Description
German Hanseatic port city on the Weser River, which maintained commercial importance over the centuries and was a significant competitor in the "Northern Range" in the 19th century, especially after the development of its outer port, Bremerhaven.
Year of Foundation or Oldest Source
First mentioned in 787. Received market rights in 965 and a city charter in 1186. Member of the Hanseatic League since 1358. Bremerhaven was founded in 1827.
Country (State or Region)
Germany
Location
Bremen, Germany (historically a Free City), on the Weser River, about 60 km from the North Sea. Bremerhaven is located at the mouth of the Weser.
Structuring
River port in Bremen. Due to the silting of the Weser, which made access for larger ships difficult, Bremen founded and developed the deep-water port of Bremerhaven (1827 onwards) as its outer port (avant-port). Bremerhaven was equipped with docks and modern infrastructure for ocean-going vessels.
Notes
Important member of the Hanseatic League. In the 19th century, it became one of the main German ports for the trade of cotton and tobacco imported from the USA, and one of the largest emigration centers from Europe to America. The creation of Bremerhaven was crucial to maintaining its competitiveness in the era of large-draft steamships. Competed with Hamburg for dominance in German trade.
Sources
MARNOT, Bruno. Ports as Tools of European Expansion. Encyclopédie d'histoire numérique de l'Europe [online], 2020.
