Minden and Prussia

After the peace of Westphalia in 1648 Minden became brandenburg-prussian administratiVe, fortress and garrison town. Up to 1873 the dismantled ramparts protected the provence Westphalia from the empire Hannover. You can follow up these traces of time in the prussia museum.

There they are presented on 1500 square meters by many orginals, exntensive productions and modern exhibition media in a vivid way. You will find the museum in a former defension barracks, one of the earliest representative big military buildings, which still mark Minden's townscape today

The garrison military hospital, the supply depot, the army bakery, the Fort C and the train station are further credentials of this era. The buildings in style of the prussian classicism show the influence of the famous builder Schinkel. From 1845 the assets of the railway Cologne-Minden (established 1844) have been embraced into the fortress system.

As a town at the river Minden was a preferred settlement side, which needed to be defended against external enimies at all time. Also devestating fire became a threat due to the high-density area inside the fortress. Against those threats the citizens were made to take on military service - the ancestors of the later citizen battalion in Minden.

After shooting exercise has been made duty in the 17th century for all citizens of Minden, the town council determined to find the best shooter during a festival and to disburden him of taxes for a year: The term of 'free-shooting' was born. Minden's citizens' bataillon is still taking care of this tradition nowadays with a festival lasting several days which is being enjoyed a lot by citizens and guests.

External links
=> Prussian museum Nordrhein-Westfalen
=> Minden's free shooting "Freischießen"