Rheydt

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Rheydt (rīt), city, North Rhine–Westphalia, W Germany. It forms a twin city with Mönchengladbach. Rheydt is an industrial center; its manufactures include cotton, silk, and velvet textiles as well as machine tools, electrical equipment, and printing supplies. It was first mentioned in 1180 but was not chartered until 1856. The city was heavily damaged in World War II. Nearby is the Renaissance-style Rheydt palace (1567–81), now a museum.