▁the ▁dece it ful ▁Dutch . ▁The ▁Dutch ▁occupied ▁W ess em ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁strateg ic ▁importance ▁and ▁W ess em ▁became ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Netherlands . ▁ ▁W ess em ▁was ▁a ▁separate ▁municipality ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁He el . ▁ ▁All ▁in ▁all , ▁W ess em ▁had ▁a ▁very ▁quiet ▁history , ▁which ▁can ▁be ▁seen ▁by ▁walking ▁through ▁the ▁old ▁centre ▁with ▁a ▁unique ▁network ▁of ▁little ▁streets ▁p aved ▁with ▁ma as keit jes ▁( small ▁square ▁stones ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁river ▁Me use ). ▁ ▁A ▁must - see ▁in ▁W ess em ▁is ▁the ▁former ▁city ▁hall ▁with ▁W ess ems ▁main ▁square . ▁A ▁m osa ic ▁of ▁ma as keit jes ▁shows ▁the ▁city - c rest . ▁The ▁Roman ▁church , ▁built ▁in ▁ 9 6 4 , ▁was ▁destroyed ▁by ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁but ▁has ▁been ▁restored ▁to ▁its ▁former ▁glory . ▁ ▁W ess em ▁still ▁has ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁sj utter ie ▁( sch utter ij ▁in ▁Dutch , ▁Sch üt zen verein ▁in ▁German ), ▁a ▁club ▁of ▁rif le men , ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁and ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁O LS ▁( Old ▁Lim burg s ▁rif les ho oting - f air ), ▁a ▁big , ▁annual ▁cultural ▁event ▁for ▁Lim burg ian - people ▁from ▁every ▁country ▁where ▁every ▁Lim burg ian ▁village ▁sends ▁a ▁deleg ation