Aachen

Aachen is a historic city in western Germany, near the borders of Belgium and the Netherlands. It is famous for its stunning Aachen Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where Charlemagne was buried in 814 and which served as the coronation site for German kings for over 600 years. The city’s importance during the Carolingian Empire made it one of the political and cultural centers of medieval Europe. Aachen is also renowned for its hot springs, which attracted the Romans, who built extensive bathhouses there, making it one of the oldest spa destinations north of the Alps. Today, the city retains its spa tradition alongside a vibrant modern life. Aachen is home to RWTH Aachen University, one of Europe’s leading technical universities, and has a lively student population that contributes to its international atmosphere. Culturally, the city is well known for its annual Charlemagne Prize, awarded to individuals who have contributed to European unity, and for its culinary specialties such as Aachener Printen, a type of spiced gingerbread. With its mix of medieval architecture, Roman heritage, and modern innovation, Aachen remains a unique crossroads of history, science, and culture in Europe.

Aachen dialect

The local tongue of Aachen is Öcher Platt (or Aachener Platt), a dialect of the Ripuarian language group, which is part of the larger Central Franconian dialect continuum. Öcher Platt shares similarities with neighboring dialects spoken in Cologne (Kölsch) and parts of Belgium and the Netherlands. While it has declined in daily use among younger generations, it remains part of local identity and is still spoken by some older residents and celebrated in cultural events, music, and Carnival (Karneval) traditions.

Confused platt?

Öcher Platt (or just Platt locally) is not Low German (Niederdeutsch / Plattdeutsch) in the linguistic sense.

• Low German (Niederdeutsch / Plattdeutsch): Spoken mainly in northern Germany (Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Hamburg, Bremen, Westphalia, etc.). It did not undergo the High German consonant shift.
• Aachen’s dialect (Öcher Platt): Belongs to the Ripuarian group of Central Franconian dialects, part of the West Central German dialect continuum. It underwent the High German sound shift, so linguists classify it as High German (specifically West Central German, not Low German).

The confusion comes from the word Platt, which in the north means Low German (Plattdeutsch), but in Aachen and the Rhineland is just the everyday word for “our local dialect.”

Asterix in Öcher Platt

The Öcher Platt translations of Asterix were done by Markus Krings and Elmar Nothhelfer. “Asterix d’r Jallier” (2021) was published by Éditions Albert René in collaboration with local sponsors in Aachen. “Asterix een Botsched” (2023) was also translated by Krings and localized to Aachen’s Burtscheid district.