Those who claim to have opened the file say it contains a repetitive, rhythmic listing of German names and locations that shifts into incomprehensible code the further you scroll.
The prize was a playful response to the , a long-running German internet joke started in 1994 by student Achim Held. Held posted a message on Usenet jokingly questioning the city's existence after realizing he didn't know anyone from there and had never been there himself. The joke grew into a viral phenomenon, suggesting that "THEY" (an unspecified group) had fabricated the city’s existence. 1,1M Alemania.txt
City of Bielefeld offers €1m for proof it doesn't exist - BBC Those who claim to have opened the file
In 2019, the German city of Bielefeld made international headlines by offering a to anyone who could provide "incontrovertible proof" that the city does not exist. The joke grew into a viral phenomenon, suggesting