Bremen, << BREHM uhn >> (pop. 542,707), is a commercial and industrial city in northwestern Germany. Bremen serves as the capital of the state of Bremen.
Bremen lies on both banks of the Weser River, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) south of the North Sea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. Bremen’s economy is based chiefly on shipping and trade. Other industries include shipbuilding, oil refining, food processing, and the production of automobiles, aircraft, electrical equipment, and textiles. Landmarks of Bremen include the Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral of St. Peter, begun in the 1000’s; and the Gothic Rathaus (town hall), which dates from the early 1400’s. The University of Bremen opened in 1970.
Bremen was founded sometime before A.D. 787, when it became a seat of bishops. In the 1300’s, it gained economic importance through membership in the Hanseatic League–a confederation of north German cities (see Hanseatic League ). Allied bombings badly damaged Bremen during World War II (1939-1945). The damaged areas were soon rebuilt.
