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The German city that is largely considered a conspiracy theory

In response to a silly conspiracy theory first posted online in 1994, a German city is offering $1.1 million to anyone who can prove it doesn’t exist.

Back in the 90s, someone posted online that the German city of Bielefield, which is home to about 300,000 people, isn’t known for anything and therefore doesn’t exist. Apparently, the author, computer science student Achim Held, intended it to be a satirical piece poking fun at conspiracy theories. But a lot of people took it seriously. Because of the post, some people really did start doubting the existence of the 800-year-old city.

“The conspiracy then spread on the internet, where it was postulated that a group called ‘SIE,’ or ‘they’ in German, created an imaginary illusion of the city,” DW.com reported. “The city has since used the satire for public relations and even Chancellor Angela Merkel once joked while on a visit to Bielefeld that it does indeed exist.”

“We are excited about the creative submissions and are 99.99% sure that we will be able to refute any claims,” Martin Knabenreich, the marketing director for the city, said.

Anyone up for the challenge has until September 4th to submit their case for why Bielefield is a figment of the German imagination.