Helmond

For the American actress, see Katherine Helmond.

Helmond
Municipality
Helmond Castle
Flag Coat of arms
Location in North Brabant Location in North Brabant
Coordinates:
Country	Netherlands
Province	North Brabant
Government
• Body	Municipal council
• Mayor	Elly Blanksma-van den Heuvel (CDA)
Area
• Total	54.75 km2 (21.14 sq mi)
• Land	53.23 km2 (20.55 sq mi)
• Water	1.52 km2 (0.59 sq mi)
Elevation	18 m (59 ft)
Population (May 2014)
• Total	89,472
• Density	1,681/km2 (4,350/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Helmondenaar, Helmonder, Helmonter
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode	5700–5709
Area code	0492
Website	www.helmond.nl

Dutch Topographic map of Helmond (city), March 2014

Helmond (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦɛlmɔnt]; called Héllemond in the local dialect) is a municipality and a city in the province of North Brabant in the southern Netherlands.

Helmond has many textile companies. The Vlisco factory is located next to the Zuid-Willemsvaart canal which runs through the city.

The name 'Helmond' can be traced back to a combination of Hel, which means "low-lying" (from Proto-Germanic *haljæ / contemporary Hel), and Mond, which would refer to a higher ground, secure place. The name has nothing to do with the contemporary literal translation of Hell Mouth. In 1241 a first coat of arms was created, containing a helmet as a reference to the word Helmond, since this early in history the historical meaning of the city name was already lost to its inhabitants. This helmet would symbolize the fortified medieval town. Originally a medieval pot helmet, this was later adapted to a new fashion style and is now a tournament helmet. The oak branches symbolizing freedom. The bird in the branches is a medieval decoration and has no meaning.

The spoken language is Helmonds (an East Brabantian dialect).

Geography

Helmond is subdivided into quarters and neighbourhoods:

• Quarter 11 Inner City
  • Neighbourhood 0 Centrum
  • Neighbourhood 2 Leonardus
  • Neighbourhood 3 Heipoort
  • Neighbourhood 4 Stationsgebied
  • Neighbourhood 5 Vossenberg
  • Neighbourhood 6 Annabuurt en Suytkade
  • Neighbourhood 7 Steenweg en omgeving
• Quarter 11 Helmond-East
  • Neighbourhood 0 Beisterveld
  • Neighbourhood 1 Beisterveldse Broek
  • Neighbourhood 2 Straakven
• Quarter 12 Helmond-North
  • Neighbourhood 0 Bloemvelden
  • Neighbourhood 1 Binderen
  • Neighbourhood 2 Eeuwsels
• Quarter 13 Mierlo-Hout
  • Neighbourhood 0 't Hout-Centrum
  • Neighbourhood 1 Kroon
  • Neighbourhood 2 Akkers
  • Neighbourhood 3 Gansenwinkel
  • Neighbourhood 9 Groot Goor
• Quarter 14 Brouwhuis
  • Neighbourhood 0 Brouwhuis-Dorp
  • Neighbourhood 1 Brouwhuis-West
  • Neighbourhood 2 Brouwhuis-Oost
  • Neighbourhood 4 Brouwhorst
  • Neighbourhood 9 Kloostereind
• Quarter 15 Helmond-West
  • Neighbourhood 0 West
  • Neighbourhood 1 Houtsdonk
• Quarter 16 Warande
  • Neighbourhood 0 Oranjebuurt
  • Neighbourhood 1 Zwanenbeemd
  • Neighbourhood 9 Overbrug
• Quarter 17 Stiphout
  • Neighbourhood 0 Stiphout-Dorp
  • Neighbourhood 1 Schooten
  • Neighbourhood 9 Geeneind
• Quarter 18 Rijpelberg
  • Neighbourhood 1 Rijpelberg-Oost
  • Neighbourhood 2 Rijpelberg-West
  • Neighbourhood 9 Berkendonk
• Quarter 19 Dierdonk
  • Neighbourhood 0 Kern Dierdonk
  • Neighbourhood 9 Scheepstal
• Quarter 21 Brandevoort
  • Neighbourhood 1 De Veste
  • Neighbourhood 2 Schutsboom
  • Neighbourhood 3 Stepekolk
  • Neighbourhood 4 Berenbroek
• Quarter 29 Industrial park-South
  • Neighbourhood 1 Hoogeind
  • Neighbourhood 2 B.Z.O.B.

History

First settlements in the area were around 1000, and Helmond was granted city rights in approximately 1232. The centre of Helmond has a castle which was built by Jan III van Berlaer around 1350.

Transport

Railway stations: Helmond, Helmond Brouwhuis, Helmond Brandevoort, Helmond 't Hout

Politics

Municipal council

The municipal council consists of 37 seats. Below the council since 1998:

Seats
Partij	1998	2002	2006	2010
SDOH-D66-HB*	-	-	-	8
CDA	8	7	8	7
PvdA	7	5	9	6
VVD	4	5	4	5
Helder Helmond	-	-	2	3
SP	3	3	4	3
GroenLinks	2	1	1	2
Trots op Nederland	-	-	-	2
Helmond Aktief	-	1	1	1
Senioren	2	3	1	-
D66	1	1	1	-*
Helmondse Belangen	2	5	2	-*
SDH-OH	6	6	4	-*
Total	35	37	37	37

• The political parties SDH-OH, Helmondse Belangen, and D66 form 1 parliamentary group in the council, but took part in the elections separately. In the elections they received 4, 2 and 2 seats respectively.

Representatives of the blue colored parliamentary groups form the executive coalition.

Notable residents

See also People from Helmond

• Anthonius Konings (1821-1884), Redemptionist professor
• Franz Jozef Van Beeck (1930-2011), author and theologian
• Willy van der Kuijlen (born 1946), football (soccer) player
• Lisette Sevens (born 1949), field hockey player
• René and Willy van de Kerkhof (born 1951), football (soccer) players and twins
• Fieke Boekhorst (born 1957), field hockey player
• Elly Blanksma-van den Heuvel (born 1959), politician and former banking manager (mayor of Helmond since 2012)
• Berry van Aerle (born 1962), football (soccer) player
• Harry van Bommel (born 1962), politician
• Diana van Berlo (born 1966), former member of disco/pop girl group Luv'
• Stochelo Rosenberg (born 1968), Gypsy Jazz performer
• M. H. Benders (born 1971), poet
• Wilfred Bouma (born 1978), football (soccer) player
• Nieky Holzken (born 1983), thaiboxer

Twin towns — sister cities

• Helmond is a member city of Eurotowns network

Helmond is twinned with:

• Mechelen in Belgium
• San Marcos in Nicaragua (since 1987)
• Zielona Góra in Poland (since 1993)

External links

• Official Website (Dutch)
• Helmond travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons