Hansefrühstück Lemgo — Day of the International Hanse

Lemgo — Hanseatic City with a Rich Heritage

Lemgo, with just under 41,000 inhabitants in the Lippe district, is one of Westphalia's oldest Hanseatic cities. In the 13th century, the city actively participated in the Hanseatic League, accumulated wealth through cloth production and long-distance trade, and thus afforded itself landmarks that are still visible today: the Hexenbürgermeisterhaus, the Junkerhaus, the St. Nicolai and Marienkirche churches, and the 16th-century town hall. In the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lemgo is one of the most beautiful examples of a preserved old town with a Hanseatic past.

Day of the International Hanse — A Modern Tradition

May 16th is the official Day of the International Hanse — a modern initiative of today's Hanseatic cities from eleven countries (Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Poland). The day is intended to celebrate the common Hanseatic heritage — as a precursor to a united Europe, as a model for peaceful economic exchange, as a cultural network. Lemgo, as a Westphalian Hanseatic city, has been participating for years with the Hansefrühstück on the market square.

Long Table and "Frauen für Lemgo"

The event is organized by the voluntary initiative "Frauen für Lemgo" e.V. in cooperation with Lemgo Marketing. A long breakfast table is set up on the market square from early morning, where every Lemgo resident and every visitor can take a seat. From 10:00 AM, rolls, coffee, cake, freshly roasted Hansebaune beans (the word means "Hanseatic bean" in the Lippisch dialect), and small specialties will be served.

Program with Tradition and Charm

The breakfast is accompanied by a charming supporting program: The Jazz-Pop Band of the Lemgo Music School plays in the morning, the Da Capo coffee roastery roasts its Hanse beans on-site, and the Schöttker distillery presents its products. At 11:00 AM, the children's ballet ensemble Märchenland performs its choreography, and from the same time, the tower of St. Nicolai Church can be climbed — offering a wide view over the medieval city and the hilly Lippisch landscape.

2026 — Kick-off of the First Hanse Week

2026 is a special year for the event: for the first time, the Hansefrühstück will be the kick-off of an entire Hanse Week in Lemgo. From May 16th to 25th, the program will span ten days — with live music, Hanseatic specialty menus in Lemgo's restaurants, a bicycle tour along the old Hanseatic routes, city tours, an activity afternoon for young people, and the Hansefrühstück to start it all. The Hanseatic spirit will thus be extended from one day to a whole festival week.