Duisburg

Duisburg is a German city in the western part of the Ruhr Area (Ruhrgebiet) in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is an independent metropolitan borough within Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf. The harbour of Duisburg is the largest inland port in Europe.

History

Roman period

Latest archaeological studies show that today's market-place was already in use in the 1st century AD.

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It has been the major central trading place of the city since the 5th century. The city itself was located at the "Hellweg", an important medieval trade route, and at a ford across the River Rhine. The Romans already guarded the ford.

Related Topics:
5th century - Hellweg - Ford - Romans

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• 420 The Franks usurp the roman settlement and re-colonisation of the old part of the town.
• 883 Normans conquer Duisburg and stay for the winter. First historic document mentioning Duisburg.

Middle Ages

Due to the town's favourable geographic position a palatinate was built and the town was soon granted the royal charter of a free city. Duisburg became a member of the Hanseatic League. Around 1000 the river Rhine moved westward from the city. This put an end to the city's development as a trading town and it soon grew into a quiet rural city.

Related Topics:
Palatinate - Free city - Hanseatic League

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The productions of cartographer Gerardus Mercator and the foundation of a university in 1655 established the city's renown as "Educated Duisburg" ("Duisburgum Doctum").

Related Topics:
Gerardus Mercator - 1655

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• around 1000, the Rhine moves its river bed from Duisburg
• 1120 construction of the city wall
• 1279 "city charter" granted by King Lothar III
• 1445 attack by the Cologne Archbishop was thwarted
• 1566 Johannes Corputius completes his city map of Duisburg.
• 1666 Duisburg within the Duchy of Cleves becomes a part of Brandenburg and Prussia

Industrial revolution

The rise of tobacco and textile industries in the 18th century made Duisburg an industrial center. Big industrial companies such as iron and steel producing firms (Thyssen and Krupp) influenced the development of the city.

Related Topics:
18th century - Thyssen - Krupp

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Large housing areas near production sites were being built as workers and their families moved in.

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• 1824 construction of the sulfuric acid factory Fr. W. Curtius. Beginning of the industry age in Duisburg.
• 1828 Franz Haniel builds a dockyard for steamships
• 1846 railroad line to Düsseldorf
• 1847 railroad line via Dortmund to Minden
• 1873 Duisburg becomes an independent city borough.
• 1904 Birth of the 100,000th resident (Ernst R. Straube)
• 1929 The city of Duisburg-Hamborn is renamed Duisburg.
• 1938 (November) The Nazis destroy the Jewish synagogue.

World War II

A major logistical center in the Ruhr and location of chemical, steel and iron industries, Duisburg was a primary target of Allied bombers. Not only the industrial areas but also residential areas were attacked by Allied bombs. As an entry to the Ruhr, there were daily warnings of bombing raids in 1943.

Related Topics:
Allied - Bombers - 1943

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• 1941 between 12/13 June British bombers drop a toal of 445 tonnes of bombs
• 1943 577 British bombers destroy the old city on 12/13 May with 1599 t of bombs: 96,000 people are made homeless.
• 1944 The city was badly damaged as a total of 2000 t of bombs drop on 22 May; on 14/October 15 this amount was doubled when 1005 Halifax, Lancaster and Mosquito bombers appeared over Duisburg. Numerous similar attacks follow.
• 1945 The city has under artillery barrage from 3 April 1945. On 12 April 1945 military units of the U.S. 9th Army enter Duisburg. On May 8, 1945 the ADSEC Engineer Group A, led by Col. Swenholt commanding officer of the 332nd Engineer General Service Regiment, constructed a railroad bridge between Duisberg and Rheinhausen across the Rhine River. This bridge was 2,815 feet (0.86 kM) long, and constructed in six days, fifteen hours and twenty minutes, a record time. This Bridge was named the Victory Bridge.

Post war period

A total of 299 bombing raids had almost completely destroyed the historic cityscape. 80% of all residential buildings had been destroyed or partly damaged. Almost the whole of the city had to be rebuilt, and most historic landmarks had been lost.

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• 1983 1100 year anniversary
• 1989 Summer-Universiade in Duisburg.
• 1999 The new Jewish community center with a synagogue is opened.
• 2004 On 19 July Duisburg was hit by a tornado. The municipal theatre and parts of the city center were damaged.
• 2005 Duisburg hosts the 7th World Games.