The first written mention of the town is in 1180. From 1918 until 1933 it was part of the city of Mönchengladbach. Dr. Joseph Goebbels, who was born in Rheydt, arranged for the city to get back its independence. It is a town with many factories, mainly silk and textiles. It was bombed heavily during World War II. In 1975 it again became part of Mönchengladbach. The central station, Rheydt Hauptbahnhof, kept its original name, which makes Mönchengladbach the only city in Germany to have two stations called Hauptbahnhof.