Bielefeld

Bielefeld is a city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the biggest city in the area of Detmold and the 18th largest city in Germany. About 342,952 people live there.

The city is in the Ravensberg Basin north of the Teutoburg Forest hills. It also reaches into the flat Westphalian Basin. Bielefeld is on the Hermannsweg, a well-known hiking trail that is 156 km long.

Bielefeld is a key place for business and learning. Many big companies have their main offices there, like Dr. Oetker, DMG Mori, Möller Group, Goldbeck, and Schüco. The city has a university and several technical colleges (Fachhochschulen). Bielefeld is also famous for the Bethel Institution, which is important to the community.

History

Bielefeld was founded in 1214 to guard a pass through the Teutoburg Forest. It became known for its linen trade and was part of the Hanseatic League. Over time, Bielefeld was ruled by many different states and kingdoms.

In the 19th century, the city grew when the railway arrived and factories opened. Bielefeld built important places such as a theatre and a concert hall. After World War II, it became a base for the British Army. In 1973, the city grew larger by joining with nearby areas.

Subdivisions

Bielefeld has ten different districts. They are Bielefeld-Mitte (the central district), Brackwede, Dornberg, Gadderbaum, Heepen, Jöllenbeck, Schildesche, Senne, Sennestadt, and Stieghorst. Each district has its own special feel and together they make up the city of Bielefeld.

Climate

Bielefeld has an oceanic climate. This means the weather is mild and changes a lot during the year. The city’s average high temperature is about 14.6 °C (58.3 °F), and the average low is around 5.4 °C (41.7 °F). It gets about 866 millimeters (34.11 inches) of rain each year.

The area sometimes has extreme weather, like very hot days or very cold nights. Some years have more rain than others, and the amount of sunshine also changes.

Industry and education

Bielefeld has a long history of making things, such as linen and clothes. In the early 1920s, the town's bank made special money from materials like linen, silk, and velvet, called 'stoffgeld'. Today, Bielefeld is known for making home appliances, food, leather goods, and textiles. Big companies there include Dr. Oetker, Möller Group, Seidensticker, and the Bethel Institution.

The city also has places for learning. Bielefeld University started in 1969 and has many teachers and students. There are also other schools for higher education, like the Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, which is famous for its photography program. The city has vocational schools that help students learn skills in business, healthcare, and technology.

Demographics

Bielefeld is a lively city in Germany. It is found in the area of Ostwestfalen-Lippe in the northeast part of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the biggest city in the Detmold area and the 18th biggest in all of the country. About 342,952 people live there.

The old center of Bielefeld is in the Ravensberg Basin, north of the Teutoburg Forest. Now, the city reaches across this forest and into the flat Westphalian Basin to the south.

Politics

Mayor

The current mayor of Bielefeld is Christiana Bauer of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). She was elected in 2025.

The most recent mayoral election was held on 13 September 2020, with a runoff on 27 September.

City council

The Bielefeld city council works with the mayor to govern the city. The most recent election for the city council was on 13 September 2020. The SPD, the Greens, and the Left formed a group with 35 of the 66 seats in the council.

Transport

Two big roads, the A 2 and A 33, meet in the southeast of Bielefeld. The Ostwestfalendamm expressway connects the two parts of the city, which are separated by the Teutoburg Forest. Bielefeld Hauptbahnhof, the city's main railway station, is on the Hamm–Minden railway and is part of Germany's ICE high-speed railroad system. The main station for long-distance buses is Brackwede station.

Bielefeld has a small airfield in the Senne area, but most people use three larger airports nearby: Paderborn Lippstadt Airport, Münster Osnabrück Airport, and Hannover Airport. The city has a good public transport system, with services run by companies such as moBiel and "BVO". The Bielefeld Stadtbahn has four main lines, and buses travel all over the area. Regional trains also connect Bielefeld to nearby places.

Main sights

Sparrenburg Castle is a famous landmark in Bielefeld. It was built a long time ago, between 1240 and 1250. Visitors can see its tall tower and explore the catacombs.

The city has the Linen Weavers' Monument, a symbol known for over 100 years. The Old City Hall was built in 1904 and still looks after the city. It has beautiful architecture. Nearby is the City Theatre, which puts on big shows in a special style. The oldest city church, Altstädter Nicolaikirche, has a tall tower and old carvings. The largest church, Neustädter Marienkirche, was important during the Protestant Reformation. Other places to visit include an art museum, a concert hall, and a botanical garden.

Sport

Bielefeld has a professional football team named DSC Arminia Bielefeld. They play in the 2. Liga during the 2025–26 season at the SchücoArena stadium, which is in the west part of the town centre.

The city also has a famous bike racing track called Radrennbahn Bielefeld.

Notable people

Born before 1900

Some well-known people from Bielefeld who were born before 1900 include:

• Kurt Blome (1894–1969), a scientist
• Friedrich von Bodelschwingh, Senior (1831–1910), a leader of a Protestant group
• Hugo Fischer-Köppe (1890–1937), an early film actor
• Albert Florath (1888–1957), a stage and film actor
• Anne Marie Heiler (1889–1979), a politician
• Johann Christoph Hoffbauer (1766–1827), a philosopher
• Charlotte Houtermans (1899–1993), a physicist
• August Junkermann (1832–1915), an actor
• August Krönig (1822–1879), a chemist and physicist
• Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (1888–1931), a film director
• Christian Friedrich Nasse (1778–1851), a psychiatrist
• Helmuth Osthoff (1896–1983), a musicologist and composer
• Viktoria Steinbiß (1892–1971), a politician
• Hermann Stenner (1891–1914), an artist
• Hermann Dietrich Upmann (1816–1894), a banker and cigar maker
• Franz von Waldeck (≈1491–1553), a prince-bishop
• Roger Wilmans (1812–1881), a historian and archivist

Born 1900–1950

Notable people from Bielefeld born between 1900 and 1950 include:

• Rudolph Angermüller (1940–2021), a musicologist
• Aleida Assmann (born 1947), a scientist
• Veronica Carstens (1923–2012), a medical doctor
• Erich Consemüller (1902–1957), an architect and photographer
• Elfriede Eilers (1921–2016), a politician
• Johannes Friedrich (1948–2025), a theologian
• Karen Gershon (1923–1993), a writer and poet
• Theodor Göllner (1929–2022), a musicologist
• Klaus Hildebrand (born 1941), a historian
• Heinz Klingenberg (1905–1959), an actor
• Werner Lueg (1931–2014), an athlete
• Hajo Meyer (1924–2014), a physicist and author
• Rüdiger Nehberg (1935–2020), a survival expert and human rights activist
• Ursula Oetker (1915–2005), a businesswoman
• Günter Rixe (1939–2024), a politician
• Bernhard Schlink (born 1944), a professor and author
• Hans-Werner Sinn (born 1948), an economist
• Christian Tümpel (1937–2009), an art historian
• Reiner Uthoff (1937–2024), a writer and stage director
• Werner Vordtriede (1915–1985), a writer and professor
• Hannes Wader (born 1942), a musician and songwriter
• Karl August Walther (1902–after 1964) a writer and publisher
• Horst Wessel (1907–1930), a soldier
• Hannes Wader (born 1942), a musician

Born 1951–2000

Famous people from Bielefeld born between 1951 and 2000 include:

• Julia Abe (born 1976), a tennis player
• Friederike Abt (born 1994), a football goalkeeper
• Mehmet Akgün (born 1986), a footballer
• Anja Blacha (born 1990), an athlete and mountaineer
• Tom Brüntrup (born 1997), a politician
• Mark Carleton-Smith (born 1964), a British Army officer
• Michael Diekmann (born 1954), a business executive
• Hendrik Dreekmann (born 1975), a tennis player
• Sabine Ellerbrock (born 1975), a wheelchair tennis player
• Anja Feldmann (born 1966), a computer scientist
• Nina George (born 1973), a writer and journalist
• Lena Goeßling (born 1986), a football player
• Olaf Hampel (born 1965), a bob driver
• Jost Kobusch (born 1992), a mountaineer and author
• Julian Köster (born 2000), a handball player
• Mieke Kröger (born 1993), a cyclist
• Gitta Kutyniok (born 1972), a mathematician
• Richard Oetker (born 1951), a businessman
• Ingo Oschmann (born 1969), a comedian and magician
• Hartmut Ostrowski (born 1958), a business executive
• Florian Panzner (born 1976), an actor
• Dinah Pfizenmaier (born 1992), a tennis player
• Christina Rau (born 1956), a political scientist
• Mike Reed (born 1974), a jazz drummer
• Bianca Shomburg (born 1974), a singer
• Melanie Stiassny (born 1953), a scientist
• Maike Stöckel (born 1984), a field hockey player
• Aylin Tezel (born 1983), an actress and director
• Iris Vermillion (born 1960), an operatic singer
• Oliver Welke (born 1966), a comedian and sports journalist

Born 2001 and later

Some recent notable people from Bielefeld born in 2001 and later include:

• Dildar Atmaca (born 2002), a footballer
• Jomaine Consbruch (born 2002), a footballer
• Colin Kleine-Bekel (born 2003), a footballer
• Henrik Koch (born 2006), a footballer

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Bielefeld has several twin towns and sister cities around the world. These include:

• Concarneau, France
• Estelí, Nicaragua
• Nahariya, Israel
• Rochdale, England, United Kingdom
• Rzeszów, Poland
• Veliky Novgorod, Russia