- Do you know anybody from Bielefeld?
- Have you ever been to Bielefeld?
- Do you know anybody who has ever been to Bielefeld?
If you answered ‘Yes’ to these questions, you probably already know about the Bielefeld conspiracy. If you answered ‘No’ or are confused, allow me to explain. Bielefeld (pronounced Bee-leh-feld) is an 800-year-old city in Germany with over 300,000 residents.
But a popular theory claims that the entire city is non-existent! It is a mere illusion created by an organization named SIE (“they” in German). Some theorists also say that disguised green aliens use the city’s University secretly, while others think it is the CIA.
According to Newsweek, it all started 25 years ago with computer science student Achim Held. In 1993-94, he jokingly wrote on the Usenet group de.talk.bizarre that the place did not exist and it spread like wildfire. His reasons? He wanted to poke fun at the culture of conspiracy theories and due to road constructions at the time, there was no viable route to reach the city. Some reports also suggest that Bielefeld not having any extraordinary features to make it stand out, was also part of the joke.
Now, city officials have decided to put the matter to rest once and for all. They have come up with the #Bielefeldmillion challenge and if anyone can provide “solid and irrefutable proof” that Bielefeld does not exist, they will win 1 million euros (approximately Rs. 7.95 crores)!
Even after all these years, the joke has not only survived but also intrigued tourists the world over. The Indian Express reports that Chancellor Angela Merkel also referenced the conspiracy after her visit to the 18th largest city in Germany. So, the authorities have promised everyone that if there is proof, they will gladly accept their non-existence!
This is not a drill guys. If you are over 16 years of age, you can submit evidence in German or English. The official competition rules hilariously state that employees of intelligence agencies, members of the Illuminati, and Achim Held cannot participate!
The competition ends on September 4, 2019, at midnight. Put on your thinking caps and get cracking because one million euros are at stake.