History

c.1000 AD	first settlement in the area of the present Waldhof
1214	founding of the town by Count Hermann IV of Ravensberg
after 1240	construction of Sparrenburg Castle and development of the new town
1293	establishment of St.Marien seminary
1346	after the end of the House of Ravensberg, the county falls to the House of Jülich-Berg
C.14	Bielefeld joins the Hanseatic League
1452	diversion of the river Luther to fill the town moat
1511	consecration of Franciscan monastery at Klosterplatz
1511	Bielefeld, with the county of Ravensberg, falls to the House of Kleve
1520	integration of old town and new town
c.1550	fortification of Sparrenburg Castle completed
1554	the Reformation reaches Bielefeld

1648	end of the Thirty Year War. Bielefeld
	and the county of Ravensberg
	become part of Brandenburg
1652	establishment of the first Legge,
	a linen testing institution by the Great
	Elector
1666	discovery of a medicinal spring at
	Kesselbrink, giving Bielefeld spa town status
	for over 150 years

1768	merchants establish a modern bleaching works, Bielefeld's first joint stock company
1775	construction of barracks for the Bielefeld garrison under Frederick the Great, using facing stones from Sparrenburg Castle. After 1830 major crisis in the linen trade caused by cheap, machine-made yarns and cloths from abroad
1847	the new Cologne-Minden railway connects Bielefeld to the German and European rail network
1851	the Bozi brothers establish "Spinnerei Vorwärts", the first large mechanised spinning mill in the town

1854	founding of the "Ravensberger
	Spinnerei" spinning mill as a joint
	stock company under Hermann
	Delius

1860	the first metal industry company starts production, later to become the "Kochs Adler-Werke"
1867	establishment of the "Dürkopp-Werke" company
1872	Pastor Friedrich von Bodelschwingh becomes head of Bethel, a charitable institution founded in 1867
1879	the town purchases the ruin of Sparrenburg Castle from the Prussian state for 8934.90 Marks. Rebuilding begins
1891	Dr. August Oetker takes over Aschoff's chemist's shop, here developing his well-known pre-packed baking powder
1900	inauguration of tram services in Bielefeld
1904	opening of the municipal theatre, construction of the town hall at Schillerplatz and of the post office at Herforder Straße
1910	construction of the main railway station
1917	official opening of the farmhouse museum at Ochsenheide
1930	Bielefeld becomes a city by incorporating parts of neighbouring communities
1930	opening of the "Rudolf Oetker-Halle" concert hall, famous for its excellent acoustics
1933	banning of unions and the Social Democrat "Volkswacht", dissolution of democratic political parties
1938	the synagogue is burnt down in the Third Reich's pogrom night
1944	heaviest air strike on Bielefeld on September 30. Large area of the town turns to rubble; more than 600 people die
1945	entry of American troops in April. The British take over the military administration in May
1946	Artur Ladebeck becomes the first democratically elected mayor
1953	official twinning with the English town of Rochdale
1968	the foundation stone is laid for Bielefeld University. The city art gallery is opened
1968	"Arminia Bielefeld" football club reach the First Division
1973	Northrhine-Westphalian boundary changes: the town of Bielefeld and its district are merged
1974	end of production at the Bielefeld site of Ravensberger Spinnerei
1990	opening of the civic hall
1991	official opening of the Stadtbahn tram network, running underground in the city centre
1993	opening of the Seidensticker Hall
1994	the History Museum is opened in the Ravensberger Spinnerei park
1995	official handing over of the arts and crafts collection Huelsmann in the former manager's mansion of the Ravensberger Spinnerei

History

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