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Düsseldorf: the story on HearLore | HearLore
— Ch. 1 · Origins And Medieval Rise —
Düsseldorf.
~7 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
The small river Düssel flows into the Rhine at a point where a few Germanic tribes clung on in marshy territory during the 7th and 8th centuries. This odd farming or fishing settlement grew from such humble beginnings to become the city of Düsseldorf. The first mention of this place dates from 1135, 1159, when it was referred to as Dusseldorp. In 1263, the Count of Berg granted ferry rights to the inhabitants, marking an early step toward autonomy. A bloody struggle for power had taken place between the Archbishop of Cologne and his allies arrayed against the count of Berg and other local powers. This conflict culminated in the Battle of Worringen on the 14th of August 1288. On that day, the sovereign Count Adolf VIII of Berg granted town privileges to the village on the banks of the Düssel. The Archbishop of Cologne's forces were wiped out by the forces of the count of Berg, who were supported by citizens and farmers of Cologne and Düsseldorf. This victory paved the way for Düsseldorf's elevation to city status, which is commemorated today by a monument on the Burgplatz. Before this, the settlement developed only slowly. It was not until the rule of William II of Berg, who became Duke in 1380, that the town experienced significant growth. He expanded Düsseldorf by establishing a new town, increasing its area to about 22.5 hectares. William also enlarged the ducal palace and commissioned the construction of stone fortifications around the entire settlement.
Industrialization And Modern History
Following the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Rhineland including Düsseldorf was incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia. In the first half of the 19th century, Düsseldorf earned the nickname "City of Art and Gardens." During the period of industrialisation, numerous industrial enterprises settled in Düsseldorf from the 1850s onwards, particularly in the iron, steel, and chemical industries. The city’s population grew from 40,000 in 1850 to 100,000 in 1882. In 1908 and 1909, the partially industrialised towns of Wersten, Gerresheim, Eller, Heerdt, Himmelgeist, Ludenberg, Rath, Stockum, and Vennhausen were incorporated into the city. During World War I, the Royal Naval Air Service undertook the first Entente strategic bombing missions on the 22nd of September 1914, when it bombed the Zeppelin bases in Düsseldorf. As both a garrison town and an armaments centre, Düsseldorf was particularly affected by the war. After the war, the city was occupied by Belgian and British forces after 1918 and by French troops from 1921 to 1925. On the 15th of April 1920, 45 delegates of the German Miners Union were murdered by the Freikorps during the General Strike that grew out of the resistance to the Kapp Putsch. During World War II, the city was a target of strategic bombing, particularly during the RAF bombing campaign in 1943 when over 700 bombers were used in a single night. The Allied ground advance into Germany reached Düsseldorf in mid-April 1945. The United States 97th Infantry Division easily captured the city on the 18th of April 1945. In 1946, Düsseldorf became capital of the newly created state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
When was Düsseldorf first mentioned in historical records?
The first mention of the place dates from 1135 and 1159, when it was referred to as Dusseldorp. This early reference marks the beginning of documented history for the settlement that grew into the city.
Who granted town privileges to Düsseldorf on the 14th of August 1288?
Sovereign Count Adolf VIII of Berg granted town privileges to the village on the banks of the Düssel on the 14th of August 1288. This event followed the Battle of Worringen where forces of the count of Berg defeated the Archbishop of Cologne's army.
What is the population of Düsseldorf as of December 2022?
Düsseldorf had a population of 653,253 within its city boundaries on the 31st of December 2022. This figure makes it Germany's sixth largest city by population.
Which musical group formed in Düsseldorf declared themselves robots in 1970s music history?
Kraftwerk is an internationally known band formed by two Düsseldorf-born musicians who declared: We are the robots. They are recognized as pioneers in electronic music and the most significant band in the history of post-war German music.
When did Düsseldorf become the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia?
Düsseldorf became the capital of the newly created state of North Rhine-Westphalia in 1946. It serves as the administrative center for this federal state located in western Germany.
As of 2023, Düsseldorf’s GDP was approximately €62.7 billion, making it the 8th highest among German cities in terms of economic output. The region’s purchasing power is the highest in North Rhine-Westphalia, both per capita and per household. Employees in the Düsseldorf region generated about €71.3 per hour, compared with €61.2 per hour in North Rhine-Westphalia. More than 30,000 people work for the financial and insurance sector in Düsseldorf. There are around 170 national and international financial institutions, and about 130 insurance agencies. HSBC has its German headquarters in Düsseldorf and employs 3,000 people. NRW.BANK is a development bank of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the largest state development bank in Germany. Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank have major branches in Düsseldorf with about 2,000 employees. Düsseldorf is also the most important German financial center for Japanese credit institutions. MUFG Bank, SMBC and Mizuho have offices in Düsseldorf. Messe Düsseldorf is a major trade fair organiser whose events attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. In 2023, Messe Düsseldorf organised 27 trade shows in the city, attracting 26,866 exhibitors and 1,146,874 visitors. Of these, about 78% of exhibitors came from abroad. The city forms a joint economic region with the neighbouring district of Mettmann. It is the wealthiest economic region in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Cultural Renaissance And Art Legacy
Elector Jan Wellem and his wife Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici of Tuscany were patrons of Düsseldorf's first significant cultural activities in the 17th and 18th centuries. The city is home to the renowned Düsseldorf Art Academy, which produced the Düsseldorf School of Painting in the 19th century and the Düsseldorf School of Photography in the 20th century. Well-known stages such as the Schauspielhaus and the Kom(m)ödchen are represented in the city. Heinrich Heine was born in Düsseldorf in 1797 and spent his childhood there. Clara and Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, and Joseph Beuys are among the most prominent artists related to the city. Düsseldorf has been home to a number of influential music artists and bands, particularly in the electronic and krautrock genres. Kraftwerk is internationally known as the most significant band in the history of post-war German music and as pioneers in electronic music. Formed by two Düsseldorf-born musicians, Kraftwerk declared: "We are the robots." Other influential musical groups originating from Düsseldorf include Neu!, formed in 1971 by Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother, after their split from Kraftwerk. La Düsseldorf, also formed by Dinger in 1976 shortly after Neu! disbanded, had a significant influence on a variety of subsequent rock, post-punk, and electronic music artists.
Demographics And Social Fabric
With a population of 653,253 within the city boundaries on the 31st of December 2022, Düsseldorf is Germany's sixth largest city. Its population surpassed the threshold of 100,000 inhabitants during the height of industrialisation in 1882, and peaked at just over 705,000 in 1962. As of 2019, 272,982 people, or 42.6% of Düsseldorf's residents had a migration background. Around 25.5% of the population held foreign citizenship in 2024. At the end of 2023, the largest groups of foreign citizens were Turkish, Ukrainian, Greek, Polish, and Italian nationals. Among these, Turkish citizens formed the largest single group, numbering approximately 12,800 persons. Düsseldorf and its surroundings have the third-largest Japanese community in Europe and the largest in Germany (about 11,000 people). As of 2023, 6,265 Japanese nationals lived in the city proper. The city developed a distinctive "Little Tokyo" district along Immermannstraße, where Japanese shops, restaurants, and cultural institutions were established. By the 1980s, Düsseldorf hosted the largest Japanese community in Germany. In addition to the major Christian denominations, Düsseldorf is also home to numerous Eastern Orthodox communities and free churches. Düsseldorf has the third-largest Jewish community in Germany, after Berlin and Munich, with around 7,000 members.
Urban Infrastructure And Transport Network
Düsseldorf Airport is Germany's fourth-busiest airport, with 25.5 million passengers annually as of 2019. The airport offers 180 destinations on four continents, and is served by 70 airlines. After those of Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin, Düsseldorf Airport ranks fourth among German commercial airports. The airport buildings were partly destroyed by a devastating fire caused by welding works in 1996, killing 17 people. Following this event, it was completely rebuilt and the SkyTrain was installed. More than 1,000 trains stop in Düsseldorf daily at Düsseldorf Central Station. Several Rhein-Ruhr S-Bahn lines connect Düsseldorf to other cities of Rhine-Ruhr. A tram network was developed toward the end of the 19th century, initially using cars pulled by horses along the tracks, and from 1896 switched to electric operation. As the light rail network expanded, the tram network decreased from 19 lines in 1981 to seven lines in 2018. The Düsseldorf light rail system currently consists of eleven lines. Seven of them run through the inner-city tunnel, opened in 1988, between the Heinrich-Heine-Allee underground station and the central station. Another tunnel route for four new light rail lines, the Wehrhahn Line, was opened on the 20th of February 2016. Düsseldorf is unique in Germany in that three single-digit federal highways run along the same alignment.