Timeline of Bremen

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

Prior to 19th century

 * 787 CE - Catholic diocese of Bremen formed.
 * 848 CE - Transfer of the archiepiscopal see of Hamburg to Bremen.
 * 965 CE - Adaldag archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen given ruling powers by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
 * 1186 - Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor grants privilegium to the townspeople.
 * 1220's - Bremen Cathedral construction began.
 * 1223 – Archbishopric relocated to Bremen from Hamburg.
 * 1230 – Church of Our Lady rebuilt (approximate date).
 * 1243 – St. Ansgarius church built (approximate date).
 * 1247 - Location of Schlachte  settled by local citizens and traders.
 * 1283 - Bremen admitted to the Hanseatic League but was excluded in 1285.
 * 1304 - "The commonalty rose against the patricians and drove them from the city."
 * 1358 - Bremen re-admitted to the Hanseatic League.
 * 1409 – Town Hall built.
 * 1427 – Bremen re-excluded from the Hanseatic League.
 * 1433 – Bremen re-admitted to the Hanseatic League.
 * 1522 - The Reformation was introduced into Bremen.
 * 1532 - Bremen joins the Schmalkaldic League.
 * 1588 – Stadtwaage built.
 * 1618 - Protestantism definitively proclaimed as the state religion.
 * 1619 – Cloth-traders' guild hall built.
 * 1630
 * Lübeck-Hamburg-Bremen defensive alliance formed.
 * Shipper's House built.
 * 1644 - Frederick II of Denmark deposed by the Swedes.
 * 1654 & 1666 - Swedish Wars on Bremen.
 * 1675 – Bremen-Verden Campaign.
 * 1682 - Bremen Exchange construction began of a single story building.
 * 1720 - George I., elector of Hanover recognized Bremen as a free city.
 * 1790 - City directory published.
 * 1792 – Bremer Stadttheater (1792) (theatre) built.

19th century

 * 1807 - Population: 36,041.
 * 1806 - Bremen taken by the French.
 * 1810 – Bremen becomes part of the French Empire.
 * 1815 - Congress of Vienna restores its independence.
 * 1823
 * Art Society founded.
 * St. John's Church rededicated as a Catholic church
 * 1827 – Bremerhaven (seaport) established.
 * 1847
 * Bremen Hauptbahnhof (main railway station) opens.
 * Wunstorf–Bremen railway opens.
 * 1849 – Kunsthalle (art museum) built.
 * 1857 – Norddeutscher Lloyd shipping company in business.
 * 1862 - Population: 67,217.
 * 1866 – Bremen joins the North German Confederation.
 * 1867
 * Exchange built.
 * Oldenburg–Bremen railway opened.
 * Population: 74,574.
 * 1868 – 10 April: Premiere of Brahm's German Requiem.
 * 1871
 * End of Bremen independence, city becomes part of the German Empire.
 * Population: 82,969.
 * 1872 – AG Weser in business.
 * 1874 – Agricultural exhibition held.
 * 1875
 * Kaiserbrucke (bridge) built.
 * Population: 102,499.
 * 1876 – Horse tramway begins operating.
 * 1878 – Post office built.
 * 1885 - Population: 118,395.
 * 1888
 * Bremen joins German Customs Union.
 * Bremen Hauptbahnhof (train station) re-built.
 * 1890
 * Bremer Straßenbahn active.
 * Population: 124,955.
 * 1892 – Electric tramway begins operating.
 * 1893 – Bremer Vulkan shipbuilder in business.
 * 1895 – Law courts built.
 * 1900 – Population: 186,822; state 248,407.

1900-1945

 * 1901 – Bremen Cathedral great restoration completed.
 * 1902 – Kunsthalle (art museum) enlarged.
 * 1905 – Population: 214,953; state 263,673.
 * 1906 – Production of decaffeinated Kaffee Hag coffee begins.
 * 1911 – Rathscafé built.
 * 1913
 * Bremen Airport established.
 * New Town Hall and Theater am Goetheplatz built.
 * 20 June: Bremen school shooting.
 * 1919 – Population: 257,923.
 * 1920 – New constitution put into effect.
 * 1923 – Bremer Flugzeugbau aircraft manufactory in business.
 * 1925 – Fahrzeugwerke Borgward automobile manufactory in business.
 * 1928 – Population: 302,949.
 * 1932 – (monument) unveiled.
 * 1933
 * March: Nazis take control of executive Senate. Nazi Richard Markert becomes mayor.
 * May: Placed in a united Reich Governorship with Oldenburg under Carl Röver.
 * October: Bürgerschaft (state parliament) is dissolved.
 * 1939
 * Aumund, Blumenthal, Fähr, Farge, Grohn, Hammersbeck, Lobbendorf, Rekum, Bremen, Schönebeck, and Vegesack become part of city.
 * August: Polish libraries seized by the Gestapo.
 * September: Mass arrests of local Polish activists (see also Nazi crimes against the Polish nation).
 * Population: 431,800.
 * 1940
 * May: Bombing of Bremen in World War II begins.
 * May: Bremen-Blumenthal forced labour camp for men established.
 * 1942 – 2nd SS construction brigade (forced labour camp) established by the SS.
 * 1943 – Bremen-Farge subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp established. The prisoners were mostly French, Polish and Soviet men.
 * 1944
 * 15 April: 2nd SS construction brigade relocated to Berlin.
 * 2 August: Bremen-Hindenburgkaserne subcamp of Neuengamme established. Its prisoners were Jewish women.
 * 16 August: Bremen-Neuenland subcamp of Neuengamme established. Its prisoners were mostly French and Soviet men.
 * August: Bremen-Blumenthal subcamp of Neuengamme established. Its prisoners were mostly Belgian, French, Polish, Soviet and Jewish men.
 * 26 September: Bremen-Hindenburgkaserne subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved and Bremen-Obernheide subcamp established. Prisoners moved from Hindenburgkaserne to Obernheide.
 * 28 November: Bremen-Neuenland subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved and Bremen-Osterort subcamp established. Prisoners moved from Neuenland to Osterort.
 * 25/26 December: Bremen-Schützenhof subcamp of Neuengamme established. Its prisoners were mostly Jewish men.
 * 1945
 * 4 April: Bremen-Obernheide subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved. Prisoners sent on a death march to Uesen.
 * 6 April: Bremen-Osterort subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved. Prisoners moved to the Bremen-Farge subcamp.
 * 7–9 April: Blumenthal and Schützenhof subcamps of Neuengamme dissolved. Prisoners moved to the Bremen-Farge subcamp.
 * 10 April: Bremen-Farge subcamp of Neuengamme dissolved. Prisoners either sent on death marches to Bremervörde and Sandbostel or deported by train towards the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
 * 22 April: Bombing of Bremen in World War II ends.
 * April: City captured by British forces.
 * Wilhelm Kaisen becomes mayor.

1946-1990s

 * 1947 – State of Bremen reestablished.
 * 1949 – Becomes a constituent state of West Germany.
 * 1956 – Population: 507,952.
 * 1964 – Bremen-Arena opens.
 * 1966
 * 28 January: Airplane crash.
 * Bürgerschaft (parliament) building and Zoo Bremen open.
 * 1983 – Bremer Shakespeare Company founded.
 * 1986 – Bremen TV tower erected.
 * 1990 – Population: 551,219.
 * 1992 – Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen active.
 * 1999
 * 6 June: Bremen state election, 1999 held.
 * Fatih Mosque, Bremen built.

21st century

 * 2003
 * City hosts the 2003 European Karate Championships.
 * 25 May: Bremen state election, 2003 held.
 * 2005 – Jens Böhrnsen becomes mayor.
 * 2007 – 13 May: Bremen state election, 2007 held.
 * 2010 – Bremen S-Bahn begins operating.
 * 2011 – 22 May: Bremen state election, 2011 held.
 * 2012 – Population: 547,976.
 * 2014 – City hosts the 2014 World Karate Championships.
 * 2015 - 10 May: 2015 Bremen state election
 * 2015 - 17 July: Carsten Sieling becomes mayor.
 * 2019 - 26 May: 2019 Bremen state election
 * 2019 - 15 August: Andreas Bovenschulte becomes mayor.