History of Cologne

Cologne is oldest of the big cities of Germany.

Cologne with its premises

The first indices of human activity of the area of Cologne seem to go back to the Paléolithique; two cut Flints found in Dellbrück and Königsforst (with ten kilometers) testify some. Traces of a stable colonization are known from 4500 before J. - C., when the grounds of fertile Lœss of the Rhenish plates and a climate become moderate attracted farmers out of the areas of the Danube. The significant discovery of the city of a tribe of potters was made in the district of Lindenthal in 1929. This village extended from Hohenlind with Stüttgenhof and was populated then abandoned on several occasions between the end of Ve and the beginning of thousand-year-old IVe before J. - C. - because, probably, of an extensive agriculture which forced sometimes peasants to give up their colonies until the ground becomes again fertile. Vestiges of another colonization potière were found in Mengenich.

At the end of the Neolithic , other populations of farmers came to colonize the area of current Cologne, on the level of the district of Nippes, the center town as well as Merheim and Brück, cities of the surroundings. The campaniform Culture, the first culture of metallurgists in the Rhineland, is established during the second millenium before J. - C. in all Western Europe and left behind it as well tools of cut stone as of Cuivre. A funerary site of the Age of the fields of ballot boxes, culture of marked by an evolution in the culture of the burial of the burial towards the incineration, was found in the south of Cologne. Traces of another culture with burial of the Bronze Age - Tumulus - were found on Right Bank of the Rhine with Dellbrück, but also left bank with Lindenthal, Müngersdorf, Riehl, Longerich and Worringen.

One finds only rather late traces of a Celtic population during the time of Tène; i.e. only with before J. - C. in the south of the Kölner Dom (the cathedral of Cologne). Craft industry specific to the Celtic , it was found in Cologne only one single part, in the south-east of the old Roman enclosing wall: a container with handle, three horns.

Cologne, the Roman

In 57 before J. - C., César conquered as Gouverneur of Gallien all the territories to the Rhine. The rising of Eburons of 54 av. J. - C. was repressed the following year, and the tribe, which lived on left bank of the Rhine, between the Meuse, the Rhine and the Ardennes, completely decimated. During the engagements, César met the Germanic tribe of Ubiens which populated Right Bank of the Rhine, of which some warrior to serve scouts to him. Held for “more cultivated than the other German ones” by César, they were fought by their neighbors of Right Bank of the Rhine for their friendships with the Romans and had finally to be folded up towards other uninhabited regions of left bank of the Rhine. Tacit reports that Ubiens were subjected shortly after to Agrippa and thus with the Roman Empire. Other reports/ratios speak about a treaty of alliance which Ubiens would have concluded with the Romans, who granted vast territories to them on left bank of the Rhine. None of these sources stipulates exact date.

One generally estimates the year of foundation of Oppidum Ubiorum, - the first city on the ground of future Cologne - to 38 before J. - C. In fact, Agrippa went twice at that time to the Rhineland: in 40-38 before J. - C. and towards 20/19 before J. - C., so that one can affirm that the capital of Ubiens was founded at the latest in 19 before J. - C. the colony was located advantageously at cross of two important trade route. It was established by Ubiens, but was used to the Romans soon of garrison and religious center. Just like in Lyon, as a Gaulle, a furnace bridge was set up in the honor of the protective goddess of Rome, after which the city was also called Ara Ubiorum. This furnace bridge has not been able yet to be localized.

After Rome had given up, towards 17 after J. - C., its project to conquer the Germanic one in the east of the Rhine, the colony located in the border zone subjected to Rome developed. As of year 15 or 16 before J.C., the future wife of the emperor Claude and mother of Néron, Agrippine the Young person, was born to with it. Thanks to its influence, Oppidum of Ubiens obtained the statute of Roman colony and, as from this moment, took the name of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium , in summary CCAA . The name of the city is thus composed of the names of Agrippine, Claude, the Ara refers to the Roman furnace bridge of the city. Among the few 150 Roman colonies, only Cologne preserved this evocative and significant name today more legal high ranking for a city.

thumb|Römerturm One built a thick strengthened wall on average of 2,5 meters, high of 8 meters and comprising 19 round towers of which one, dating from the 3rd century, is preserved perfectly, and nine doors were perhaps partly started as of; the construction of the fortifications was probably finished only at the 3rd century. In 68, year of died of Néron and terrible crisis which took place on this occasion, the allied Batavians and tribes besieged the city and obtained initially the rendering of the population - but the inhabitants refused to destroy the fortifications as it was required and took again the combat with the assistance of the Romans.

As from 81 the military region around Cologne was high with the row of Roman province (Germanic the lower), CCAA accepted into 89 the statute of capital of province. At that time the water provision of the city was improved thanks to one of the longest aqueducts of the Roman empire which brought the water of Eiffel.

The reign of Trajan, started into 98, mark the one period beginning ostentation for all the Roman empire; also CCAA, thanks to one century and half of peace without interruption, experienced it an economic development and architectural. Thus towards 180 a new court was built for the administration of the province. The remainders of the walls of foundation were put at the day in 1953 during the construction of the Spanischer Bau of the current town hall. The manufactured objects of Cologne, especially glass and ceramics, were dispatched in all the Roman empire and beyond.

In years 259/60, the military commander Postumus faced Saloninus, the son of the emperor Gallien, and was proclaimed emperor of Gaules by the revolted troops of the border. Postumus conquered CCAA and killed Saloninus - Cologne then became the capital of the new empire to which Gaulle, Spain belonged (a certain time) and probably also Brittany (current England). It is only into 274 that the reconquest by the emperor Aurélien put an end to this separated empire, which had been temporarily a glorious time for CCAA. Gold currencies of very good quality to the effigy of Postumus characterize this time in Cologne. Unfortunately, the year even of the conquest of return, Cologne was attacked for the first time by the German ones and was devastated.

Also, to protect the city, the Constantin emperor ordered it into 310 the construction of Castellum Divitia on Right Bank of the Rhine (Kastell Deutz) which, moreover, was connected to the city by the construction of the first permanent bridge out of wooden on the Rhine.

The number of inhabitants of Cologne is estimated by approximation at approximately 15 000 people with the third and fourth centuries, in addition to approximately 5 000 in the close vicinity. It reigned a great diversity of religions and worships; thus Germanic gods and goddesses and other religions of the Roman Empire were also honoured beside the primitive Roman divinities. In 1882, for example, a figure of Isis was found in the northern wall of the Holy-Ursule church; with the Roman-Germanic museum, one can see other lucky finds, for example for the goddess-mothers generally shown by three (matrons). The worship of Mithra, also, was particularly popular for him in Cologne.

After the destruction of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem and the consecutive dispersion of the Jews (the Diaspora), one also finds in Cologne of the evidence of the existence of a Jewish community. In 321 the Constantin emperor authorized the establishment of a Jewish community enjoying all freedoms of the Roman citizens. Although one knows few things about the site of this community in Cologne - one supposes that it was established near the door of Mars, inside the urban enclosure - the community of Cologne the oldest community whose presence was proven in Germany.

A Christian community is attested at the beginning of the 4th century in Cologne, Materne is regarded as the first known bishop of Cologne, into 313; the first written testimony of a church goes back to 355, but its site is unknown. A room was built in the cemetery of North where according to a later legend one group of Christian young girls would have been victims of last persecutions against the Christians - it is the origin of what was to be later the worship of Sainte Ursule and of the eleven thousand Virgins.

Since the attack of 274 Cologne was in prey with the attacks of the German ones; in fact especially the Francs made pressure on the Rhine. With autumn 355 they succeeded in conquering the city and plundering it; a few months later, it was reconquered by the césar Julien. But, at the beginning of the 5th century, the end of the domination of Rome took shape as a Gaulle and also into Low-Germanic, even if Cologne had still left relatively without too much damage walk German towards the West. A short reconquest by the magister militum of the Western Empire Flavius Aetius, between 435 and 446, accompanies its victory over the king by Huns Attila (the push of Huns towards Cologne offered new legendary materials to the history of holy Ursule). The assassination of Aetius in 454 meant the end of Roman sovereignty in Cologne; the Francs conquered the city and the outpost of one of it their “Gauss made”.

Franque Cologne

When the domination of the Francs in the old Roman area of the Rhine and the Moselle started, they were still divided into several groups; in Cologne Sigebert reigned, king of the francs “ripuaires” and cousins of the mérovingien Clovis the Ist This last succeeds in persuading the son of Sigebert to assassinate his father, and made it kill then by its clean deputy. When Clovis entered to Cologne, he the Jura which he did not have nothing to do with this murder and proposed his protection with the inhabitants - and those, in the Saint-Geréon church, proclaimed it with enthusiasm like their sovereign and thus the king of all the Francs. It is the chronicler Gregoire de Tours who teaches it to us in his Histoire from the Francs .

In Cologne at the time of the Francs a variegated mixture of Francs lived, the other German ones and Romans with the most different religions. The Roman population of the city still spoke Latin at the 6th century. There remained until the 6th century of the places of worship not-Christians in spite of the increasing christianization of the empire mérovingien after the baptism of Clovis and in spite of the statute of Cologne like the seat of one évêché.

Populate warriors and peasants the francs used in Cologne the Roman infrastructure which had remained in spite of the conquest, especially the Court where the kings as well as the bridge and the walls of the city resided. For agriculture and the craft industry also they remained on Roman bases; it is thus, for example, which starting from the many Roman farms and of the military installations little by little villages and franques colonies developed. Although the number of inhabitants had extremely fallen at the time franque, the trade and the craft industry thrived certainly, even if the export trade were not also any more flourishing at the 6th century.

In 557 the Saxon ones threatened the city and advanced until Kastell Deutz, but could not go further. In the bloody fights for the capacity, that the descendants of Clovis were delivered, Cologne was found unceasingly implied. Thus in 612 Theudebert flees of Toul to Cologne, after being overcome in Toul into 612 by his/her Théodoric brother. When this last had overcome it once again, it entered to Cologne and was proclaimed king by the partisans of Theudebert who had remained there.

The dissensions in the royal family increased the capacity of noble francs - mayors of the palate - which dispossessed their kings of the effective government; in 687 the Pépin Carolingian of Herstal succeeds in allotting all the franques town halls of the palate. It resided long enough at Cologne, its residence was probably near the current Sainte-Marie church in Capitole. But between its successors either there was no peace: at the end of the day the natural son of Pip, Charles Martel, forced Plectrude, the widow of his father, who resided at Cologne, to give up his capacity and to withdraw themselves in the cloister of the Sainte-Marie church that according to sources of the Early middle ages it would have founded.

The final takeover by the Carolingians in the frank empire by Pip the Brief, the son of Charles Martel, in 751, meant the end of the domination of Mérovingiens in Franconie and, for Cologne, the end of its role as sits of the royalty (the Carolingians resided at Aachen).

Time of the Francs the bishops of Cologne played a considerable part. It is estimated that most important of them was Cunibert which was in load in Cologne towards 625, and which already, for the king Dagobert III and his son Sigisbert III, had directed the businesses of the government. According to the legend it is him which would have devoted the oldest bell of church of still preserved Cologne, Saufang. The church Saint-Clement in which Cunibert was buried after its death, into 663, called from now on Saint-Cunibert.

Carolingian Cologne

During the wars saxonnes under Charlemagne, Cologne still gained influences some politically and also culturally; Hildegar of Cologne which was killed towards 753 at the time of a battle against the Saxon ones in Iburg is regarded as the first Carolingian bishop. Cologne venerated since this time of many Christian martyrs, preserved their remainders in invaluable reliquaries and built in their honor much churches. In the cathedral of late style mérovingien a new liturgical institution, the Schola Cantorum was founded. Still today of the current concepts, such as for example that of vicar or vault, go back to these Carolingian times.

The Zacharias pope projected to name Boniface archbishop of Cologne for better leading from this city the conversion of Saxon and the Clippings. The plan failed initially in front of the resistance of the local bishops and the nobility, and Cologne became archbishop's palace only into 795. As of 787 Charles had placed the Hildebold priest on the head office of Cologne, when the inhabitants were not able to agree on a new bishop. In 795 Hildebold became logically the first archbishop of Cologne; it remained in function until its death into 818, four years after the death of Charlemagne.

After the death of Charlemagne a quarrel in the frank empire burst again. Cologne formed initially part of the intermediate State between the Francia orientalis and the Francia occidentalis , i.e. of Lotharingie, allotted to Lothaire II, grandson of Charles. Its divorce and its remarriage, which had been approved by the archbishop of Cologne Gunthar, were worth with this last excommunication into 863; it remained however at its station in Cologne up to 866. He protested against the subtraction of Bremen to the archbishop's palace by the creation of the archbishop's palace of Hamburg-Bremen into 848. The business initially seemed to be packed, but when Gunthar was excommunicated to have pronounced the divorce of Lothaire II, the pope Nicolas Ier promulgated on May 31st, 864 the bubble of foundation of the archbishop's palace of Hamburg-Bremen. The successor of Gunthar, Willibert, devoted into 873 the church which is regarded as the old cathedral - that which preceded the cathedral by Cologne. As its construction had started probably towards 850, but that Gunthar had too bad reputation so that his origin was allotted to him, one deferred thereafter this honor on its predecessor more appreciated, and this is why it bore the name of Saint-Hildebold a long time.

After the death of Lothaire Cologne into 876 to the Francia orientalis of king Louis the Germanic one returned. The empire was weakened so much by the wars between Francs that in the winter 881/882 the Norman ones could push their forwardings along the Rhine to Cologne and Bonn. They plundered and set fire to these cities, and in Cologne it did not remain any more that the cathedral and the churches Saint-Severin and Saint-Géreon, all the other buildings and the churches as well as the enclosure of the city had been the prey of the flames. It is very probable that in front of the advance of Norman the clergy of the city had taken refuge in Mainz by carrying the treasures of the most invaluable churches.

A few years only after the attack Norman, the inhabitants of Cologne undoubtedly rebuilt the enclosure of the city, and in 891 Cologne and its Hermann archbishop accepted from the pope Etienne V of the very important relics for the rebuilt churches.

At the beginning of the 10th century and at the end of the Carolingian time, penultimate Cologne once changed suzerainty: the election with the royalty of Conrad Ier in the Francia orientalis pushed the princes lotharingiens to be separated from him and to enter the zone of influence of the Francia occidentalis , still Carolingian. The Saxon Henri I put an end definitively to this phase and reinstated Lotharingie in the Francia orientalis in some military forwardings. In 925 its membership, and thus that of Cologne, was confirmed by the princes and the archbishop of Cologne.

Cologne during the Early middle ages

The Brown archbishop, the brother of the future emperor Otto Ier, had been named into 953 spiritual leader of Cologne. After under its orders a revolt in Lorraine against the brother of the emperor had been crushed, Otto Ier made the archbishop duke of all Lotharingie and moreover temporal prince of Cologne. In addition it had in the city the right of justice as well as the supervision of the market and the currency - it was the one period beginning of being able archiépiscopal in Cologne which was to last until the battle of Worringen in 1288.

Brown left in the city of the traces which were to remain. Thus was increased under its orders the old cathedral, and that were created several foundations and convents (for example the church which preceded the current Saint Martin's day the Large one) and towards 950 colonies of the suburb of the Rhine, which until there was still apart from the walls of city, were integrated in the city (the current zone of the old market and the market to the hay). For the visits of the emperor in Cologne, it probably made build a palate near the cathedral.

Little time after in 965 Otto Ier and its family had returned visit to the archbishop to Cologne, Brun died at the 40 years age during a diplomatic mission in Rheims. It was buried in Cologne in the conventual church of Saint-Pantaléon.

After Folcmar, successor of Brown, had briefly exerted the functions, one knows especially Gero as of 969 as archbishop. In 971 it made the voyage from Constantinople in order to seek a wife for Otto II. One considered initially a marriage of the son of the emperor with the girl of the Roman Emperor of the East; finally, Gero arranged a marriage with his/her niece, Theophanu, into 972. The empress exerted regency after the death of Otto II (983) during six years and half, in the name of her minor son Otto III, but she died as of 991. She is not less at the origin of a strong Byzantine influence on German art and the German culture. After it had been buried like Brun with Saint-Pantaléon, his compatriots, craftsmen and artists, around this church - was established what recalls in the street names of Cologne the Greek Market.

Concerning the history of art and iconography the important cross of Gero (970), in the old cathedral, is allotted to him by the tradition. After its death, it was placed in a sarcophagus in the cathedral. About it the chronicler Thietmar von Merseburg tells us that his successor, the Everger archbishop, who had been under his orders the treasurer of cathedral, made it bury in a state of apparent death, like his Warin successor, to seize their station. After him came the Herbert archbishop, from 999 to 1021, who founded an abbey with Deutz. While he was archbishop, the inhabitants of Cologne had several times to fight against the famine and the dryness. One allotted to his prayers the return of the rain so that it became holy after its death in 1147.

Pilgrim, successor of Herbert, crowned the king Henri III and his Gisele mother, which durably establishes the right of the archbishops of Cologne to crown in Aachen. Moreover, it was named in 1031 archichancelier for Italy, posts honorary which after him all the archbishops of Cologne in the Germanic Roman Holy roman Empire obtained.

Chronology of the Middle Ages

1039 : The archbishop of Cologne receives the right of coinage and the marks of Cologne begin their triumphal career along the lower course of the Rhine.
1040: Foundation of the first synagog of Cologne.
1061: The Richeza queen of Poland is buried in Cologne.
1074: The citizens of Cologne revolt against their suzerain, the archbishop Anno II.
1096: Cologne is the place where the crusaders of the lower course of the Rhine meet. The crusaders put at bag the Jewish district.
1106: Second enlarging of the city. Now the walls of the city embrace a zone of 223 hectares.
1128: A large fire bursts in Deutz destroying a great number of houses.
1135: The town hall of Cologne is attested for the first time in a document.
1140: Approximately 20.000 inhabitants live inside the city.
1150: The city is tested by a large fire and knows an epidemic of plague.
1164: The archbishop of Cologne Rainald von Dassel brings to Cologne the relics Magi.
1170: The Jewish community builds one mikvé.
1180: Third enlarging and construction of the large medieval wall of the city.
1216: For the first time, the council of the town of Cologne is indicated by a vote.
1243: With Melaten, construction of the first large leper-house.
1248: The archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden decides to rebuild the cathedral of Cologne.
1259: The archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden gives to the city the right of stage.
1266: The archbishop Engelbert II of Falkenburg grants his protection to the Jews of the city.
1268: In the quarrel between the citizens and the archbishop, one comes from there to fight with the door known as Ulrepforte.
1288: The citizens of Cologne gain their freedom with the battle of Worringen.
1322: The chorus of the new cathedral is completed.
1322: Maître Eckhart deals with the direction of the general studies in Cologne. He is denounced in 1325 by fellow-members near the archbishop of Cologne Henri II of Virneburg because of professions of faith which would have been heretics and he dies in Cologne or Avignon in 1327 or 1328.
1341: In a document of the council of the town of Cologne the carnival is mentioned.
1349: Cologne is struck once again by the plague.
1367: During Hansetag in Cologne is signed the Confédération of Cologne
1371: On Waidmarkt It is fought what is called the battle of the tisserands.
1388: The first university of Cologne is founded.
1396: The first constitution of Cologne, the letter of the Union, between in force on September 14th. Beside the patricians, the trade associations are associated with the government with equality of rights.
1414: The tower of the town hall is completed, it is used as files and armory and the monitoring of the fires.
1424: The Jewish inhabitants of the city are driven out and the synagog is destroyed.
1430: Roughly 40.000 inhabitants live in Cologne.
1435: By the ordinance on the begging the council fixes exactly how and where it is allowed to beg.
1445: Stephan Lochner completes the retable on the furnace bridge of patron saint of the city.
1447: Gürzenich, room of ball and dance of the council, is finished.
1449: The council of the city prohibits the importation in foreign beer Cologne, of the custodial sentences threaten the importers in infringement.
1466: The first printing works is created in Cologne.

Cologne, imperial free city

1475 : The emperor Frederic III confirms officially the statute of imperial city free which practically existed since 1288; Hanse under the direction of Cologne acquires Stalhof in London like office.
1479: The university of Cologne receives from the emperor Frederic III the right to dissect corpses.
1484: A dying man confesses to Cologne of the homosexual practices. A vast investigation shows that more than 200 citizens in sights are implied, the business is choked.
1505: At the time of the Reichstag in Cologne, the emperor Maximilien Ier decides the war of succession of Landshut: the duchy of Palatinat-Neuburg is created (by what one calls the Arbitration of Cologne).
1508: Jakob van Hoogstraten + (1527) becomes inquisitor in Cologne and makes burn the books of Reuchlin.
1516: Franz von Taxis opens the first post office in Cologne.
1520: Albrecht Dürer returns visit to his/her Niklas cousin to Cologne. In the court of cathedral the writings of Martin Luther are flarings.
1529: In Melaten the two heretics Adolphe Clarenbach and Peter Fliesteden are flarings.
1553: Cologne Stock Exchange foundation.
1559: More than 50 people drown following an accident of navigation on the Rhine.
1560: The building work of the cathedral of Cologne is suspended for financial reasons.
1582: The archbishop of Cologne Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg leaves the Catholic church and marries a noble nun Protestant Agnès von Mansfeld, it does not give up however his functions of archbishop.
1583: Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg is excommunicated and Ernest von Bayern, a sure catholic, is put at its place, certainly, inter alia things, because a Protestant archbishop of Cologne would have reversed the catholic majority in the body of the princes voters. It results the war from it from Cologne (known as also war of Truchsess) which lasts until 1588. Deutz, Bonn and Neuss are devastated.
1609: The council prohibited the women from wearing men's clothes even at the time of the carnival.
1620: The first tobacco shop is opened in Cologne.
1627: In Melaten, Katharina Henot is burned like witch.
1630: Christine Plumm shows itself of sorcery and designates ten citizens in sight like accomplices. The business is choked and the continuation of the witches in Cologne is abandoned.
1631: Because of syphilis, the houses of public baths are closed. The first weekly newspaper appears in Cologne.
1659: The prohibited council of the city to smoke in the enclosure of the city.
1669: Participation of Cologne in the Hansetag last in Lübeck
1709: Farina founds what is today the oldest factory of perfume of the world
1714: The council of the city issues an obligatory inscription for the Protestants.
1716: Jean Maria Farina starts to export his Eau de Cologne.
1736: After the closing of the doors of the city the evening, one cannot enter any more that after payment of a tax of door.
1760: Giacomo Casanova visits the town of Cologne.
1784: The ice-barrier on the Rhine and the rising which results from it cause great damage, more than 60 people perish.
1794: The town of Cologne is occupied by the French.

French Cologne

Thereafter, Cologne is integrated into the department of the Roer, created in 1798. The same year, the French remove the Université of Cologne; in the 1801 all inhabitants of the city receive French nationality. In 1804 Napoleon visit the city with its wife.

French time date also the foundation from the CCI in Cologne (1803), the first room Commercial and Industry on the German ground, as well as Kölsche Hänneschen Theater (1802). In 1810 the new cemetery takes the place with Melaten of the old leper-house.

In 1814 the French troops leave Cologne.

Prussian Cologne

After the congress of Vienna, the Prussian troops occupy Cologne in 1815 and the city returns to Prussia, although until in 1848 its inhabitants preserve the French currency. The city becomes seat of a district and even a free city of circle. In 1823 with the encouragement of the Prussian administration the committee of the festivities for the carnival of Cologne as a " is founded; committee for the ordinance of the fêtes" and it organizes the first procession in good order of the Rosenmontag of Cologne. In 1826 the first savings bank of Cologne is open, in 1860 at the instigation of Dr. Caspar Garthe it is the zoo of Cologne, in 1906 the first cinema on a fixed site. In 1837 the archbishop of Cologne east stopped within the framework of the quarrels on the mixed marriages. In 1842 Karl Marx becomes editor association of the Rheinische Zeitung . Until 1894, the use of the bicycle is interdict in Cologne. After the Franco-German war of 1870/1871 Cologne knows a great economic advancement and industrial. In 1906 to provide a documentation on the very fast development of the Prussian provinces of the Rhineland and Westphalia have been founded in Cologne the economic files of Rhineland-Westphalia, attached for this time to the CCI of Cologne.

Demographic expansion

The population of Cologne knows a strong increase then. So in 1822 the city counted yet only approximately 56.000 inhabitants, they are already 250.000 in 1888, after the incorporation of several suburban localities. Until 1913, the number of inhabitants increases up to 640.731. In 1914, finally, districts on Right Bank of the Rhine are absorbed by Cologne.

Construction of the city

In 1840 of important citizens of Cologne write a request with Frederic-Guillaume IV of Prussia, asking for the right to him of found in Cologne an association for the construction of the cathedral. In 1842 one poses the first stone of work of extension of the cathedral. They will be completed in 1880, after one duration of construction of more than 650 years.

From 1855 up to 1859 one builds the first permanent bridge on the Rhine since 953, Dombrücke. In 1911 Hohenzollernbrücke follows it. In 1859 the central station of Cologne is inaugurated. In 1863 the completion of the interior fortifications follows, in 1880 that of the belt of the external fortifications. In 1881 the inhabitants of Cologne start to demolish the wall of the city.

First World War

The mobilization for the First World War, in 1914, is lived in enthusiasm as in the other cities. In 1917 Konrad Adenauer is elected first burgomaster. In 1918 the entry of the British troops of occupation puts an end to hundred years Prussian domination. The Cöln C-W communication, imposed by the ministry for the Interior of Prussia since October 30th, 1900 is abolished on February 1st, 1919.

Cologne during the Weimar Republic

The university of Cologne east réouverte in 1920. August 1st one removes tolls on the bridges of the Rhine. In accordance with the treaty of Versailles, one starts in 1921 to dismantle the belt of fortifications and since 1922 a belt of green areas replaces it. In 1922 an additional incorporation with the commune of districts located at north on left bank of the Rhine takes place (See the detail in the Table of incorporations to the commune).

In 1923 the first stage of Müngersdorf is completed, in 1924 it is the carcass work of the skyscraper highest of its time in Europe, the future building of Hanse. May 11th the fair of Cologne opens its doors. In 1925 the Tietz department store brings into service the first escalator of Germany.

The mode of occupation finishes in 1926 by the departure of the British troops. The same year the precursor of the radio and television regional German, Westdeutschen Funkstunde AG (Wefag) emigrates of Münster to Cologne and emits like " Westdeutsche Rundfunk AG" (Werag). The worst rising than one had known striking hitherto the town of Cologne. October 10th, 1928 the hall of the Rhineland is open. In 1929 the automobile group Ford poses the first stone for the factory of Köln-Niehl. The bridge of Mülheim is brought into service on October 13rd.

Cologne under third Reich

Since 1925, Cologne was, within the framework of the NSDAP, the chief town of Gau Cologne - Aachen (until 1931: Gau Rheinland-South). In 1939 it became in Reich the chief town of of the same Gau name.

In 1933 Adolf Hitler and Franz von Papen met in the Schröder villa. In 1936 the German troops entered to Cologne hitherto a41dernier $c-b1, e,10 $c-b26 ce $c-b16 $c-b43, bn,84 demilitarized. During the pogroms during what is called the night of crystal, in 1938, the synagogs of Cologne entirely burned. In 1940 more than 1.000 Sinti and Gipsies of Cologne were off-set.

Vast parts of the city were destroyed during the second world war by massive bombardments. May 30th, 1942 the city undergoes the first attack of thousand bombers which resulted in 480 dead, 5.000 wounded and 45.000 without shelter. The last of the 262 air raids, on March 2nd, on an almost deserted city, aimed at breaking last resistances before the catch. At the end of the war, 95% of the old city were destroyed.

March 6th, 1945, at midday, the German genius blew up the bridge Hohenzollern, the last intact bridge of Cologne on the Rhine. Previously the last German units had been withdrawn on Right Bank of the Rhine. The same day, the American troops occupied the center of the city, essuyant only some rare shots. In front of the cathedral a German armoured tank was touched and burned after to have destroyed itself an American armoured tank (the v. image).

April 11th, 1945 the first American armoured units reached the free city of Porz after having passed the Rhine with Remagen. April 14th, 1945 the districts on Right Bank were completely occupied.

The American army crossed the Rhine using a floating bridge between the district of Sürth and Zündorf on Right Bank of the Rhine.

Cologne after the war

Policy

In 1963 the US president John Fitzgerald Kennedy Cologne visit. During the German Automne the Red Army Fraction removes on September 5th, 1977 Hans Martin Schleyer, president of the German owners, in Friedrich-Schmidt-Straße in Stadtwald. April 25th, 1990 an attack is made against Oskar Lafontaine in the town hall of district of Mülheim.

In 1991 the official procession of the Rosenmontag is suspended because of the Guerre of the Gulf, but Jecken (carnavaleux) of the alternate procession of the Geisterzug cross nevertheless the city. 1999 see sitting at Cologne the G8, top of the worldwide economy, and also the the Council of Europe.

In 1980 and 1987, Jean-Paul II visit the city; at the time of its second visit, in the enclosure of Müngersdorfer Stadion, it béatifie the nun Edith Stein. From August 16th to 21st 2005 its successor Benoît XVI goes to his turn to Cologne within the framework of the XX. Weltjugendtag.

In 2003, a coalition schwarz - grüne is founded, a first for a German big city.

Territorial and demographic development

By incorporations of common neighbors, the territory of the city increased until exceeding 40.000 hectares in 1975, and Cologne became for 18 months, and the first time, a millionaire city as inhabitants. At the same time the circle of Cologne was dissolved. But Wesseling had deposited a constitutional complaint against the law which imposed its absorption, it gained and took again its independence as of on July 1st, 1976, becoming again an autonomous city in the circle of Erft which became the circle the Rhine-Erft. Cologne lost thus approximately 50.000 inhabitants but, in 1980 it exceeded the million again.

Circulation

In 1948 the trains can again circulate on rebuilt the Hohenzollern bridge in a provisional way; the same year is open the bridge of Deutz, a new construction. In 1959 the Severinsbrücke follows. In 1968 the first section of the new subway (central Friesenplatz-Station) is brought into service.

Economy

In 1950 in Cologne the first Photokina takes place, in 1957 and 1971 the city accommodates the Bundesgartenschau. In 1957 opens in Cologne the first supermarket SB with more than 2.000 m ² of sales area. In 1964 the first number of the Express appears. In 1987, finally, RTL opens downtown its new offices.

Culture

Since 1945 the university reopens its doors. In 1956 at the time of the Katholikentag the cathedral of Cologne is reopened, in 1957 the new opera is inaugurated, in 1986 it is the philharmonic society. And it is a whole series of new foundations of museums which takes place in the post-war period, thus about 1974 the Roman-Germanic museum, in 1977 the museum of the art of the Far East, in 1986 the museum of Wallraf Richartz or the Ludwig museum and in 1993, finally, the museum of the chocolate.

With the beginning of the year 1990, foreign criminals conceal irreplaceable parts in the room of the treasure of the cathedral. At the request of the clergy, the local medium under the order of Schäfers Nas brings back part of the spoils - after what the provost the cathedral celebrates a mass of recognition in his honor.

In 1992 on Chlodwigplatz the great concert Arsch huh takes place - Zäng custom .

In 2004 UNESCO protests against a high high-rise office building 103 meters, in Deutz, which degrades the sight on the cathedral. She threatens to withdraw at the city her membership of the world heritage of humanity.

Sports

In 1952 the boxer Peter Müller ( De Aap , i.e. “the monkey” in dialect of Cologne) starts a scandal which shakes the city. For the first time in 1962, the 1. FC Köln becomes champion of Germany of football, in 1964 he is the first champion of Germany in the history of the first division. In 1978 the club obtains the same year the championship and the cut.

Annexation of common neighbors

Cities and communes or territories of suburbs which were formerly independent and were incorporated in the town of Cologne:

See too

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