History of Dortmund in Timeline

Dortmund is the ninth-largest city in Germany, located in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the largest city in both the Ruhr area and Westphalia, boasting a population of over 614,000. Situated within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Region, a major economic hub in the EU, Dortmund serves as the administrative, commercial, and cultural center of the eastern Ruhr. The city lies on the Emscher and Ruhr rivers and holds significance as the second-largest city in the Low German dialect area.

1900: Opening of the Old Synagogue

In 1900, the Old Synagogue, one of the largest Jewish houses of worship in Germany with a capacity of 1,300 seats, was opened in Dortmund.

1904: Population exceeds 100,000

1904 marks the year when Dortmund saw a population of more than 100,000 for the first time in its history.

1904: First Opera House Built

In 1904, the first opera house was built in Dortmund.

1905: Annexation of municipalities begins

From 1905, boroughs originally independent municipalities were gradually annexed into Dortmund.

1905: Population Growth

In 1905, Dortmund's population rose to 379,950, marking the town's expansion into a city during the industrialisation of Prussia.

1908: End of construction boom

The Kreuzviertel is characterised by old buildings, the majority of which come from the turn of the 20th century (1884 to 1908).

1920: Resistance to Kapp Putsch

In 1920, Dortmund became one of the centres of resistance to the Kapp Putsch, a right-wing military coup against the Social Democratic-led government. Radical workers formed the 50,000-man Ruhr Red Army but were defeated.

January 1923: French and Belgian troops occupied the Ruhr

On 11 January 1923, French and Belgian troops occupied the Ruhr in response to Germany's failure to meet the reparations demands of the Treaty of Versailles.

August 1925: End of Ruhr occupation

In August 1925, the occupation of the Ruhr by French and Belgian troops, which had started in January 1923, came to an end.

1927: City Acquires Rombergpark

In 1927, the city acquired the Botanischer Garten Rombergpark.

1928: Hörde annexation

Until 1928, the borough of Hörde was located in the south of Dortmund and independent.

1929: Hörde Becomes Part of Dortmund

In 1929, Hörde, originally a separate town, became part of Dortmund.

1929: City Acquires Rombergpark

In 1929, the city acquired the Botanischer Garten Rombergpark.

1933: Start of Nazi era

During the Nazi era, starting in 1933, mayors were installed by the Nazi Party.

1933: Start of Imprisonment in Steinwache Prison

In 1933, the Steinwache prison began to be used to imprison people under National Socialism.

1938: Destruction of the Old Synagogue

In 1938, during Nazi Germany, the Old Synagogue, which had opened in 1900, 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, who escaped the Oflag VI-B POW camp, but were soon captured.

March 1945: Devastating bombing raids

In March 1945, devastating bombing raids with 1,108 aircraft destroyed 98% of buildings in the inner city centre, with 4,851 tonnes of bombs dropped on Dortmund city centre and the south of the city, marking a record for a single target in World War II.

April 1945: Allied Capture of Dortmund

In April 1945, the Allied ground advance reached Dortmund, and the US 95th Infantry Division attacked the city on April 12th, completing its capture on April 13th after urban combat through the ruins.

1945: End of World War II

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

1945: End of Imprisonment in Steinwache Prison

By 1945, over 66,000 people had been imprisoned in the Steinwache prison since 1933.

1945: First Publication of Westfälische Rundschau

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

1946: Dortmund becomes part of North Rhine-Westphalia

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

1948: Majority of buildings pre-date 1948

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

1949: Foundation of Ruhr Nachrichten

In 1949, the Ruhr Nachrichten (RN) newspaper was founded.

1950: Rebuilding of Rombergpark as Arboretum

Starting in 1950, director Gerd Krüssmann rebuilt the Botanischer Garten Rombergpark as an arboretum after its damage in World War II.

1953: Founding of Dortmund Zoo

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

1959: Westfalenpark Opening and Chair Lift

In 1959, the Westfalenpark initially opened as the second Bundesgartenschau in North Rhine-Westphalia. Furthermore, a chair lift also opened in 1959, running between a "Mountain" and "Valley" station.

1965: Peak Population

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

1966: Borussia Dortmund Won UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

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

1966: Reopening of Opernhaus Dortmund

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

1968: Foundation of TU Dortmund

In 1968, TU Dortmund (Technical University of Dortmund) was founded.

1969: Foundation of the LWL-Industriemuseum

In 1969, the LWL-Industriemuseum was founded.

1971: Creation of Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts

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

1974: Westfalenstadion Built for 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.

1975: Annexation of municipalities ends

Until 1975, boroughs originally independent municipalities were gradually annexed into Dortmund.

May 1980: Dortmund Giants Established

In May 1980, the Dortmund Giants, an American football team, were established.

1982: First Sparkassen Chess-Meeting

Since 1982, the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting has been hosted in Dortmund.

1987: Closure of pit Minister Stein

In 1987, the pit Minister Stein closed, marking the end of more than 150 years of coal mining.

1994: Dortmund Giants in 2. Bundesliga

In 1994, the Dortmund Giants spent the season in the 2. Bundesliga.

1997: Borussia Dortmund Won 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.

1999: SPD loses plurality

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

2000: Big Tipi at Expo 2000

In 2000, the 35 meters high Big Tipi was brought to Dortmund from the Expo 2000 in Hanover to attract families, despite the area's association with cheaper accommodation and socially disadvantaged groups.

2001: Final Season in 2. Bundesliga

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

2002: Konzerthaus Dortmund Operated by Theater Dortmund

In 2002, the Konzerthaus Dortmund started being operated by Theater Dortmund.

2004: SPD regains plurality

Until 2004, the SPD had lost their plurality in the city council.

2005: Start of Phoenix-See construction

In 2005, work started on the Phoenix-See, an artificially created lake in the district of Hörde, marking a new era after 160 years of industrial history.

2006: Westfalenstadion Hosted FIFA World Cup Matches

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

August 2007: Dortmund Admitted to AGFS

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

2007: Love Parade move to Ruhr Area

In 2007, after negotiations with several German cities, it was announced that the Love Parade would move to the Ruhr Area for five years.

April 2008: Opening of 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: Highway of Love Parade

In 2008, the Love Parade took place on the Bundesstraße 1 under the motto Highway of Love. The event was planned as a "Love Weekend", with parties throughout the region. The official estimate is that 1.6 million visitors attended.

2009: Goethe-Gymnasium Becomes a NRW Sportschule

From 2009, the Goethe-Gymnasium has been a NRW Sportschule, focused on sports.

2009: Dortmund Classified as a Node City

In 2009, Dortmund was classified as a Node city in the Innovation Cities Index published by 2thinknow, reflecting its shift to high technology and new-economy sectors.

October 2010: Launch of the flooding of the Phoenix See

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

2010: Opening of the Dortmunder U Art and Creative Centre

In 2010, the Dortmunder U, an art and creative centre, opened and became a beacon for the Union District, spurring the growth of a young artist scene and benefiting from cheaper apartments near the university.

2010: Museum am Ostwall Relocation

In 2010, the Museum am Ostwall, a museum of modern and contemporary art, was located in the Dortmund U-Tower.

2010: U-Tower as Part of RUHR.2010

In 2010, the area around the Dortmund U-Tower called "Union Viertel" was rooted in the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010.

May 2011: Completion of the Phoenix See

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

2011: Population decline

As a result of the city's post-industrial decline, the population fell to just under 580,000 in 2011.

2011: EU-wide census

Data of the EU-wide 2011 census revealed discrepancies between the census data and the official population statistics, which resulted in a statistical "loss" of 9,000 inhabitants in Dortmund.

2011: Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga Champions

In 2011, Borussia Dortmund won the Bundesliga.

2012: End of Love Parade in Ruhr Area

2012 was the planned final year for the Love Parade in the Ruhr area, after it was moved there in 2007.

2012: Dortmund population in 2012

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

2012: Dortmund Ranked Among Most Livable Cities in Germany

In a 2012 study of the most livable biggest cities in Germany, Dortmund ranked on position ten.

November 2013: Evacuation and defusal of WWII bomb

In November 2013, more than 20,000 people were evacuated after a 4,000-pound bomb from World War II was found. German authorities safely defused the bomb.

2013: Westenhellweg as Germany's Most Frequented Shopping Street

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

December 2014: Immigrant demographics

As of December 2014, Dortmund had sizable Turkish and South European communities (particularly Spanish), and had one of Germany's most visible Slavic populations.

2014: Dortmund Acclaimed as Most Sustainable City

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

2014: Dortmund rated most sustainable city in Germany

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

2014: Dortmund Giants 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 Ranked Seventh-Best for Student Life

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

2016: Eisadler Dortmund in Oberliga

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

2016: Population above 600,000

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

2016: Dortmund Ranked Seventh-Best for Student Life

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

September 2017: The New York Times Praises Dortmund

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

November 2017: Dortmund Ranked Among Most Livable Cities for Expats

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

2017: Overnight Stays in Dortmund in 2017

In 2017, Dortmund became one of the most popular destinations in North Rhine-Westphalia with more than 1.450.528 overnight stays.

June 2019: Evangelischer Kirchentag

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

2019: Passenger Traffic at Dortmund Airport in 2019

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

2020: Emscher River Renaturation

By 2020, the main work of the renaturation of the Emscher River, managed by Emschergenossenschaft with a financial frame of 4.5 billion Euro, is aimed to be finished.