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Hildesheim (; nds, Hilmessen, Hilmssen; la, Hildesia) is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany with 101,693 inhabitants. It is in the district of Hildesheim, about southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste River, a small tributary of the
Leine The Leine (; Old Saxon ''Lagina'') is a river in Thuringia and Lower Saxony, Germany. It is a left tributary of the Aller and the Weser and is long. The river's source is located close to the town of Leinefelde in Thuringia. About downriver, t ...
River. The
Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
Louis the Pious founded the Bishopric of Hildesheim in 815 and created the first settlement with a chapel on the so called ''Domhügel''. Hildesheim is situated on autobahn route 7, and hence is at the connection point of the North (Hamburg and beyond) with the South of Europe. With the Hildesheim Cathedral and the St. Michael's Church, Hildesheim became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. In 2015 the city and the diocese celebrated their 1200th anniversary.


History


Early years

According to tradition, the city was named after its notorious founder ''Hildwin.'' The city is one of the oldest cities in
Northern Germany Northern Germany (german: link=no, Norddeutschland) is a linguistic, geographic, socio-cultural and historic region in the northern part of Germany which includes the coastal states of Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Lower Saxony an ...
, became the seat of the
Bishopric of Hildesheim The Prince-Bishopric of Hildesheim (german: Hochstift Hildesheim, Fürstbistum Hildesheim, Bistum Hildesheim) was an Hochstift, ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire from the Middle Ages until its dissolution in 1803. The Prince-Bis ...
in 815 and may have been founded when the bishop moved from Elze to the ford across the River Innerste, which was an important market on the Hellweg trade route. The settlement around the cathedral very quickly developed into a town and was granted market rights by King Otto III in 983. Originally the market was held in a street called ''Alter Markt'' (Old Market) which still exists today. The first marketplace was laid out around the church St. Andreas. When the city grew further, a larger market place became necessary. The present market place of Hildesheim was laid out at the beginning of the 13th century when the city had about 5,000 inhabitants.


Middle ages

When Hildesheim obtained city status in 1249, it was one of the biggest cities in Northern Germany. For four centuries the clergy ruled Hildesheim, before a town Hall was built and the citizens gained some influence and independence. Construction of the present Town Hall started in 1268. In 1367 Hildesheim became a member of the
Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League (; gml, Hanse, , ; german: label=Modern German, Deutsche Hanse) was a medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe. Growing from a few North German to ...
. A war between the citizens and their bishop cost dearly in 1519–23 when they engaged in a feud.


Reformation to 17th Century

Hildesheim became Lutheran in 1542, and only the cathedral and a few other buildings remained in Imperial (Roman Catholic) hands. Several villages around the city remained Roman Catholic as well. During the Thirty Years' War, Hildesheim was besieged and occupied several times: in 1628 and 1632 by imperial troops; and in 1634 by troops from Brunswick and Lüneburg.


19th century

In 1813, after the Napoleonic Wars, the town became part of the Kingdom of Hanover, which was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia as a province after the
Austro-Prussian War The Austro-Prussian War, also by many variant names such as Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), (; "German war of brothers") and by a variety of other names, was fought in 186 ...
in 1866. In 1868 a highly valuable trove of about 70 Roman silver vessels for eating and drinking, the so-called
Hildesheim Treasure The Hildesheim Treasure, unearthed on October 17, 1868 in Hildesheim, Germany, is the largest collection of Roman silver found outside imperial frontiers. Most of it can be dated to the 1st century AD. The trove consists of about seventy exquisi ...
, was unearthed by Prussian soldiers.


Early 20th century and World War II

In the beginning of WWII, roundups of the Jewish population began, with hundreds of Hildesheim's Jews being deported to concentration camps. The city was heavily damaged by air raids in 1945, especially on 22 March. Although it had little military significance, two months before the end of the war in Europe the historic city was bombed as part of the Area Bombing Directive in order to undermine the morale of the German people. 28.5% of the houses were completely destroyed and 44.7% damaged. 26.8% of the houses remained undamaged. The centre, which had retained its medieval character until then, was almost levelled. The city as a whole was destroyed by 20 - 30%. As in many cities, priority was given to rapid building of badly needed housing, and concrete structures took the place of the destroyed buildings. Most of the major churches, two of them now UNESCO World Heritage Sites, were rebuilt in the original style soon after the war. During the war, valuable world heritage materials had been hidden in the basement of the city wall.


Late 20th century and present

In 1978, the
University of Hildesheim The University of Hildesheim (in German ''Universität Hildesheim'') is a public university located in Hildesheim. History Alfeld University of Education (Pädagogische Hochschule Alfeld) - University of Hildesheim The University of Hildeshe ...
was founded. In the 1980s a reconstruction of the historic centre began. Some of the unattractive concrete buildings around the market place were torn down and replaced by replicas of the original buildings. In the autumn of 2007, a decision was made to reconstruct the ''Umgestülpter Zuckerhut'' (
Upended Sugarloaf The Upended Sugarloaf (in German: ''Der umgestülpte Zuckerhut'') is a half-timbered house in the city of Hildesheim in the federal state of Lower Saxony in Germany. History and architecture The Upended Sugarloaf is a historic building ...
), an iconic half-timbered house famous for its unusual shape. In 2015 the city and the diocese celebrates their 1200 anniversary with the
Day of Lower Saxony The Day of Lower Saxony (german: Tag der Niedersachsen or ''TdN'') is a three-day, cultural state festival in the German state of Lower Saxony, which has taken place annually since 1981. The venue is always a different Lower Saxon town. Aim At t ...
.


Religions

In 1542 most of the inhabitants became Lutherans. Today, 28.5% of the inhabitants identify themselves as Roman Catholics ( Hildesheim Diocese) and 38.3% as Protestants ( Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover). 33.0% of the inhabitants are adherents of other religions or do not have a religion at all. Up until 2015 the Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Germany had his seat in Himmelsthür (a locality of Hildesheim), before the seat moved to Frankfurt and, in 2018, to Düsseldorf.


Main sights

* The ''Marktplatz'' ( historic market place) was reconstructed in 1984–1990 after its destruction in the March 1945 air raid. The more noteworthy buildings in the square are: ** The ''Knochenhaueramtshaus'' ( Butchers' Guild Hall), originally built in 1529 and destroyed in 1945, it was reconstructed from 1987 to 1989 according to original plans. The façade is sumptuously decorated with colourful paintings and German proverbs. Today the building houses a restaurant and the City Museum. ** The ''Bäckeramtshaus'' (Bakers' Guild Hall) is a half-timbered house which was originally built in 1825. It was destroyed in 1945 and rebuilt 1987-89. Today, it houses a café. ** The
Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
, erected in the 13th century in
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
style. Partly destroyed in 1945, it was rebuilt and inaugurated in 1954. ** The '' Tempelhaus'', a
late-Gothic Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It e ...
14th-century patrician house, which today houses the tourist information office. It suffered some damage during the Second World War but was restored and inaugurated in 1950. ** The ''Wedekindhaus'', a 16th-century patrician house, is characterised by its high, ornately carved storeys including their ledges with depictions of allegorical figures. ** The adjoining ''Lüntzelhaus'' was built in 1755 in
Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
style. ** The ''Rolandhaus'' was originally built in the 14th century in Gothic style. In 1730, the house was remodelled, and a Baroque portal and a large bay window were added. ** The ''Stadtschänke'' (Town Tavern) is a large half-timbered house which was originally built in 1666. The smaller adjoining ''Rococcohaus'' was built in 1730 in rococo style. ** The ''Wollenwebergildehaus'' (Weavers' Guild Hall) was approximately built in 1600. * The Romanesque St. Mary's Cathedral (Hildesheim Cathedral), with its ancient bronze doors (
Bernward Doors The Bernward Doors (german: Bernwardstür) are the two leaves of a pair of Ottonian or Romanesque bronze doors, made for Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany. They were commissioned by Bishop Bernward of Hildesheim (938–1022). The doors show r ...
) (c. 1015) and other treasures. The cathedral was built in the 9th century, but almost completely destroyed in 1945; it was reconstructed soon after the war. It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. The " Thousand-year Rose" is a reputedly 1,000‑year‑old
dog rose ''Rosa canina'', commonly known as the dog rose, is a variable climbing, wild rose species native to Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia. Description The dog rose is a deciduous shrub normally ranging in height from , though sometimes it ...
bush, allegedly the world's oldest living rose. It continues to flourish on the wall of the cathedral apse. ** Museum of the Cathedral:
Cathedral Treasure A church treasure is the collection of historical art treasures belonging to a church, usually a monastery (monastery treasure), abbey, cathedral. Such "treasure" is usually held and displayed in the church's treasury or in a diocesan museum. Hist ...
. * St. Michael's Church (UNESCO World Heritage Site) – an early Romanesque church in Germany and an example of Ottonian architecture. It was built from 1010 to 1022. * The '' St. Andreas'' (St. Andrew's Church), a 12th-century Gothic church with the highest church steeple (114.5 m) in Lower Saxony. Opposite the church stands the
Upended Sugarloaf The Upended Sugarloaf (in German: ''Der umgestülpte Zuckerhut'') is a half-timbered house in the city of Hildesheim in the federal state of Lower Saxony in Germany. History and architecture The Upended Sugarloaf is a historic building ...
, a half-timbered house dating from 1509. * The ''
Roemer-und-Pelizaeus-Museum The Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum Hildesheim is an archaeological museum in Hildesheim, Germany. Mostly dedicated to ancient Egyptian and ancient Peruvian art, the museum also includes the second largest collection of Chinese porcelain in Europe ...
'', with collections from ancient Egypt and Peru and special exhibitions. * The ''Kreuzkirche'' (Church of the Holy Cross) was originally a part of the medieval fortifications. It was converted into a church around 1079, severely damaged in 1945 and rebuilt after the war. * The Romanesque
Basilica Minor In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular b ...
of
St. Godehard Gotthard (or Godehard) (960 – 5 May 1038 AD; la, Gotthardus, Godehardus), also known as ''Gothard'' or ''Godehard the Bishop'', was a German bishop venerated as a saint. Life Gotthard was born in 960 near Niederalteich, Niederaltaich in the ...
(St. Gotthard's Church), built 1133–1172, which is scheduled to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the near future. Other notable buildings stand opposite the church: St. Nicolai's Chapel is a former parish church which was built in the Romanesque style in the 12th century and transformed into a residential building after 1803, and the Hospital of the Five Wounds which is a large half-timbered house dating from 1770 with a half-hip roof. * The church St. Lamberti is a late Gothic building, venue of a weekly concert series at market time. * The ''Kehrwiederturm'' (Kehrwieder Tower), built around 1300, is the only remaining tower of the medieval fortifications. * ''Half-timbered houses'' which were not destroyed during World War II can be seen around
St. Godehard Gotthard (or Godehard) (960 – 5 May 1038 AD; la, Gotthardus, Godehardus), also known as ''Gothard'' or ''Godehard the Bishop'', was a German bishop venerated as a saint. Life Gotthard was born in 960 near Niederalteich, Niederaltaich in the ...
and the ''Kehrwieder Tower'', in the streets Keßlerstraße, Knollenstraße, Gelber Stern, Am Kehrwieder, Lappenberg, Brühl, Hinterer Brühl, and Godehardsplatz. Some of them have ornate wood carvings in their façades, e.g. the ''Wernersches Haus'' (1606) in Godehardsplatz and the ''Waffenschmiedehaus'' (weapon smith house, 1548) at Gelber Stern. *The church ''
St. Jacobi ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy ...
'' (St. James' Church) is a 500-year-old pilgrim church in the Gothic style and was one of the many St. James chapels on St. James's Path. Today the church is a culture church with emphasis on literature. *The Monument of the Synagogue (consecrated in 1849 and destroyed in 1938 during the Kristallnacht) was erected in 1988 in the old Jewish quarter on '' Lappenberg'' Street. The foundations were reconstructed to give observers an idea of how large the synagogue was. The reddish brick building (built around 1840) opposite was the Jewish school. * ''Mauritiuskirche'' (St. Maurice's Church), a Romanesque church (11th century) on a hill in the west of the city in the quarter of Moritzberg with a cloister. The interior of the church is Baroque and the tower was added in 1765. * ''Kaiserhaus'' (Emperor's House): Renaissance building (1586) in ''Alter Markt'', the oldest street of Hildesheim, rebuilt after the war. The façade is decorated with Roman statues and medallions. Opposite, there is a noteworthy sandstone bay window dating from 1568. Originally, it belonged to a private house which was torn down at the end of the 19th century. The bay window was dismantled before and added to another house in the eastern part of Hildesheim which remained undamaged during World War II. From there, the bay window was removed when the house was remodelled and added to the school at the present site in 1972. * Close to the ''Kaiserhaus'' (Emperor's house) the ''Alte Kemenate'', a noteworthy medieval store house reaching a height of 5.5 meters, can be seen behind the school in the street Alter Markt. It has a rectangular basis measuring 6.5 meters × 5.0 meters and a cellar with a vaulted construction. The store house, one of the oldest profane buildings in Hildesheim, was built of sandstone in a Gothic style the 15th century. According to other sources it might be even older, i.e. built between the end of the 11th and the middle of the 13th century. The building has two floors. As it did not consist of wood it did not burn down in 1945, but was only damaged and immediately repaired after the war. From 1945 - 1951 it was used for residential purposes. The ''Alte Kemenate'' is not open to the public. * St Magdalena's Church (''Magdalenenkirche'') is a small church with large lancet windows in the historic street Old Market (''Alter Markt'') which was consecrated in 1224. It was originally built in a Romanesque style, but enlarged and remodelled in Gothic style in 1456. It houses a wooden altar (about 1520) with carvings and other works of art. The small street Süsternstraße features a well-preserved part of the medieval city wall with a round tower. Opposite the church, a tall half-timbered house which was rebuilt in 1981 on the medieval city wall can be seen in the small side street Mühlenstraße. The façade is decorated with wood carvings. *
Magdalenengarten Magdalenengarten is a baroque park in Hildesheim in Lower Saxony, Germany. Location and size Magdalenengarten is in the western part of the historic city center of Hildesheim. On the west side a well-preserved part of the medieval moat and rampa ...
, a Baroque park which was laid out in 1720–1725, is near St. Magdalena's Church. There are many different kinds of rose bush, a rose museum, pavilions, Baroque statues, a well-preserved part of the medieval city wall in it and even a vineyard yielding 100–200 bottles of wine per year. In spring a rare species of wild yellow tulip (tulipa sylvestris) blossoms in the western part of the park. * St. Bernward's Church, a neo-Romanesque church built 1905–1907, destroyed in 1945 and rebuilt from 1948 to 1949, houses a Gothic wooden altar retable dating from the beginning of the 15th century. * A part of the medieval defence system consisting of a wall with moats and ramparts, built around the city in the 13th century, is well preserved. Kalenberger Graben, an artificial lake, is a part of it. It is surrounded by a park. In April a rare species of wild yellow tulip (tulipa sylvestris) blossoms in the park. * Steuerwald Castle (''Burg Steuerwald'') in the north of the city, about from the Market Place, was built 1310–13. Its tower (25 m) was added in 1325. The chapel, dedicated to St Magdalena, was originally built in the Romanesque style and transformed into a Gothic chapel in 1507. Today it is used for weddings and concerts. * Marienburg Castle (''Burg Marienburg'') is in the southeast of Hildesheim, about from the Market Place. It was built 1346–1349. *
Sorsum Sorsum, a district of the city of Hildesheim, is a small village in northern Germany. History Over 800 years ago in the year 1125 ''Sutterem'', later Sorsum, was first mentioned in literature. A memorial in the middle of the village was raised in ...
is a former village in the West of Hildesheim which became a part of the city in 1974. There is a former domain, founded in the Middle Ages, which was transformed into a residential area after 2000. The pigeon tower, built in 1733, the large barn (1786) and the manor house dating from 1734 are the most notable sights in this rural part of Hildesheim. * Marienrode Priory (''Kloster Marienrode'') is in the southwest of Hildesheim, about from the Market Place. It was founded in 1125. The foundation stone of the present church was laid in 1412. The church was built in Gothic style with three naves and completed in 1462. The Baroque ridge turret was added in the 18th century. In the church, there are two noteworthy Baroque altars dating from 1750 approximately and a Gothic sandstone sculpture of Saint Mary which was made in 1460. The organ dates from the middle of the 18th century. A small chapel of the priory, Saint Cosmas and Damian, which was built in 1792, was converted into a small Protestant church in 1830. The priory was dissolved in 1806, but returned to the Catholic Church in 1986. Since 1988, it has again been operated by nuns. Near the monastery there is a large fishpond with a tall windmill built in 1839. Other places of interest include the theatre, offering opera, operetta and musicals, drama, ballet and concerts.


Incorporations

* 1911: Moritzberg * 1912: Steuerwald * 1938: Drispenstedt and Neuhof * 1971: Ochtersum * 1974: Achtum-Uppen, Bavenstedt, Einum, Himmelsthür, Itzum, Marienburg, Marienrode and
Sorsum Sorsum, a district of the city of Hildesheim, is a small village in northern Germany. History Over 800 years ago in the year 1125 ''Sutterem'', later Sorsum, was first mentioned in literature. A memorial in the middle of the village was raised in ...


Demographics


Population history

On 31 Dec 2017 Hildesheim had 103,970 inhabitants.


Largest minority groups

The following list shows the largest foreign groups in the city of Hildesheim :


List of mayors of Hildesheim

* 1803–1843: Georg Otto Ferdinand Lohde * 1843–1848: Carl Christoph Lüntzel * 1848: Commissioned by Oberg, Starke, and Wynecken * 1848–1852: Amtsassessor Domeier * 1853–1875: Paul Johann Friedrich Boysen * 1876–1895: Gustav Struckmann * 1895–1896: Hans Ukert, not as mayor * 1896–1909: Gustav Struckmann, reelected * 1909–1937: Ernst Ehrlicher * 1945–1946: Erich Bruschke * 1946–1950: Albin Hunger * 1950–1952: Friedrich Lekve * 1952–1958: Albin Hunger, reelected * 1958–1959: Paul Lienke * 1959–1964: Martin Boyken * 1964–1968: Friedrich Nämsch * 1968–1972: Martin Boyken, reelected * 1972–1975: Friedrich Nämsch, reelected * 1975–1981: Heiko Klinge * 1981–1991: Gerold Klemke * 1991–2001: Kurt Machens * 2001–2005: Dr. Ulrich Kumme * 2005–2014: Kurt Machens, reelected * 2014–present: Dr. Ingo Meyer


Twin towns – sister cities

Hildesheim is twinned with: *
Angoulême Angoulême (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Engoulaeme''; oc, Engoleime) is a communes of France, commune, the Prefectures of France, prefecture of the Charente Departments of France, department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern Franc ...
, France (1965) * Minya, Egypt (1975) * Weston-super-Mare, England, United Kingdom (1983) *
Gelendzhik Gelendzhik (russian: Геленджи́к) is a resort town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Gelendzhik Bay of the Black Sea, between Novorossiysk ( to the northwest) and Tuapse ( to the southeast). Greater Gelendzhik sprawls for along t ...
, Russia (1992) * North Somerset, England, United Kingdom (1997) * Pavia, Italy (2000)


Events of international interest

* M'era Luna Festival, Europe's most important event of the
gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
and wave scene * "Jazztime" festival on the weekend of Pentecost (in May or June)


Economy

Important and significant companies in the city of Hildesheim are: * Robert Bosch Car Multimedia * St. Bernward Hospital * Helios Hospital * Sparkasse Hildesheim * KSM Castings Group * Petrofer Chemie H. R. * Optimal Personal & Organisation * Medifox DAN * Howmet Aerospace


Transport

Hildesheim has an efficient traffic infrastructure: it is a regional hub for national roads and railway (
Hildesheim Hauptbahnhof Hildesheim Hauptbahnhof (German for ''Hildesheim Central Station'') is the main railway station for the city of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony, Germany. The station opened in 1961 and is located on the Lehrte–Nordstemmen, Hildesheim–Brunswick an ...
is served by
InterCityExpress The Intercity Express (commonly known as ICE ()) is a system of high-speed trains predominantly running in Germany. It also serves some destinations in Austria, Denmark (ceased in 2017 but planned to resume in 2022), France, Belgium, Switzerla ...
services), is connected to the motorway ( Autobahn), has a harbour on the Mittellandkanal (canal) and Hildesheim Betriebsgesellschaft Airfield.


Education

There are many
secondary schools A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
(
Gymnasiums A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational ins ...
,
comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is res ...
s and subject-specific secondary schools): Gymnasium Andreanum, Gymnasium Marienschule, Gymnasium Josephinum Hildesheim, Scharnhorstgymnasium Hildesheim, Goethegymnasium Hildesheim, Michelsenschule, Gymnasium Himmelsthür. Further: Freie Waldorfschule Hildesheim, Robert-Bosch-Gesamtschule. Friedrich-List-Schule (Fachgymnasium Wirtschaft), Herman-Nohl-Schule (Fachgymnasium Gesundheit und Soziales), Walter-Gropius-Schule (Berufsbildende Schule), Werner-von-Siemens-Schule (Fachgymnasium Technik), Elisabeth-von-Rantzau-Schule (Fachakademie für Sozialmanagement). Tertiary Education can be achieved at the ''
University of Hildesheim The University of Hildesheim (in German ''Universität Hildesheim'') is a public university located in Hildesheim. History Alfeld University of Education (Pädagogische Hochschule Alfeld) - University of Hildesheim The University of Hildeshe ...
'' or ''Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft und Kunst'' (HAWK), a
co-operation Cooperation (written as co-operation in British English) is the process of groups of organisms working or acting together for common, mutual, or some underlying benefit, as opposed to working in competition for selfish benefit. Many animal a ...
with the cities of
Holzminden Holzminden (; nds, Holtsminne) is a town in southern Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Holzminden. It is located on the river Weser, which at this point forms the border with the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Histor ...
and Göttingen.


Culture

The community has the headquarters of the Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Frankfurt and all of Germany.Kontakdaten
." Diocese of Central Europe. Retrieved on 27 February 2011. "Obere Dorfstr. 12 D - 31137 Hildesheim-Himmelsthür"


Notable people


A–K

* Klaus Berger (born 1940), ev. theologian *
St. Bernward Bernward (c. 960 – 20 November 1022) was the thirteenth Bishop of Hildesheim from 993 until his death in 1022. Life Bernward came from a Saxon noble family. His grandfather was Athelbero, Count Palatine of Saxony. Having lost his parents a ...
(960–1022), bishop of Hildesheim * Adolf Bertram (1859–1945), German Roman Catholic bishop * Andreas Bovenschulte (born 1965), politician * Ludolph van Ceulen (1540–1610), mathematician *
Nadine Chanz __NOTOC__ The following is a list of Playboy Playmates of 1996. ''Playboy'' magazine names its Playmate of the Month each month throughout the year. January Victoria Alynette Fuller (born December 11, 1970, in Santa Barbara, California, Unite ...
(born 1972), playboy playmate *
Bernd Clüver Bernd Clüver (10 April 1948 in Hildesheim – 28 July 2011 in Palma, Spain) was a German singer. Life Clüver became a famous German Schlager singer in Germany and had several hits during the 1970s. His best-known song is perhaps ''Der J ...
(1948–2011), crooner (The boy with the harmonica) * Wolfgang Danne (born 1941), figure skater *
Catharina Helena Dörrien Catharina Helena Dörrien (1 March 1717, in Hildesheim – 8 June 1795, in Dillenburg) was a German botanist and teacher, recognized as "the most celebrated German-speaking female naturalist of the period". She was a talented artist who painted o ...
(1717–1795), botanist *
Saint Godehard Gotthard (or Godehard) (960 – 5 May 1038 AD; la, Gotthardus, Godehardus), also known as ''Gothard'' or ''Godehard the Bishop'', was a German bishop venerated as a saint. Life Gotthard was born in 960 near Niederalteich, Niederaltaich in the ...
(960–1038), also known as St Gotthard, Bishop of Hildesheim *
Uwe Gronostay Uwe Gronostay (25 October 1939 – 29 November 2008) was a German choral conductor and composer. Born in Hildesheim, he grew up in Braunschweig and was already organist of the Jakobikirche at age 15. He studied church music in Bremen and worked ...
(1939–2008), choirmaster * Jakob Guttmann (1845–1919), chief rabbi, philosopher, pedagogue *
John of Hildesheim John of Hildesheim, O.Carm. ( la, Johannes de Hildesheim) (born in 1310/1320, Hildesheim, and died in 1375, Marienau) was a writer and Carmelite friar from the German town of Hildesheim, then the capital of the Prince- Bishopric of Hildesheim, an ...
(c. 1310–1375), a writer and
Carmelite , image = , caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites , abbreviation = OCarm , formation = Late 12th century , founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel , founding_location = Mount Car ...
friar *
Julius Guttmann Julius Guttmann (Hebrew: יוליוס גוטמן), born Yitzchak Guttmann (15 April 1880 in Hildesheim – 19 May 1950 in Jerusalem), was a German-born rabbi, Jewish theologian, and philosopher of religion. Biography Julius was born to Jakob Gut ...
(1880–1950), German and Israeli
rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...
, Jewish philosopher and historian *
Karl Hamann Karl Otto Hamann (4 March 1903 in Hildesheim – 16 June 1973 in Munich) was a German politician. Between 1948 and 1952 he was chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party of (East) Germany (LDPD) and also the German Democratic Republic's Minis ...
(1903–1973), 1948–51 chairman of the
LDPD The Liberal Democratic Party of Germany (german: Liberal-Demokratische Partei Deutschlands, LDPD) was a political party in East Germany. Like the other allied bloc parties of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) in the National Front, it ...
and minister * Prince Ernst August of Hanover (born 1983) (born 1983), born in Hildesheim *
Petra Hartmann Petra Hartmann (born 1970 in Hildesheim) is a German novelist, journalist and author. Life Petra Hartmann grew up in Sillium, a little village near Hildesheim. She visited a humanistic secondary school in Hildesheim and studied German language and ...
(born 1970), author and literature scientist * Hubertus Heil (born 1972), politician (SPD) *
Wilhelm Hennis Wilhelm Hennis (18 February 1923 – 10 November 2012) was a German political scientist. Hennis was born in Hildesheim. In 1960, he became professor at the Pedagogical College of Hannover. In 1962, he became a Professor in Hamburg, and in 1967 a ...
(1923–2012), political scientist *
Frederick Hornemann Friedrich Conrad Hornemann (15 September 1772 – 1801) was a German explorer in Africa. Hornemann was born in Hildesheim, a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, located about 30 km southeast of Hannover. He was a young man when, early in 1796, h ...
(1772–1801), German African explorer *
Adolf Hurwitz Adolf Hurwitz (; 26 March 1859 – 18 November 1919) was a German mathematician who worked on algebra, analysis, geometry and number theory. Early life He was born in Hildesheim, then part of the Kingdom of Hanover, to a Jewish family and died ...
(1859–1919), 19th-century German mathematician *
Wilhelm Koppe Karl Heinrich Wilhelm Koppe (15 June 1896 – 2 July 1975) was a German Nazi commander ('' Höhere SS und Polizeiführer (HSSPF), SS-Obergruppenführer''). He was responsible for numerous atrocities against Poles and Jews in Reichsgau Warthelan ...
(1896–1975), 20th-century German Obergruppenführer and General der Waffen-SS und Polizei * Hans Adolf Krebs (1900–1981), physician and biochemist, Physiology and Medicine in 1953 * Diane Kruger (born 1976), supermodel and actress, who played Helen in the film '' Troy''


L–Z

* Heinrich Nordhoff (1899–1968), engineer, Chairman of Volkswagen and key figure in the VW Beetle's history * Didrik Pining (1430–1491), a 15th-century explorer of the North Atlantic, was born in Hildesheim *
Erich Pommer Erich Pommer (20 July 1889 – 8 May 1966) was a German-born film producer and executive. Pommer was perhaps the most powerful person in the German and European film industries in the 1920s and early 1930s. As producer, Erich Pommer was involved ...
(1889–1966), film producer, born in Hildesheim * Thomas Quasthoff (born 1959), German bass-baritone singer *
Henry Rathbone Henry Reed Rathbone (July 1, 1837 – August 14, 1911) was a United States military officer and diplomat who was present at the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Rathbone was sitting with his fiancée, Clara Harris, next to the pre ...
(1837–1911), US Consul, institutionalized in Hildesheim after murdering his wife but acquitted by reason of insanity *
Ferdinand von Roemer Carl Ferdinand von Roemer (5 January 1818 – 14 December 1891), German geologist, had originally been educated for the legal profession at Göttingen, but became interested in geology, and abandoning law in 1840, studied science at the Univer ...
(1818–1891), geologist, born in Hildesheim * Michael Schenker (born 1955), German rock guitarist, founding member of the Scorpions and of the band
UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...
* Rudolf Schenker (born 1948),
guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...
and founding member of the
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
band Scorpions,
born Born may refer to: * Childbirth * Born (surname), a surname (see also for a list of people with the name) * ''Born'' (comics), a comic book limited series Places * Born, Belgium, a village in the German-speaking Community of Belgium * Born, Luxe ...
in ''Hildesheim'' * Oskar Schindler (1908–1974), German industrialist, Righteous Among the Nations, died in Hildesheim, about whom the book Schindler's Ark was written; see also the film '' Schindler's List'' * Eberhard Schlotter (1921–2014), painter and graphic artist *
Wolfram Sievers Wolfram Sievers (10 July 1905 – 2 June 1948) was ''Reichsgeschäftsführer'', or managing director, of the Ahnenerbe from 1935 to 1945. Early life Sievers was born in 1905 in Hildesheim in the Province of Hanover (now in Lower Saxony), the son ...
(1905–1948), Nazi war criminal and director of Ahnenerbe, executed for war crimes *
Bruno Snell Bruno Snell (18 June 1896 – 31 October 1986) was a German classical philologist. From 1931 to 1959 he held a chair for classical philology at the University of Hamburg where he established the ''Thesaurus Linguae Graecae'' research centre in 194 ...
(1886–1986), classic philologist *
Guy Stern Guy Stern (born Günther Stern; January 14, 1922) is a German-American decorated member of the secret Ritchie Boys World War II military intelligence interrogation team. As the only person from his Jews, Jewish family to flee Nazi Germany, he c ...
(born 1922), American literary critic and honorary citizen of the city * Maik Taylor (born 1971), Northern Ireland and Birmingham City footballer * The twins
Wolfgang Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words ''wolf'', meaning "wolf", and ''gang'', meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regula ...
and Christoph Lauenstein (born 1962), winners of an Academy Award in 1989 for their film '' Balance'' *
Wilhelm Wachsmuth Wilhelm Gottfried Wachsmuth (28 December 1784, Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany – 23 January 1866, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany) was a German historian and academic. From 1803 to 1806 he studied philology and theology at the University of Halle, an ...
(1784–1866), historian


Gallery

MarktplatzHildesheimKugelPanorama.jpg, Spherical Panorama of the Market Place Knochenhaueramtshaus 1900.jpg, Knochenhaueramtshaus before the destruction on 22 March 1945 St-andreas.jpg, St Andreas, 114 m high steeple Hildesheim-St-Godehard-Nordseite-Panorama.jpg, Basilica of St Godehard Hildesheim-St- Lamberti-Neue Turmhaube-001-Hildesia.jpg, St. Lamberti, 2007, with the new spire HildesheimMarktplatz.jpg, Market Place (Markt) on an autumn evening KlSteuer5.jpg, St Mauritius Church Keßlerstraße 92 Hildesheim 20060930 001.jpg, Half-timbered houses in Keßlerstraße Hildesheim Hinterer.Brühl.Timberframe.House.04.JPG, Half-timbered houses in street "Hinterer Brühl" Hildesheim Himmelthür Orthodox church.JPG, Abbey of the Dormition of the Theotokos Hildesheim um 1900.jpg, The town hall around 1900


See also

*
Metropolitan region Hannover-Braunschweig-Göttingen-Wolfsburg Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a ...


References


External links


The city's own website.



Article about Hildesheim from the early 1900s


{{Authority control Cities in Lower Saxony Jewish communities in Germany Hildesheim (district) 815 establishments Members of the Hanseatic League