Vennbahn (German exclaves in Belgium) Five exclaves created by the territory of a former Belgian railway track that cuts into German territory between the German towns of Rötgen and Monschau, south of Aachen. Belgium owns the territory of the former railway track, making enclaves out of the five pieces of land separated from the rest of Germany. In 2009 the railway track was removed since the railway ceased its activity in 2001, but the boundary is not changed. Parts of the former railway is replaced by a bicycle track. The exclaves are called (from north to south) Munsterbildchen, Rötgener Wald, Rückschlag, Mützenich and Ruitzhof. Munsterbildchen enclave. Measured to be about 182,6 ha and with an estimated population on about 50 persons. Rötgener Wald enclave. Rötgener Wald comprises the southern parts of the town of Rötgen. Measured to be about 998 ha, and with an estimated population on about 1000 persons. Hugh's Border Blog: http://borderhunting.blogspot.com/2007/07/vennbahn-roetgen.html and

http://borderhunting.blogspot.com/2007/07/vennbahn-lammersdorf.html Rückschlag enclave. Measured to be about 1,6 ha and with an estimated population of 4 persons. Hugh's Border Blog: http://borderhunting.blogspot.com/2007/07/vennbahn-bahnhof-konzenfringshaus.html and http://borderhunting.blogspot.com/2007/07/vennbahn-german-farm-aderich.html Mützenich enclave. Measured to be about 1211,7 ha and with an estimated population of about 2237 persons. Hugh's Border Blog: http://borderhunting.blogspot.com/2007/07/vennbahn-bahnhof-monschau.html At boundary marker no. 750 it may look on this Belgian map like the Mützenich enclave is connected to Germany proper over the railroad. But the Germans, who show the road as Belgian would surely be the most likely of the two parties to show it correctly if it was German. Therefore we conclude that Mützenich is a German exclave. Ruitzhof enclave. Measured to be about 93,7 ha and with an estimated population of about 70 persons. Hugh's Border Blog: http://borderhunting.blogspot.com/2007/07/vennbahn-ruitzhof-enclave.html Links: 1. Grensstenen tussen België en Duitsland: http://www.grenspalen.com/bede/bede_start.html (Dutch language)

2. «Vennbahn Online»: http://www.vennbahn.de/ (German language) This page was last time updated 27/02/12 .