mayors: Robert Gies – a Social Democrat and Mayor (1952–1969) Ellen Wiederhold – a Christian Democrat, the first female and longest ruling Mayor (1969–1994) Günter Scheib – a Social Democrat and Mayor (1994–2009) Horst Thiele – a Social Democrat and Mayor (2009–2014) Birgit Alkenings – a Social Democrat and Mayor (2014–2020) Claus Pommer – non-party and Mayor (2020 – now) The current City Council, elected in 2009, consists of 40 members: 13 Christian Democrats, 13 Social Democrats, 6 Liberals, 4 Greens, 4 Civic Action and 4 Independents. In summer 2010 one member left the Christian Democrat faction and two members left the Liberals founding their own faction. Missing a formal coalition the Council rules with changing majorities. Economy Hilden was once home to textile factories, a big paint enterprise, pharmaceutical and metallurgic companies. After the economic crisis in the 1980s many of these companies have been closed. Flourishing companies now include the German headquarters of 3M and Qiagen, as well as many other businesses and enterprises from the technology and logistics sector. Transportation Until the 1960s Hilden had an old fashioned tram, that connected the city in three directions with Düsseldorf-Benrath, Solingen-Ohligs and Wuppertal-Vohwinkel. It was nearly a tourist attraction, as it was one of the few trams that operated on metre gauge track. Meanwhile, the trams have been replaced by buses. Hilden station has local trains operating to Düsseldorf, Solingen and Dortmund. This service is now operated as line S 1 of the Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn, stopping at several newly built stations, including Hilden Süd station. Line S 1 continues past Düsseldorf to Düsseldorf Airport station and the Ruhr area. Hilden is also accessible by the nearby intersecting freeways A3, A59 and A46. Within Hilden, residential speed limits were reduced to in 1992 to encourage cycling. The main street in the center became a pedestrian zone. Festivities carnival parade (in February) annual "Hildener Jazztage" - Hilden jazz days (in May/June) Schützenfest - festivity of St. Sebastian's brotherhood (in June) exhibition of fire fighters' brigade (August/September) Day of German Reunification (on October 3) Christmas market (in December) Notable people Wilhelm Fabry (1560–1634), founder of the scientific surgery Max Volmer (1885–1965), physical chemist Christian Petzold (born 1960), movie director Michael Tarnat (born 1969), footballer Blumio (born 1985), rapper Julian Hanses (born 1997), racing driver Twin towns – sister cities Hilden is twinned with: Warrington, England, United Kingdom (1968) Nové Město nad Metují,