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375 Years of the Peace of Westphalia

The Miracle of Westphalia

Welcome to the official website for "375 Years of the Peace of Westphalia"!

Pictures, films and reports

Impressions from the day

Friedensnobelpreisträgerin Leymah Gbowee aus Liberia trägt sich in das Friedensbuch ein.

Das Book of Peace liegt im Historischen Rathaus aus.

Peace Beyond Borders: Eine Debatte mit Studierenden im Theater Münster.

Kamen zum “Westphalian Peace Summit” im Theater Münster zusammen: (v.l.) Elmar Theveßen (ZDF-Studio Washington D.C.), Moderator Georg Restle (ARD-Magazin “Monitor”), Prof. Ummu Salma Bava, Expertin für Europäische Studien an der Jawaharlal Nehru University in Neu-Delhi, Marcus Lenzen (UN Peacebuilding Fund, New York), Münsters Oberbürgermeister Markus Lewe, Osnabrücks Oberbürgermeisterin Katharina Pötter, Friedensnobelpreisträgerin Leymah Gbowee, Friedensforscher Prof. Dan Smith (SIPRI, Stockholm), Prof. Hans-Gert Pöttering, Präsident des Europa-Parlaments a.D. und Schirmherr des “Westphalian Peace Summit” sowie Dr. Thomas Held, Geschäftsführer der Deutschen Stiftung Friedensforschung

Bewegender Abschluss des Programms „DAS JUBILÄUM“ zum 375. Jahrestag des Westfälischen Friedens: die Große Licht- und Klanginstallation „Longing for Peace“ am Abend des 24. Oktober auf dem Prinzipalmarkt.

Klaus Richter (Vorstand Sparkasse Münsterland Ost), Bernadette Spinnen (Leiterin Münster Marketing), Oberbürgermeister Markus Lewe und Wilhelm Weischer (Vorstandsvorsitzender Bürgerstiftung).

Join in

The anniversary program thrives on the active participation of Münster’s citizens. Here we present some of the projects:

Helping to shape peace

Historisches Bild: Einzug der Gesandten 1643 zu den Friedensverhandlungen in Münster

What we celebrating?

We are celebrating the "Miracle of Westphalia" - the Peace of Westphalia, which was concluded in Münster and Osnabrück in 1648, now 375 years ago. In 1648, something was achieved whose world-historical significance we can only grasped in retrospect: Here, a foundation was laid for modern international law and for the emergence of a European peace order of equal states.

Peace of Westphalia

"Münster für Frieden", so lautet der Schriftzug aus Tausenden Eisbegonien im Jahr 2022 am Kanonengraben an der Promenade.

Why do we celebrate?

The impact of the events that took place in 1648 still resonate in our current time. The Peace of Westphalia was miles ahead of its time. It contained innovative and creative features that are still worth reflecting on today, especially viewed in light of the current conflicts around the world. The Peace of Westphalia was not a peace by victory, but rather a peace through negotiation and understanding. The various parties involved in the Thirty Years’ and the Eighty Years’ war, negotiated a peace through dialogue, even though they initially did not want to talk with each other.

The Background

How do we celebrate?

“375 years Peace of Westphalia” is a project by, and for the entire city society. The program consists of thought provoking, encounter- and dialogue-oriented events linked to the current conflicts but with a link to the past. Two dates from 1648 are standing out in our program. Namely, May 15th, the Peace of Münster, ratification of the peace signed between the Spanish and the Dutch ending the Eighty Years’ war and October 24th, signing of the Peace of Westphalia.

The Year of Peace