This Ulm History Guide will give you an overview of the events and people who shaped this city and how it evolved throughout the years.

Origins

The first settlement began around 5000 BC, in the Neolithic period. Settlements from this period were identified in 2 districts of the city, Eggingen and Lehr. The first written mention of Ulm dates back to 854 and the city was declared an Imperial City in 1181.

14th Century

Ulm was first a location where German kings and emperors stopped on their travels. From those visits, traders and craftsmen began populating the city. In 1397, the Ulm citizens asserted themselves and entered into an agreement with the trade guilds and began building the Ulm Minster Church, which was funded by the residents only.

15th and 16th Centuries

The export of high quality textiles promoted an economic boom and an increase in population. Many buildings were erected to support trade as Ulm was located on a major trade route to Italy. Artists began living in Ulm around this time. After the discovery of the New World in the 16th century, new trade routes were created.

17th Century

The Thirty Years War (1618 to 1648) pushed the city into decline. At the end of the century, the city was invaded alternatively by the French and Bavarian armies.

19th Century

After the French Revolution, several wars caused the city to alternatively be occupied by the French and Austrian armies. Ulm lost its Imperial City status and was absorbed into Bavaria. In 1805, in the battle of Ulm, Napoleon trapped the Austrian army and forced a surrender. The city became incorporated into Wurttemberg in 1810 and the districts on the opposite bank of the Danube became Neu-Ulm. A huge military construction took place in the middle of the century and extended beyond the the fortification walls.

20th Century

A concentration camp for the regime's political opponents was in operation from 1933 to 1935. The local synagogue was torn down in 1938. In December 1944, the RAF bombed 2 truck factories, barracks and depots in Ulm. Several military hospitals were also destroyed, and the air strike left 8o percent of the old city center in ruins. Some of these landmarks were restored, others were rebuilt from scratch. The city grew exponentially in the years following the war.