To assure that the planned areal concentration of the Hansa Market was situated at a connected areal space in the inner city centre providing nearness to the pedestrian zone and the Old town, the presentation of the participating cities was presented in between the interconnecting area of Domvorplatz, Domhof, Theatervorplatz and parts of Lortzingstraße.
91 Hanseatic cities from14 countries presented their cities with its regional crafts work and gastronomic specialties.
The Historical Market was set in the idyllic green landscape at Herrenteichswall and invited to take a look a the beginning of a medieval Hanseatic town. The avid visitors had a look at the daily lives and the culture of peddlers, jugglers, tumblers as well as “simple” folk. On 70 stands tradesmen and craftsmen presented their products and plyed their trade, offering their wares for sale and inviting people to try their hand at various tasks. Tailors, smiths, leather tanners, carpenters, potters and candle makers demonstrated their craftsmanship supported by musicians, tumblers and theatre.
Culinary products, that were produced in the ancient Hanseatic area could be tasted and gained at 17 stands, there were offered bread-, fish- and honey products and beverages like met, fruit wines as well as tea and juice.
To prepare the children’s programme an own team was constituted including the municipal department of ecology and environment and the project “Living Hase”, that met several times in the run-up. This teamwork emanated offers like the “rally of the Hanseatic Market”, craft activities and the “sailing-barge work-shop”.
At different places distributed about the city centre numerous activities were offered for children. The Historical Market provided tasks like woodcarving, leatherworks, felting, archery and much more. At the municipal library (Stadtbibliothek) a life-sized effigy of the Hansa merchant Georg Gisze in his office could be seen.
A successful attempt to set a world record was “The longest Hansa fleet in the world” – a print activity offered by Osnabrück’s Arts- and Music School: Hansa ships of all sorts and in various colours were printed on endless towel rolls. With its 310 meters an entry to the Guinness book of records will be guaranteed.
Besides the Pirates Night of Culture and several other activities were offered, such as writing with a quill or stamping coins in the coin cabinet.
The organisation youthHansa harkens to an idea of the hanseatic town Visby that extended an invitation in 1998 for a youth forum. The meeting place of the youthHansa in Osnabrück was the Haus der Jugend. 46 boys and girls from 27 hanseatic cities attended. The youthHansa had its own programme: Several activities and informational lectures were offered such as the Seminar “International studies and education in Osnabrück” and in the recreational time a flight over Osnabrück was offered. Accompanying the world cup-fever, rampant also in Osnabrück, a human soccer game took place.
Collaborating with the attending youth the artist Jakob Bartnik developed an artwork from peace-messages the youthHansa members brought along form their hometowns, in its shape reminding of a sail canvas. The piece is now situated at the Kulturhaus.
