Lokeren

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Lokeren is a city and municipality in East Flanders, Belgium. It sits on the Durme river, near the Lede and the E17 motorway, and is part of the Waasland region. About 42,700 people live there (2022). Locals are called Lokeraars or Rapenfretters, and the city is Sometimes nicknamed “The Durme City.” Horse sausages are a locally recognized product.

Name and origins
- The name Lokeren may come from an old word for an enclosed place or from words meaning clear water.
- Archaeological finds show people lived in the area since the Neolithic era, and a Roman road ran along the Durme.

History in brief
- In the Middle Ages Lokeren grew as a parish town with agriculture and flax as its main industries. It received the right to hold a market in 1555.
- The 16th–17th centuries brought wars between Protestant Netherlands and Catholic Spain, causing depopulation. By around 1651 the market connected to the Durme and a quay was built in the square.
- In the 18th century hat making grew, and Lokeren became an important center for flax, a key industry for centuries.
- After the French Revolution, Lokeren was part of the Département de l’Escaut, and Napoleon made it a city in 1804.
- In 1847 a railway station on the Ghent–Antwerp line opened, transforming the town and leading to new neighborhoods.
- The 19th century saw growth in crafts like millinery and linen bleaching, though large factories came later.
- World War II left lasting impact, and the town hosted a large internment center for prisoners and collaborators from 1944 to 1947.
- After the war, Lokeren rebuilt quickly. Bridges and the station were renewed, and the center expanded. From the 1950s onward, many factories moved to new areas outside the center.

Recent changes and facts
- In 1977 Eksaarde and Daknam joined Lokeren.
- In 1970 a minibus carrying West Ham speedway riders collided with a petrol tanker near Lokeren, killing four riders.
- Since the 1960s–80s the town expanded north and around major roads. New industrial areas and a large chocolate warehouse project (connected to Callebaut) have shaped the area.
- Lokeren today continues to grow with new developments and improved transport links. The postal code is 9160, the area code is 09, and the mayor is Filip Anthuenis (Open VLD).