# Zichem

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Zichem
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Zichem.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zichem
> Source revision: 1352240298
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Zichem** is a village of the town of [Scherpenheuvel-Zichem](/source/Scherpenheuvel-Zichem) in the Belgian province of [Flemish Brabant](/source/Flemish_Brabant). Zichem was an independent municipality until the municipal redistribution of 1977.

## History

Zichem belonged to Maria van Loon-Heinsberg, who was a descendant of the Counts of Loon. After her marriage in 1440 to [Jan IV of Nassau](/source/John_IV,_Count_of_Nassau-Siegen), Zichem became part of the county of [Nassau-Dillenburg](/source/Nassau-Dillenburg).

Before the outbreak of the [Eighty Years' War](/source/Eighty_Years'_War), Zichem was a thriving town. During the siege of Zichem in 1578 by [Alexander Farnese](/source/Alexander_Farnese,_Duke_of_Parma), almost the entire garrison was killed. In 1580, Zichem was hit by an earthquake which toppled the castle's keep. On October 8, the Staatsen retook Zichem. In 1599, a large ignited city fire put a permanent end to the town, and the town was destroyed by the fire.[1]

## Geography

The [Demer River](/source/Demer) that flows through the city forms the border between the Kempen region in the north and the Hageland region in the south.

### Television series

The television series [Wij, Heren van Zichem](/source/Wij,_Heren_van_Zichem) was based on several conjoined stories by [Ernest Claes](/source/Ernest_Claes). Some of the filming for the series took place in the city.[2]

Two films were also made "De Witte" (1934) by [Jan Vanderheyden](/source/Jan_Vanderheyden) with a.o. [Jef Bruyninckx](/source/Jef_Bruyninckx), and "De Witte van Sichem" by [Robbe De Hert](/source/Robbe_De_Hert) (1980).

## Born in Zichem

[Ernest Claes](/source/Ernest_Claes) (1885-1968), writer

[Peter Jan Beckx](/source/Peter_Jan_Beckx) (1795-1887), superior of the Jesuits.

## References

1. Havermans, *Bydragen tot de geschiedenis van Diest en omstreken* P.22, uitgave: Havermans, 1845

1. ["www.imdb.com/title/tt0227976/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_ov_pl"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0227976/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_ov_pl). *www.imdb.com*. Retrieved 2026-05-03.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Zichem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zichem) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zichem?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.