History of Dortmund in Timeline

Dortmund, Germany's ninth-largest city, is a major urban center located in North Rhine-Westphalia. As the largest city in both the Ruhr region and Westphalia, it holds significant administrative, commercial, and cultural importance, particularly as the eastern Ruhr's central hub. Positioned within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Region, a key economic area in the EU, Dortmund also ranks as the second-largest city within the Low German dialect area. Its location on the Emscher and Ruhr rivers further contributes to its regional prominence.

1900: Opening of the Old Synagogue

In 1900, the Old Synagogue, one of the largest Jewish houses of worship in Germany, opened in Dortmund.

1904: Population Exceeds 100,000

In 1904, Dortmund's population exceeded 100,000 for the first time.

1904: Construction of the first opera house

In 1904, the first opera house was built in Dortmund, though it was later destroyed in World War II.

1905: Population Rise

In 1905, Dortmund's population rose to 379,950 as the town expanded into a city during the industrialization of Prussia.

1905: Annexation of Municipalities

Starting in 1905, independent municipalities began to be gradually annexed into Dortmund.

1908: Era of Construction Ends

In 1908, the era of construction ended, with the majority of buildings in the Kreuzviertel originating from the turn of the 20th century (1884 to 1908).

1920: Resistance to Kapp Putsch

In 1920, Dortmund became one of the centers for resistance to the Kapp Putsch, a right-wing military coup.

January 1923: Occupation of the Ruhr

In January 1923, French and Belgian troops occupied the Ruhr, including Dortmund, due to Germany's failure to meet Treaty of Versailles reparations demands.

August 1925: End of Ruhr Occupation

In August 1925, the occupation of the Ruhr by French and Belgian troops came to an end.

1927: City acquisition of the Rombergpark

In 1927-1929, the city acquired the Rombergpark and director Richard Nose enhanced it by a small herb garden.

1928: Hörde coat of arms

The borough of Hörde, located in the south of Dortmund and independent until 1928, has its own coat of arms.

1929: City acquisition of the Rombergpark

In 1927-1929, the city acquired the Rombergpark and director Richard Nose enhanced it by a small herb garden.

1929: Hörde becomes part of Dortmund

In 1929, Hörde, which was originally a separate town, became a borough in the south of the city of Dortmund.

1933: Start of Imprisonment at Steinwache

In 1933, the Steinwache prison began imprisoning people under National Socialism. The prison became known as "The hell of western Germany".

1933: Nazi Era Begins

In 1933, with the beginning of the Nazi era, mayors in Dortmund were installed by the Nazi Party.

1938: Destruction of the Old Synagogue

In 1938, during Nazi Germany, the Old Synagogue in Dortmund was destroyed.

1941: Transfer of Children to "Children's Specialist Department"

In 1941, an additional 229 children were murdered in the "Children's Specialist Department", which was transferred from Marburg.

September 1943: Mass Execution of Polish POWs

In September 1943, the local Gestapo carried out a mass execution of 17 Polish POWs in Dortmund after they escaped from the Oflag VI-B POW camp but were recaptured.

March 1945: Devastating bombing raids

In March 1945, Dortmund experienced devastating bombing raids that destroyed 98% of the buildings in the inner city centre. These raids, involving over 1,110 aircraft, were the largest for a single target during World War II.

April 1945: Allied Ground Advance and Capture of Dortmund

In April 1945, the Allied ground advance reached Dortmund, with the US 95th Infantry Division attacking the city on April 12, 1945. After facing stubborn German defense, they completed the capture of the city on April 13, 1945.

1945: Post-War Administration

After World War II, in 1945, the military government of the British occupation zone installed a new mayor and a municipal constitution in Dortmund.

1945: End of Imprisonment at Steinwache

In 1945, the Steinwache prison stopped imprisoning people under National Socialism, after having imprisoned more than 66,000 people between 1933 and 1945.

1945: Westfälische Rundschau first publication

In 1945, the Westfälische Rundschau (WR) newspaper was first published in Dortmund.

1946: Part of North Rhine-Westphalia

In 1946, Dortmund became part of the new state (Land) of North Rhine-Westphalia in the British zone of occupation of Germany.

1948: Construction Before 1948

Over 80% of all housing in the Kreuzviertel was constructed before 1948.

1949: Ruhr Nachrichten foundation

In 1949, the Ruhr Nachrichten (RN), a conservative daily newspaper, was founded in Dortmund.

1950: Rebuilding of the Rombergpark

Starting in 1950, director Gerd Krüssmann rebuilt the Rombergpark as an arboretum after it was badly damaged in World War II.

1953: Foundation of the Dortmund Zoo

In 1953, the Dortmund Zoo was founded next to the Rombergpark.

1959: Westfalenpark Opening

In 1959, the Westfalenpark was first opened as the second Bundesgartenschau (BUGA) in North Rhine-Westphalia. The park also features a chair lift that opened in 1959 and runs on Sundays.

1965: Peak Population

In 1965, Dortmund's population reached 657,804.

1966: Borussia Dortmund win UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

In 1966, Borussia Dortmund won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

1966: Reopening of Opernhaus Dortmund

In 1966, the Opernhaus Dortmund was reopened after being destroyed in World War II.

1968: Foundation of TU Dortmund

In 1968, TU Dortmund (Technical University of Dortmund) was founded in the southern part of the city.

1969: Foundation of the LWL-Industriemuseum

In 1969, the LWL-Industriemuseum was founded in Dortmund.

1971: Creation of Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts

In 1971, the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts was created through a merger of several institutions of higher learning.

1974: FIFA World Cup

In 1974, the Westfalenstadion was built for the FIFA World Cup.

1975: Division into Administrative Districts

Since 1975, Dortmund is divided into twelve administrative districts, each with its own elected district council and mayor.

1975: Administrative Districts

Since 1975, Dortmund is divided into twelve administrative districts.

May 1980: Establishment of Dortmund Giants

On May 22, 1980, the Dortmund Giants, an American football team from Dortmund, was established.

1982: Start of Sparkassen Chess-Meeting

In 1982, the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting began being hosted in Dortmund.

1987: Closure of Pit Minister Stein

In 1987, the pit Minister Stein closed in Dortmund, marking the end of over 150 years of coal mining.

1994: Dortmund Giants in 2. Bundesliga

In 1994, the Dortmund Giants spent the season in the 2. Bundesliga before dropping to the third tier Regionalliga West.

1997: Borussia Dortmund win UEFA Champions League and Intercontinental Cup

In 1997, Borussia Dortmund won the UEFA Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup.

1997: Return to 2. Bundesliga

In 1997, the Dortmund Giants returned to the 2. Bundesliga for five seasons.

1999: End of SPD Plurality

From 1999, the SPD lost its plurality in the city council.

2000: Big Tipi at Expo 2000

In 2000, the 35-meter-high Big Tipi was brought to Dortmund from the Expo 2000 in Hanover to attract families, though low apartment prices suggest otherwise.

2001: Beginning of the Phoenix See Project

In 2001, a new era began for the Hörde district in Dortmund with the start of the Phoenix See project, ending 160 years of industrial history.

2001: Final Season in 2. Bundesliga

In 2001, the Dortmund Giants played their final season in the 2. Bundesliga as the Dortmund B1 Giants, a combined team with the Bochum Cadets.

2002: Konzerthaus Dortmund listed

Since 2002, the Konzerthaus Dortmund has been operated by Theater Dortmund and is listed in the ECHO list.

2004: Return of SPD Plurality

In 2004, the SPD regained its plurality in the city council.

2005: Laying of the First Cornerstone on the Phoenix area

In 2005, the first cornerstone was laid on the Phoenix area.

2006: FIFA World Cup matches

In 2006, Westfalenstadion hosted some matches of the FIFA World Cup.

August 2007: Dortmund admitted to AGFS

On August 8, 2007, Dortmund was admitted to the German "Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle-Friendly Cities and Municipalities in NRW" (AGFS).

2007: Love Parade moves to Ruhr Area

In 2007, after negotiations, it was announced that the Love Parade would move to the Ruhr Area for five years (2007–2012); Essen hosted it in 2007.

April 2008: Opening of the east-west underground light rail line

In April 2008, the newly constructed east–west underground light rail line was opened in Dortmund, completing the underground service in the city centre and replacing the last trams on the surface.

2008: Love Parade in Dortmund

In 2008, the Love Parade took place on the Bundesstraße 1 under the motto Highway of Love. The Turkish electronic scene was represented by its own float, called "Turkish Delights". 1.6 million visitors attended the parade.

2009: Goethe-Gymnasium becomes a NRW Sportschule

From 2009, the Goethe-Gymnasium, which was founded in 1867, has been a NRW Sportschule focused on sports.

2009: Classification as Node City

In 2009, Dortmund was classified as a Node city in the Innovation Cities Index and recognized as the most sustainable city in Germany.

2009: Dortmund classified as Node city

In 2009, Dortmund was classified as a Node city in the Innovation Cities Index published by 2thinknow.

October 2010: Launch of Flooding of the Phoenix See

On October 1, 2010, the launch of the flooding of the Phoenix See was celebrated in Dortmund.

2010: Museum am Ostwall Relocation

In 2010, the Museum am Ostwall (formerly known as Museum am Ostwall) relocated to the Dortmund U-Tower. The museum houses a collection of modern and contemporary art.

2010: Union Viertel and RUHR.2010

In 2010, the area around the U-Tower called "Union Viertel" was part of the Creative.Quarters Ruhr and rooted in the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010.

2010: Opening of Dortmunder U

In 2010, the art and creative center Dortmunder U opened, serving as a widely visible beacon and strongly benefiting the development of the Union District.

May 2011: Completion of the Phoenix See

Since May 9, 2011, the fences disappeared and the Phoenix See has been completed.

2011: Borussia Dortmund win Bundesliga

In 2011, Borussia Dortmund won the Bundesliga championship.

2011: Population Decline

In 2011, Dortmund's population fell to just under 580,000 due to post-industrial decline.

2011: Correction of Population Figures

In 2011, data from the EU-wide census revealed inaccuracies in German population figures, resulting in a statistical "loss" of 9,000 inhabitants in Dortmund after correction.

2012: End of Love Parade in Ruhr Area

2012 was the last year for which the Love Parade was supposed to be held in the Ruhr Area, after it had moved there in 2007 for five years.

2012: Population and Immigrant Figures

As of 2012, Dortmund had a population of 571,403, with about 177,000 (roughly 30%) being of non-German origin.

2012: Dortmund ranked among most livable cities in Germany

In 2012, Dortmund ranked tenth in a study of the most livable biggest cities in Germany, cited for its sport, gastronomy, and shopping opportunities.

November 2013: Evacuation Due to World War II Bomb

In November 2013, specifically November 3rd, more than 20,000 people were evacuated in Dortmund after a 4,000-pound bomb from World War II was discovered and safely defused.

2013: Westenhellweg Visitor Count

In 2013, Westenhellweg was Germany's most frequented shopping street, with nearly 13,000 visitors per hour.

December 2014: Immigrant Population Statistics

As of December 31, 2014, this table shows the number of first and second generation immigrants in Dortmund by nationality.

2014: Dortmund acclaimed as the most sustainable city in Germany

In 2014, Dortmund was acclaimed as the most sustainable city in Germany.

2014: Return to Oberliga

In 2014, the Dortmund Giants finished the season without a win and had to return to the Oberliga.

August 2015: Sony Music acquires Century Media Records

In August 2015, Century Media Records, headquartered in Dortmund, was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million.

2015: Dortmund student life survey

In a 2015/2016 survey centered on student life in Germany, Dortmund ranked as seventh-best.

2016: Eisadler Dortmund in Oberliga

In 2016, Eisadler Dortmund played in the Oberliga, which is the third level of ice hockey in Germany.

2016: Population Back Above 600,000

In 2016, it was announced that the population of Dortmund was back above 600,000.

2016: Dortmund student life survey

In a 2015/2016 survey centered on student life in Germany, Dortmund ranked as seventh-best.

September 2017: The New York Times praises the city of Dortmund

In September 2017, The New York Times praised the city of Dortmund as the hidden star of structural change.

November 2017: Dortmund Ranked Among Most Livable Cities for Expats

In November 2017, a study ranked Dortmund as the seventh most livable city in Germany for expats.

2017: Overnight stays in Dortmund

In 2017, Dortmund recorded more than 1,450,528 overnight stays, establishing itself as one of the most popular destinations in North Rhine-Westphalia.

2017: Population Increase

In 2017, Dortmund's population was 601,402, making it the eighth largest city in Germany.

June 2019: 37th Evangelischer Kirchentag

In June 2019, Dortmund hosted the 37th Evangelischer Kirchentag – German Evangelical Church Assembly.

2019: Passenger traffic at Dortmund Airport

In 2019, Dortmund Airport served 2,719,563 passengers, mainly for low-cost and leisure charter flights.

2020: Emscher Renaturation Aim

By 2020, the public water board Emschergenossenschaft aims to finish the main work of the Emscher River renaturation project, which has a financial frame of 4.5 billion Euro.