school. • Waldorf School Oberberg.

Sport The men's team VfL Gummersbach was one of the most successful handball teams of Europe in the 1970s and 1980s.