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85-459: Lauenburg ( German pronunciation: [ˈlaʊənbʊʁk] ), or Lauenburg an der Elbe (English: "Lauenburg on the Elbe" ), is a town in the state of Schleswig-Holstein , Germany . It is situated on the northern bank of the river Elbe , east of Hamburg . It is the southernmost town of Schleswig-Holstein and belongs to the district ( German : Kreis ) of Herzogtum Lauenburg . The town

170-576: A referendum on whether to remain under Prussian rule or return to Danish rule. This condition, however, was never fulfilled by Prussia. During the decades of Prussian rule within the German Empire , authorities attempted a Germanisation policy in the northern part of Schleswig, which remained predominantly Danish. The period also meant increased industrialisation of Schleswig-Holstein and the use of Kiel and Flensburg as important Imperial German Navy locations. The northernmost part and west coast of

255-588: A chance in such a scenario. Therefore, they pressured the Prime Minister to call for new elections , where the Liberal Party did not secure enough votes to form a government. The Social Democrats won the election with a minority government and could not gather a strong enough mandate for the incorporation of South Schleswig. This outcome created outrage within the Danish population and was considered

340-588: A condominium, Prussia and Austria then assumed administration of Schleswig and Holstein, respectively, under the Gastein Convention of August 14, 1865. However, tensions between the two powers culminated in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Following the Peace of Prague (1866) , the victorious Prussians annexed both Schleswig and Holstein by decree of December 24, 1866, and later established

425-484: A duke within the Holy Roman Empire. Both were ruled for several centuries by the kings of Denmark. In 1721, all of Schleswig was united into a single duchy under the king of Denmark, and the great powers of Europe confirmed in an international treaty that all future kings of Denmark should automatically become dukes of Schleswig: consequently, Schleswig would always follow the order of succession that applied in

510-887: A member of the German Confederation . These demands were rejected by the Danish government in 1848, and the Germans of Holstein and Southern Schleswig rebelled. This began the First Schleswig War (1848–51). Against unbelievable odds, Denmark emerged victorious, managing to politically outmaneuver the German alliance by garnering support from the British Empire , the Russian Empire and the Second French Empire while defeating

595-847: A natural decrease of −8,459. The region has been strongly Protestant since the time of the Protestant Reformation . It is proportionally the most Protestant of the sixteen modern states. In 2018, members of the Protestant Church in Germany make up 44.6% of the population, while members of the Catholic Church comprise 6.1%. 49.3% either adhere to other religions or disclaim any practising religious identity. Largest groups of foreign residents by 31 December 2023 Schleswig-Holstein combines Danish, Frisian and German aspects of culture. The castles and manors in

680-438: A result, Danish students, future administrators, clergy, and educators were taught in German and continued to use the language throughout their professional lives. In 1814, mandatory schooling was instituted, and was taught in German. This created generations of Danish children who learned German from an early age. Their schooling was conducted in German, they heard sermons in German, and when they grew up, their interactions with

765-514: A scandal. Due to the forced migrations of Germans between 1944 and 1950 , Schleswig-Holstein took in almost a million refugees after the war, increasing its population by 33%. A pro-Danish political movement arose in Schleswig, with transfer of the area to Denmark as an ultimate goal. This was supported neither by the British occupation administration nor the Danish government. In 1955,

850-458: A third zone covering a southern area, but zone III was cancelled again and never voted, as the Danish government asked the commission not to expand the plebiscite to this area. In zone I covering Northern Schleswig (10 February 1920), 75% voted for reunification with Denmark and 25% voted for Germany. In zone II covering central Schleswig (14 March 1920), the results were reversed; 80% voted for Germany and just 20% for Denmark. Only minor areas on

935-520: A toll station. Danish chieftains would collect fees from traders, merchants, and peasants traveling along the Hærvejen (Heerweg/Armyway), the main trade route running through the peninsula. Saxons, Wagrians, and Danes alike used the Hærvejen to trade goods such as honey, furs, amber, glass, metalwork, and other commodities, such as livestock, with cattle and oxen being particularly important. Especially

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1020-404: Is a major industry and the basis of its distinctive unique local cuisine. It is a popular tourist destination for Germans and visitors from across the globe. The term "Holstein" derives from Old Saxon Holseta Land, ( Holz means wood in modern Standardized German; holt is a now-archaic English word for woods.) Originally, the term referred to the central of the three Saxon tribes north of

1105-613: Is an annual event, except for 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID19-Pandemic . It took place again in June 2022. The annual Wacken Open Air festival is considered to be the largest heavy metal rock festival in the world. The coat of arms shows the symbols of the two duchies united in Schleswig-Holstein, i.e., the two lions for Schleswig and the leaf of nettle for Holstein. Supposedly, Otto von Bismarck decreed that

1190-513: Is believed to have been used only for the inner Slien (the Great and Little Bay near the city of Schleswig). The word is thought to be related to Slæ, which means reeds and aquatic plants found in this area. The Duchy of Schleswig , or Southern Jutland, was originally an integral part of Denmark, but in medieval times was established as a fief under the control of the Kingdom of Denmark, having

1275-669: Is elected by the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein . State elections were held on 8 May 2022 . The current government is a coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and The Greens , led by Minister-President Daniel Günther . Schleswig-Holstein has an aging population. Since 1972 there has been a decrease in the natural rate of population change. In 2016 the total fertility rate reached 1.61, highest value in 40 years (the average value being 1.4). In 2016 there were 25,420 births and 33,879 deaths, resulting in

1360-579: Is in Denmark ( South Jutland County , Region of Southern Denmark ). The state of Schleswig-Holstein further consists of Holstein, as well as Lauenburg and the formerly independent city of Lübeck. Schleswig-Holstein borders Denmark ( Southern Denmark ) to the north, the North Sea to the west, the Baltic Sea to the east, and the German states of Lower Saxony , Hamburg, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to

1445-404: Is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany , comprising most of the historical Duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig . Its capital city is Kiel ; other notable cities are Lübeck and Flensburg . It covers an area of 15,763 km (6,086 sq mi), making it the 5th smallest German federal state by area (including the city-states). Historically,

1530-796: Is the Bungsberg at 168 metres or 551 feet) and many lakes are found, especially in the eastern part of Holstein called the Holstein Switzerland and the former Duchy of Lauenburg ( Herzogtum Lauenburg ). The longest river besides the Elbe is the Eider . Schleswig-Holstein has the lowest quota of forest covered area, it is only 11.0% (national average 32.0%), which is even lower than in the city-states of Hamburg and Bremen . The German Islands of Sylt , Föhr , Pellworm , Amrum , Heligoland and Fehmarn are part of Schleswig-Holstein, with

1615-647: The Austro-Prussian War . The northern border of Holstein along the Eider River had already formed the northern border of the Carolingian Empire , after Emperor Charlemagne upon the Saxon Wars reached an agreement with King Hemming of Denmark in 811. The lands of Schleswig beyond the river remained a fief of the Danish Crown , while Holstein became an integral part of East Francia ,

1700-624: The German Confederation , invoking the Treaty of Ribe stating that the two duchies should stay "Forever Undivided". The Danes on the other hand, furthered the Eider Policy ( da:Ejderpolitikken ), stating that the natural Danish border was the Eider (river) as first recognised in the Treaty of Heiligen . Therefore, the Danes sought to reintegrate Schleswig into the Kingdom of Denmark , reversing

1785-441: The Kingdom of Germany and the Holy Roman Empire. Adolf VIII , the last Count of Holstein-Rendsburg and Duke of Schleswig had died without heirs in 1459. As Schleswig had been a Danish fief, it had to fall back to King Christian I of Denmark, who, himself a nephew of Adolf, also sought to enter into possession of Holstein. He was backed by the local nobility, who supported the continued common administration of both lands and by

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1870-649: The Limes Saxoniae as a border with the Obotrites. This agreement established firm boundaries between the Franks, Obotrites, and Danes, securing peace in the region. Between 500 and 1200, Schleswig was an integral part of Denmark, but during the 12th century, Duke Abel of Schlewig came into conflict with his brother King Eric IV . Abel managed to gain autonomy from his brother, making Schleswig an autonomous duchy. Later, Abel had Eric assassinated and seized

1955-727: The River Elbe : Tedmarsgoi ( Dithmarschen ), Holstein and Sturmarii ( Stormarn ). The area inhabited by the tribe of the Holsts lay between the Stör River and Hamburg ; after Christianization , their main church was in Schenefeld . Saxon Holstein became a part of the Holy Roman Empire after Charlemagne 's Saxon campaigns in the late eighth century. Beginning in 811, the northern border of Holstein (and thus of

2040-593: The Saxon Wars . In retaliation for the raid on the church in Deventer, Charlemagne ordered his troops to destroy the holy pillar Irminsul , near Paderborn in either 772 or 773—a notorious act that sent shockwaves throughout the Germanic pagan world. It has been postulated that Irminsul symbolised Yggdrasil Ash - the world tree. Charlemagne then destroyed all Saxon settlements up to the Wesser river. After defeating

2125-618: The Treene River and extending to the Schlei Bay . This fortification served to deter Saxon and Wagrian raids while enabling the Danes to launch their own raids into southern territories. It would remain in use until 1864, being expanded and adapted to the changing military needs of the Danes multiple times. The establishment of the Danevirke not only helped to prevent Saxon and Wagrian raids into Danish territory but also served as

2210-644: The 1460 Treaty of Ribe proclaimed him as the new Count of Holstein. Nevertheless, the comital Holstein lands south of the Eider River officially remained a mediate fief held by the Ascanian dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg . In 1474 Emperor Frederick III conferred Imperial immediacy to Christian by elevating him to a Duke of Holstein. In 1544, the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein were partitioned in three parts between Christian's grandson Christian III of Denmark and his two younger half-brothers (who had to renounce

2295-722: The 1852 London Protocol. This left Denmark politically isolated and led to the Second Schleswig War , with Prussia and Austria invading once again. This was the Second War of Schleswig . Denmark achieved some initial victories at the Battles of Mysunde , and Sankelmark , but these successes were short-lived. The Austrians defeated the Danes at the Königshügel and Vejle . However, it was the Prussians who decided

2380-600: The 4th and early 5th centuries, a significant migration saw the Jutes, Angles, and Saxons depart from their homelands to settle in the British Isles . This mass exodus left much of the Jutland Peninsula sparsely populated, allowing the Danes from southern Scandinavia and the islands of Zealand , Funen , and other smaller Danish isles to migrate into the peninsula. They gradually settled the region, integrating

2465-421: The Danes developed a thriving livestock breeding industry, driving large herds along the Hærvejen to sell on the continent. This trade gave the route its alternative names, such as "Studevejen" (Cattle Way) in Danish and "Ochsenweg" (Oxen Way) in German. Therefore control of the Danevirke, through which the Hærvejen ran, was of immense financial significance. Whoever controlled the gates of Danevirke also controlled

2550-549: The Danish South Schleswig Association had sent the government a formal request for incorporation. However, the dominating Social Liberal Party feared that Denmark might again face destructive wars like the two Schleswig Wars once Germany recovered from World War II. Given that the Germans had conquered Denmark in six hours during the German invasion of Denmark , they believed Denmark would not stand

2635-515: The Danish king, in his function as duke of Holstein, in exchange for the County of Oldenburg , and Holstein was reunited as a single state. With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Duchy of Holstein gained sovereignty. After the 1815 Congress of Vienna , the Duchy of Holstein became a member of the German Confederation , resulting in several diplomatic and military conflicts about

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2720-636: The Danish language in Schleswig (the dominant language in almost a quarter of Schleswig had changed from Danish to German since the beginning of the 19th century). A liberal constitution for Holstein was not seriously considered in Copenhagen , since it was well known that the political élite of Holstein were more conservative than Copenhagen's. Representatives of German-minded Schleswig-Holsteiners demanded that Schleswig and Holstein be unified and allowed its own constitution and that Schleswig join Holstein as

2805-534: The Danish state or to forcibly expel them from South Schleswig, as was being done to Germans in Eastern Europe . Denmark's then Prime Minister, the Liberal Party's Knud Kristensen , enthusiastically accepted the offer of South Schleswig reunification with Denmark. A survey showed that 75% of the Danish population supported the incorporation, 500,000 signatures had been collected in support of it and

2890-579: The Danish throne), as follows: In addition, significant parts of Holstein were jointly administered by the dukes of Holstein-Glückstadt and the dukes of Holstein-Gottorp, mainly on the Baltic Sea coast. In 1640, the County of Holstein-Pinneberg , whose ruling house was extinct, was merged in the royal part of the Duchy of Holstein. In 1713, during the Great Northern War , the estates of

2975-593: The Empire) was the River Eider . The term "Schleswig" originally referred to the city of Schleswig . The word Schleswig is a German transliteration of the Danish word Slesvig, which consists of two words: Schlei and vig. The Schlei refers to the river at which the city lies, and vig means " inlet " or bay. Schleswig therefore means (in Danish): "The bay at the river Schlei". The Schlei is known as Slien in Danish and

3060-732: The Franks had spent nearly 20 years, from the late 600s to the early 700s, subjugating and converting the Frisian Kingdom . Their primary opponent was the formidable Frisian king Redbad , who fiercely resisted the Franks until his death. Now, the Frisians' neighbors, the Saxons, faced Frankish expansion. The casus belli was a Saxon raid on the church in Deventer in January of 772. This conflict, fueled by Charlemagne 's desire to conquer

3145-591: The Frisian and Dutch coasts, supplying high-quality salt, fish, and other maritime goods. Moreover, they were particularly active in trade with East Anglia in England , where pottery was exchanged in large quantities. Normalcy in the area vanished with the expansion of the Frankish Empire into Saxony from 772 to 804, triggering a generational war on an unprecedented scale for the region. Prior to this,

3230-741: The German and Danish governments issued the Bonn-Copenhagen Declarations confirming the rights of the ethnic minorities on both sides of the border. Conditions between the nationalities have since been stable and generally respectful. Schleswig-Holstein lies on the base of Jutland Peninsula between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea . Strictly speaking, "Schleswig" refers to the German Southern Schleswig (German: Südschleswig or Landesteil Schleswig , Danish : Sydslesvig ), whereas Northern Schleswig

3315-653: The Germans at the Battles of Bov , the Dybbøl , the Fredericia and Isted . However, under pressure from the Great Powers , led by Tsar Alexander III , who had forced Prussia and Austria out of Denmark, the Danes were not permitted to reintegrate Schleswig into Denmark. Alexander thereby sought to preserve the existing European order,in accordance with the principles established by the Concert of Europe . This led to

3400-474: The Jutish coastline. These areas eventually became known as North Frisia , though historically, the region was referred to as Uthlande (Outland). In these settlements, the Frisians established fishing and trading stations. The local Danes soon became a minority and, over time, assimilated into the Frisian population. The Frisians contributed to the broader Hærvejen trade network, with sea routes extending along

3485-452: The King of Denmark ruled both Schleswig and Holstein as their duke. Schleswig was still part of Denmark, while Holstein remained part of the Holy Roman Empire. In the 19th century, Danes and Germans each believed they had a claim to Schleswig-Holstein, the population of which was majority ethnic German. The resulting long-term political and territorial dispute was known as the Schleswig-Holstein Question . In 1848, Denmark tried to formally annex

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3570-520: The Kingdom of Denmark. Following the Protestant Reformation, German was established as the language of commerce, administration, education, and clergy in Schleswig despite the population being ethnically Danish. This was because Schleswig were managed by the German Chancellery, in Kiel, which was later renamed the Schleswig-Holstein Chancellery in 1806. Therefore, Danes were sent to Kiel for their education instead of Copenhagen, where they received their education in German rather than their native Danish. As

3655-433: The Name of the agency using the logo is shown or the motto "Der echte Norden" (Germany's true North). Duchy of Holstein From 1490 to 1523 and again from 1544 to 1773 the Duchy was partitioned between various Oldenburg branches, most notably the dukes of Holstein-Glückstadt (identical with the Kings of Denmark ) and Holstein-Gottorp . The duchy ceased to exist when the Kingdom of Prussia annexed it in 1866 after

3740-403: The Obotrites and later Frankish Frisia. But he was slain, either by one of his huscarls or possibly his own illegitimate son, on the Frisian campaign. The new Danish king, Hemming , Gudfred's nephew, initiated peace talks, which resulted in the Treaty of Heiligen in 810. The treaty established the Danish border at the Eider River. Charlemagne retained Saxony, including Holstein, and established

3825-446: The Prussian province Schleswig-Holstein came under British occupation . On 23 August 1946, the military government abolished the province and reconstituted it as a separate Land . On 9 September 1946, the British and Soviets offered Denmark South Schleswig, in the Septembernote  [ de ] . In this note, they gave Denmark carte blanche on how to deal with the German-speaking South Schleswigers, whether to integrate them into

3910-424: The Saxon portion of Holstein. This alliance with Charlemagne shifted the balance of power in the region. In 782, after another defeat of the Saxons, Charlemagne ordered the mass execution of 4,500 Saxons, an atrocity that became known as the Massacre of Verden . Following this brutal act, Charlemagne was nicknamed the "Butcher of Saxons" or "Saxonslaughterer." In 796, despite Saxony being fully under Frankish rule,

3995-435: The Saxons and convert them from their belief in the Germanic pantheon to Christianity , used the Deventer raid as a pretext to wage a war that would ultimately reshape the political and cultural landscape of what would later become Holstein forever. Over the course of 18 campaigns, carried out in three phases over 32 years, Charlemagne aimed to subdue the Saxons and forcibly convert them to Christianity, in what became known as

4080-477: The Saxons and securing hostages , he turned his attention to northern Italy . For centuries, the Danes and Saxons had regarded each other as kindred peoples, sharing the same belief in the Germanic pantheon and frequently intermarrying, especially among the elite. Thus, the defeated Saxon warleader Widukind sought refuge with his father-in-law, Danish king Sigfred . The Royal Frankish Annals mention that Widukind received substantial aid from Sigfred, though

4165-402: The Saxons rose up once more, supported by the Danes. The rebellion was triggered by forced conscription of Saxons for the Frankish wars against the Avars . Moreover, Charlemagne, in alliance with the Obotrites, planned to subjugate the Danes, now led by King Gudfred Sigfredson . However, Gudfred struck first. He expanded the Danevirke, assembled a fleet, mustered an army, and launched attacks on

4250-521: The administration and business were conducted in German. Additionally, if Danes didn't learn German, they couldn't communicate with the administration, which often cared little if the citizens were able to understand them. Therefore, if the Danes weren't able to speak German, they were effectively frozen out of any official matters. As a result, a language shift slowly began forming in South Schleswig and gradually spread north, which alarmed Copenhagen. The Danish authorities started taking countermeasures to halt

4335-435: The area. Prussia responded by invading, thus beginning the First Schleswig War , which ended in a victory for Denmark. But in the Second Schleswig War (1864), Prussia and Austria won and the territory was absorbed into Prussia in 1867. After the German defeat in World War I, the Allies required that the question of sovereignty over the territory be submitted to plebiscites (the 1920 Schleswig plebiscites ), which resulted in

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4420-435: The borderlands was a hostile and unsafe area to inhabit. In response to these threats, the Danes began constructing the Danevirke . Originally built as a dyke, it was gradually expanded into a 30-kilometer earthwork with a palisade fortification, forming a barrier between the Danes and their southern neighbors. The Danevirke was strategically positioned at the most narrow point of the peninsula, with its eastern end beginning at

4505-483: The countryside are the best example for this tradition; some dishes like Rødgrød (German: Rote Grütze , literal English "red grits " or "red groats ") are also shared, as well as surnames such as Hansen . The most important festivals are the Kiel Week, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival , an annual classic music festival all over the state, and the Lübeck Nordic Film Days , an annual film festival for movies from Scandinavian countries, held in Lübeck. The Kiel Week

4590-426: The division did not last long, since Prussia annexed Holstein in 1867, after its victory in the Austro-Prussian War . Contrary to the hopes of German Schleswig-Holsteiners, the area did not gain its independence, but was annexed as a province of Prussia in 1867. Also following the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, section five of the Peace of Prague stipulated that the people of Northern Schleswig would be consulted in

4675-407: The ducal capital until 1616, when the castle burnt down. In 1619 the capital was moved to Ratzeburg . The area of the duchy was roughly identical with that of today's district. In medieval times Lauenburg was a waypoint on the Old Salt Route , while today it is the southern terminus of the Elbe-Lübeck Canal . Following the Napoleonic Wars, Lauenburg was ceded by Prussia to Denmark in exchange for

4760-402: The duchy of Holstein to the head of the (German-oriented) branch of the Danish royal family, the House of Augustenborg , was more controversial. The separation of the two duchies was challenged by the Augustenborg heir, who claimed, as in 1848, to be rightful heir of both Schleswig and Holstein. A common constitution for Denmark and Schleswig was promulgated in November 1863, which was a breach of

4845-530: The duchy until it was ceded to the then neighbouring Kingdom of Hanover in 1814. Lauenburg also has the "Palmschleuse", a historic river lock , originally built in 1398 and renewed in the 17th century. It is the oldest of its kind in Europe. Lauenburg is twinned with: Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein ( German: [ˌʃleːsvɪç ˈhɔlʃtaɪn] ; Danish : Slesvig-Holsten [ˌsle̝ːsvi ˈhʌlˌste̝ˀn] ; Low German : Sleswig-Holsteen ; North Frisian : Slaswik-Holstiinj )

4930-455: The dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp in Schleswig including Schloss Gottorf were conquered by royal Danish troops. In the 1720 Treaty of Frederiksborg , Duke Charles Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp ceded them to his liege lord the Danish crown. His remaining territories formed the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp, administered from Kiel . In 1773, Charles Frederick's grandson, Emperor Paul I of Russia finally gave his Holstein lands to

5015-409: The exact nature of this aid is not explicitly stated. However, the chronicles do note that Sigfred and Charlemagne brokered a peace agreement some years later, indicating that Sigfred, upon hearing Widukind's plea, may have mustered his army and joined the war on the side of the Saxons. In response to the Danes' involvement in the war, Charlemagne seems to have recruited the Obotrites by promising them

5100-413: The first century, served as the boundary between the Jutes in the north and the Angles in the south. This dyke lost its relevance in the 200s when the Angles expanded northward, leading to the establishment of a new dyke called the Wendish Dyke  [ da ] . The southern border of the Angles was marked by the marshes surrounding the Eider , that combined with the dense old-growth forrest to

5185-414: The hill lead to the "upper town" where Lauenburg Castle is located. Lauenburg Castle, the former residence of the Dukes of Lauenburg and the political centre of their Dukedom, the majority of which has since been destroyed, with only the old castle tower remaining. Currently, the castle serves as city and municipal administration. To the south of the city lies the Elbe and Lower-Saxony, which used to belong to

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5270-455: The island of Föhr showed a Danish majority, and the rest of the Danish vote was primarily in the town of Flensburg. On 15 June 1920, Northern Schleswig officially returned to Danish rule. The Danish/German border was the only one of the borders imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles after World War I that was never challenged by Adolf Hitler . In 1937, the Nazis passed the so-called Greater Hamburg Act ( Groß-Hamburg-Gesetz ), where

5355-417: The language shift by banning German in all official matters in Schleswig, which only served to create tensions between Danes and Germans. This language strife significantly contributed to shaping the inhabitants' national sentiments during a time of national unrest in Europe. It is also during this period that we see surname changes, such as from Jørgensen to Jürgensen or Nielsen to Nilsen, in South Schleswig. By

5440-415: The latter being the largest and the only Island of Schleswig-Holstein located on the east coast. Heligoland is Germany's only high-sea island. Schleswig-Holstein is divided into 11 Kreise (Districts) and four Kreisfreie Städte (Urban Districts). Schleswig-Holstein has its own parliament and government which are located in the state capital Kiel. The Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein

5525-416: The name can also refer to a larger region, containing both present-day Schleswig-Holstein and the former South Jutland County (Northern Schleswig; now part of the Region of Southern Denmark ) in Denmark . Schleswig was under Danish control during the Viking Age , but in the 12th century it became a duchy within Denmark. It bordered Holstein, which was a part of the Holy Roman Empire . Beginning in 1460,

5610-427: The nearby Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg was expanded, to encompass towns that had formerly belonged to the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein . To compensate Prussia for these losses (and partly because Hitler had a personal dislike for Lübeck ), the 711-year-long independence of the Hansestadt Lübeck came to an end, and almost all its territory was incorporated into Schleswig-Holstein. After World War II ,

5695-442: The province saw a wave of emigration to America, while some Danes of North Schleswig emigrated to Denmark. Following the defeat of Germany in World War I , the Allied powers arranged a plebiscite in northern and central Schleswig . The plebiscite was conducted under the auspices of an international commission which designated two voting zones to cover the northern and south-central parts of Schleswig. Steps were taken to also create

5780-407: The region of Pomerania. Between 1945 and 1982, Lauenburg served as West German inner German border crossing for cars travelling along Bundesstraße 5 between the Soviet Zone of occupation in Germany (till 1949), thereafter the East German Democratic Republic , or West Berlin and the British zone of occupation (till 1949) and thereafter the West German Federal Republic of Germany . The traffic

5865-415: The remaining Jutes and Angles who had not left for Britain. By the mid 5th century, the Danes had established settlements from Grenen in the north to just north of the Eider River and its marshes. Their southernmost settlements being around Schwansen , Hedeby and Husum , mirroring the same southern border as their Angle predecessors. As raiding was a frequent practice among the Danes, Saxons, and Wagrians,

5950-435: The return of some of the territory to Denmark. After World War II, Schleswig-Holstein took in over a million refugees . Today, Schleswig-Holstein's economy is known for its agriculture, such as its Holstein cows . Its position on the Atlantic Ocean makes it a major trade point and shipbuilding site; it is also the location of the Kiel Canal . Its offshore oil wells and wind farms produce significant amounts of energy. Fishing

6035-449: The same relationship with the Danish Crown as, for example, Brandenburg or Bavaria had with the Holy Roman Emperor . Around 1100, the Duchy of Saxony gave Holstein to Count Adolf I of Schauenburg . During the Migration Period , the Jutland peninsula was home to several tribes. The Jutes inhabitted the most northern part of the peninsula from Grenen to Olger's Dyke  [ de ] . This dyke, dating back to around

6120-649: The separation created by King Abel, while also granting Holstein independence to join the German Confederation as a sovereign entity. The resulting long-term political and territorial dispute was known as the Schleswig-Holstein Question . Holstein was entirely German-speaking, while Schleswig was predominantly Danish-speaking until the late 1700 and early 1800s. During this period, a linguistic shift began in southern Schleswig, transitioning from Danish to German. This meant that Schleswig

6205-411: The signing of the 1852 London Protocol , which failed to provide a solution to the issue and merely upheld the status quo. In 1863, conflict broke out again when Frederick VII died without legitimate issue. According to the order of succession of Denmark and Schleswig, the crowns of both Denmark and Schleswig would pass to Duke Christian of Glücksburg , who became Christian IX . The transmission of

6290-412: The so-called Schleswig-Holstein question . Denmark defended its rule over Holstein in the First Schleswig War of 1848-51 against the Kingdom of Prussia . However, in the Second Schleswig War (1864) Prussian and Austrian troops conquered Schleswig. Christian IX of Denmark had to renounce both Schleswig and Holstein in the Treaty of Vienna (1864) on October 30. At first placed under joint rule in

6375-757: The south of the river, formed a natural barrier. South of the forest lay the region now known as Holstein, which was divided between the Germanic Saxons , who inhabited the western part, and the Slavic Wagri , who lived in the eastern part. In the 8th century, the Wagri would become part of the Slavic tribal confederation known as the Obotrites . (Also known as the Wends by the Danes and Saxons). During

6460-644: The south. In the western part of the state, the lowlands have virtually no hills. The North Frisian Islands , as well as almost all of Schleswig-Holstein's North Sea coast, form the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park ( Nationalpark Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer ) which is the largest national park in Central Europe. The Baltic Sea coast in the east of Schleswig-Holstein is marked by bays, fjords , and cliff lines. Rolling hills (the highest elevation

6545-459: The throne. Despite this, Schleswig remained an autonomous duchy within the Kingdom, setting the stage for future conflicts. Beginning in 1460, both the Duchy of Schleswig and Duchy of Holstein , were ruled together by the Danish king, who acted as the duke of both regions. Holstein being a duchy within the Holy Roman Empire created a situation where the Danish king was sovereign of Denmark but also

6630-595: The time of the First Schleswig War, one-third of Schleswig and half of South Schleswig spoke German as their first language. By the time of the Second Schleswig War in 1864, half of Schleswig and the vast majority of South Schleswig spoke German as their first language. In the 19th century, fueled by nationalism both Danes and Germans claimed Schleswig-Holstein. The Germans wanted both Schleswig and Holstein to separate from Denmark and join

6715-534: The trade along the Hærvejen, giving them access to substantial wealth. After approximately 350 to 400 years of Danes being the sole inhabitants north of the Eider, the Frisians arrived in two waves, the first of which occurred in the 800s. They came from Frisia and initially settled on the islands of Heligoland , Sylt , Föhr and Amrum in the southwestern part of Jutland. Later, they expanded to Eiderstedt and

6800-506: The two lions were to face the nettle because of the discomfort to their bottoms which would have resulted if the lions faced away from it. Government agencies of Schleswig-Holsteins are using a logo showing a stylized version of the Schleswig Lions and the Holstein nettle combined with the abbreviation of Schleswig-Holstein "SH". Written either below or to the right of the lion and the nettle is "Schleswig-Holstein" below which either

6885-410: The unified Province of Schleswig-Holstein . The Danish king in his function as duke of Holstein, and duke of Schleswig, appointed statholders (German: Statthalter; Latin: produx) to represent him in the duchies. The statholders fulfilled the tasks related to the ducal power as patrimonial lords in the royal shares of Holstein and Schleswig, as well as the royal part in the condominial government with

6970-580: The war by decisively winning the pivotal Battles of Dybbøl and Als . British attempts to mediate in the London Conference of 1864 failed. With the peace Treaty of Vienna (1864) , Denmark was forced to cede Schleswig to Prussia and Holstein to Austria. The two victors divided the duchies despite their casus belli being the defence of the German-speaking Schleswig-Holsteiners' wish to remain unified. But

7055-629: Was founded in 1182 by Bernard of Ascania , the ancestor of the Dukes of Lauenburg . It took its name from that of the castle of Lowenborch (erected here between 1181 and 1182), deriving from Lave , the Polabian-language name of the Elbe (compare modern Czech Labe ). Saxe-Lauenburg was a duchy until 1 July 1876, when it was incorporated into the Royal Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein . Lauenburg served as

7140-457: Was linguistically divided with a Danish-speaking north and a German-speaking south. In 1848, King Frederick VII of Denmark declared that he would grant Denmark a liberal constitution and the immediate goal of the Danish national movement was to ensure that this constitution would give rights to all Danes, i.e. not only to those in the Kingdom of Denmark, but also to Danes (and Germans) living in Schleswig. Furthermore, they demanded protection for

7225-648: Was subject to the Interzonal traffic regulations that between West Germany and West Berlin followed the special regulations of the Transit Agreement (1972) . Lauenburg has many historic buildings from the 17th century and earlier. These include houses, which were mostly the homes of sailors, and the Maria-Magdalenen Church, which was built in the 13th century. The town is nestled at the bottom of 50 meter high bluffs. Narrow streets up

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