Berlin is divided into boroughs or districts ( Bezirke ) for administration. The boroughs are further divided into neighborhoods ( Ortsteile ) which are officially recognised but have no administrative bodies of their own. Neighborhoods typically have strong identities that sometimes pre-date their inclusion into the modern boundaries of Berlin. These function differently to other subdivisions in Germany because of the dual status of Berlin as both a city and a federated state of Germany in its own right.
37-428: Lankwitz ( German pronunciation: [ˈlaŋkˌvɪt͡s] ) is a German locality ( Ortsteil ) within the borough ( Bezirk ) of Steglitz-Zehlendorf , Berlin. Until 2001 it was part of the former borough of Steglitz . The locality was first mentioned in 1239 with the name of Lancovica . Autonomous Prussian municipality of the former Teltow district, Lankwitz was incorporated into Berlin in 1920 as part of
74-517: A mural crown : 3 towers in red bricks with the coat of arms of Berlin in the middle. Most of the coats of arms of current boroughs have changed some elements in their field : Some of them have created a "fusion" of themes of the merged Bezirke (Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Lichtenberg, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Tempelhof-Schöneberg); others have modified their themes taken from one of the two (or more) former merged boroughs (Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Mitte and Treptow-Köpenick). Only
111-627: A council of mayors ( Rat der Bürgermeister ) led by the city's governing mayor, which advises the Berlin Senate. Each borough is made up of several officially recognized subdistricts or neighborhoods ( Ortsteile in German, sometimes called quarters in English). The number of neighborhoods that form a borough varies considerably, ranging from two ( Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg ) to fifteen ( Treptow-Köpenick ). These neighborhoods typically have
148-759: A former city or municipality; others, such as Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg , were named for geographic features. Minor changes to borough boundaries were made in 1938. After World War II, Berlin was divided into four sectors, with the Western sectors controlled by the United States, Britain, and France, and the Eastern sector controlled by the Soviet Union. In 1961, the SED built the Berlin Wall to divide
185-404: A full-time borough council ( Bezirksamt ), consisting of five councilors ( Bezirksstadträte ) and headed by a borough mayor ( Bezirksbürgermeister ). The BVV assembly is directly elected by the borough's population and therefore acts as a borough parliament , though it is officially part of the executive . It elects the members of the borough council, checks its daily administration, and
222-494: A historical identity as former independent cities, villages, or rural municipalities that were united in 1920 as part of the Greater Berlin Act , forming the basis for the present-day city and state. The neighborhoods do not have their own governmental bodies but are recognized by the city and the boroughs for planning and statistical purposes. Berliners often identify more with the neighborhood where they live than with
259-599: A process of rapid transformation, as the city worked to rebuild and modernize its infrastructure and economy. Many new businesses and cultural institutions were established, and the city became a center of creativity and innovation. By 2000, Berlin comprised twenty-three boroughs, as three new boroughs had been created in East Berlin . Today Berlin is divided into twelve boroughs ( Bezirke ), reduced from twenty-three boroughs before Berlin's 2001 administrative reform. An administrative reform in 2001 merged all but three of
296-506: A result, housing was of low quality, but cheap, which made the borough greatly attractive to immigrants. Starting in the late 1960s, increasing numbers of students, artists, and immigrants began moving to Kreuzberg. Enclosed by the Berlin Wall on three sides, the area became famous for its alternative lifestyle and its squatters , especially the SO36 part of Kreuzberg. Starting in 1987, there have been violent riots in SO36 on Labour day. After
333-540: Is Köpenick (34.9 km or 13.5 sq mi), the smallest one is Hansaviertel (53 ha or 130 acres). The most populated is Neukölln (154,127 inhabitants in 2009), the least populated is Malchow (450 inhabitants in 2008). Note that the coats of arms shown for localities in the tables below are historical and no longer in official use, having lost their validity upon incorporation into Greater Berlin or new districts. Kreuzberg Kreuzberg ( German pronunciation: [ˈkʁɔʏtsbɛʁk] )
370-656: Is a district of Berlin , Germany. It is part of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough located south of Mitte . During the Cold War era, it was one of the poorest areas of West Berlin , but since German reunification in 1990, it has become more gentrified and is known for its arts scene. The borough is known for its large percentage of immigrants and descendants of immigrants, many of whom are of Turkish ancestry . As of 2006, 31.6% of Kreuzberg's inhabitants does not have German citizenship. Kreuzberg
407-513: Is a single municipality ( Einheitsgemeinde ), its districts have limited power, acting only as agencies of Berlin's state and city governments as laid out in the Greater Berlin Act of 1920 . The districts are financially dependent on state donations, as they neither possess any taxation power nor own any property. This is contrast to municipalities and counties in other German states, which are territorial corporations ( Gebietskörperschaften ) with autonomous functions and property. Each district
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#1732771951525444-600: Is able to make applications and recommendations. The twelve borough mayors regularly meet in the Council of Mayors ( Rat der Bürgermeister ), led by the city's Governing Mayor ; the council answers to and advises the Senate. The localities have no local government bodies, and the administrative duties of the former locality representative, the Ortsvorsteher , were taken over by the borough mayors. People who live in
481-498: Is administered by a representatives' assembly ( Bezirksverordnetenversammlung ), directly elected by proportional representation, and a district board ( Bezirksamt ) led by a district mayor ( Bezirksbürgermeister ), elected by the assembly representatives. The district board is in charge of most administrative matters affecting its residents, but its decisions can be revoked by the Berlin Senate . The district mayors form
518-479: Is known for its diverse cultural life and experimental alternative lifestyles, and is an attractive area for many. However, some parts of the district are still characterized by higher levels of unemployment. Kreuzberg is bounded by the river Spree in the east. The Landwehrkanal flows through Kreuzberg from east to west, with the Paul-Lincke-Ufer street running alongside it. Other characteristics are
555-662: Is served by S-Bahn at the rail station of Lankwitz (lines S25 and S26 ). The S2 only crosses the quarter and marks its border with Mariendorf. Lankwitz is also served by numerous bus lines . The following organisations are or were based in Lankwitz: The following buildings are located in Lankwitz: Boroughs and localities of Berlin Since 2001, Berlin has been made up of twelve districts, each with its own administrative body. However because Berlin
592-427: Is that of a unified municipality ( Einheitsgemeinde ). The power of the borough governments is limited and their performance of assigned tasks is subject to regulatory supervision by the Senate. Nevertheless, the twelve self-governing boroughs have constitutional status and are themselves subdivided into two administrative bodies: each is governed by the borough assembly ( Bezirksverordnetenversammlung , BVV) and
629-683: Is the point of the highest elevation in the Kreuzberg locality, which is 66 m (217 ft) above sea level. The hill is traditionally a place for weekend trips. It received its name from the 1821 Prussian National Monument for the Liberation Wars by Karl Friedrich Schinkel within the Viktoriapark , built in commemoration of the Napoleonic Wars . Except for its northernmost part—the quarter Friedrichstadt (established at
666-528: The Hobrecht-Plan in an area that came to be known architecturally as the Wilhelmine Ring . Far into the 20th century, Kreuzberg was the most populous of Berlin's boroughs even in absolute numbers, with more than 400,000 people, although it was and still is geographically the smallest. As a result, with more than 60,000 people per square kilometer (160,000 people/sq mi), Kreuzberg had
703-767: The American bombing by over a thousand aircraft on 3 February 1945. In remembrance of the old tradition, the Axel Springer press company erected its German headquarters at Kochstraße again, right next to the Berlin Wall . In July 1945, most of the then district was assigned to the American Sector. After the Berlin Wall was built, the most important transit location to East Berlin was Checkpoint Charlie . After World War II, Kreuzberg's housing rents were regulated by law which made investments unattractive. As
740-426: The borough that governs them. The neighborhoods are further subdivided into statistical tracts, which are mainly used for planning and statistical purposes. The statistical tracts correspond roughly but not exactly with neighborhoods recognized by residents. When Greater Berlin was established in 1920, the city was organized into twenty boroughs, most of which were named after their largest component neighborhood, often
777-645: The city, effectively separating West Berlin from East Berlin and the rest of East Germany. Three new boroughs were created in East Berlin: Marzahn was split off from Lichtenberg in 1979, Hohenschönhausen from Weissensee in 1985, and Hellersdorf from Marzahn in 1986. In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, and the city was reunified. This marked the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a new era in Berlin's history. After reunification, Berlin underwent
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#1732771951525814-635: The district Steglitz, with the " Greater Berlin Act ". Lankwitz is situated in the southern suburb of Berlin, close to the borders with Brandenburg . It borders the localities of Steglitz , Lichterfelde , Mariendorf , Marienfelde (both in Tempelhof-Schöneberg district) and, in a short point represented by a bridge over the Teltowkanal , with Tempelhof . The Teltowkanal also remarks the boundary between Lankwitz and Steglitz. The locality
851-418: The end of the 17th century)—today's Kreuzberg was a very rural place until well into the 19th century. This changed when, in the 1860s, industrialization caused Berlin to grow rapidly. This called for extensive housing—much of which was built exploiting the dire needs of the poor, with widespread land speculation. Many of Kreuzberg's buildings originate from that time. They were built on the streets laid out in
888-412: The existing boroughs into the current 12 boroughs, as listed below. The three boroughs that were not affected were Spandau , Reinickendorf and Neukölln , as the population of each was already exceeding 200,000. All the coats of arms of Berliner boroughs (the current as of the ones in the period 1990 to 2001) have some common points: The shield has a Spanish form and the coronet is represented by
925-439: The fall of the Berlin Wall, Kreuzberg suddenly found itself in the middle of the city again. The initially cheap rents and the high concentration of 19th-century housing made some parts of the borough more attractive as a residential area for a much wider (and richer) variety of people. Today, Kreuzberg has one of the youngest populations of all European city boroughs; statistically, its population has been completely swapped twice in
962-416: The finest new-wave venues in the world. There has also been a significant influence stemming from African-American and hip hop culture on Kreuzberg's youth and the area has become a centre for rap and breakdance within Berlin. Though the majority of Kreuzberg's residents are of German or Turkish descent , some identify more with (African-)American or other cultures. Hip hop was largely introduced to
999-554: The first tier of the so-called Hauptverwaltung (central administration). In the second tier, the boroughs enjoy a certain grade of autonomy—though in no way comparable to the German Landkreise districts or independent cities , nor even to the local government of a common municipality as a legal entity, as according to the Berlin Constitution the legal status of the city as a German state itself
1036-636: The former West Berlin tend to vote for the CDU and the SPD, While voters in the former East Berlin tend to vote for Linke and the AfD. As of 2012, the twelve boroughs are made up of a total of 97 officially recognized neighborhoods or localities ( Ortsteile ). Almost all of these are further subdivided into several other zones (defined in German as Ortslagen, Teile, Stadtviertel, Orte etc.). The largest Ortsteil
1073-483: The highest population density in Berlin. Kreuzberg became a district of migration during the late 19th century when Berlin began growing rapidly as an economic and cultural hub. Before World War II, it was home to a diverse population, with a large portion of the population being Ashkenazi Jews . Central to Kreuzberg Jewish life was the Fraenkelufer Synagogue , with a capacity of 2,000. This synagogue
1110-532: The incorporation of suburbs and the reorganisation of Berlin into twenty boroughs. The eastern Friedrichsvorstadt, the southern Friedrichstadt , the western and southern Luisenstadt , and the Tempelhofer Vorstadt were merged into the new sixth borough of Berlin, first named Hallesches Tor . On 27 September 1921, the borough assembly of Hallesches Tor decided to rename the borough after the homonymous hill . Kreuzberg, literally meaning 'cross hill',
1147-533: The last two decades. Berlin's 2001 administrative reform combined Kreuzberg with Friedrichshain to form the new borough of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg . Since the two areas are linked only by a single bridge over the Spree River, the Oberbaumbrücke , this combination seemed awkward to many residents. The two areas not being able to agree on a common location for the future borough's city hall,
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1184-541: The murdered Jews who lived in the area. In addition to housing, Kreuzberg was also an industrial center of Berlin. The "export quarter" along Ritter Street consisted of many profitable small businesses, and the "press quarter" along Koch Street ( Friedrichstadt ) was the home of most of Germany's large newspapers, as well as the Ullstein , Scherl , and Mosse book publishers. Both industrial quarters were almost entirely destroyed by air raids during World War II , with
1221-519: The old U-Bahn line of the present-day U1, Görlitzer Park in the SO36 district, and Viktoriapark on the slope of Kreuzberg hill in SW 61 . Kreuzberg is divided into 2 zones ( Ortslagen ): In contrast to many other areas of Berlin, which were villages before their integration into Berlin, Kreuzberg has a rather short history. It was formed on 1 October 1920 by the Greater Berlin Act , which provided for
1258-558: The present location in Friedrichshain was decided by flipping a five- Mark coin. Kreuzberg has historically been home to Berlin's punk rock movement as well as other alternative subcultures in Germany. The SO36 club remains a fixture on the Berlin music scene. It was originally focused on punk music and in the 1970s was often frequented by Iggy Pop and David Bowie . In those days, the club rivalled New York's CBGB as one of
1295-457: The unchanged boroughs of Neukölln, Reinickendorf and Spandau have not changed their field. The coat of arms of Pankow was created with a new design in 2008, having been the only district without an emblem for 7 years. The borough government is part of the two-tier administration of the Berlin city-state , whereby the Senate and its affiliated agencies, institutions, and municipal enterprises form
1332-582: The youth of Kreuzberg by the children of American servicemen who were stationed nearby until the reunification of Germany . The art collective Berlin Kidz who are known for their pichação influenced graffiti , parkour , and train surfing are from the Kreuzberg area. The Carnival of Cultures , a large annual festival, celebrates different cultures and heritages with colourful street parades and festivities including street entertainment, food, arts and craft stalls, music, and art. Kreuzberg has long been
1369-462: Was destroyed during Kristallnacht , as were numerous Jewish businesses and property. The vast majority of Kreuzberg's Jews were deported to their deaths between 1942 and 1944 by the Nazis during The Holocaust , and their houses and businesses were seized and given to ethnic Germans. The Jewish Museum Berlin stands in Kreuzberg, and many Stolpersteine can be seen on Kreuzberg streets, commemorating
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