History of Munich in Timeline
Munich, the capital of Bavaria, Germany, boasts a population of 1,604,384 as of November 2024, securing its position as Germany's third most populous city after Berlin and Hamburg. Notably, it is the largest German city that isn't its own state and ranks as the 11th largest city within the European Union. Munich's metropolitan area, encompassing suburbs and satellite towns, houses 3 million residents, while its broader metropolitan region, home to approximately 6.2 million people, claims the third highest GDP among all metropolitan regions in the European Union.
1900: Start of Global Warming Trend
The general trend of global warming, with a rise in average temperatures, began around 1900 in Germany.
February 1929: Record Low Temperature
The lowest temperature ever recorded in Munich, -31.6 °C (-24.9 °F), occurred in February 1929.
1930: Founding of Feinkost Käfer
Feinkost Käfer, which would become a world-leading catering business, was founded in Munich in 1930.
1931: Destruction of the Glass Palace
The Glass Palace, an exhibition building in Munich, was destroyed in an arson attack in 1931.
September 1933: Construction of Nazi Buildings
Construction began in September 1933 on the Führerbau and the Brown House (Nazi Party headquarters) in Munich.
1934: Publication of Nazi Propaganda
Nazi publications detailing the "Red Terror" were released in 1934, including Rudolf Schricker's "Rotmord über München".
1938: Munich Agreement
The Munich Agreement, which ceded Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland to Germany, was signed in Munich in 1938.
October 1939: Completion of Munich-Riem Airport
Munich-Riem Airport was completed in October 1939.
November 1939: Georg Elser's Assassination Attempt
Georg Elser attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a bomb at the Bürgerbräukeller in Munich in November 1939.
1942: Deportation of Munich Jews
By mid-1942, the majority of Jews in Munich and its suburbs had been deported.
1943: White Rose Resistance Movement
In 1943, members of the White Rose student resistance movement in Munich stenciled anti-Nazi slogans on buildings.
April 1945: Liberation of Munich
US troops liberated Munich on April 30, 1945, after the city suffered heavy bombing damage during World War II.
1945: Forced Labor Camps in Munich
Munich housed numerous forced labor camps, including subcamps of Dachau, with up to 17,000 prisoners in 1945.
October 1946: Refugee Camps in Munich
Munich operated over a thousand refugee camps for displaced people in October 1946, following World War II.
1954: First Television Broadcast
Bayerischer Rundfunk started its first television broadcast in Munich in 1954.
1957: Munich's Population Reaches One Million
Munich's population exceeded one million in 1957.
1963: Munich Security Conference
The first Munich Security Conference was held in 1963.
1966: Munich Wins Bid for 1972 Olympics
Munich was awarded the 1972 Summer Olympics in 1966.
May 1967: Construction of U-Bahn Line to Olympic Park
Construction began on a new U-Bahn line to connect Munich with the Olympic Park in May 1967.
1970: Restoration of New City Hall
Funds were released to restore the facade and Glockenspiel of the New City Hall in 1970.
May 1972: Completion of Olympic Park U-Bahn Line
The U-Bahn line to the Olympic Park was completed in May 1972.
1972: Munich Massacre
The Munich Massacre, in which 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by Palestinian terrorists, occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics.
July 1983: Record High Temperature
The highest temperature ever recorded in Munich, 37.5 °C (100 °F), occurred in July 1983.
1992: Franz Josef Strauss Airport Opens
Munich Airport, named after Bavarian politician Franz Josef Strauss, opened in 1992.
2007: Isar River Restoration
The ecological restoration of the Isar River in Munich received the Water Development Prize in 2007.
2011: 2011 Norway Attacks Anniversary
On the fifth anniversary of the 2011 Norway attacks, a hate crime shooting occurred in Munich.
November 2016: Climate Change Study
In November 2016, Munich's city council initiated a study on the local impacts of climate change.
2016: 2016 Munich Shooting
The 2016 Munich shooting targeted people of Turkish and Arab descent.
2020: Global Warming Trend Continues
The trend of global warming continued through 2020, with a rise in average temperatures.
2024: UEFA Euro 2024
Munich was selected as a host city for UEFA Euro 2024.
