Prüm

Prüm (German: [ˈpʁʏm] (listen)) is a town in the Westeifel (Rhineland-Palatinate), Germany. Formerly a district capital, today it is the administrative seat of the Verbandsgemeinde ("collective municipality") Prüm.

Prüm
Coat of arms
Location of Prüm within Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm district
Prüm Prüm
Coordinates: 50°12′29″N 6°25′28″E
Country	Germany
State	Rhineland-Palatinate
District	Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm
Municipal assoc.	Prüm
Subdivisions	5 Stadtteile
Government
• Mayor	Mathilde Weinandy (CDU)
Area
• Total	22.86 km^2 (8.83 sq mi)
Elevation	460 m (1,510 ft)
Population  (2019-12-31)[1]
• Total	5,510
• Density	240/km^2 (620/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	54595
Dialling codes	06551
Vehicle registration	BIT, PRÜ
Website	www.pruem.de

Geography

Prüm lies on the river Prüm (a tributary of the Sauer) at the southeastern end of the Schneifel, which is 697 m high. Prüm is eponymous for the Prüm syncline (Ger. Prümer Kalkmulde), the largest of the Eifel-lime-synclines. Here, the only GSSP-point in Germany identifies the geological border between the lower Devonian Emsian and the middle Devonian Eifelian.

History

See main article on the town's former monastery, Prüm Abbey. In 2005, the Prüm Convention was signed in the city by several European countries.

Ninety-two percent of the town was destroyed by bombing and ground fighting during the Second World War. In 1949, it was wrecked again by an explosion on the Kalvarienberg hill caused by a fire in an underground ammunition bunker. Twelve people were killed, 15 injured and 965 left homeless.

Economy and infrastructure

Economy

Among the largest employers in the region are MUH Arla, Stihl, Streif, Prüm-Türenwerk and Tesla Grohmann Automation. MUH Arla has its head office at Pronsfeld, 10 kilometres away.

Transport

Since 1980 it has not been possible to take the train to Prüm, with the exception of freight trains that operated up to the end of the 1990s. In December 2000 the last train went through Prüm, and this was a special event. Since that time, the rail tracks have been dismantled.

The federal highway B265 and B410 cross in Prüm, the autobahn A60 and B51 also run near the city.

Prüm Air Station is located just outside Prüm and is operated by the United States Air Force.

Prümer Sommer

In July and August Prüm Summer takes place. It begins with a market and a music competition on the streets on the last Sunday in June. During the next eight Thursdays, various guests meet at the town hall, where there are various competitions, such as a beer jug lift and trunk sawing. There is also a bicycle rally, a fashion show, and dances included in the program.

International relations

Prüm is twinned with: Bangor, Northern Ireland; Monthermé (France, since 1962); Fort Madison, Iowa (United States, since 1998[2])

Notable people

• Regino of Prüm, musical and historical writer
• It seems that Pippin the Hunchback, first son of Charlemagne, was in exile in a monastery in Prüm from ca. 793 to his death in 813.

References

1. "Bevölkerungsstand 2019, Kreise, Gemeinden, Verbandsgemeinden". Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz (in German). 2020.
2. "Interactive City Directory". Sister Cities International. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2014.