Münster (German: [ˈmʏnstɐ] ⓘ; Westphalian: Mönster) is an independent city (Kreisfreie Stadt) in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Münster was the location of the Anabaptist rebellion during the Protestant Reformation and the site of the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia ending the Thirty Years' War in 1648.

[4] As of 2014[update], there are 300,000[5] people living in the city, with about 61,500 students,[6] only some of whom are recorded in the official population statistics as having their primary residence in Münster.

[7] In 1534, an apocalyptic Anabaptist sect, led by John of Leiden, took power in the Münster rebellion and founded a democratic proto-socialistic state.

John of Leiden believed he would lead the elect from Münster to capture the entire world and purify it of evil with the sword in preparation for the Second Coming of Christ and the beginning of the Millennium.

However, the town was recaptured in 1535; the Anabaptists were tortured to death and their corpses were exhibited in metal baskets, which can still be seen hanging from the tower of St. Lambert's Church.

The last outstanding palace of the German baroque period, the Schloss Münster, was created according to plans by Johann Conrad Schlaun.

It is now a major European centre for excellence in education and research with large faculties in the arts, humanities, theology, sciences, business and law.

It was also part of the Grand Duchy of Berg between 1806 and 1811 and the Lippe department of the First French Empire between 1811 and 1813, before returning to Prussian rule.

In the 1940s the Bishop of Münster, Cardinal Clemens August Graf von Galen, was one of the most prominent critics of the Nazi government.

In retaliation for his success (The New York Times described Bishop von Galen as "the most obstinate opponent of the National Socialist anti-Christian program"[10]), Münster was heavily garrisoned during World War II, and five large complexes of barracks are still a feature of the city.

Originally made up of Westphalia and the Rhineland, after the Battle of France it was expanded to include the Eupen – Malmedy district of Belgium.

The headquarters controlled military operations in Münster, Essen, Düsseldorf, Wuppertal, Bielefeld, Coesfeld, Paderborn, Herford, Minden, Detmold, Lingen, Osnabrück, Recklinghausen, Gelsenkirchen, and Cologne.

Münster was the home station for the VI and XXIII Infantry Corps (Armeekorps), as well as the XXXIII and LVI Panzerkorps.

Münster was the location of the Oflag VI-D prisoner-of-war camp mostly for French, but also some Polish and Soviet officers,[11] and a Nazi prison with several forced labour subcamps in the city and other localities.

[16] In the 1950s the Old City was rebuilt to match its pre-war state, though many of the surrounding buildings were replaced with cheaper modern structures.

[18][19] Münster is situated on the river Aa, approximately 15 kilometres (9 miles) south of its confluence with the Ems in the so-called Westphalian Bight, a landscape studded with dispersed settlements and farms – the "Münsterland".

The Wolstonian sediments of the mountain ridge called "Münsterländer Kiessandzug" cross the city from north to south.

But it includes substantial sparsely-populated rural districts which were formerly separate local government authorities until they were amalgamated in 1975.

Und wenn beides zusammen fällt, dann ist Sonntag" ("Either it rains or the church bells ring.

The city is divided into six administrative districts or Stadtbezirke: "Mitte" (Middle), "Nord" (North), "Ost" (East), "West", "Süd-Ost" (South-East) and "Hiltrup".

[27] The centre can be subdivided into historically evolved city districts whose borders are not always strictly defined, such as Münster has a population of about 320,000 people.

The most recent city council election was held on 13 September 2020, and the results were as follows: Münster forms its own Electoral district (No.

As for the 2021 German federal election health politician Maria Klein-Schmeink (The Greens) won the districts seat in the Bundestag with 32.3% of the personal vote.

[33] Svenja Schulze entered the new Scholz cabinet regaining a position as minister, this time in the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

During the legislative period of Laschet cabinet redistricting resulted in Münster now being split up into three constituencies, two of which now also include some surrounding municipalities.

Berens was a successful merchant and banker, and he founded the bank to provide financial services to other businesses and individuals in the city.

Today, Münster does have some public transportation, which includes bus expresses,[43] sightseeing buses,[44] "waterbuses",[45] Lime scooters[46] and bicycle rentals.

After the Second World War, Münster became a major station within Osnabrück Garrison, part of British Forces Germany.