  Venlo is a municipality and a city in the southeastern
Netherlands. It is situated in the province of Limburg.  On
January 1, 2003, the municipalities of Tegelen and Belfeld were
added to that of Venlo. Tegelen was originally part of the Duchy
of Jülich centuries ago, whereas Venlo has a past in the Duchy
of Guelders.  Population centres  The city of Venlo  History of
the city  Venlo's history goes back to Roman times. Then it
developed into an important trade post on the river Meuse and
was a member of the Hanseatic League. It received city rights in
1343. Blerick, also founded in Roman times, on the other side of
the river, was known as Blariacum.   Venlo in the 2nd World War
On November 9, 1939, two British Intelligence Service agents
were kidnapped by the Sicherheitsdienst in what became known as
the Venlo Incident. The Incident was used by the Nazis to link
Great Britain to Georg Elser's failed assassination of Hitler at
the Burgerbraukeller two days before and to justify their later
invasion of the N