Steckenpferdreiten 2026

It is a true Osnabrück tradition: since 1953, the city of Osnabrück has commemorated the proclamation of the Peace of Westphalia on October 25, 1648 from the steps of the town hall with a hobbyhorse ride. To commemorate this historic event, which ended the 30-year war, the city celebrates Peace Day every year, on which the fourth-graders from primary and special schools parade through the city center to the market on homemade hobbyhorses and decorated with colorful hats.
In keeping with tradition, the parade runs through the city center to the town hall steps, where they receive pretzels from the mayor and helpers. The children then gather on the market square in front of the town hall. There, the pupils can look forward to a colorful program with fire juggling, the theatrical performance "The Battle of the Colors" in the windows of the town hall and singing together with entertainer Stephan Rodefeld and the Rock'n'Royals. This year's event will conclude with a light show. The project office in the Department of Culture is once again responsible for the organization and planning of the annual event.
The tradition of the hobbyhorse ride has its origins in 1650, the year in which the so-called Peace Execution Trial took place in Nuremberg to settle the practical consequences of the Peace Treaty of Westphalia concluded two years earlier. At this time, boys from Nuremberg rode on hobbyhorses to Prince Piccolomini, the representative of the German Emperor Ferdinand III, to request a "peace memorial", a memento of the peace. After the execution process was completed, Piccolomini had a large number of square commemorative silver pennies minted, which showed a boy riding a hobbyhorse on one side. These coins were also distributed to the younger generation "to pass on the joy of peace to the next generation".
In 1875, the Emsland poets Clara and Emmy von Dincklage recorded the Nuremberg event in their book "Stories for Young People".