| 1918 | Born in Bliesheim near Cologne on 20 March |
| 1929-36 | Attended the Salvatorian School in Steinfeld (Eifel) |
| 1937 | Matriculation, began training as elementary school teacher in the winter term in Bonn, began music teachers' course at Cologne Conservatory |
| 1938 | Labour service |
| 1939 | Called up into the army. |
| 1943 | Became ill in 1942, released for treatment in Cologne, and began studying musicology there |
| 1945 | Resumption of studies as music teacher. Music theory with Heinrich Lemacher. Composition with Phlipp Jarnach |
| 1946 | First performances |
| 1947 | Music teachers' examination |
| ab 1948 | Occasional compositions (at first arrangements, folk music, original "light music compositions, then music for schools broadcasts and radio plays, incidental and film music) |
| 1948 | Attended Darmstadt Music Course, and took part in courses given by René Leibowitz |
| 1950 | Married Sabine von Schablowsky |
| 1952 | First performance of Oboe Concerto by Hans Rosbaud at Donaueschingen 1954 |
| 1956 | Zimmermann was elected as President of the German section of the ISCM, resigned in 1957 when he failed to initiate a dialogue between composers of the older and the younger generation |
| 1957 | Became first composer to be awarded a scholarship to the Villa Massimo. In autumn 1957, began composing his opera "Die Soldaten". Appointed Professor at the Cologne Conservatory succeeding Frank Martin |
| 1960 | Awarded "Großer Kunstpreis" of North Rhine-Westphalia |
| 1963 | From autumn a further stay at Villa Massimo |
| 1965 | First performance of "Die Soldaten" |
| 1966 | Awarded the "Kunstpreis" of the city of Cologne. Composition of "Musique pour les soupers du roi Ubu. Ballet noir in sieben Teilen und einem Entrée", first performed in 1968 in Berlin |
| 1969 | First performance of "Requiem für einen jungen Dichter - Lingual" |
| 1970 | Composition of "Stille und Umkehr", "Ich wandte mich und sah an alles Unrecht, das geschah unter der Sonne". On 10th August Bernd Alois Zimmermann committed suicide |
Conclusion of the Mahler-Scartazzini cycle with the premiere of “Einkehr” in Jena
Miroslav Srnka’s new opera “Voice Killer” is based on a real-life criminal case
Bärenreiter awarded a special prize at the renowned competition in Göttingen.
Bärenreiter Urtext prizes also awarded at the 13th International Telemann Competition
Bärenreiter donates special prizes at the International Piano Competition in Kronberg
Jan Čmejla, first prize recipient of this year’s Bach Competition receives the Bärenreiter Urtext Prize.
Beat Furrer’s opera “DAS GROSSE FEUER” based on Sara Gallardo’s novel “Eisejuaz” will premiere at Zurich Opera House on March 23, 2025
Siegbert Rampe, protagonist of Early Music, died on February 2, 2025
Andrea Lorenzo Scartazzini adds “Enigma” to his cycle of works on Gustav Mahler’s symphonies.
First German performance of Miroslav Srnka’s “Superorganisms” in Berlin
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