As early as 793 AD Münster played an important role in the region and Charlemagne had sent the missionary Ludger to evangelise the Münsterland region. He became the first ordained bishop of Münster and the first cathedral was completed in 850.
Due to its location at the river Aa and near the river Ems it was an important ford and crossroads for traders between North and South. In the Middle Ages it was a leading member of the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and their market towns that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe. It stretched from the Baltic to the North Sea and inland during the Late Middle Ages and early modern period (13th–17th centuries).
In the treaty ending the Thirty Years’ War one article declared the region to be exclusively Roman Catholic which had dire consequences in modern times: during the 1940’s Cardinal Clemens August Graf von Galen was one of the most prominent and outspoken critic of the Nazi regime. In retaliation for his international fame and success the city was heavily garrisoned during the war. It became the home of a large number of corps, infantry and tank divisions and controlled military operations in the northern part of Germany at that time.
This in turn meant that it was heavily bombed and attacked in ground assaults by the Allies. About 91% of the Old City and 63% of the entire city was destroyed by Allied air raids. In the 1950s the Old City was rebuilt to match its pre-war state, though many of the surrounding buildings were replaced with cheaper modern structures. It was also for several decades a garrison town for the British forces stationed in West Germany.
In 1780 the University of Münster was established and now as the Westphalian Wilhelms University determines the character of the town: a student town if there ever has been one! Its bicycle friendliness is well known and adds another special touch to the atmosphere. According to the city’s web site Münster is home to 500,000 bikes, which means theoretically each inhabitant owns at least two push bikes!!!
Enjoy your stay with your local guide showing you all the special hideaways and treats on your Western Contrasts – Border hopping and Industrial Heritage tour, giving you a taste of relaxed living in northern Germany.
Author: Petra Alsbach-Stevens