Bamberg in 3 facts

As we walk on, Bamberg — this UNESCO World Heritage city — is starting to feel a little more familiar. But if you think you’ve learned everything about it, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. Let me share a few facts that might surprise you. It’s no secret that Bamberg is in Germany and ranks among the most important cities in Upper Franconia. But did you know that, at one point, it was declared the centre of the universe? Picture it: 11th-century Europe, Emperor Henry II proclaiming that this medieval German city was nothing less than the navel of the world. Well… perhaps not quite true, but you have to admire the confidence! Of course, Bamberg’s real secret weapon for bringing people together is beer. And yet, surprisingly, it hasn’t always been a source of harmony. In 1907, the city — like Berlin and Frankfurt — experienced what became known as the “beer war.” The cause? A 10% increase in the price of beer. And in Germany, meddling with beer prices is a sure way to upset the balance of society. Breweries turned into battlegrounds, and quarrels spilled over into everyday life. Fortunately, those days are long gone, and today beer flows freely once again. But Bamberg’s history isn’t all light-hearted. In the wake of the Thirty Years’ War — which began with the revolt of the Protestant Czech subjects of the House of Habsburg — Europe was struck by years of poor harvests and famine. Fear and superstition thrived, and accusations of witchcraft spread. Here in Bamberg, Prince-Bishop Johann Georg Fuchs von Dornheim oversaw brutal persecutions, even building a dedicated “witch house” for interrogations. Over a span of 35 years, peaking in 1631, more than 880 people were executed. A grim and painful chapter that the city took centuries to fully acknowledge.