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We are Oldenburg! 5 facts about our hometown

An idyllic city in the north of Lower Saxony, beautiful with a maritime vibe. Just like us - since our brand BODDELS was founded here. It’s also where our headquarters are located.

In the blog series “We are Oldenburg!” we’re going to show you our hometown and the region and present to you interesting facts, favourite spots and must-see’s in Oldenburg.

Today are sharing with you 5 interesting facts about Oldenburg. Let’s start with…

Fact 1: Our heart beats for kale

Kale is a huge deal in the north of Germany, especially in Oldenburg: During its season you can explore all kinds of creations with the vegetable – such as chocolate with kale flavour or kale tea specialties. People from Oldenburg are highly creative when it comes to their favourite vegetable.

The locals enjoy their annual so-called kale tour. It’s an event where friends come together, fill a cart with drinks and snacks and go on a long walk. During their walk they usually play games. The destination is a restaurant where kale is served with sausage. At the end of the evening the group chooses a “kale king” and a “kale queen”, which have to organize next-year’s tour.

This event is also a central instrument for political lobby work in Oldenburg. Every year since 1956, the city fathers of Oldenburg have been inviting politicians from the Bundestag to the “Deftig Ollenborger Gröönkohl-Äten” (“Oldenburg Kale Dinner”). Some famous „kale queens“ and „kale kings“ were Helmut Schmidt, Dr. Helmut Kohl, Gerhard Schröder and Dr. Angela Merkel.

Fact 2: Oldenburg is a bike town

The bike is the most used mean of transportation in Oldenburg. About 43% of all locals take their daily route on a bicycle. Every resident of the city owns at least one bike on average. Oldenburg is also known to be very bike-friendly which is mostly due to the flatlands in the region.

Fact 3: Sports are a big deal for us

Doing sports or watching sports – Oldenburg provides a variety of opportunities for both. Beside many local clubs there are also first-class professionals that have their home in Oldenburg. The EWE Baskets men’s basketball team has been playing in the first league of basketball for years and even won the German championship in 2009. The women’s handball team from VfL Oldenburg is also playing in the first league. There’s also the football club VfB Oldenburg, which has a longstanding history in the city. Besides, there are also other professional sports based in Oldenburg, such as tennis, American football, rowing and track and field athletics.

Fact 4: We have the oldest pedestrian area in Germany

The reconstructing of the pedestrian area in the old town started in 1967. This makes Oldenburg the first German city to have a complete pedestrian-only area in the city centre. Nowadays it’s a popular spot for residents because it offers a variety of stores, restaurants and cafés. Our BODDELS are also to be found here – check out our storefinder!

Fact 5: Oldenburg is a student city

Even though the Carl-von-Ossietzky-University was founded in 1973 and has a young history, it makes Oldenburg a student city. More than 16.000 students are currently working towards a degree at the university. About 200 professors teach the students and the 162 PHD candidates. There’s also the Jade University of Applied Sciences with 2050 students and the police academy with 1300 students. Oldenburg gives young people lots of possibilities to study, but also lots of career opportunities.

The start-up culture is very important in Oldenburg. The university offers a wide range of programs to support young entrepreneurs and their business ideas. There’s also the GO! start-up centre which provides start-ups with a great network of mentors and experts in every field.


You have now learned a lot about our hometown Oldenburg! In the next post from the series we’ll present you a very special and beautiful symbol of Oldenburg – stay tuned!

Credit for the cover photo: @meinoldenburg

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