Germany’s longest running feud began in the 13th Century when the Count of Berg took on the Archbishop of Cologne (Koln in German). The key moment in Germany’s history has become known in hindsight as the Battle of Worringen. Back then, Dusseldorf was just a village under the rule of Berg. The farmers and townspeople supported Berg and with their help Berg won the struggle for power over the army of the Catholic church of Cologne. Having won the battle, the Count of Berg, Adolf the 5th, granted town status to Dusseldorf on the 14th of August 1288, thus beginning the rivalry between the two cities that lasts to this day. To choose your side, compare Cologne and Dusseldorf trade show hotels.
After Dusseldorf became a town with official privileges, it came into direct competition with Cologne. Where, previously, Cologne was the main trading point for all the villagers in the wider area, now Dusseldorf got its own market square on the banks of the Rhine. The two economies now had to compete for custom. People had to choose a side. Diplomacy between the two powers deteriorated fast and there have been times in history when the conflict has come to blows.
Nowadays, however, the rivalry is a friendly one, with its major outlets in sport, beer, and who can produce the biggest Carnival celebrations in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Dusseldorf’s football team, Fortuna Dusseldorf have a strong rivalry with 1. FC Cologne, which came to its head in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s with Dusseldorf losing 2:0 to Cologne in the 1978 Bundesliga final, but winning it back in 1980 by 2:1.
In terms of beer, Dusseldorf residents drink Altbier while Cologne supporters drink Kolsch. You can find Alt in your Dusseldorf trade fair hotel. Be careful, as if you order the wrong one in the wrong city you could be ridiculed by your server. In reality the two beers are actually very similar. Both have a light colour, slight hoppy quality, are top fermenters and are warm fermented first before later being cold conditioned.
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