Internet users in Germany for the past 17 years of troll an entire city

The story began in 1994, the year when some clever student user Usenet Achim Held published a newsgroup de.talk.bizarre comic news that the city of Bielefeld (population 330 000 people) do not actually exist, but the fact of its existence simply extends an organization known only as SIE (They), which colluded with the government to create the illusion of the existence of the city.

The joke was so pleased with other users, which quickly spread to the network, turned into a meme. The essence of the meme is that, according to Bilefildskomu conspiracy, all who claim that Bielefeld really exists, are accomplices in the plot. To test this, ask three questions:

• Do you know someone from Bielefeld?
• Have you ever been to Bielefeld?
• Do you know anyone who has ever been Bielefeld?
  Apparently, the popularity of the meme promote 2 main factors:
  
  The popularity of the various "conspiratorial" theories such as the location of the town of Bielefeld in the depths of provincial Germany, away from the main transport routes, the absence in it of any interest and other memorable and distinctive features. Although 17 years have passed since the advent of the theory of conspiracy Bielefeld, she does not lose popularity, and the mayor's office of Bielefeld regularly receives calls and letters from people wanting to make sure of its existence. Tired of answering these questions, the mayor's office in 1999, the year after 5 years after the meme, made an official statement to the press that there Bielefeld. However, the date was chosen failed: The announcement was made on April 1, in the "Fool's Day", which allowed conspiracy theorists to reaffirm his existence.
  
  via factroom.ru