GELDERN

geldern, a town of germany, in rhenish prussia, on the niers, 28 m. n. w. of dusseldorf, at the junction of railways to wesel and cologne. pop. (1905) 6551. it has an evangelical and two roman catholic churches and a town hall with a fine council chamber. its industries include the manufacture of buttons, shoes, cigars and soap. the town dates from about 1100 and was early an important fortified place; until 1371 it was the residence of the counts and dukes of gelderland. having passed to spain, its fortifications were strengthened by philip ii., but they were razed by frederick the great, the town having been in the possession of prussia since 1703. see nettesheim, _geschichte der stadt und des amtes geldern_ (crefeld, 1863); henrichs, _beitrage zur innern geschichte der stadt geldern_ (geldern, 1893); and real, _chronik der stadt und umgegend von geldern_ (geldern, 1897).