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50 Biggest Cities of Europe Before World War II

Can you name the 50 cities of Europe with the highest population in 1939, right before World War II?
Not including cities in the Canary Islands, mainland Turkey or Siberia, as they are geographically not located in Europe
By city proper population! Use the current English name.
Sources for population estimates can be found here. Inspired by this quiz
One transcontinental city has been marked in yellow
Quiz by
MeowILoveCats123
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Last updated: November 5, 2025
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First submittedOctober 18, 2025
Times taken38
Average score82.0%
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Country
City
Population
German Reich
Berlin
4,321,521
Soviet Union
Moscow
4,141,633
United Kingdom
London
4,013,400
Soviet Union
Saint Petersburg
3,191,304
France
Paris
2,829,746
German Reich
Vienna
1,912,608
German Reich
Hamburg
1,698,388
Spain
Barcelona
1,305,000
Poland
Warsaw
1,265,700
Italy
Rome
1,257,890
Italy
Milan
1,188,200
Spain
Madrid
1,139,000
United Kingdom
Glasgow
1,126,000
Hungary
Budapest
1,115,877
United Kingdom
Birmingham
1,029,700
German Reich
Prague
976,759
Italy
Naples
910,139
Soviet Union
Kyiv
846,000
United Kingdom
Liverpool
836,300
Soviet Union
Kharkiv
833,000
German Reich
Munich
815,212
Netherlands
Amsterdam
800,700
German Reich
Cologne
768,352
Turkey
Istanbul
741,148
United Kingdom
Manchester
736,500
Country
City
Population
German Reich
Leipzig
702,155
Denmark
Copenhagen
698,805
Italy
Turin
679,842
Poland
Łódź
665,200
German Reich
Essen
664,523
Italy
Genoa
648,220
Romania
Bucharest
648,162
Soviet Union
Nizhniy Novgorod
643,689
German Reich
Dresden
629,713
German Reich
Wrocław
620,976
France
Marseille
620,232
Netherlands
Rotterdam
619,700
Soviet Union
Odesa
601,651
Portugal
Lisbon
594,390
Sweden
Stockholm
583,621
France
Lyon
570,622
German Reich
Frankfurt am Main
548,220
German Reich
Dortmund
537,865
German Reich
Düsseldorf
535,753
United Kingdom
Sheffield
518,200
Netherlands
The Hague
504,200
Soviet Union
Rostov-on-Don
502,928
Soviet Union
Dnipro
500,636
Greece
Athens
499,360
United Kingdom
Leeds
491,880
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2 Comments
+1
Level 67
Oct 21, 2025
EDIT: Budapest has been added, Dublin has been taken away.
+1
Level 67
Nov 5, 2025
EDIT 2: When using 1939 city proper boundaries, London's population was actually around four million. Population changed.