Before we dive into the hidden secrets of Düsseldorf’s past, did you know that Düsseldorf is represented by 184 nations and 40% of the population has immediate family or ancestry outside of Germany?
It is deemed the second most economically essential city in Germany. Today, the city is attractive to many expatriates and has many international and technological opportunities.
However, before Düsseldorf was recognized as one of the world’s leading liveable cities, it endured multiple hurdles to overcome its humble beginnings.
Here are 10+ things you probably didn’t know about Düsseldorf’s past ?
1 – The origin of Düsseldorf dates back to approximately 1135, which was also formerly mentioned as the town of “Dusseldorp”
2 – In the 18th century, Düsseldorf struggled with poverty and had limited international engagements.
3- When it was first established, it was a military base
4 – Kaiserwerth, was previously utilized as a base for soldiers to monitor movement over the Rhine.
5 – Düsseldorf had Germany’s first mustard factory in 1726. The ABB mustard was even featured in one of Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings – “Still Life with Bottles and Ceramics”.
6 – In just 10 years, between 1882-1892 Düsseldorf doubled its inhabitants. The two bridges, “Hammer” and “Oberkasseler Brucke” were instrumental in fostering the growth of the left bank of the Rhine.
7 – The left bank of the Rhine was then made into an official district of Düsseldorf in 1929.
8 – After WWII the old town was rebuilt on its original foundation walls so that it maintains its historic organization.
9 – During WWII, half of the city was destroyed. 370,000 civilians were left hopeless.
10 – It has always been well-known for its carnival celebrations, drawing in people from all over the world. In fact, this tradition dates to as early as 1280, the celebration took place for the victory Battle of Worringen.
11 – “Japan-Tag”, is dedicated to celebrating the bilateral relationship between Japan and Germany since 1983. It has been increasing in popularity since. 600,000 people attended in 2022.
12 – The Altstadt – well-known as the “longest bar in the world” is over 350 years old.
13 – Did you know that Düsseldorf is famous for one of German’s most famous shows that ran for almost two decades? The name of this show is “Verbotene Liebe” (Forbidden Love).
[box] Love learning about German culture? You might also like the blog post “20 FAMOUS THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW WERE INVENTED IN GERMANY – YOU MAY BE SURPRISED!” [/box]
Düsseldorf’s past definitely has a rich history of perseverance. The city is proof of how crucial it is to open doors and welcome others like expatriates to share and integrate our specialties to strengthen the city. Without the help of others, we wouldn’t have the chance to enrich experiences that are beyond our own homes.
So next time you wonder whether you have made the right choice to move here or feel a little trapped, look and explore, it has much more to offer with a lot of potentials where over 638,000 people now call it home.
