A city of northern France on the North Sea. In World War II more than 330,000 Allied troops were evacuated from its beaches in the face of enemy fire (May-June 1940). Population: 69,500.
Dunkirk
Dictionary:
Dun·kirk (dŭn'kûrk')  or Dun·kerque
|
A city of northern France on the North Sea. In World War II more than 330,000 Allied troops were evacuated from its beaches in the face of enemy fire (May-June 1940). Population: 69,500.
| 5min Related Video: Dunkirk |
| Columbia Encyclopedia: Dunkirk |
Dunkirk (dŭn'kûrk), Fr. Dunkerque, town (1990 pop. 71,071), Nord dept., N France, on the North Sea. It is a leading French port with daily ferry service to Ramsgate and Dover, England. It is a steel center; oil refining, shipbuilding, food processing, and the manufacture of electrical equipment are also important. Among Dunkirk's chief exports are construction materials, steel products, cement, fruits and vegetables, sugar, fertilizer, and pre-assembled structures. Probably founded c.7th cent. A.D. and often fortified, Dunkirk played a key role in the struggles in Europe that extended over centuries; it was ruled successively by Flanders, Burgundy, Austria, France, England, and Spain. Ceded briefly in the 1650s to Oliver Cromwell, it was bought back permanently from Charles II by Louis XIV in 1662. The town withstood an Anglo-Dutch bombardment in 1694 and an English siege in 1793. During the 19th cent. improvements were made on the harbor, and Dunkirk grew in commercial importance. During World War II, more than 300,000 Allied troops who were cut off from retreat on land by the German breakthrough to the French Channel ports were evacuated (May 26-June 4, 1940) from Dunkirk. The retreat was carried out by all kinds of available British craft, some manned by civilian volunteers, and was protected by the Royal Air Force. It is considered one of the epic actions of naval history.
Bibliography
See studies by P. Turnball (1978), J. Harris (1988), and H. Sebag-Montefiore (2006).
| History Dictionary: Dunkirk |
The scene of a remarkable, though ignominious, retreat by the British army in World War II. Dunkirk, a town on the northern coast of France, was the last refuge of the British during the fall of France, and several hundred naval and civilian vessels took the troops back to England in shifts over three days.
| Wikipedia: Dunkirk |
For the evacuation of Allied troops in World War II, see Dunkirk evacuation.
For the American racehorse, see Dunkirk (horse).
For other uses of Dunkirk or Dunkerque, see Dunkirk (disambiguation).
Coordinates: 51°02′18″N 2°22′39″E / 51.038333°N 2.377500°E
|
Commune of Dunkirk |
|
| Dunkerque | |
 |
|
| Location | |
  Dunkirk
|
|
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Nord-Pas de Calais |
| Department | Nord |
| Arrondissement | Dunkirque |
| Intercommunality | Dunkerque grand littoral |
| Mayor | Michel Delebarre (2008–2014) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 0–17 m (0–56 ft) (avg. 4 m/13 ft) |
| Land area1 | 37.34 km2 (14.42 sq mi) |
| Population2 | 70,850 (1999) |
| - Density | 1,897 /km2 (4,910 /sq mi) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 59183/ 59140, 59240, 59640 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
Dunkirk (French: Dunkerque, pronounced: [dœ̃kɛʀk] or [dɛ̃kɛʀk]; Dutch: Duinkerke [ˈdœynkɛrkə] (
listen); French Flemish: [ˈdyŋkarkə]( listen)) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
It lies 10 kilometres (6 miles) from the Belgian border. The population of the city (commune) at the 1999 census was 70,850 inhabitants (71,300 inhabitants as per February 2004 estimates). The population of the metropolitan area was 265,974 inhabitants as per the 1999 census.
Contents |
Name and Languages
Its name is derived from West Flemish "dun(e)" (dune) and "kerke" (church). Until the middle of the 20th century the city was situated in the Dutch language area; today the local Dutch dialect (West Flemish) can still be found but has been largely replaced by French.
History
Middle Ages
Dunkirk was first mentioned in 1067 as Dunkerk (Dutch: “Church of the Dune” or "Dune Church").
 |
This section requires expansion. |
Privateer base
Main article: Dunkirkers
The area was much disputed between Spain, England, the Netherlands and France.
At the beginning of the Eighty Years' War, Dunkirk was briefly in the hands of the Dutch rebels, from 1577 until 1583. But in the latter year the Prince of Parma re-established Spanish rule there and made it a base of naval operations against the Dutch, first by a small royal squadron of warships and later by a growing number of privateers to whom the Habsburg authorities in the Low Countries began issuing letters of Marque - launching the centuries-long career of the infamous Dunkirkers (known in the Dutch language as the 'Duinkerker kapers' (kaper = privateer)): private shipowners operated whole privateer fleets to intercept merchants from countries hostile to the Spanish Habsburgs.
The 1600 Battle of Nieuwpoort, one of major military engagements of the Eighty Years' War, was part of a major Dutch military effort to reach and conquer Dunkirk by land. However, though Maurice of Nassau on that occasion inflicted a crushing victory on the Spanish, he was unable to reach Dunkirk due to overextended supply lines, and the pirate activity from that city continued unabated.
The Dunkirkers briefly lost their home port, as the city was conquered by the French in 1646, but recaptured by the Habsburgs in 1652.
In 1657, as a result of war between Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth and the Kingdom of Spain, it was captured by English forces, and was awarded to England in the peace the following year (see Battle of the Dunes (1658).
It became definitively French when Charles II of England sold it to France for £320,000[1] on 17 October 1662.
During the reign of Louis XIV, a large number of commerce raiders had again their base at Dunkirk; Jean Bart was the most famous, known for attacking Dutch ships. The Man in the Iron Mask was also arrested in Dunkirk.
The 18th Century Swedish privateer and pirate Lars Gathenhielm, and his wife and partner Ingela Hammar, are known to have sold in Dunkirk much of the loot from ships plundered further east.
|
This section requires expansion. |
Dunkirk in World War II
Main articles: Battle of Dunkirk and Dunkirk evacuation
In May 1940, during the battle of France, the British Expeditionary Force in France aiding the French, was cut off from the rest of the French Army by the German advance. Encircled by the Germans they retreated to the area around the port of Dunkirk. The German land forces could have easily destroyed the British expeditionary force, especially when many of the British troops, in their haste to withdraw, had left behind their heavy equipment. For some unexplained and still unknown reason, Adolf Hitler ordered the German army to stop the attack, favouring bombardment by the Luftwaffe. Some say it was because Hitler was still hopeful of establishing diplomatic peace with Britain before 1940 so the Germans could have a potential allied force against the Russians, while others contest that the unfavourable terrain (which was not suited to armoured vehicles) and a strategic German desire to retain strength for future operations was the real explanation. This lull in the action gave the British a few days to evacuate by sea. Winston Churchill ordered any ship or boat available, large or small, to pick up the stranded soldiers, and 338,226 men (including 123,000 French soldiers) were evacuated - the miracle of Dunkirk, as Churchill called it. It took over 900 vessels to evacuate the Allied forces. More than 40,000 vehicles as well as massive amounts of other military equipment and supplies were left behind; their value being less than that of trained fighting men. The British evacuation of Dunkirk through the English Channel was codenamed Operation Dynamo. It is only recently, however, that the historian Sean Longden has revealed the other side of the Dunkirk story in his book Dunkirk: The Men They Left Behind which focuses on the 40,000 allied soldiers (some who carried on fighting after the official evacuation) and were captured or forced to make their own way home through a variety of routes including via Spain.
The city was again contested in 1944, and the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division attempted to liberate the city in September, as Allied forces surged northeast after their victory in the Battle of Normandy. However, German forces refused to relinquish their control of the city, which had been converted into a fortress, and the garrison there was "masked" by Allied troops, notably 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade. The fortress under command of German Admiral Friedrich Frisius eventually unconditionally surrendered to the commander of the Czechoslovak forces, Brigade General Alois Liška, on 9 May 1945.[2]
During the German occupation, Dunkirk was largely destroyed by allied bombings; the artillery siege of Dunkirk was directed on the final day of the war by pilots from No. 652 Squadron RAF, and No. 665 Squadron RCAF.[citation needed]
Postwar Dunkirk
On 14 December 2002, the Norwegian auto carrier Tricolor collided with the Bahamian-registered Kariba and sank off Dunkirk harbour,causing a hazard to navigation in the English Channel.
Administration
The commune has grown substantially by absorbing several neighbouring communes:
- 1970: Merger with Malo-les-Bains (which had been created by being detached from Dunkirk in 1881)
- 1972: Fusion with Petite-Synthe and Rosendaël (the latter had been created by being detached from Téteghem in 1856)
- 1980: Fusion-association with Mardyck (which became an associated commune, with a population of 372 in 1999)
- 1980: A large part of Petite-Synthe is detached from Dunkirk and included into Grande-Synthe
- 2003: Project of fusion with Saint-Pol-sur-Mer (commune created by its territory being detached from Petite-Synthe in 1877). On 19 December 2003, the municipal councils of Dunkirk and Saint-Pol-sur-Mer decided in favour of a fusion-association, which would create a new entity with a population of 94,187. The prefect requested a referendum, although this procedure was not mandatory (it became mandatory on 1 January 2005). The referendum took place on 5 December 2004, actually covering 3 communes: Dunkerque, Saint-Pol-sur-Mer and Fort-Mardyck. Although the yes won with 54 % of the votes, it did not gather 25% of the potential electorate, as required by the law. The prefect rejected the fusion proposal as a consequence.
Economy
Dunkirk has the third largest harbour in France, after those of Le Havre and Marseilles. It is also an industrial city, heavily dependent on the steel, food processing, oil refining, ship building and chemical industries.
Tourist attractions
- The Musée Portuaire displays exhibits of images about the history and presence of the port.
- The Musée des Beaux-Arts has a large collection of Flemish, Italian and French paintings and sculptures.
- The Carnival of Dunkirk
Transportation
Dunkirk has a (ferry) connection with Dover, England.
Sports
- USL Dunkerque, French football club, currently playing in the CFA.
- The Quatre Jours de Dunkerque (or Four Days of Dunkirk) is an important elite professional road bicycle racing event.
- Stage 2 of the 2007 Tour de France departed from Dunkirk.
Sister cities
Dunkirk maintains Sister City relationships with the following cities:
Krefeld, Germany since 15 June, 1974
Middlesbrough, United Kingdom since April 12, 1976
Gaza, Palestine
Riga, Latvia since 1960- Rostock, Germany since 1960
Vitória, Brazil since unknown date- Corumbá, Brazil since unknown date
Ramat HaSharon, Israel since unknown date
Dunkirk has co-operation agreements with:
- Dartford district, United Kingdom since March 1988
- Thanet district, United Kingdom since June 18, 1993
See also
External links
 |
Look up Dunkirk in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dunkerque |
- City council website (French)
- Tourist office website
- Dunkerque in Old Postcards
- Visit Dunkirk and French Flanders
References
 |
Wikinews has related news: French fishermen blockade Channel ports |
- ^ "Correspondence and papers of the first Duke of Ormonde, chiefly on Irish and English public affairs: ref. MS. Carte 218, fol(s). 5 - date: 26 December 1662" (Description of contents of carte papers). Oxford University, Bodleian Library, Special Collections and Western Manuscripts: Carte Papers. 2006. http://www.a2a.org.uk/search/records.asp?cat=161-msscarte_15&cid=2-3. Retrieved 2007-10-17.
- ^ (Czech) Czech army page
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
| Translations: Dunkirk |
Français (French)
n. - Dunkerque
Deutsch (German)
n. - Dunkerque, Dünkirchen
Português (Portuguese)
n. - Dunkirk
Español (Spanish)
n. - Dunkerque
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
敦克尔克
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 敦克爾克
한국어 (Korean)
덩케르크 (도버 해협에 임한 프랑스의 항구 도시; 1940년 영국군이 독일군 포위 아래 여기서 필사의 철수를 했음), 필사의 철퇴 (첩첩이 포위당한 속에서의) , 위기
If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.
To select your translation preferences click here.
Learn More
 | Churchill and the Generals (1981 Film) |
| Dunkirk (city, New York) |
| Lewinna |
 | Who was fighting in Dunkirk? Read answer... |
| Why was dunkirk a diaster? Read answer... |
| What was the rescue at dunkirk? Read answer... |
Help us answer these
 | What was the plans for dunkirk? |
| What is the definition of a dunkirk? |
| Why was dunkirk a miracle? |
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
 |
 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. Read more |
 |
| History Dictionary. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, and James Trefil. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Dunkirk". Read more |
 |
| Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved. Read more |
Related answers
- Is Dunkirk small?
- Why was Dunkirk a triumph?
- When was the evacuation of Dunkirk?
- What happened to Dunkirk?
- When was the battle of dunkirk?
ADVERTISEMENT
Answer these
- Who was at dunkirk?
- What regiments were at dunkirk?
- How for is it from Dunkirk to Amsterdam?
- Where was dunkirk held?
- What happened at dunkirk?
Mentioned in
- Churchill and the Generals (1981 Film)
- Dunkirk (city, New York)
- Lewinna
- Dunes, battle of the
- Dunkirk (1958 War Film)
- The Dunkirk Evacuation: When Weather Changed History (TV Episode) (2008 TV Episode)
- Alexander of Tunis, First Earl (British field marshal)
- Battle of the Dunes (historical event, France/Spain)
- Brot und Spiele (1964 Film)
- WWII Battlefront, Vol. 1: The Atlantic Campaign - Part 1 (2001 History Film)
- Great Blunders of WWII: The German Blunder at Dunkirk (1998 History Film)
- Private Pooley (1962 War Film)
- Jean Bart (French military leader)
- John Benbow (English military leader)
