How York was historically involved and can be active again...
February 2025
From Hamish Stewart
Commissioner for England for the Hanseatic League.
Recently I spoke to York for Europe about the Hanseatic League and its connections between 15 Countries in Europe and England. It has 184 member Towns and cities within the 16 Countries and we have close relationships with them all.
I understand you are a firm believer in the European Union and indeed all Hanseatic Towns and cities would welcome the UK back into the EU. We are also very keen on the young people getting to know their peers. Brexit has made this more difficult.
History:-
The Hanseatic League dominated trade in the Baltic Sea, The North Sea, The Arctic sea, The English Channel and The Mediterranean sea from the 12th Century for 500 years. They had trade relations with nearly all of the East coast of The UK from London to Aberdeen and the Shetland Isles. York, Hull and Beverley were big trading partners of the Hanseatic League. York and Hull were ‘Staples’ which translates as Distribution depots. They traded in Wool, Barrels, Bricks, Leather goods and imported many items from other European countries via the Hanseatic League. Beverley was the Yorkshire manufacturer in those days.
The Hanseatic League eventually was overtaken by other European Countries who wanted to control their own marketing in the early part of the 18th Century.
In 1980 in The Netherlands they decided to start the Hanseatic League again as the Communist countries in Europe were just breaking up and those countries wanted to be part of the Western European countries. They immediately attracted circa 150 Towns and Cities and each one wishing to be a member had to prove they were trading partners in Medieval times. Today we have 184 Towns and cities in Europe as members. In Beverley I was able to prove we were trading partners as a ship sank on its way between Beverley and Brugge and a sailor was rescued and had taken the Manifest (Cargo List) with him as he left the ship. That stated the wool was from Beverley so we had our proof.
York is in a much easier position because in the Head Quarters of the Hanseatic League in Lübeck they have a museum and they already have the proof that York was a Trading partner to the Hanseatic League in Medieval times. So if York would like to be members the door is open!
During my talk to York for Europe on the Hanseatic League, we were joined by Ms Stefanie Bischof who is the Managing Director of the Hanseatic League. She came to the Zoom Meeting because she is very keen for York to be members of the thriving Modern Hanseatic League.
What is the purpose of the Modern Hanseatic League?- The main focus is to keep all members in touch with each other and in particular the young people. There is a thriving Youth Hansa which has arrangements to get experience in other countries than their own. They learn foreign languages and get to know their peers from other Hansa Towns and cities. They also have a lot of fun together.
Last year we had 30 Youth Hansa people from Beverley, Germany, The Netherlands & Poland and put them up in the Old Friary Youth Hostel in Beverley. It was a huge success. We took them to York to the Castle Museum on the double decker bus which most of them had not experienced before. They shopped in The Shambles and other Medieval streets. We had lunch in an old church and everyone had a great time. In Beverley the following day we took them to the Saturday Market and had a guided tour of Beverley. We had lectures on Sustainability and Fair Trade. All delegates were over 18 years old and under 26 years old.
It was a great success and we are doing it again in April from 3rd to 6th 2025. We will be going to the Jorvik centre and also having a musical afternoon given by York young musicians.
Literature is available which shows what we have been up to for the last 4 years. This year we have our Mini HanseTag in Beverley in April 3rd to 6th and the Full HanseTag on the island of Visby in the Baltic sea from 4th to 8th June 2025.
