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Duisburg

Duisburg is a major city in western Germany, located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. With around half a million inhabitants, it is one of the largest cities in the Ruhr area and part of the larger Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, one of the biggest population centers in Europe. Duisburg is situated at the confluence of the Ruhr and the Rhine, a geographic position that has historically made it an important center of trade, industry, and transportation. Administratively, Duisburg forms an independent city.

Etymology
The first syllable of the name of the city could go back to the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰeus-, meaning something like "wet area" or "flood plain". Duisburg therefore could mean "fortified place in the floodplain". Another interpretation assumes that the name is derived from the Old German "duis" which means "hill". Duisburg could mean something like "castle on the hill". Thus, a place on a hill overlooking the Rhine, that could refer to the area of the present Town Hall. Duisburggau (Diuspurgau) was also the name of the medieval Gau (country subdivision) on the Lower Rhine. == History ==
History
A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus (fl. 1525) holds that Duisburg (along with Deutz, Cologne, Duisdorf in Bonn, and Doesburg in the Netherlands) was built by the namesake Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, about . There is nothing to establish any historical basis for such an early founding of Duisburg, which would have made it among the earliest cities in Europe. Roman period and Middle Ages Duisburg developed at the confluence of the Ruhr and the Rhine, on the outer bank of the Rhine and at the western end of the Hellweg trade route. By 1666 the city, still within the Duchy of Cleves, became incorporated into Brandenburg-Prussia. The city's commercial activity revived in 1674 with the establishment of a regular shipping route to the Netherlands. Increasing competition between the ports of Duisburg and Ruhrort led, in 1905, to the merger of the ports, followed soon after by the unification of the cities of Duisburg, Ruhrort, and Meiderich. On 8 May 1945, the ADSEC Engineer Group A, led by Col. Helmer Swenholt, commanding officer of the 332nd Engineer General Service Regiment, constructed a railway bridge between Duisburg and Rheinhausen across the Rhine. It was long, and constructed in six days, fifteen hours and twenty minutes, a record time. It was named the "Victory Bridge". Federal Republic of Germany |right A total of 299 bombing raids had almost completely destroyed the historic cityscape. 80% of all residential buildings had been destroyed or partly damaged. Almost the whole of the city had to be rebuilt, and most historic landmarks had been lost. Beginning in the mid-1960s, the decline of Duisburg's steel and mining industry caused a significant loss of residents. While in 1975 approximately 590,000 people were living in Duisburg, the number had shrunk to 518,000 in 1985. Duisburg celebrated its 1100th anniversary in 1983. The city's population recovered a little in the following years, up to 537,000 in 1992. It declined to 488,000 in 2011. On 19 July 2004, it was hit by a tornado. The municipal theater and parts of the city center were damaged. The city hosted the 7th World Games in 2005. In 2010, 21 people died because of a mass panic at the Love Parade; over 500 people were injured. In March 2011, the inaugural freight train of the Chongqing–Xinjiang–Europe Railway arrived in Duisburg and since then the city has served as the railway's western terminus. On 7 April 2025 15 schools were closed after an unknown far right extremist sent multiple bomb threats. == Geography ==
Geography
Duisburg is in the Lowland Rhine area at the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr and near the outskirts of the Bergisches Land. The city spreads along both sides of these rivers. Adjacent cities and districts The following cities and districts border Duisburg (clockwise starting from the north-east): Oberhausen, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Mettmann (district), Düsseldorf, Neuss (district), Krefeld, and Wesel (district). Districts Since 1 January 1975, Duisburg has been divided into seven districts or boroughs () from north to south: • • HambornMeiderich/Beeck • Homberg/Ruhrort/Baerl • (city center) • Rheinhausen Climate Duisburg has an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb). {{Weather box {{Weather box == Politics ==
Politics
Mayor The current mayor of Duisburg is Sören Link of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who was elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2017 and 2025. The most recent mayoral election was held on 14 September 2025 with a runoff election being held on 28 September, and the results were as follows: City council The Duisburg city council (Duisburger Stadtrat) governs the city alongside the mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 14 September 2025, and the results were as follows: State parliament In the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia, Duisburg is divided between three constituencies: 61 Duisburg I (containing Süd district and most of Mitte), 62 Duisburg II (Walsum, Rheinhausen, and most of Homberg/Ruhrort/Baerl), and 63 Duisburg III (Hamborn, Meiderich/Beeck, and parts of Mitte and Homberg/Ruhrort/Baerl). After the 2022 North Rhine-Westphalia state election, all three constituencies were held by the SPD. Duisburg I was represented by Sarah Philipp, Duisburg II by , and Duisburg III by . Federal parliament In the Bundestag, Duisburg is divided between two constituencies: 115 Duisburg I (Rheinhausen, Süd, and Mitte) and 116 Duisburg II (Walsum, Hamborn, Meidereich/Beeck, Homberg/Ruhrort/Baerl). In the 21st Bundestag, both are held by the SPD. Duisburg I is represented by Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Bärbel Bas, and Duisburg II by Mahmut Özdemir. ==Demographics==
Demographics
In 2010, Duisburg had a population of 489,600, a slight decrease since 2006. Duisburg has one of the highest proportions of Muslims in Germany, with the city's Muslim population at approximately 15%, or 71,000 residents, as of 2011. Population structure of non-German residents: Turkish community Duisburg is home to 85,000 people of Turkish origin. Other estimates suggest that the Turkish population is as large as 100,000. The new Merkez Mosque, one of the largest Muslim places of worship in Western Europe, was built with help by the way of contribution of 3.2 million euro from the EU and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Asiye Nur Fettahoğlu, a Turkish-German actress, was born in Duisburg on 12 November 1980. == Culture ==
Culture
Duisburg hosts a comprehensive range of cultural facilities and events. A highlight is the annual "Duisburger Akzente", a festival focusing on modern social, political and cultural topics. Alongside Düsseldorf, Duisburg is one of the seats of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, one of the major opera houses in Germany. The Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra is one of Germany's orchestras with an international reputation. Due to its history as a harbour city and a trade and industrial center, Duisburg offers a variety of architectural places of interest, such as the German Inland Waterways Museum. Buildings vary from old churches such as St. Johann Baptist in Duisburg-Hamborn, which was built in 900, to modern age buildings such as Micro-Electronic-Centrum in Duisburg-Neudorf, built in 1995. Another subject of interest is the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord an abandoned industrial complex open to the public and an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage. The city center contains the Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, the municipal theatre and the shopping street known as the "fountain mile". The city also contains two botanical gardens, the Botanischer Garten Duisburg-Hamborn and the Botanischer Garten Kaiserberg, as well as a number of municipal parks. On 24 July 2010, 21 people were killed and hundreds injured in the city during the Love Parade disaster. The Love Parade was an electronic dance music festival and technoparade. File:Theater Duisburg 2013.jpg|Theater Duisburg, venue of the Duisburg Philharmonic File:Abtei Hamborn3.JPG|St. Johann Baptist Abbey File:Duisburg, Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord, Erzbunker -- 2016 -- 1229-35.jpg|Landschaftspark Nord ("Landscape Park North"), on a former industrial estate File:Innenhafen Duisburg Blaue Stunde 2014.jpg|Old inner harbour File:Duisburg – Botanischer Garten - panoramio.jpg|Botanical Garden Kaiserberg Duisburg, König-Brauerei, 2012-06 CN-06.jpg|König Pilsner brewery File:Duisburg, Ruhrort, 2019-12 CN-02.jpg|Ruhrort File:NRW, Krefeld-Uerdinger Brucke.jpg|Krefeld-Uerdinger bridge Local dialect As with the Venlo dialect, the city's local dialect, the Düsberjesch, called Duisburger Platt in German, is a tonal dialect of the Kleverlandish heavily influenced historically by the Bergish dialects of the Limburgish language spoken in its southern boroughs. == Transport ==
Transport
Duisburg Port The Port of Duisburg is the world's largest inland port. It is officially regarded as a seaport because seagoing river vessels go to ports in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Numerous docks are mostly located at the mouth of the Ruhr where it joins the Rhine. Each year more than 40 million tonnes of various goods are handled with more than 20,000 ships calling at the port. The public harbour facilities stretch across an area of . There are 21 docks covering an area of and of wharf. The area of the Logport Logistic Center Duisburg stretches across an area of . With 2.5 million TEU it is also the largest inland container port, based on 2011 figures. A number of companies run their own private docks and 114 million tonnes of goods yearly (2010) are handled in Duisburg in total. Roads Duisburg is served by several autobahns, with 3 east–west routes and 2 north–south routes. A3 forms a bypass east of the city and mostly serves through traffic. A59 runs parallel to A3 and serves the city from north to south with 14 interchanges, much more than most other cities in the Ruhr area. The A40 and A42 are two east–west routes that serve central and northern Duisburg. Autobahn A40 also serves major through traffic from the Netherlands to Berlin and points east. A short spur, A524 serves southern Duisburg. Most Autobahns have six lanes or are upgraded to six lanes (A59). Apart from the autobahns, no Bundesstraßen serve the city directly. B8 runs through the city, but uses A59's alignment. B288 runs in the extreme south of the city, and serves traffic to and from Krefeld. Several bridges span the Rhine, most prominently the A40 and A42 bridges, but also the L287 suspension bridge and the L237 arch bridge, a three-lane bridge with 2 lanes per peak direction with dynamic lane usage. Public transport Duisburg Hauptbahnhof is served by the InterCityExpress and InterCity long-distance network of the Deutsche Bahn, in addition line of the S-Bahn line connects Duisburg with other cities of the Rhine-Ruhr area. The Duisburg Stadtbahn, the Duisburg tramway network, and a bus system, all operated by the Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft, provide local services. Stadtbahn line U79, the so-called "D-Bahn" ("D-Line"), connects to the neighbouring city of Düsseldorf and is operated jointly with the Rheinbahn of Düsseldorf. All S-Bahn, Stadtbahn, and bus lines operate under the umbrella of the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr. Airport Duisburg does not have its own airport, but the city is served by several nearby airports. The closest major airport is Düsseldorf Airport, located approximately 15 kilometers from the city center and accessible in 10–15 minutes by both car and train. Other significant airports serving the region include Weeze Airport, Dortmund Airport, and Cologne/Bonn Airport, situated 55, 65, and 75 kilometers from downtown Duisburg, respectively. All of these airports can be reached within one hour by car or train. == Media ==
Media
There are several newspapers reporting on local events and politics, including the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (WAZ), the Neue Ruhr Zeitung (NRZ) and the Rheinische Post (RP). The local radio station "Radio Duisburg" was the first local radio broadcaster in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It started broadcasting in 1990. There is a local television station ("STUDIO 47"), which was the first local station to broadcast in North Rhine-Westphalia. It started broadcasting in 2006. In its Duisburg studios the WDR produces a local programme for the city of Duisburg and the Lower Rhine region north of Düsseldorf. WDR is part of the German television and radio network ARD. == Sport ==
Sport
Duisburg hosts a variety of sports activities and events, with football being the most prominent among residents. The local football club, MSV Duisburg, plays a central role in the city's sporting culture. MSV Duisburg plays its home matches at the MSV-Arena, a modern stadium accommodating football, American football, and other sporting events. Duisburg served as one of the host cities for the 2005 World Games during the summer of 2005. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the city was used as the training base for the Portuguese national team, while the Italian national team, which went on to win the tournament, was accommodated there. The city is known for the Rhein-Ruhr-Marathon, as well as for its rowing and canoeing regattas, which regularly include international championships. Other popular sports in Duisburg include ice hockey, basketball, American football, water polo, and field hockey. ==Notable people==
Notable people
, 1574 , 2008 • Gerardus Mercator (1512–1594), Flemish cartographer, inventor of the Mercator projectionLudwig Susen (1807–1863), elementary teacher • August Thyssen (1842–1926), industrialist • Wilhelm Lehmbruck (1881–1919), sculptor • Fritz Springorum (1886–1942), industrialist and politician • Oswald Pohl (1892–1951), Nazi SS officer executed for war crimes • Paul Bäumer (1896–1927), World War I flying ace • Margot Philips (1902–1988), New Zealand painter • Ferdinand Simoneit (1925–2010), journalist and author • Lüder Lüers (1926–2022), German horticultural architect, engaged in founding KindernothilfeDieter Kürten (born 1935), sports journalist • Achim Warmbold (born 1941), rally driver • Daisy Door (born 1944), Schlager music singer • Ronny van Dyke (born Jörg T. Hartmann in 1956), singer and songwriter • Frank Peter Zimmermann (born 1965), violinist • Rolf van Dick (born 1967), psychologist and academic • Christoph Reuter (born 1968), musicologist • Christian Ehring (born 1972), comedian • Stefan Gertler (born 1972), singer • Ramin Djawadi (born 1974), German-Iranian composer and music producer • Sören Link (born 1976), German politician • Nur Fettahoğlu (born 1980), Turkish-German actress • André Lotterer (born 1981), Belgian-German racing driver • Fabian Schrumpf (born 1982), German politician • Lance David Arnold (born 1986), racing driver • Benjamin Leuchter (born 1987), racing driver • Nikolas Breuckmann (born 1988), mathematical physicist • Jacob Goll (born 1992), ice hockey player • Ena Mahmutovic (born 2003), footballer • Carmen Nicole Moelders ==Twin towns – sister cities==
Twin towns – sister cities
Duisburg is twinned with: • Portsmouth, England, UK (1950) • Calais, France (1964) • Wuhan, China (1982) • Vilnius, Lithuania (1985) • Gaziantep, Turkey (2005) • Perm, Russia (2007) • San Pedro Sula, Honduras (2008) • Lomé, Togo (2010) • Fort Lauderdale, United States (2011) • Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine (2023) == References ==
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