# Timeline of Hamburg

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Hamburg, Germany.

## Prior to 16th century

* 831 – Bishopric established.
* 845 – Town sacked by Norsemen.
* 1189
** Adolf III of Holstein gets charter from Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I that gives Hamburg a court, jurisdiction, and fishing rights.
** St. Peter's Church built (approximate date).
* 1190 – Alster dam installed.
* 1201 – Hamburg occupied by forces of Valdemar II of Denmark.
* 1223 – Archbishopric relocated from Hamburg to Bremen.
* 1241 – Lübeck-Hamburg alliance established.
* 1248 – Fire.
* 1256 – St. Catherine's Church active (approximate date).
* 1284 – 5 August: Fire.
* 1286 – 24 April: acquires rights to maintain permanent fire on Neuwerk.
* 1299 – 1 November: allowed to build a fortified tower, the new work (Neuwerk).
* 1310 – completion of the Great Tower Neuwerk.
* 1329 – St. Mary's Cathedral consecrated.
* 1350 – Black Death.
* 1356 – Matthiae-Mahlzeit [de] (feast) begins.
* 1375 – Grocers' Guild formed.
* 1390 – Public clock installed (approximate date).
* 1410 – Constitution of Hamburg established.
* 1412 – 1412 Unterelbe flood [de].
* 1418 – St. Peter's Church rebuilt (approximate date).
* 1479 – Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Hamburg [de] (public library) established in the Town Hall.
* 1491 – Printing press in operation.
* 1500 – City expands its borders.

## 16th–18th centuries

* 1510 – Hamburg becomes an imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire.
* 1529
** Protestant Reformation.
** Council of citizens established.
** Johanneum (college) founded.
* 1536 – Hamburg joins Schmalkaldic League.
* 1558 – Hamburg Stock Exchange established.
* 1567 – Trade with the Company of Merchant Adventurers of London established.
* 1590 – Berenberg Bank founded.
* 1615 – City walls extended around Hamburg-Neustadt.
* 1619 – Bank of Hamburg [de] founded.
* 1630 – Bremen–Lübeck–Hamburg defensive alliance formed.
* 1654 – Synagoge Neuer Steinweg [de] in use.
* 1663 – Erbauliche Monaths Unterredungen magazine begins publication.
* 1665 – Hamburg Chamber of Commerce founded.
* 1669
** St. Michael's Church built.
** Wapen von Hamburg (1669) [de] (ship) launched.
* 1678 – Oper am Gänsemarkt (opera house) opens; premiere of Theile's opera Adam und Eva.
* 1679 – Coffee house in business.
* 1705 – Premiere of Handel's opera Almira.
* 1710 – Hamburg City Archives [de] established.
* 1712 – Plague.
* 1735 – Commerzbibliothek [de] (business library) founded.
* 1762
** City occupied by Danish forces.
** St. Michael's Church built.
* 1765
** Hamburgische Gesellschaft zur Beförderung der Künste und nützlichen Gewerbe [de] (arts society) and Patriotic Club founded.
** Komödienhaus (theatre) built.
* 1767 – Hamburgische Entreprise (theatre) established.
* 1778 – Hamburger Ersparungskasse (bank) established.
* 1787 – City directory published.
* 1789 – Clubbs der Freundschaft founded.
* 1790 – United States consulate established.
* 1792 – Hamburger Jakobinerklub [de] formed.
* 1799 – H. J. Merck & Co. in business.

## 19th century
### 1800s–1840s

* 1805 – Gesellschaft der Freunde des vaterländischen Schul- und Erziehungswesens [de] (education society) founded.
* 1806 – 19 November: French occupation of city begins.
* 1810 – Hoffmann und Campe publisher in business.
* 1811
** 9th French-Polish Uhlan Regiment founded in Hamburg.
** City becomes capital of the French Bouches-de-l'Elbe department.
* 1813
** Siege of Hamburg.
** Hamburg Women's Association established.
* 1814 – Hamburg Citizen Militia and Hamburg Police formed.
* 1815 – 8 June: City becomes a member state of the German Confederation.
* 1821 – Lehmann's botanical garden established.
* 1823
** Hospital built in St. George.
** Altona Observatory founded by Heinrich Christian Schumacher.
* 1825 – February flood of 1825.
* 1827 – City Theatre opens.
* 1828 – Hamburg Philharmonic Society formed.
* 1833 – Rauhes Haus founded.
* 1834 – Johanneum building constructed.
* 1835 – Coat of arms of Hamburg redesigned.
* 1838 – English Church built.
* 1839 – Verein für Hamburgische Geschichte (local history society) founded.
* 1840
** Gymnasium founded.
** Population: 136,956.
* 1841 – Circus Gymnasticus opens.
* 1842
** Exchange built.
** 5–8 May: Great Fire of Hamburg.
* 1843
** Thalía Theatre built.
** Naturhistorisches Museum Hamburg [de] established.
* 1845 – Sillem's Bazar [de] shopping arcade built.
* 1846 – Berliner Railway Station established.
* 1847
** Hamburg America Line in business.
** Patriotic Club building constructed.
** Pestalozzi-Stiftung Hamburg founded
* 1848 – Otto Meissner (publisher) [de] in business.
* 1849
** Hamburger Nachtrichten [de] newspaper begins publication.
** St. Peter's Church rebuilt again.

### 1850s–1890s

* 1850 – Kunsthalle (art gallery) opens.
* 1855 – January: Flood.
* 1856 – North German Bank and Union Bank established.
* 1859
** Synagoge Kohlhöfen [de] built.
** Hamburg Frauenchor (women's choir) founded.
* 1861
** Museum Godeffroy opens.
** Population: 178,841.
* 1863
** Hamburger Fremdenblatt [de] newspaper in publication.
** Zoological Garden of Hamburg opens.
** Rebuilt St. Nicholas' Church dedicated.
* 1865
** Lübeck–Hamburg railway begins operating; Lübecker Railway Station established.
** Lombardsbrücke [de] (bridge) built.
* 1866
** Horsecar tram begins operating.
** Bahnhof Hamburg Klosterthor [de] (railway station) established.
** 21 August: City becomes part of the North German Confederation.
* 1867 – Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld (horse racetrack) built.
* 1868 – St. Georg becomes part of city.
* 1869 – Horner Rennbahn (horse racetrack) and Kunsthalle built.
* 1871
** City becomes part of the German Empire.
** Population: 240,251.
** Gesellschaft für Verbreitung von Volksbildung [de] (education society) branch established.
* 1872 – Venloer Railway Station established.
* 1873
** Photographic Society founded.
** Frei Hafen bridge constructed.
* 1874 – Hagenbeck's zoo opens.
* 1877
** Ohlsdorf Cemetery established near city.
** Blohm + Voss shipbuilders in business near city.
* 1878 – Museum for Art and Industry founded.
* 1879
** Hanseatic High Court of Appeal [de] headquartered in Hamburg.
** Holsten Brewery in business.
* 1880 – Steinway & Sons piano factory in operation.
* 1883 – Speicherstadt (warehouse district) construction begins in the Port of Hamburg.
* 1887
** Hamburger Echo [de] newspaper begins publication.
** Sport-Club Germania Hamburg founded.
** Central post office built.
* 1888
** Hamburg joins German Customs Union.
** Harbourworks and iron bridge constructed.
** Free Port opens.
* 1889 – 15 May: Exhibition of Trade and Industry opens.
* 1890
** German East Africa Line (shipping company) in business.
** May: Gas-worker strike.
** Population: 323,923.
* 1891 – Natural History Museum built.
* 1892
** 1892 Germany cholera outbreak [de].
** German Open Tennis Championships begin.
** Hamburger Dom (funfair) relocated to Heiligengeistfeld fair ground.
* 1894 – St. Pauli becomes part of city.
* 1896
** November: Dockworker strike.
** Fischauktionshalle (Hamburg-Altona) [de] (fish market) rebuilt.
* 1897 – Hamburg Rathaus (city hall) built.
* 1898 – Hamburg-Altona railway station opens.
* 1899 – Hamburger Öffentliche Bücherhallen [de] (library) founded.
* 1900
** Institute for Maritime and Tropical Diseases opens.
** Shipbuilding school founded.

## 20th century
### 1900–1945

* 1901 – Civil law courts built.
* 1904 – American Businessmen's Club of Hamburg founded.
* 1905 – Population: 802,793.
* 1906
** Hamburg Hauptbahnhof (railway station) opens.
** Altona-Hamburg railway begins operating.
* 1907
** Tierpark Hagenbeck (zoo) established.
** Stadion Hoheluft (stadium) opens.
* 1908
** Hamburgisches Kolonialinstitut [de] established.
** Music Hall inaugurated.
** Simplo Fullfeder pen company relocates to Hamburg.
* 1909 – Hotel Atlantic in business.
* 1910 – Sportplatz at Rothenbaum opens.
* 1911 – Hamburg Airport and Elbe Tunnel open.
* 1912
** Hamburg U-Bahn begins operating.
** Hamburg-Bergedorf Observatory dedicated.
** Hamburg-Mannheimer Insurance Corporation in business.
* 1913
** 3 April: Vaterland passenger ship launched.
** Gewerkschaftlich-Genossenschaftliche Versicherungsaktiengesellschaft (insurance firm) in business.
* 1914 – Hamburg Stadtpark (park) opens.
* 1918
** Hamburg Kammerspiele (theatre) founded.
** Hamburger Volkszeitung newspaper begins publication.
* 1919 – University of Hamburg and Hamburger Sport-Verein established.
* 1921 – Consulate of Poland founded.
* 1922 – Museum of Hamburg History opens.
* 1923 – Labour and Socialist International founded in Hamburg.
* 1924
** Nordische Rundfunk radio begins broadcasting.
** Chilehaus built.
* 1925
** Helms-Museum and Hamburg School of Astrology established.
** Population: 1,079,126.
* 1926 – Botanischer Sondergarten Wandsbek (garden) established.
* 1930
** Planten un Blomen (park) created.
** Population: 1,145,124.
* 1933
** Nazis seize control of the city and Carl Vincent Krogmann becomes mayor.
** Hamburger Flugzeugbau (aircraft company) in business.
** Fuhlsbüttel concentration camp founded.
* 1934
** Bürgerschaft abolished.
** Gau Hamburg established.
** Transmitter Hamburg-Billstedt begins operating.
* 1937
** major expansion of the land of Hamburg per the Greater Hamburg Act:
*** the cities Altona, Wandsbek, and Harburg-Wilhelmsburg join
*** and the cities Geesthacht and Cuxhaven (including Neuwerk) leave the territory of the Land Hamburg.
* 1938 – Neuengamme concentration camp established by SS.
* 1939 – Bombing of Hamburg in World War II begins.
* 1940 – April: Oflag X-D prisoner-of-war camp for Allied officers established.
* 1943
** May: Langer Morgen forced labour camp for men established.
** 7 August: Main base of the 2nd SS construction brigade (forced labour camp) relocated from Bremen to Hamburg.
* 1944
** April: 2nd SS construction brigade relocated to Berlin.
** 8 June: Hamburg-Wandsbek subcamp of the Ravensbrück concentration camp established. The prisoners were mostly Polish and Soviet women.
** July: Hamburg-Veddel subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp established. The prisoners were Jewish women.
** 1 September: Hamburg-Wandsbek subcamp of Ravensbrück reorganized into a subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp.
** 12 September: Hamburg-Langenhorn subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp established. The prisoners were Jewish women.
** 13 September: Hamburg-Neugraben and Hamburg-Sasel subcamps of the Neuengamme concentration camp established. The prisoners were Jewish women.
** 13 September: Women prisoners of the Hamburg-Veddel subcamp moved to other subcamps in Hamburg and Wedel.
** 15 September: 2,000 male prisoners deported to the Hamburg-Veddel subcamp of Neuengamme.
** 27 September: Hamburg-Eidelstedt subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp established. The prisoners were Jewish women.
** October: Hamburg-Finkenwerder subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp established. The prisoners were mostly Soviet, Polish, Belgian, French and Danish men.
** November: Subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp established by the SS at the Spaldingstraße for men of various nationalities.
** L'Obstinée masonic lodge established by Belgian POWs in the Oflag X-D POW camp.
* 1945
** 8 February: Hamburg-Neugraben subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved and Hamburg-Tiefstack subcamp founded. Surviving prisoners moved from the Hamburg-Neugraben to the Hamburg-Tiefstack subcamp.
** March: 250 Romani and Sinti women deported to the Hamburg-Langenhorn subcamp of Neuengamme from the Ravensbrück concentration camp.
** March: Hamburg-Finkenwerder subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved.
** 22 March: Langer Morgen forced labour camp dissolved.
** 7 April: Hamburg-Tiefstack subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved, surviving prisoners deported to Bergen-Belsen.
** 14 April: Hamburg-Veddel subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved, surviving prisoners deported to Sandbostel.
** 17 April: Subcamp of Neuengamme at Spaldingstraße dissolved, surviving prisoners deported to Sandbostel.
** 30 April: Hamburg-Wandsbek subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved.
** 3 May: Hamburg-Langenhorn subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved, surviving prisoners deported to the Hamburg-Eidelstedt subcamp.
** 3 May: Oflag X-D POW camp liberated by the British.
** 4–5 May: Hamburg-Sasel subcamp of Neuengamme liberated by the British.
** 5 May: Hamburg-Eidelstedt subcamp of Neuengamme liberated by the British.
** Bombing of Hamburg in World War II ends.
** Hamburg in the British occupation zone.
** Rudolf Petersen appointed mayor by British authorities.
** Eppendorf (company) founded.
** Population: 1,350,278.

### 1946–1990s

* 1946
** 5 December: Hamburg Ravensbrück trials for war crimes begin at the Curiohaus [de].
** Max Brauer becomes mayor.
* 1948
** Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper and Stern news magazine begin publication.
** Population: 1,518,900.
* 1949 – Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper begins publication.
* 1950 – Public University of Music established.
* 1951 – Institut français Hamburg founded.
* 1952
** Der Spiegel news magazine headquartered in city.
** Bild newspaper begins publication.
** Constitution of Hamburg ratified.
** UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning headquartered in city.
* 1953
** Volksparkstadion (stadium) opens.
** International garden show held.
* 1955 – Hamburg State Opera building opens.
* 1957
** Fazle Omar Mosque built.
** Streit's Haus Filmtheater opens.
** British Army School and Hamburg Symphony Orchestra established.
* 1958 – Hamburg Atlantic Line in business.
* 1959 – Kaiserkeller night club opens.
* 1960 – August: English rock band The Beatles begin performing in Hamburg.
* 1961 – Population: 1,840,543.
* 1962
** Spiegel scandal.
** North Sea flood of 1962.
* 1963
** Millerntor-Stadion (stadium) opens.
** St. James' Church restored.
** Alter Botanischer Garten Hamburg greenhouses built.
* 1964 - Deutsches Übersee-Institut headquartered in Hamburg.
* 1965
** Gruner + Jahr publisher in business.
** Hamburg Transport Association established.
** Imam Ali Mosque built.
** NDR Fernsehen (television) headquartered in city.
* 1967 – Eros Center brothel in business on the Reeperbahn.
* 1968
** Cherry Blossom Festival begins.
** Alsterdorfer Sporthalle and Gruenspan music club open.
* 1969 – waived older rights on harbour estate in Cuxhaven in favour of Neuwerk and Scharhörn to build an offshore harbour.
* 1970
** Hamburg University of Applied Sciences founded.
** Population: 1,793,640.
* 1971 – Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy [de] and Fabrik cultural centre founded.
* 1973
** Congress Center Hamburg opens.
** University of the German Federal Armed Forces and Neumeier's Hamburg Ballet established.
** Kattwykbrücke [de] (bridge) built.
* 1974
** Köhlbrand Bridge built.
** Hans-Ulrich Klose becomes mayor.
* 1975 – New Elbe Tunnel opens.
* 1976 – Die Motte youth centre founded in Ottensen.
* 1978
** July: City hosts the 1978 World Fencing Championships.
** Technical University of Hamburg founded.
* 1979
** Botanischer Garten Hamburg (garden) opens.
** Werkstatt 3 co-operative founded in Ottensen.
* 1980 – Stadtteilarchiv Ottensen (archive) founded.
* 1981
** Protest against proposed Brokdorf Nuclear Power Plant.
** Klaus von Dohnányi becomes mayor.
** Squat on Hafenstraße begins.
* 1982 – Kampnagel (cultural space) established.
* 1984
** Chaos Communication Congress begins.
** Hamburg Institute for Social Research founded.
* 1985
** Birdland jazz club opens.
** Museum der Arbeit established.
* 1986
** Chaos Computer Club headquartered in city.
** Radio Hamburg begins broadcasting.
** Hamburg Marathon begins.
** Brokdorf Nuclear Power Plant commissioned near city.
* 1988
** Center for Science and International Security at the University of Hamburg founded.
** Henning Voscherau becomes mayor.
** Population: 1,603,070.
* 1989
** Deichtorhallen art centre opens.
** Hamburg Center for Film Research [de] founded.
* 1990 – GoodMills Deutschland [de] headquartered in city.
* 1992 – Filmfest Hamburg begins.
* 1994 – Film and Television Museum Hamburg and Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hamburg established.
* 1996 – City website online (approximate date).
* 1997 – Ortwin Runde becomes mayor.
* 1998
** Afghan Museum established.
** Am Rothenbaum (sport venue) built.
* 2000
** Bucerius Law School established.
** International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea headquartered in city.

## 21st century

* 2001
** Long Night of Museums begins.
** Container Terminal Altenwerder opens.
** Ole von Beust becomes mayor.
* 2002
** 4 November: Bambule eviction.
** O2 World arena opens.
** Bucerius Kunst Forum (art gallery) founded.
* 2003 – Hamburg Pride founded.
* 2004
** Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe begins.
** Major Records in business.
* 2005 – eVendi Arena (for American Football) built.
* 2006 – German Institute of Global and Area Studies established.
* 2007
** World Future Council and Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein Film Promotion [de] headquartered in city.
** 29 May: Anti-globalization protest.
** Dockville music festival.
** Elbphilharmonie construction begins.
* 2008
** HafenCity district and Foundation for Historic Museums of Hamburg [de] established.
** Lange Nacht der Industrie [de] (industrial public relations event) begins.
** Museum für Kunst und Kultur an der Elbe opens in Jenisch House.
* 2009
** International Chamber Music Competition Hamburg begins.
** Student protest for education reform.
* 2010 – Christoph Ahlhaus becomes mayor.
* 2011
** Olaf Scholz becomes mayor.
** European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean Foundation headquartered in city.
* 2012 – Population: 1,813,587.
* 2013 – December: 2013–14 Hamburg demonstrations begin.
* 2015 – 2015 Hamburg Olympics referendum.
* 2016 – 31 October: Elbphilharmonie concert hall is officially completed.
* 2017
** 7 July: G20 summit meeting held.
** December: City hosts the 2017 World Women's Handball Championship.
* 2023 – Shooting.