Rheydt (German pronunciation:[ˈʁaɪt]) is a borough of the German city Mönchengladbach, located in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia. Until 1918 and then again from 1933 (due to a split from Mönchengladbach arranged by Joseph Goebbels, who was born there) through 1975 it was an independent city.
After merging with Mönchengladbach, the central station (Rheydt Hauptbahnhof) kept its original name, making Mönchengladbach the only city in Germany to have two stations called Hauptbahnhof.
Schloss Rheydt, one of the best-preserved palaces of the Renaissance period, is located in Rheydt.
Mayors 1808–1974
1808–1823: Dietrich Lenßen
1823–1857: Johann David Büschgens
1857–1877: Carl Theodorf von Velsen
1877–1893: Emil Pahlke
1893–1901: Dr. Wilhelm Strauß
1901–1905: Dr. Karl August Tettenborn
1906–1920: Paul Lehwald
1920–1929: Dr. Oskar Graemer
1929–1930: Franz Gielen
1930–1933: Dr. Johannes Handschumacher
1933: Wilhelm Pelzer
1934–1936: Edwin Renatus Robert August Hasenjaeger
1815, May 15, Friedrich Beckenbach, renamed Brookland + Jan 28 1892 in Rheydt, textile entrepreneur in Prussia, Holland and Yorkshire England, son of Johann Heinrich Beckenbach of Lenssen & Beckenbach, Rheydt