Quote: The Neander is a river and “Tal” is the German word for valley.
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Actually, "Neander" was originally a person. Joachim Neander (1650-1680), teacher and hymnist, who enjoyed nature walks in the secluded Düssel valley. He wrote songs and poems there, and the locals thought him a cute eccentric. In the 19th century, someone named a cave "Neanderhöhle" after him. Later, during the process of quarrying limestone, the cement industry turned the narrow ravine into a large valley ... which was then called "Neanderthal" and the river the "Neander River". In that valley, in 1856, the famous Neanderthal Man was found.
