Oldenburg (city)

Oldenburg is a city in the state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is an independent city, meaning it is not part of any larger district, and it has a special name to tell it apart from another place called Oldenburg in Holstein. The city sits near two rivers, the Hunte and the Haaren, and lies between bigger cities like Bremen to the east and Groningen in the Netherlands to the west.

During a time when France controlled the area around 1811 to 1813, during the wars with Britain led by Napoleon, the city was called Le Vieux-Bourg in French. Today, Oldenburg is part of a bigger area called the Northwest Metropolitan Region, where about 2.8 million people live.

The city is important in history because it is where the House of Oldenburg comes from. Before 1918, when the German Empire ended, Oldenburg was the main city for the rulers of the monarchs of Oldenburg. In 2024, about 176,068 people lived there.

History

Archaeological finds show that people lived in Oldenburg as far back as the 8th century. The first written record from 1108 mentions a place called Aldenburg, linked to a leader named Elimar I, who is thought to be the first count of Oldenburg. The town's importance grew because it was located at a crossing point over the Hunte river.

During the 1600s, Oldenburg was a rich town, but it faced hard times. In 1667, a serious disease struck the town, and soon after, a big fire caused a lot of damage. For many years, the town stayed in poor condition. Buildings were finally rebuilt in a special style called neoclassicist in the late 1700s after Danish rule ended.

After World War I, the ruler of Oldenburg stepped down, and the town became part of a new government area. During World War II, Oldenburg was included in the British occupation zone after the war. Many people who had to leave their homes moved to Oldenburg, and the city's population grew to over 100,000.

Climate

Oldenburg experiences a temperate climate, typical for its location in northern Germany. The city has mild summers and cool winters, with regular rainfall throughout the year. This kind of climate is comfortable for outdoor activities and enjoying the natural surroundings.

City government

People in Oldenburg choose their leaders every five years. The city council, called the Stadtrat, has 50 seats. The leader of the city, known as the lord mayor or Oberbürgermeister, is chosen directly by the people who live there.

Political parties in Oldenburg (Oldb) and their percentages of votes in past city council elections
Election year	SPD	Bündnis ’90/ Die Grünen	CDU	Die Linke	Freie Wähler/ FW-BFO	FDP	Piraten Partei	NPD	LKR	AFD
2001	40.1	13.6	30.5	3.9	2.8	8.2	–	–	–	–
2006	32.7	21.2	26.0	7.2	5.4	6.3	–	–	–	–
2011	34.0	27.3	20.6	6.1	3.1	3.0	2.8	1.1	–	–
2016	32.68	19.13	22.21	9.88	1.53	4.84	1.17	0.62	1.19	4.76

Resulting distribution of seats in the city council
Election year	SPD	Grüne	CDU	Linke	FW	FDP	Piraten	WFO	NPD	LKR	AFD	Total seats
2001	21	7	15	2	1	4	–	–	–	–	–	50
2006	16	11	13	4	3	3	–	–	–	–	–	50
2011	17	14	10	3	2	1	1	1	1	–	–	50
2016	16	10	11	5	1	2	1	1	0	1	2	50

Economy and infrastructure

Transport

Oldenburg’s city center is surrounded by a ring of freeways (autobahns), including A 28, A 29, and A 293. This connects Oldenburg to Germany’s nationwide network of highways and to the international E-road network.

Oldenburg Central Station is a major train hub, with lines connecting to places like Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Frankfurt, and Munich.

The city is a short drive from Bremen Airport and has nearby airports in Hamburg and Hannover. There is also a small airfield called Hatten for private planes and flight training.

Oldenburg has access to shipping through the Küstenkanal, a canal linking the Ems and Weser rivers. It is an important harbor for moving goods.

Agriculture

Oldenburg is surrounded by large areas used for farming. Most of this land is grassland, and many farms are nearby or even inside the city. The area is known for raising animals, especially dairy cows, and growing crops like grains, asparagus, corn, and kale.

Industry

For hundreds of years, the Oldenburg area has produced sea salt to meet the needs of the Baltic region. In the past, people also dug up peat, but later turned to coal mines instead.

Demographics

As of December 31, 2019, Oldenburg had 169,960 people living there. About 24.8% of the population were first or second generation immigrants.

Cultural life

Oldenburg has many fun cultural events and places to visit. Every summer, there is a series of free music and cultural activities called Kultursommer in the city centre. In June, there is a big parade called CSD Nordwest for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community. In August and September, the Stadtfest festival offers food and music. September brings the Oldenburg International Film Festival, where people can watch independent films. The Kramermarkt fun fair happens in September and October and has a long history dating back to the 1600s. In November, the Oldenburger Kinder- und Jugendbuchmesse (KIBUM) showcases new books for children and young people.

Some popular spots in Oldenburg include the city centre with its shops, the Oldenburg State Theatre which opened in 1833, and Schloss Oldenburg, a museum that was once a royal home. There are also big halls for sports and events, like the Small and Large EWE Arena. The city has a strong Lutheran community with St Lamberti Church as its main place of worship. The Jewish community in Oldenburg has a long history, and today there is a small community that meets in its own synagogue.

Media

Oldenburg has several newspapers, including the Nordwest-Zeitung, a daily paper, and free weeklies like the Hunte-Report and Sonntagszeitung. There are also magazines such as Diabolo and Mox for local events and listings.

The city has local radio and television options. Oldenburg Eins offers public-access TV and radio, while Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) has a regional studio there. Radio FFN also broadcasts from the NWZ building. Online, Nordwest-Zeitung TV provides local video news clips.

Education

Oldenburg has two public universities. The Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg was founded in 1973 and named after Carl von Ossietzky in 1991. It has nearly 13,746 students and many teachers and staff. In 2012, it started a new school of medicine and health sciences with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

The Jade University of Applied Sciences was founded in 1971 and has three branches: Oldenburg, Elsfleth, and Wilhelmshaven. In Oldenburg, students can study architecture, construction engineering, construction management, geodesy, hearing aid technology, and audiology. There are about 2,000 students in Oldenburg.

There are also private colleges, like the IBS IT & Business School Oldenburg, which offers courses in business informatics and business studies. Students combine classroom learning with work experience at local companies.

Oldenburg has many primary and secondary schools, including Gymnasium Graf-Anton-Guenther School, Cäcilienschule Oldenburg, and Herbartgymnasium Oldenburg, among others.

Sports

Oldenburg hosted the 2007 Fistball World Championship.

The city has two football teams, VfB Oldenburg and VfL Oldenburg, which also have a handball section of the same name.

Oldenburg is also home to the basketball team EWE Baskets Oldenburg.

Twin towns – sister cities

Oldenburg has friendly connections with cities in several countries. These partnerships began in different years, starting in 1978 with Høje-Taastrup in Denmark. Other partner cities include Cholet in France, Groningen in the Netherlands, and Makhachkala in Russia, among others. These partnerships help the cities work together and learn from each other.