Already in Early Middle Ages Osnabrück has been a member of the historic Hanseatic League. When in 1980 44 cities met to arrange the 1st Hansa Convention of Modern Times, Osnabrück also sent its delegates.
DIE HANSE today is an active network between cities, that had been members of the old hanseatic league or were trade partners. She consists now of more than 160 cities from 15 countries. In those cities the hanseatic spirit is uphold differently and intensely in more than one way - for instance by the celebration of hanseatic days throughout the year - events appreciated merely by the local public.
But only twice a year there are meetings of all delegates of hanseatic cities to discuss and coordinate by resolutions the further activities of the league: at the meeting of the „Autumn-Commission“ and at the Hansa Convention of Modern Times. The latter one is arranged each year by a different hanseatic city by a different motto. Since the journey shall also be culturally rewarding for the delegates, a big feast is arranged for the international guests and the local people, where the spirit of the hansa is uphold: to promote the self-consciousness and prosperity of these cities and their mutual collaboration and furthermore to provide a contribution to the economical, cultural, social and legislative unification of the European democracy. Within the scope of the International Hansa Convention each hosting city is given the possibility to present its tradition, history, economical and cultural importance.
In 1986 the city of Osnabrück gained the acceptance to organize the 26th International Hansa Convention 2006 in Osnabrück, in a year which also represented the 650th jubilee of the Hanseatic League.
By choosing the motto „Europe in Osnabrück“, the city of Osnabrück gained the following purposes:
• to present the city of Osnabrück as a historic town with a high levelled attractive cultural scene and as the City of Peace
• the Hansa-Convention should be a popular event with priority to the locals and the international guests
• the city of Osnabrück should be remembered by international guests and guests of the local regions as a town to be remembered and to be visited further along
The city of Osnabrück dealt to those challenges by starting the intensive phase of planning and organizing the 26th Hansa Convention 2006 in 2003.
This report of the Hansa-Office would like to provide an insight in the phase of the planning and the realization of the Hansa Convention in Osnabrück.
