Шлезвиг гольштейн праздники

Любая страна имеет свой календарь уникальных и интересных праздников, которые не свойственные другим государствам. Иногда совпадают названия торжества, но при этом не совпадают традиции и обычаи их проведения. Германия также имеет массу увлекательных и интересных мероприятий, знать о которых стоит непременно, если есть желание посетить страну. Каждый месяц имеет свои торжества, аналогов которых нигде не встретишь, например:

• Сентябрь славится таким торжеством, как Октоберфест;
• В декабре на территории всей страны проводятся Рождественские базары;
• В феврале проводится уникальный Карнавал (Fasching);
• Берлинский международный фестиваль приглашает всех желающих в феврале;
• Если есть планы приехать в страну в июне, то непременно стоит посетить Кильскую неделю.

Каждый из отмеченных мероприятий уникален и требует отдельного внимания, поэтому стоит рассмотреть их более внимательно.

Январь

За исключением горнолыжных курортов в этом месяце наступает туристическое затишье, и жители страны предоставлены в принципе сами себе. В этот  период, когда холодные и короткие дни за окном, лучше всего просто знакомиться с достопримечательностями, посещать музеи и церкви.

Горное безумие (Berg Wahnsinn)

Но, как отмечалось, даже в январе есть масса приезжающих на горнолыжные курорты, которых очень много. Тем, кто предпочитает активные виды отдыха, стоит непременно хвататься за лыжи и отправляться в захватывающее путешествие по горным склонам, начиная от шикарных вариантов (Гармиш-Партенкирхен) и заканчивая спокойными курортами семейного типа (Баварский лес). Несмотря на уровень подготовки каждый сможет подыскать трассу по своим способностям.

Февраль

Немецкий карнавал, естественно не сравнить с торжеством в Рио, но здесь не менее жарко. Горнолыжные курорт в этот период просто переполнены, так как кругом школьные каникулы. Поэтому при желании их посетить, следует заранее позаботиться о бронировании мест для проживания.

Кинофестиваль в Берлине (Filmfestival in Berlin)

Одним их самых престижный кинофестивалей Европы считается именно мероприятие, которое проводится в феврале в Берлине. Это уникальные для страны две недели, в течении которых по красным ковровым дорожкам передвигаются самые яркие и успешные представители кинематографа, начиная от начинающих звезд и заканчивая матерыми режиссерами и кинокритиками.

Карнавал (Fasching)

Празднование этого мероприятия приходится на канут Великого поста. Люди стараются провести эти дни в максимальном веселье, поэтому по всей территории страны устраиваются костюмированные выступления и шествия прямо на улицах городов и деревень. Наиболее крупные празднования проводятся в Майнце, Рейне, Кельне и Дюссельдорфе. Но чтобы понаблюдать за уникальными мероприятиями с особыми традициями, лучше отправиться в Шварцвальд или Мюнхен.

Март

Пришла весна, и дни постепенно становятся все длиннее и длиннее. Уже запах весны витает в воздухе. Даже в меню в прибрежных ресторанах чувствуются весенние нотки, так как в них начинает появляться свежая сельдь, а еда, приготовленная с диким чесноком (Barlauch) становится невероятно вкусной и, естественно, популярной.

Апрель

Празднование Пасхи в Германии – это волшебное таинство, которого не избежать даже тем, кто уже давно не верит в Пасхальных зайцев. Уже во всей красе проступает весна, ведь появляется ее настоящее олицетворение – цветение белой спаржи. Жители сходят с ума по этому растению.

Вальпургиева ночь (Walpurgisnacht)

Отдельное внимание стоит уделить языческому торжеству – фестивалю ведьм, который проводится 30 апреля в деревушках Гарца. Это настоящее весеннее оживление для этой местности, так как и взрослые, и молодежь переодеваются в ведьм и колдунов, отправляются на улицы, чтобы петь и танцевать в праздничном таинстве.

Майфест (Maifest)

30 апреля также отмечается окончанием зимы, что празднуется именно в этот день. Важной традицией этого мероприятия является рубка майского дерева (Maibaun). Затем его тщательно разрисовывают, покрывают резьбой и разноплановыми украшениями. После этого начинается настоящее гулянье с печными, танцами и вкусными угощениями.

Май

Наиболее теплый и приветливый месяц весны, когда в каждом дворе и уличном кафе уже во всю можно услышать звон бокалов и веселые беседы. Особенно насыщенны в это время пивные. Именно в этот период в Германии отмечается огромное количество праздников, которые для немцев становятся настоящими мини-отпусками, что, естественно, приводит к большому количеству пробок на дорогах.

Карнавал культур (Karneval der Kulturen)

Именно в мае огромное число жителей Берлина отмечает праздник культурного и этнического многообразия вечеринок, экзотических кушаний. Праздники отмечаются большим количеством танцев, пышно одетыми танцорами, ди-джеями, музыкантами с яркими выступлениями. Вся эта публика снует постоянно по улицам города, привлекая к себе всеобщее внимание.

День труда (Tag der Arbeit)

Немцы день труда в своей стране сделал государственным праздником, который отмечается практически на территории всей Германии. Многие страны организовывают торжественные шествия в поддержку прав рабочих. А в Берлине в последнее время в этот день стала проводиться только большая уличная ярмарка.

День матери (Muttertag)

Во второе воскресенье мая во всей Германии чествуют матерей. Накануне этого праздника очень насыщенные дни у флористов, компаний по производству поздравительных открыток и кондитеров, продукция которых раскупается в огромном количестве. Если есть желание отметить праздник в каком-нибудь ресторанчике, то стоит позаботиться об бронировании столика заранее.

Фестиваль «Wave-Gotik-Treffen»

Этот фестиваль по праву получил звание самого массового фестиваля готов, который проводится в Лейпциге. В этот период, когда также проводится празднование Троицы/Пятидесятницы, город окрашивание в мрачные темные тона, так как здесь собираются тысячи представителей готского направления.

Июнь

С наступлением лета темпы и частота проведения фестивалей в Германии возрастает. Гурманы в этот период могут порадоваться появлению большого ассортимента свежих продуктов на рынке. По мере того, как приближается день солнечного равноденствия, приближается, интенсивность проведения праздников и торжеств увеличивается в северной части страны.

День отца (Vatertag)

Это праздник многие называют днем отца, а большинство именует Днем мужчин (Mannertag) отмечается в первом месяце лета. По сути этот день становится хорошим оправданием у мужчин для жен, чтобы хорошо выпить в компании друзей. Всегда празднование мужского дня совпадает с праздником Вознесения Господня.

Африканский фестиваль (Afrikanische Festival)

В Вюрцбурге проводится самый крупный по масштабам и значимости фестиваль африканской культуры и музыки (www.africafestival.org). Он выделяется своими уникальными концертами и ярмарками, которые собирают более 100 тысяч человек.

Кильская неделя (Kieler Woche)

Каждый год на побережье Балтийского моря собирается огромное число туристов, ведь в это время в городе Киль проводится уникальный в мире праздник парусного спорта, который выделяется присутствием сотен парусных суден, парадами различных судов, исторических кораблей, а также большим и безудержным весельем.

Christopher Street Day

Уникальный фестиваль, на котором собирается огромное количество гомосексуалистов, даже больше, чем на других гей-парадах Берлина, Гамбурга и Кельна. Но несмотря на свои сексуальные убеждения и ориентацию, посетить подобное гуляние все же стоит, ведь здесь проводится огромное количество интересных мероприятий.

Июль

С наступлением лета начинается самая жаркая пора для туристов и жителей, так как это период отпусков и поездок, ведь школьники уже на каникулах. Но стоит помнить, что в это время в не зависимости от выбранного места отдыха следует позаботиться о бронировании гостиницу или других вариантов проживания. Балтийское и Средиземное море уже полностью готово принять все желающих искупнуться.

Фестиваль самбы (Samba-Festival)

В июле месяце Кобург приглашает всех желающих на разгулье из песен и танцев, ведь здесь собирается около 100 различных групп, а число выступающих на сцене насчитывает более трех тысяч из десятка стран. Число зрителей иногда превышает 20 тысяч.

Музыкальный фестиваль Шлезвинг-Гольштейна (Musikfestival  Shclezvig-Holstein)

Еще одно яркое немецкое событие, которое проводится с июля по август на многих северных землях. Замки, церкви и фермы предлагают всем желающим посетить уникальные и очень интересные концерты.

Август

Август для Германии считается самым жарким месяцем, но знойная жара постепенно спадает после гроз в послеобеденное время. Это прекрасный сезон для любителей лесов – Pfifferlinge. В это время многие отправляются за свежими ягодами и лисичками, некоторые сами ищут их в лесах, а другие отправляются на рынок, чтобы купить заветное лакомство.

Фестиваль стрелков (Festival Sportschutzer)

Большая часть немецких мужчин предпочитает проводить свой досуг ха посещение стрелковых клубов, чтобы продемонстрировать свои умения и навыки по меткости на фестивале стрелков, который проводится в августе. Наиболее древний проводится в Дюссельдорф, а самый крупный — в Ганновере.

Фестиваль вина (Weinfest)

Август также знаменателен для немцев созреванием винограда. Когда виноград созреет и нальется соком, начинается период фестивалей. Это огромное количество дегустаций, шествий, костюмированных выступлений, фейерверков. Среди крупнейших мероприятий подобного плана следует выделить Durkheimer Wurstmarkt (www.duerkheimer-wurstmarkt.de).

Киндерцехе (Kinderzehe)

Уникальный немецкий детский фестиваль (www.kinderzeche.de), который проводится на протяжении 10 дней, который проводится в Динкелбюле, через который проложена Романтическая дорога. Фестиваль уникален не только проведением огромного количества детских мероприятий, выступлений и конкурсов, но и участием малышей в реставрации исторических памятников.

Фестиваль оперной музыки Рихарда Вагнера (Festival der Opernmusik von Richard Wagner)

Даже самые элитные слитки немецкого высшего отчества приезжают в небольшое местечко Байройта, чтобы послушать эпические произведения оперного характера, созданные Вагнером. Все концерты проводятся в специально построенном зале. Не каждый житель может сюда попасть, но некоторым все удается достать желанные билеты.

Сентябрь

Этот месяц достаточно привлекательный не только для жителей, но и туристов. В такие дни не слишком жарко, но и еще достаточно солнечно. Несмотря на то, что туристический сезон в Германии подходит к завершению, жизнь кипит благодаря проведению огромного количества винных фестивалей. Уже к концу месяца природа обновляется, деревья переливаются всем буйством красок.

Берлинский марафон (Berlin-Marathon)

С 1977 года в сентябре на улицах столицы проводится беговой марафон, в котором принимают участие все желающие, а их цифра иногда превышает 50 тысяч бегунов. Во время проведения этого мероприятия за время его существования было установлено около 9 мировых рекордов.

Праздник урожая (Erntefest)

В провинциальных городках и крупных деревнях проводятся яркие торжества, посвященные сбору урожая. Устраиваются праздничные шествия (Erntedankzug) с переодеваниями в национальные костюмы.

Октоберфест (Oktoberfest)

Уникальный праздник, который организовывается для всех любителей пива в Мюнхене (www.oktoberfest.de).

Октябрь

Осень в полном разгаре, о чем свидетельствует существенное сокращение продолжительности дня, а также регулярные похолодания и проливные дожди. Именно в это период в самом разгаре сезон торговых ярмарок, на которых можно многое купить по привлекательным ценам. Наиболее крупные мероприятия проводятся в Берлине, Франкфурте, Гамбурге и других крупных городах. В этом месяце происходит существенное сокращение работы туристических агентств, музеев и достопримечательностей, некоторые из них вообще закрываются на время зимы.

Франкфуртская книжная ярмарка (Frankfurter Buchmesse)

Во Франкфурте проводится наиболее крупная книжная ярмарка, на которой собирается более 7300 библиоманов из 100 стран мира.

Ноябрь

По своей сути ноябрь в Германии считается очень тоскливым месяцем, жители стараются без лишнего повода не покидать свои уютные теплые дома. Но и плюсы такого затишья также существуют, ведь в популярных туристических местах нет больших очередей и скоплений людей. Также стоит отметить, что в ноябре проводится огромное количество театральных и оперных постановок. Но при посещении таких мероприятий следует иметь при себе теплую одежду зонты или дождевики.

День Святого Мартина (Der Tag des Heiligen Martin)

10-11 ноября проводится уникальный фестиваль, который посвящен скромному и щедрому Святому Мартину, который жил в 4 веке. Через весь город шествует праздничная процессия с факелами, горожанами разыгрываются знаменитые сцены из жизни великого человека, например, когда святой Мартин разрезал свое пальто, чтобы отдать его половину бедному человеку. Гулянье сопровождается шикарным пиршеством, на котором непременно присутствует жареный гусь.

Декабрь

Благодаря четырем неделям тождеств Адвенту зимние вечера и дни становятся более яркими и светлыми. На протяжении этого время по всей стране проводятся рождественские базары, все улицы и дома украшены красочными подсветками, печется домашнее рождественское печенье и проводятся свойственные Адвенте мероприятия. Горнолыжные курорты в это время уже полностью покрыты снегом.

День Святого Николая (Nikolaustag)

Эта уникальная ночь с 5 на 6 декабря наиболее долгожданная для детей. Они оставляют за дверью свои ботинки в надежде, что святой Николай наполнит их подарками и сладостями. А те, кто весь год вел себя плохо и не слушал своих родителей, могут вместо подарков обнаружить в обуви ветки, которые оставляет помощник святого Николая Кнехтом Рупрехтом.

Рождественские базары (Weihnachtsmarkt)

Немецкие рождественские базары всегда привлекают посетителей огромным количеством ароматных пряников, глинтвейном и мерцающими украшениями. Это все неотъемлемые атрибуты рождественских праздников, которые начинаются с конца 24 декабря. Наибольшей популярностью и известностью пользуются рождественские базары в Нюрнберге.

День Святого Сильвестра (Tag Des Heiligen Sylvester)

В Германии канун нового получил название День Святого Сильвестра. Папа Римский, в честь которого проводится празднование, жил в далеком 4 веке. Благодаря его стараниям в стране христианство было принято в качестве официальной религии. Новый год по всей стране празднуется запуском огромного числа салютов, который запускают не только профессионалы на праздниках, но и пироманы-любители.

Видео про Рождество в Германии сморите по ссылке ниже:

(Фото сверху © paulinasahz /pixabay.com/ Лицензия CC BY 2.0)

Schleswig-Holstein Slesvig-Holsten (Danish) Sleswig-Holsteen (Low German) Slaswik-Holstiinj (North Frisian)
State
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates: 54°28′12″N 9°30′50″E / 54.47000°N 9.51389°E
Country	Germany
Capital	Kiel
Government
• Body	Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein
• Minister-President	Daniel Günther (CDU)
• Governing parties	CDU / Greens
• Bundesrat votes	4 (of 69)
• Bundestag seats	28 (of 736)
Area
• Total	15,763.17 km2 (6,086.19 sq mi)
Population  (04.01.2022)[1]
• Total	2,920,850
• Density	190/km2 (480/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	DE-SH
Vehicle registration	formerly: S (1945–1947), SH (1947), BS (1948–1956)[2]
GRP (nominal)	€97,2 billion (2020)[3]
GRP per capita	€33.400 (2020)
NUTS Region	DEF
HDI (2018)	0.924[4] very high · 13th of 16
Website	schleswig-holstein.de

Schleswig-Holstein (pronounced [ˌʃleːsvɪç ˈhɔlʃtaɪn] (listen); Danish: Slesvig-Holsten; Low German: Sleswig-Holsteen; North Frisian: Slaswik-Holstiinj) 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.

The region is called Slesvig-Holsten in Danish and pronounced [ˌsle̝ːsvi ˈhʌlˌste̝ˀn]. The Low German name is Sleswig-Holsteen, and the North Frisian name is Slaswik-Holstiinj. In more dated English, it is also known as Sleswick-Holsatia. Historically, 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. It covers an area of 15,763 km² (6,086 sq mi), making it the 5th smallest German federal state by area (including the city-states).

Schleswig was under Danish control during the Viking Age, but in the 12th century it escaped full control and became a duchy. It bordered Holstein, which was a part of the Holy Roman Empire. Beginning in 1460, both Schleswig and Holstein were ruled together by the Danish king acting as duke of both Schleswig and Holstein, with the latter remaining a part of Germany. 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 the area. Prussia responded by invading, thus beginning the First Schleswig War, which ended in a victory for Denmark and the signing of the 1852 London Protocol. But the fight broke out again in 1864 (the Second Schleswig War), and this time Prussia and Austria won and the territory was absorbed into Prussia in 1867. More than 50 years later, 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 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 is a major industry, and the basis of its distinctive unique local cuisine. It is a popular tourist destination for Germans.

History[edit]

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 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 the Empire) was the River Eider.

The term “Schleswig” originally referred to the city of Schleswig. The city’s name derives from Schlei “inlet” in the east and vik, which meant inlet in Old Norse and settlement in Old Saxon, and is cognate with the «-wick» and «-wich» elements in place-names in Britain.

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 the same relationship with the Danish Crown as, for example, Brandenburg or Bavaria had with the Holy Roman Emperor. Around 1100, the Duke of Saxony gave Holstein to Count Adolf I of Schauenburg.

Duchies in the Danish realm[edit]

Schleswig and Holstein have at different times belonged in part or completely to either Denmark or Germany, or have been virtually independent of both nations. Schleswig was never part of Germany until after the Second Schleswig War in 1864. But for many centuries, the king of Denmark was both a Danish Duke of Schleswig and a German Duke of Holstein. Essentially, Schleswig was either integrated into Denmark or was a Danish fief, and Holstein was a German fief and once, long before that, a sovereign state. 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 the Kingdom of Denmark. Government business in both duchies was conducted in the German language, even though for a long time they were governed from Copenhagen. (Beginning in 1523, however, they were governed by the German Chancellery, which in 1806 was renamed the Schleswig-Holstein Chancellery). After the Protestant Reformation, church services were conducted in German in the southern part of Schleswig, and in Danish in the northern part. This difference would later contribute strongly to shaping the inhabitants’ national sentiments, as would the different languages spoken in different schools after 1814, when mandatory schooling was instituted.

Schleswig-Holstein Question[edit]

The German national awakening that followed the Napoleonic Wars gave rise to a strong popular movement in Holstein and Southern Schleswig for unification with a new Prussian-dominated Germany. This development was paralleled by an equally strong Danish national awakening in Denmark and Northern Schleswig. This movement called for the complete reintegration of Schleswig into the Kingdom of Denmark and demanded an end to discrimination against Danes in Schleswig. The ensuing conflict is sometimes called the Schleswig-Holstein Question. In 1848, King Frederick VII of Denmark declared that he would grant Denmark a liberal constitution and the immediate goal for 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 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 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), which ended in a Danish victory at Idstedt.

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 Duchy of Glücksburg, who became Christian IX. The transmission of 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. The promulgation of a common constitution for Denmark and Schleswig in November 1863 prompted Otto von Bismarck to intervene and Prussia and Austria declared war on Denmark. This was the Second War of Schleswig, which ended in Danish defeat. British attempts to mediate in the London Conference of 1864 failed, and Denmark lost Schleswig (Northern and Southern Schleswig), Holstein, and Lauenburg to Prussia and Austria.

Province of Prussia[edit]

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 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 the province saw a wave of emigration to America, while some Danes of North Schleswig emigrated to Denmark.

Plebiscite in 1920[edit]

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 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 the island of Föhr showed a Danish majority, and the rest of the Danish vote was primarily in the town of Flensburg.^[5]

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 which was never challenged by Adolf Hitler.

In 1937, the Nazis passed the so-called Greater Hamburg Act (Groß-Hamburg-Gesetz), where 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^[6]), the 711-year-long independence of the Hansestadt Lübeck came to an end, and almost all its territory was incorporated into Schleswig-Holstein.

State of Federal Germany[edit]

After World War II, 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.^[7]

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%.^[8] 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, the German and Danish governments issued the Bonn-Copenhagen Declarations confirming the rights of the ethnic minorities on both sides of the border.^[9] Conditions between the nationalities have since been stable and generally respectful.

Geography[edit]

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 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 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 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.^[10]

The German Islands of Sylt, Föhr, Pellworm, Amrum, Heligoland and Fehmarn are part of Schleswig-Holstein, with the latter being the largest and the only Island of Schleswig-Holstein located on the east coast.^[11] Heligoland is Germany’s only high-sea island.^[11]

• 

  Geest (Island Sylt)

• 

  Seestermüher Marsh

• 

  Eckernförde Bay

• 

  Wadden Sea

• 

  Schleswig-Holsteinische Schweiz

• 

  Kieler Förde

Administration[edit]

Administrative Division[edit]

Schleswig-Holstein is divided into 11 Kreise (Districts) and four Kreisfreie Städte (Urban Districts).

Legislature[edit]

Schleswig-Holstein has its own parliament and government which are located in the state capital Kiel.^[14]

Executive Branch[edit]

The Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein is elected by the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein.^[14]

Portfolio	Minister	Party	Took office	Left office	State secretaries
Minister-President		Daniel Günther born 24 July 1973 (age 49)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent
Deputy Minister-President Minister for Finance		Monika Heinold born 30 December 1958 (age 64)		GRÜNE	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Silke Torp Oliver Rabe
Minister for Justice and Health		Kerstin von der Decken born 22 November 1968 (age 54)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Otto Carstens Oliver Grundei
Minister for Education, Training, Science, Research and Culture		Karin Prien born 26 June 1965 (age 57)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Dorit Stenke Guido Wendt
Minister for Interior, Communities, Housing and Sport		Sabine Sütterlin-Waack born 15 February 1958 (age 64)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Jörg Sibbel Magdalena Finke
Minister for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature		Tobias Goldschmidt born 16 September 1981 (age 41)		GRÜNE	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Katja Günther Joschka Knuth
Minister for Economics, Transport, Labour, Technology and Tourism		Claus Ruhe Madsen born 27 August 1972 (age 50)		Ind. (CDU nomination)	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Tobias von der Heide Julia Carstens
Minister for Social Affairs, Youth, Family, Seniors, Integration and Equality		Aminata Touré born 15 November 1992 (age 30)		GRÜNE	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Johannes Albig
Minister for Agriculture, Rural Areas, Europe and Consumer Protection		Werner Schwarz born 10 April 1960 (age 62)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Anne Benett-Sturies
Chief of the State Chancellery		Dirk Schrödter born 17 October 1978 (age 44)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Johannes Callsen Sandra Gerken

Recent elections[edit]

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.

List of Minister-Presidents of Schleswig-Holstein[edit]

Demographics[edit]

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 a natural decrease of -8,459.

Vital statistics[edit]

Religion[edit]

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 Evangelical 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.^[17]

Foreigners[edit]

Largest groups of foreign residents by 31 December 2020^{[citation needed]}

Syria	34,670
Poland	28,975
Turkey	27,895
Romania	17,255
Afghanistan	15,485
Iraq	11,995
Bulgaria	9,470
Russia	8,240
Denmark	7,065
Italy	5,875

Culture[edit]

Schleswig-Holstein combines Danish, Frisian and German aspects of culture. The castles and manors in 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 is an annual event, except for 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID19-Pandemic.^[18] It took place again in June 2022.^[18]

The annual Wacken Open Air festival is considered to be the largest heavy metal rock festival in the world.

• 

  Kiel Week 2019

• 

  Wacken Open Air Festival

• 

  Kiel Week 2019

Symbols[edit]

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 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 the Name of the agency using the logo is shown or the motto «Der echte Norden» (Germany’s true North).^[19]

The motto of Schleswig-Holstein is «Up ewich ungedeelt» (Middle Low German: «Forever undivided», modern High German: «Auf ewig ungeteilt»). It goes back to the Treaty of Ribe (Danish: Ribe Håndfæstning German: Handfeste von Ripen) in 1460. Ripen (Ribe) is a historical small town in Northern Schleswig, nowadays Denmark.^[9]

The anthem from 1844 is called «Wanke nicht, mein Vaterland» («Don’t falter, my fatherland»), but it is usually referred to with its first line «Schleswig-Holstein meerumschlungen» (i.e., «Schleswig-Holstein embraced by the seas») or «Schleswig-Holstein-Lied» (Schleswig-Holstein song).

The old city of Lübeck is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Food and drink[edit]

Distinctive point of the cuisine is combination of sweetness with a taste contrast like sour or salty. These combinations are also described as «broken sweetness» is especially present in dishes which are sweet-sour.

Typical dishes are:

• Birnen, Bohnen und Speck consist of pears, beans, savory, parsley, bacon and potatoes
• Holsteiner Sauerfleisch is sour aspic
• Holsteiner Katenschinken is ham with traditional cold-smoking method
• Different using of Nordseekraben in soup, porrenpann, with toast or scrambled eggs
• Famous is smoked Kieler Sprotten
• Other fish also is popular: Flatfish or Herring
• Grünkohl. In the Schleswig-Holstein there is a real cult around this vegetable. In the autumn and winter months groups of friends or colleagues go on a cabbage ride and choose their cabbage king, often combined with the typical regional sports of Boßeln and Klootschießen. The most popular dish is Grünkohl with Mettenden, but also possible other combination like Grünkohl with Kassler and ‘Schweinebacke’. The Dithmarsch marshland is particularly suitable for growing cabbage. The soils are fertile, so that a good yield can still be achieved even in bad years. Due to the constant sea wind, there are far fewer pests in the area
• Lübecker Marzipan is a sweet made from ground almonds, sugar and added flavorings
• Lakritz confection flavored with extract of the roots of the liquorice plant (sweet, salt, salmiak and choco)
• Lübecker Rotspon, Bordeaux wine, which is delivered in oak barrels to Lübeck and there it maturated.
• Flensburger Rum-Verschnitt, braun mix of oversea rum, water and neutral alcohol (typical 40-42%)

• 

  Crab toast with dill

• 

  Holsteiner Sauerfleisch

• 

  Holsteiner Katenschinken

• 

  Kieler Sprotten

• 

  Birnen, Bohnen und Speck

• 

  Grünkohl mit Mettenden

Languages[edit]

The official language of Schleswig-Holstein is German.^[20] In addition, Low German, Danish and North Frisian are recognized minority languages.^[21]

Historically, Low German (in Holstein and Southern Schleswig), Danish (in Schleswig), and North Frisian (in Western Schleswig) were widely spoken in Schleswig-Holstein. During the language change in the 19th century some Danish and North Frisian dialects in Southern Schleswig were replaced by Standard German.^{[22][23]
[24]}

Low German is still used in many parts of the state. Missingsch, a Low German dialect with heavy High German (Standard German) influence, is commonly spoken informally throughout the state, while a mixed language Petuh (mixture of High German and Danish) is used in and around Flensburg. Danish is used by the Danish minority in Southern Schleswig, and North Frisian is spoken by the North Frisians of the North Sea Coast and the Northern Frisian Islands in Southern Schleswig. The North Frisian dialect called Heligolandic (Halunder) is spoken on the island of Heligoland.

As is the case throughout Germany, High German, introduced in the 16th century, has come to steadily replace local dialects for official purposes, and is today the predominant language of media, law and legislature. It is spoken by virtually all inhabitants in formal situations. Since the end of World War II and widespread adoption of TV, radio and other mass media, it has gradually come to supplant local dialects in urban areas as well.

Economy[edit]

The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the state was 62.7 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 1.9% of German economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 30,400 euros or 101% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 95% of the EU average. The GDP per capita was the lowest of all states in West Germany.^[25] In 2017, Schleswig-Holstein had an export surplus for the first time since 1989: export 22.6 billion euros/ import 20.8 billion euros.

Energy[edit]

Schleswig-Holstein is a leader in the country’s growing renewable energy industry.^[26] In 2014, Schleswig-Holstein became the first German state to cover 100% of its electric power demand with renewable energy sources (chiefly wind 70%, solar 3.8%, and biomass 8.3%).^[27]

The largest German oil field Mittelplate is located in the North Sea off the Dithmarsch coast and connected with refinery in Hemmingstedt and chemical plants in Brunsbüttel via pipeline. It produce ca. 1.4 million tonnes of oil annually.

Nuclear power[edit]

There were three nuclear power plants in Schleswig-Holstein: Krümmel, Brunsbüttel and Brockdorf. The last operating plant in Schleswig-Holstein, the Brokdorf-plant was shut down on new-years eve 2021.^[28]

There is also a nuclear research center known Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (rebranded as Hereon) with 2 research reactors, located right next to the Krümmel plant.^[29]

During the 1990s, ten more cases of leukemia among children than was expected were identified in Elbmarsch, near the Krümmel plant. Anti-nuclear activists believed it was due to the nuclear plant, which led to several investigations. The reported discovery of small spherical beads of nuclear material in the area led to further concern, as well as the presence of minute amounts of plutonium in the Elbe. The origins of the nuclear material were disputed, with one report determining them to not be that of the Krümmel plant. Another report claimed that they may have come from an undisclosed fire in 1986, however this theory has been questioned as it would have required a substantial government coverup. The Chernobyl disaster has also been suggested as a source, though is considered unlikely. The probable source of the material, especially in the Elbe, is nuclear reprocessing plants in France. A 2010 report exonerated the nuclear power plants on the Elbe as the cause of contamination. Further doubt was cast on the nature of the supposed beads of nuclear material, with a Federal commission chastising the original commission that claimed to have discovered the beads. The exact cause of the increased leukemia cases remains unknown, and could be due to other environmental factors, or even by chance.^{[30][31][32][33][34]}

The nuclear plants have further been questioned as a source of the cases due to comparison to the Savannah River Site in the United States. Despite release of radiation at the Savannah River Site, there is no increase in cases of leukemia around it. Alternative hypotheses for the cause of the cases have included electromagnetic fields, parental radiation exposure prior to conception, other carcinogens, and benzene exposure; however, none have been supported by the existing evidence. Intriguingly, a larger case-control study in Lower Saxony found a correlation between the «untrained immune system» (as judged as contact with other children, vaccinations, etc.) and leukemia risk, suggested that an immature immune system that has not been challenged is at greater risk for developing malignancy, possibly secondary to an undetermined environment factor.^[35][36]

• 

  NPP Krümmel

• 

  View form Elbe: Left is NPP Krümmel, right is the Research Center

• 

  KKK — NPP Krümmel, GKSS — Research Center

• 

  Brokdorf Nuclear Power Plant

Tourism[edit]

Located between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, Schleswig-Holstein is also a popular tourist destination in Germany. Its islands, beaches and cities attract millions of tourists every year. It has the second highest tourism intensity per local among the German states, after Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, but in absolute value it is rank 6th and only 1/3 of top destination Bavaria.^[37] According to a ruling by the Federal Administrative Court, everyone has the right to free access to the beach. Nevertheless, most of the seaside resorts kept cashing in (2-€3 /day/person).^[38]

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

  Historic City Center of Lübeck

• 

• 

• 

Agriculture[edit]

63% of land in Schleswig-Holstein (990 403 ha) is used for agriculture (national average 47%).^[39]

Cultivated crops:^[40]

• Wheat, 208 000 ha
• Maize for silage, 176 000 ha
• Winter rapeseed, 112 000 ha
• Sugar beet, 7 500 ha
• Potatoes, 5 500 ha

There are some special cultivation regions:

• Elbmarschen, west of Hamburg for fruits cultivation
• Ditmarschen for cabbage
• Between Mölln and Lübeck for asparagus
• Pinnenberg for tree nurseries and flower garden (especially, roses of Rosen Tantau and W. Kordes’ Söhne), 2 931 ha. These 2 companies have over 50% of the world cut roses market. There is a German Nurseries Museum («Deutsches Baumschulmuseum»).^[40]

• 

  Rosa Iceberg («World-favorite Rose», 1983) from W. Kordes’ Söhne

• 

  Tree nursery in Pinneberg

• 

• 

  Greenhouse of Rosen Tantau

• 

  Rosa Apricola («Goldenen Rose», 2005) from W. Kordes’ Söhne

• 

Animal husbandry[edit]

The dairy and cattle farming in connection with fodder cultivation is mainly concentrated on the marshland and the bordering Geest areas. In 2020, around 1 million cattle including 360,000 dairy cows were counted in Schleswig-Holstein, rank 4th of German states. Livestock is continuously declining.^[41]

Schleswig-Holstein is home of the most productive dairy cattle: Holsteins, which produce an average of 8,125 l (2,146 US gal) per year of milk. It is now the main dairy cow around the world.

Pig breeding is mainly found in the Schleswig-Holstein Uplands. In principle, Schleswig-Holstein is one of the regions with relatively few pigs (a total of around 1.6 million; in comparison Lower Saxony: over 8 million). Poultry and sheep are also of little importance in animal husbandry.^[40]

Schleswig-Holstein had Europe’s largest snake farm in Uetersen with over 600 venomous reptiles, but it closed in 2019.^[42]

Fishing and Aquaculture[edit]

Total production from fishing in North and Baltic Seas was 40 780 tonnes in 2019, ca. 1/3 German production.^[43]

In the Baltic Sea total production amounted to 10377 tonnes (2019), of which 5432 tonnes of sprat, 2568 tonnes of flatfish and 1190 tonnes of cod.^[43]

In the North Sea the numbers were 19,487 tonnes of mussels, 3560 tonnes of North Sea shrimp, 1166 tonnes of herring and 7062 other fishes.^[43]

The one important aquaculture product is mussels, 16864 tonnes.^[43]

Inland fishing and aquaculture is not significant with 221 and 250 tonnes in 2019 respectively.^[43]

Companies[edit]

The largest company headquarters in Schleswig-Holstein with annual sales over 1 billion euros are:

• Wholesaler Bartels-Langness, Kiel 5.3 billion €
• Conglomerate Possehl, Lübeck 3.8 billion €
• Medical equipment manufacturer Drägerwerke, Lübeck 3.4 billion €
• Telecommunication service provider Freenet, Büdelsdorf 2.9 billion €
• Oil refinery Heide, Hemmingstedt 2.4 billion €
• Submarine shipyards ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Kiel 1.8 billion €

The unemployment rate stood at 5.0% in October 2021.^[44]

Industries[edit]

• Shipbuilding. Ca. 20% of German shipbuilding. The biggest ship yard ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems situated in Kiel and build submarines of 212 and 214 types. In Flensburg FSG yard build ferries. Famous luxury megayachts are built by Lürssen-Kröger Werft, Schacht-Audorf and Nobiskrug, Rendsburg.^[46] Shipyards in Lübeck^[47] and Caterpillar-MaK marine engine plant were closed.^[48] Raytheon Anschütz deliveries navigation equipment, autopilots, radars to shipyards.

• Locomotive. Vossloh Locomotives (owned by Chinese CRRC) manufactures three models of diesel-hydraulic (G6, G12, G18) and two models of diesel-electric (DE12, DE18) locomotives. Other manufacturer was Voith Turbo Lokomotivtechnik, but closed in 2014 year.^[49] Both firms are in Kiel.

• 

  Vossloh G 12

• 

  Vossloh DE 18

• 

  Vossloh G 2000 BB

• 

  Voith Gravita 15L BB

• 

  Voith Revita

• 

  Voith Maxima

• Industrial equipment. Fish and poultry processing machinery from Baader, Lübeck, bottle washers and pasteurizers from Krones, Flensburg, grinding machine tools from Peter Wolters, Rendsburg, machinery to manufacture man-made fibers and non-woven textile from Oerlikon Neumag and Oerlikon Nonwoven, Neumünster.
• Medical and labor equipment. Drägerwerk, Lübeck manufacture breathing equipment, medical ventilators and monitors, anesthetic machines, neonatal incubators, gas detectors, drug testing equipment, diving equipment, rebreathers, breathalyzer . The company delivery breathing devices for reanimation COVID-19 patients. Euroimmun, Lübeck produces test systems with which antibodies can be determined in the serum of patients and thus autoimmune and infectious diseases (including COVID-19) as well as allergies.
• Chemical. Almost all chemical industry concentrate around Brunsbüttel. Covestro with 650 employee produced annually 400 000 tonnes methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, which using in synthesis of polyurethane. Yara (214 empl.) produce nitrogen fertilizers, but with special process instead of using natural gas, it use heavy oil, which allow also manufacture as byproduct vanadium oxide and sulphur. Heavy oil is source material to produce bitumen by Total Bitumen (130 empl.). Other plant is Sasol (520 empl.) produce fatty and Guerbet alcohols, paraffin and high-purity aluminum oxide, aluminum hydroxide and triethylaluminium. Other important location of chemical industry is Neumünster with EMS-Griltech which manufacture technical fibers from polyamides and polyesters, adhesives and powder coatings.

Transport[edit]

Kiel Canal[edit]

The most important transport way in Schleswig-Holstein is Kiel Canal, which connect Brunsbüttel on North Sea with Kiel on Baltic Sea. Total cargo of ships reach peaks in 2007 and 2012, after that it continuous decline with 73.8 million tonnes in 2020.^[50]

• 

• 

• 

  Ferry Hochdonn

• 

  Pilot Station Rüsterbergen

Ports[edit]

The state has a total of 46 public ports and landing stages, four of which fulfill international transit functions: Kiel, Lübeck / Travemünde and Puttgarden on the Baltic Sea, Brunsbüttel on the North Sea. Kiel and Lübeck are also important for freight traffic to Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Lübeck-Travemünde and Kiel are also important ferry and cruise ports. Puttgarden is the German port of the Vogelfluglinie to Denmark. Brunsbüttel is an important port for bulk goods and also serves as the basis for the offshore wind energy industry.

Education[edit]

Compulsory education starts for children who are six years old on 30 June.^[52] All children attend a «Grundschule», which is Germany’s equivalent to primary school, for the first 4 years and then move on to a secondary school.^[52] In Schleswig-Holstein there are «Gemeinschaftsschulen», which is a type of comprehensive school. The regional schools, which go by the German name «Regionalschule» have been done away with as of 1 January 2014.^[52] The option of a Gymnasium is still available.^[52]

During the schoolyear 2021/2022, there are 393 Grundschulen in Schleswig-Holstein educating 101.675 students.^[53] Combined with secondary schools, there are a total of 360.922 Students in Schleswig-Holstein.^[53]

In a comparison of the federal states, Schleswig-Holstein has the highest student-to-teacher ratio in Germany at around 16.5:1 (national average: 15.2:1). In addition, Schleswig-Holstein is 14th from 16 federal state in terms of expenditure per pupil at public schools with around 5750 euros (national average: 6500 euros).^[54]

There are three universities in Kiel (classical, budget 167.1 M€), Lübeck (medicine, budget 80.8 M€) and Flensburg (pedagogical, 37.4 M€).^[55] Six public Universities of Applied Sciences exist in Wedel, Altenholz, Flensburg, Heide, Kiel, and Lübeck.^[56] There is the Conservatory in Lübeck and the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts in Kiel. There are also three private institutions of higher learning.^[55]

• 

  Universität zu Lübeck

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

See also[edit]

• Outline of Germany
• Schleswig
• Holstein-Glückstadt
• Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Norburg
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön-Rethwisch
• Coat of arms of Schleswig
• Region Sønderjylland-Schleswig
• Schleswig-Holstein Police

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official government portal
• Geographic data related to Schleswig-Holstein at OpenStreetMap
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). «Schleswig-Holstein» . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Schleswig-Holstein Slesvig-Holsten (Danish) Sleswig-Holsteen (Low German) Slaswik-Holstiinj (North Frisian)
State
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates: 54°28′12″N 9°30′50″E / 54.47000°N 9.51389°E
Country	Germany
Capital	Kiel
Government
• Body	Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein
• Minister-President	Daniel Günther (CDU)
• Governing parties	CDU / Greens
• Bundesrat votes	4 (of 69)
• Bundestag seats	28 (of 736)
Area
• Total	15,763.17 km2 (6,086.19 sq mi)
Population  (04.01.2022)[1]
• Total	2,920,850
• Density	190/km2 (480/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	DE-SH
Vehicle registration	formerly: S (1945–1947), SH (1947), BS (1948–1956)[2]
GRP (nominal)	€97,2 billion (2020)[3]
GRP per capita	€33.400 (2020)
NUTS Region	DEF
HDI (2018)	0.924[4] very high · 13th of 16
Website	schleswig-holstein.de

Schleswig-Holstein (pronounced [ˌʃleːsvɪç ˈhɔlʃtaɪn] (listen); Danish: Slesvig-Holsten; Low German: Sleswig-Holsteen; North Frisian: Slaswik-Holstiinj) 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.

The region is called Slesvig-Holsten in Danish and pronounced [ˌsle̝ːsvi ˈhʌlˌste̝ˀn]. The Low German name is Sleswig-Holsteen, and the North Frisian name is Slaswik-Holstiinj. In more dated English, it is also known as Sleswick-Holsatia. Historically, 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. It covers an area of 15,763 km² (6,086 sq mi), making it the 5th smallest German federal state by area (including the city-states).

Schleswig was under Danish control during the Viking Age, but in the 12th century it escaped full control and became a duchy. It bordered Holstein, which was a part of the Holy Roman Empire. Beginning in 1460, both Schleswig and Holstein were ruled together by the Danish king acting as duke of both Schleswig and Holstein, with the latter remaining a part of Germany. 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 the area. Prussia responded by invading, thus beginning the First Schleswig War, which ended in a victory for Denmark and the signing of the 1852 London Protocol. But the fight broke out again in 1864 (the Second Schleswig War), and this time Prussia and Austria won and the territory was absorbed into Prussia in 1867. More than 50 years later, 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 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 is a major industry, and the basis of its distinctive unique local cuisine. It is a popular tourist destination for Germans.

History[edit]

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 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 the Empire) was the River Eider.

The term “Schleswig” originally referred to the city of Schleswig. The city’s name derives from Schlei “inlet” in the east and vik, which meant inlet in Old Norse and settlement in Old Saxon, and is cognate with the «-wick» and «-wich» elements in place-names in Britain.

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 the same relationship with the Danish Crown as, for example, Brandenburg or Bavaria had with the Holy Roman Emperor. Around 1100, the Duke of Saxony gave Holstein to Count Adolf I of Schauenburg.

Duchies in the Danish realm[edit]

Schleswig and Holstein have at different times belonged in part or completely to either Denmark or Germany, or have been virtually independent of both nations. Schleswig was never part of Germany until after the Second Schleswig War in 1864. But for many centuries, the king of Denmark was both a Danish Duke of Schleswig and a German Duke of Holstein. Essentially, Schleswig was either integrated into Denmark or was a Danish fief, and Holstein was a German fief and once, long before that, a sovereign state. 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 the Kingdom of Denmark. Government business in both duchies was conducted in the German language, even though for a long time they were governed from Copenhagen. (Beginning in 1523, however, they were governed by the German Chancellery, which in 1806 was renamed the Schleswig-Holstein Chancellery). After the Protestant Reformation, church services were conducted in German in the southern part of Schleswig, and in Danish in the northern part. This difference would later contribute strongly to shaping the inhabitants’ national sentiments, as would the different languages spoken in different schools after 1814, when mandatory schooling was instituted.

Schleswig-Holstein Question[edit]

The German national awakening that followed the Napoleonic Wars gave rise to a strong popular movement in Holstein and Southern Schleswig for unification with a new Prussian-dominated Germany. This development was paralleled by an equally strong Danish national awakening in Denmark and Northern Schleswig. This movement called for the complete reintegration of Schleswig into the Kingdom of Denmark and demanded an end to discrimination against Danes in Schleswig. The ensuing conflict is sometimes called the Schleswig-Holstein Question. In 1848, King Frederick VII of Denmark declared that he would grant Denmark a liberal constitution and the immediate goal for 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 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 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), which ended in a Danish victory at Idstedt.

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 Duchy of Glücksburg, who became Christian IX. The transmission of 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. The promulgation of a common constitution for Denmark and Schleswig in November 1863 prompted Otto von Bismarck to intervene and Prussia and Austria declared war on Denmark. This was the Second War of Schleswig, which ended in Danish defeat. British attempts to mediate in the London Conference of 1864 failed, and Denmark lost Schleswig (Northern and Southern Schleswig), Holstein, and Lauenburg to Prussia and Austria.

Province of Prussia[edit]

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 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 the province saw a wave of emigration to America, while some Danes of North Schleswig emigrated to Denmark.

Plebiscite in 1920[edit]

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 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 the island of Föhr showed a Danish majority, and the rest of the Danish vote was primarily in the town of Flensburg.^[5]

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 which was never challenged by Adolf Hitler.

In 1937, the Nazis passed the so-called Greater Hamburg Act (Groß-Hamburg-Gesetz), where 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^[6]), the 711-year-long independence of the Hansestadt Lübeck came to an end, and almost all its territory was incorporated into Schleswig-Holstein.

State of Federal Germany[edit]

After World War II, 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.^[7]

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%.^[8] 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, the German and Danish governments issued the Bonn-Copenhagen Declarations confirming the rights of the ethnic minorities on both sides of the border.^[9] Conditions between the nationalities have since been stable and generally respectful.

Geography[edit]

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 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 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 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.^[10]

The German Islands of Sylt, Föhr, Pellworm, Amrum, Heligoland and Fehmarn are part of Schleswig-Holstein, with the latter being the largest and the only Island of Schleswig-Holstein located on the east coast.^[11] Heligoland is Germany’s only high-sea island.^[11]

• 

  Geest (Island Sylt)

• 

  Seestermüher Marsh

• 

  Eckernförde Bay

• 

  Wadden Sea

• 

  Schleswig-Holsteinische Schweiz

• 

  Kieler Förde

Administration[edit]

Administrative Division[edit]

Schleswig-Holstein is divided into 11 Kreise (Districts) and four Kreisfreie Städte (Urban Districts).

Legislature[edit]

Schleswig-Holstein has its own parliament and government which are located in the state capital Kiel.^[14]

Executive Branch[edit]

The Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein is elected by the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein.^[14]

Portfolio	Minister	Party	Took office	Left office	State secretaries
Minister-President		Daniel Günther born 24 July 1973 (age 49)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent
Deputy Minister-President Minister for Finance		Monika Heinold born 30 December 1958 (age 64)		GRÜNE	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Silke Torp Oliver Rabe
Minister for Justice and Health		Kerstin von der Decken born 22 November 1968 (age 54)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Otto Carstens Oliver Grundei
Minister for Education, Training, Science, Research and Culture		Karin Prien born 26 June 1965 (age 57)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Dorit Stenke Guido Wendt
Minister for Interior, Communities, Housing and Sport		Sabine Sütterlin-Waack born 15 February 1958 (age 64)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Jörg Sibbel Magdalena Finke
Minister for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature		Tobias Goldschmidt born 16 September 1981 (age 41)		GRÜNE	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Katja Günther Joschka Knuth
Minister for Economics, Transport, Labour, Technology and Tourism		Claus Ruhe Madsen born 27 August 1972 (age 50)		Ind. (CDU nomination)	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Tobias von der Heide Julia Carstens
Minister for Social Affairs, Youth, Family, Seniors, Integration and Equality		Aminata Touré born 15 November 1992 (age 30)		GRÜNE	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Johannes Albig
Minister for Agriculture, Rural Areas, Europe and Consumer Protection		Werner Schwarz born 10 April 1960 (age 62)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Anne Benett-Sturies
Chief of the State Chancellery		Dirk Schrödter born 17 October 1978 (age 44)		CDU	29 June 2022	Incumbent	Johannes Callsen Sandra Gerken

Recent elections[edit]

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.

List of Minister-Presidents of Schleswig-Holstein[edit]

Demographics[edit]

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 a natural decrease of -8,459.

Vital statistics[edit]

Religion[edit]

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 Evangelical 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.^[17]

Foreigners[edit]

Largest groups of foreign residents by 31 December 2020^{[citation needed]}

Syria	34,670
Poland	28,975
Turkey	27,895
Romania	17,255
Afghanistan	15,485
Iraq	11,995
Bulgaria	9,470
Russia	8,240
Denmark	7,065
Italy	5,875

Culture[edit]

Schleswig-Holstein combines Danish, Frisian and German aspects of culture. The castles and manors in 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 is an annual event, except for 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID19-Pandemic.^[18] It took place again in June 2022.^[18]

The annual Wacken Open Air festival is considered to be the largest heavy metal rock festival in the world.

• 

  Kiel Week 2019

• 

  Wacken Open Air Festival

• 

  Kiel Week 2019

Symbols[edit]

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 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 the Name of the agency using the logo is shown or the motto «Der echte Norden» (Germany’s true North).^[19]

The motto of Schleswig-Holstein is «Up ewich ungedeelt» (Middle Low German: «Forever undivided», modern High German: «Auf ewig ungeteilt»). It goes back to the Treaty of Ribe (Danish: Ribe Håndfæstning German: Handfeste von Ripen) in 1460. Ripen (Ribe) is a historical small town in Northern Schleswig, nowadays Denmark.^[9]

The anthem from 1844 is called «Wanke nicht, mein Vaterland» («Don’t falter, my fatherland»), but it is usually referred to with its first line «Schleswig-Holstein meerumschlungen» (i.e., «Schleswig-Holstein embraced by the seas») or «Schleswig-Holstein-Lied» (Schleswig-Holstein song).

The old city of Lübeck is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Food and drink[edit]

Distinctive point of the cuisine is combination of sweetness with a taste contrast like sour or salty. These combinations are also described as «broken sweetness» is especially present in dishes which are sweet-sour.

Typical dishes are:

• Birnen, Bohnen und Speck consist of pears, beans, savory, parsley, bacon and potatoes
• Holsteiner Sauerfleisch is sour aspic
• Holsteiner Katenschinken is ham with traditional cold-smoking method
• Different using of Nordseekraben in soup, porrenpann, with toast or scrambled eggs
• Famous is smoked Kieler Sprotten
• Other fish also is popular: Flatfish or Herring
• Grünkohl. In the Schleswig-Holstein there is a real cult around this vegetable. In the autumn and winter months groups of friends or colleagues go on a cabbage ride and choose their cabbage king, often combined with the typical regional sports of Boßeln and Klootschießen. The most popular dish is Grünkohl with Mettenden, but also possible other combination like Grünkohl with Kassler and ‘Schweinebacke’. The Dithmarsch marshland is particularly suitable for growing cabbage. The soils are fertile, so that a good yield can still be achieved even in bad years. Due to the constant sea wind, there are far fewer pests in the area
• Lübecker Marzipan is a sweet made from ground almonds, sugar and added flavorings
• Lakritz confection flavored with extract of the roots of the liquorice plant (sweet, salt, salmiak and choco)
• Lübecker Rotspon, Bordeaux wine, which is delivered in oak barrels to Lübeck and there it maturated.
• Flensburger Rum-Verschnitt, braun mix of oversea rum, water and neutral alcohol (typical 40-42%)

• 

  Crab toast with dill

• 

  Holsteiner Sauerfleisch

• 

  Holsteiner Katenschinken

• 

  Kieler Sprotten

• 

  Birnen, Bohnen und Speck

• 

  Grünkohl mit Mettenden

Languages[edit]

The official language of Schleswig-Holstein is German.^[20] In addition, Low German, Danish and North Frisian are recognized minority languages.^[21]

Historically, Low German (in Holstein and Southern Schleswig), Danish (in Schleswig), and North Frisian (in Western Schleswig) were widely spoken in Schleswig-Holstein. During the language change in the 19th century some Danish and North Frisian dialects in Southern Schleswig were replaced by Standard German.^{[22][23]
[24]}

Low German is still used in many parts of the state. Missingsch, a Low German dialect with heavy High German (Standard German) influence, is commonly spoken informally throughout the state, while a mixed language Petuh (mixture of High German and Danish) is used in and around Flensburg. Danish is used by the Danish minority in Southern Schleswig, and North Frisian is spoken by the North Frisians of the North Sea Coast and the Northern Frisian Islands in Southern Schleswig. The North Frisian dialect called Heligolandic (Halunder) is spoken on the island of Heligoland.

As is the case throughout Germany, High German, introduced in the 16th century, has come to steadily replace local dialects for official purposes, and is today the predominant language of media, law and legislature. It is spoken by virtually all inhabitants in formal situations. Since the end of World War II and widespread adoption of TV, radio and other mass media, it has gradually come to supplant local dialects in urban areas as well.

Economy[edit]

The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the state was 62.7 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 1.9% of German economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 30,400 euros or 101% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 95% of the EU average. The GDP per capita was the lowest of all states in West Germany.^[25] In 2017, Schleswig-Holstein had an export surplus for the first time since 1989: export 22.6 billion euros/ import 20.8 billion euros.

Energy[edit]

Schleswig-Holstein is a leader in the country’s growing renewable energy industry.^[26] In 2014, Schleswig-Holstein became the first German state to cover 100% of its electric power demand with renewable energy sources (chiefly wind 70%, solar 3.8%, and biomass 8.3%).^[27]

The largest German oil field Mittelplate is located in the North Sea off the Dithmarsch coast and connected with refinery in Hemmingstedt and chemical plants in Brunsbüttel via pipeline. It produce ca. 1.4 million tonnes of oil annually.

Nuclear power[edit]

There were three nuclear power plants in Schleswig-Holstein: Krümmel, Brunsbüttel and Brockdorf. The last operating plant in Schleswig-Holstein, the Brokdorf-plant was shut down on new-years eve 2021.^[28]

There is also a nuclear research center known Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (rebranded as Hereon) with 2 research reactors, located right next to the Krümmel plant.^[29]

During the 1990s, ten more cases of leukemia among children than was expected were identified in Elbmarsch, near the Krümmel plant. Anti-nuclear activists believed it was due to the nuclear plant, which led to several investigations. The reported discovery of small spherical beads of nuclear material in the area led to further concern, as well as the presence of minute amounts of plutonium in the Elbe. The origins of the nuclear material were disputed, with one report determining them to not be that of the Krümmel plant. Another report claimed that they may have come from an undisclosed fire in 1986, however this theory has been questioned as it would have required a substantial government coverup. The Chernobyl disaster has also been suggested as a source, though is considered unlikely. The probable source of the material, especially in the Elbe, is nuclear reprocessing plants in France. A 2010 report exonerated the nuclear power plants on the Elbe as the cause of contamination. Further doubt was cast on the nature of the supposed beads of nuclear material, with a Federal commission chastising the original commission that claimed to have discovered the beads. The exact cause of the increased leukemia cases remains unknown, and could be due to other environmental factors, or even by chance.^{[30][31][32][33][34]}

The nuclear plants have further been questioned as a source of the cases due to comparison to the Savannah River Site in the United States. Despite release of radiation at the Savannah River Site, there is no increase in cases of leukemia around it. Alternative hypotheses for the cause of the cases have included electromagnetic fields, parental radiation exposure prior to conception, other carcinogens, and benzene exposure; however, none have been supported by the existing evidence. Intriguingly, a larger case-control study in Lower Saxony found a correlation between the «untrained immune system» (as judged as contact with other children, vaccinations, etc.) and leukemia risk, suggested that an immature immune system that has not been challenged is at greater risk for developing malignancy, possibly secondary to an undetermined environment factor.^[35][36]

• 

  NPP Krümmel

• 

  View form Elbe: Left is NPP Krümmel, right is the Research Center

• 

  KKK — NPP Krümmel, GKSS — Research Center

• 

  Brokdorf Nuclear Power Plant

Tourism[edit]

Located between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, Schleswig-Holstein is also a popular tourist destination in Germany. Its islands, beaches and cities attract millions of tourists every year. It has the second highest tourism intensity per local among the German states, after Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, but in absolute value it is rank 6th and only 1/3 of top destination Bavaria.^[37] According to a ruling by the Federal Administrative Court, everyone has the right to free access to the beach. Nevertheless, most of the seaside resorts kept cashing in (2-€3 /day/person).^[38]

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

  Historic City Center of Lübeck

• 

• 

• 

Agriculture[edit]

63% of land in Schleswig-Holstein (990 403 ha) is used for agriculture (national average 47%).^[39]

Cultivated crops:^[40]

• Wheat, 208 000 ha
• Maize for silage, 176 000 ha
• Winter rapeseed, 112 000 ha
• Sugar beet, 7 500 ha
• Potatoes, 5 500 ha

There are some special cultivation regions:

• Elbmarschen, west of Hamburg for fruits cultivation
• Ditmarschen for cabbage
• Between Mölln and Lübeck for asparagus
• Pinnenberg for tree nurseries and flower garden (especially, roses of Rosen Tantau and W. Kordes’ Söhne), 2 931 ha. These 2 companies have over 50% of the world cut roses market. There is a German Nurseries Museum («Deutsches Baumschulmuseum»).^[40]

• 

  Rosa Iceberg («World-favorite Rose», 1983) from W. Kordes’ Söhne

• 

  Tree nursery in Pinneberg

• 

• 

  Greenhouse of Rosen Tantau

• 

  Rosa Apricola («Goldenen Rose», 2005) from W. Kordes’ Söhne

• 

Animal husbandry[edit]

The dairy and cattle farming in connection with fodder cultivation is mainly concentrated on the marshland and the bordering Geest areas. In 2020, around 1 million cattle including 360,000 dairy cows were counted in Schleswig-Holstein, rank 4th of German states. Livestock is continuously declining.^[41]

Schleswig-Holstein is home of the most productive dairy cattle: Holsteins, which produce an average of 8,125 l (2,146 US gal) per year of milk. It is now the main dairy cow around the world.

Pig breeding is mainly found in the Schleswig-Holstein Uplands. In principle, Schleswig-Holstein is one of the regions with relatively few pigs (a total of around 1.6 million; in comparison Lower Saxony: over 8 million). Poultry and sheep are also of little importance in animal husbandry.^[40]

Schleswig-Holstein had Europe’s largest snake farm in Uetersen with over 600 venomous reptiles, but it closed in 2019.^[42]

Fishing and Aquaculture[edit]

Total production from fishing in North and Baltic Seas was 40 780 tonnes in 2019, ca. 1/3 German production.^[43]

In the Baltic Sea total production amounted to 10377 tonnes (2019), of which 5432 tonnes of sprat, 2568 tonnes of flatfish and 1190 tonnes of cod.^[43]

In the North Sea the numbers were 19,487 tonnes of mussels, 3560 tonnes of North Sea shrimp, 1166 tonnes of herring and 7062 other fishes.^[43]

The one important aquaculture product is mussels, 16864 tonnes.^[43]

Inland fishing and aquaculture is not significant with 221 and 250 tonnes in 2019 respectively.^[43]

Companies[edit]

The largest company headquarters in Schleswig-Holstein with annual sales over 1 billion euros are:

• Wholesaler Bartels-Langness, Kiel 5.3 billion €
• Conglomerate Possehl, Lübeck 3.8 billion €
• Medical equipment manufacturer Drägerwerke, Lübeck 3.4 billion €
• Telecommunication service provider Freenet, Büdelsdorf 2.9 billion €
• Oil refinery Heide, Hemmingstedt 2.4 billion €
• Submarine shipyards ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Kiel 1.8 billion €

The unemployment rate stood at 5.0% in October 2021.^[44]

Industries[edit]

• Shipbuilding. Ca. 20% of German shipbuilding. The biggest ship yard ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems situated in Kiel and build submarines of 212 and 214 types. In Flensburg FSG yard build ferries. Famous luxury megayachts are built by Lürssen-Kröger Werft, Schacht-Audorf and Nobiskrug, Rendsburg.^[46] Shipyards in Lübeck^[47] and Caterpillar-MaK marine engine plant were closed.^[48] Raytheon Anschütz deliveries navigation equipment, autopilots, radars to shipyards.

• Locomotive. Vossloh Locomotives (owned by Chinese CRRC) manufactures three models of diesel-hydraulic (G6, G12, G18) and two models of diesel-electric (DE12, DE18) locomotives. Other manufacturer was Voith Turbo Lokomotivtechnik, but closed in 2014 year.^[49] Both firms are in Kiel.

• 

  Vossloh G 12

• 

  Vossloh DE 18

• 

  Vossloh G 2000 BB

• 

  Voith Gravita 15L BB

• 

  Voith Revita

• 

  Voith Maxima

• Industrial equipment. Fish and poultry processing machinery from Baader, Lübeck, bottle washers and pasteurizers from Krones, Flensburg, grinding machine tools from Peter Wolters, Rendsburg, machinery to manufacture man-made fibers and non-woven textile from Oerlikon Neumag and Oerlikon Nonwoven, Neumünster.
• Medical and labor equipment. Drägerwerk, Lübeck manufacture breathing equipment, medical ventilators and monitors, anesthetic machines, neonatal incubators, gas detectors, drug testing equipment, diving equipment, rebreathers, breathalyzer . The company delivery breathing devices for reanimation COVID-19 patients. Euroimmun, Lübeck produces test systems with which antibodies can be determined in the serum of patients and thus autoimmune and infectious diseases (including COVID-19) as well as allergies.
• Chemical. Almost all chemical industry concentrate around Brunsbüttel. Covestro with 650 employee produced annually 400 000 tonnes methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, which using in synthesis of polyurethane. Yara (214 empl.) produce nitrogen fertilizers, but with special process instead of using natural gas, it use heavy oil, which allow also manufacture as byproduct vanadium oxide and sulphur. Heavy oil is source material to produce bitumen by Total Bitumen (130 empl.). Other plant is Sasol (520 empl.) produce fatty and Guerbet alcohols, paraffin and high-purity aluminum oxide, aluminum hydroxide and triethylaluminium. Other important location of chemical industry is Neumünster with EMS-Griltech which manufacture technical fibers from polyamides and polyesters, adhesives and powder coatings.

Transport[edit]

Kiel Canal[edit]

The most important transport way in Schleswig-Holstein is Kiel Canal, which connect Brunsbüttel on North Sea with Kiel on Baltic Sea. Total cargo of ships reach peaks in 2007 and 2012, after that it continuous decline with 73.8 million tonnes in 2020.^[50]

• 

• 

• 

  Ferry Hochdonn

• 

  Pilot Station Rüsterbergen

Ports[edit]

The state has a total of 46 public ports and landing stages, four of which fulfill international transit functions: Kiel, Lübeck / Travemünde and Puttgarden on the Baltic Sea, Brunsbüttel on the North Sea. Kiel and Lübeck are also important for freight traffic to Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Lübeck-Travemünde and Kiel are also important ferry and cruise ports. Puttgarden is the German port of the Vogelfluglinie to Denmark. Brunsbüttel is an important port for bulk goods and also serves as the basis for the offshore wind energy industry.

Education[edit]

Compulsory education starts for children who are six years old on 30 June.^[52] All children attend a «Grundschule», which is Germany’s equivalent to primary school, for the first 4 years and then move on to a secondary school.^[52] In Schleswig-Holstein there are «Gemeinschaftsschulen», which is a type of comprehensive school. The regional schools, which go by the German name «Regionalschule» have been done away with as of 1 January 2014.^[52] The option of a Gymnasium is still available.^[52]

During the schoolyear 2021/2022, there are 393 Grundschulen in Schleswig-Holstein educating 101.675 students.^[53] Combined with secondary schools, there are a total of 360.922 Students in Schleswig-Holstein.^[53]

In a comparison of the federal states, Schleswig-Holstein has the highest student-to-teacher ratio in Germany at around 16.5:1 (national average: 15.2:1). In addition, Schleswig-Holstein is 14th from 16 federal state in terms of expenditure per pupil at public schools with around 5750 euros (national average: 6500 euros).^[54]

There are three universities in Kiel (classical, budget 167.1 M€), Lübeck (medicine, budget 80.8 M€) and Flensburg (pedagogical, 37.4 M€).^[55] Six public Universities of Applied Sciences exist in Wedel, Altenholz, Flensburg, Heide, Kiel, and Lübeck.^[56] There is the Conservatory in Lübeck and the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts in Kiel. There are also three private institutions of higher learning.^[55]

• 

  Universität zu Lübeck

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

See also[edit]

• Outline of Germany
• Schleswig
• Holstein-Glückstadt
• Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Norburg
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön-Rethwisch
• Coat of arms of Schleswig
• Region Sønderjylland-Schleswig
• Schleswig-Holstein Police

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official government portal
• Geographic data related to Schleswig-Holstein at OpenStreetMap
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). «Schleswig-Holstein» . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

На севере Германии в городах земли Шлезвиг-Гольштейн в течение последних двух месяцев лета проходит один из самых зрелищных музыкальных фестивалей в мире – Музыкальный фестиваль в Шлезвиг-Гольштейне. Он был основан в 1986 году и с тех пор – это одно из интереснейших международных событий культуры и искусства. В программе фестиваля принимают участие как восходящие звезды, так и всемирно известные исполнители. Вместо традиционных выступлений в оперных и концертных залах, мероприятия проходят в живописных старинных замках, особняках, изящных церквях и фермерских домах Шлезвиг-Гольштейна. Концерты также проходят и на совершенно необычных площадках, например, в лодочных ангарах, яхт-клубах, теплицах и промышленных помещениях. Отличительной особенность Фестиваля является непринужденная дружеская атмосфера концертов. Фестиваль дает уникальную возможность насладиться классической музыкой на лоне природы, совместив посещение концерта с пикником в самых живописных уголках Шлезвиг-Гольштейна.

С 1996 по 2013 гг. в качестве творческой темы Фестиваля предлагалась музыка и культура одной из стран мира, им и была посвящена программа Фестиваля. За эти годы зрители и артисты Фестиваля совершили настоящее кругосветное путешествие, проехав из Финляндии в Японию, из США в Россию. Со сменой художественного руководителя в 2014 году (Кристиан Кунт) Фестиваль взял новое направление. Теперь темой Фестивалей становится жизнь и творчество какого-либо выдающегося композитора. В этом году многие исполнители построили программы своих выступлений вокруг произведений Йозефа Гайдна.

«Готовь сани летом» — эта народная мудрость не теряет своей актуальности даже в наш сумасшедший век информационных и прочих технологий. И хотя до Рождества еще несколько месяцев, сейчас уже стоит определиться, где вы проведете это волшебное время. Discovery для себя такой выбор уже сделал. Мы отправимся в путешествие по немецким рождественским базарам.

Любек, земля Шлезвиг-Гольштейн

Одно из главных украшений праздничного Любека — рождественская ярмарка, известная с 1648 года. Ганзейский город не зря включен в Список Всемирного наследия ЮНЕСКО. Здесь даже веселая праздничная кутерьма на улицах выглядит особенно живописно. Больше всего впечатляет «Звездный лес» в историческом центре, где убранные мерцающими свечами рождественские елки и торговые киоски в виде нарядных деревянных домиков создают волшебную атмосферу. 

Совет: Попробуйте кружку пунша в старинном погребке Gotteskeller в ресторане «Морского общества». 

www.luebeck-christmas.com

Киль, земля Шлезвиг-Гольштейн

В Киле множество ярмарок, и все недалеко друг от друга. Ратушная площадь с симпатичными деревянными киосками похожа на сказочную скандинавскую деревню. Особенно когда по натянутому над ней тросу проносится на старинном ганзейском корабле рождественский гном Килиан. Старый рынок, Асмус-Бремер-плац и Хольстенплац — еще три площади с нарядными рождественскими городками. А на набережной у самой кромки Балтийского моря любителей коньков и керлинга ждет городской каток «Ледяной фестиваль». 

Совет: Остановитесь в трехзвездочном отеле Berliner Hof, откуда легко добраться пешком до основных рождественских ярмарок. 

www.kieler-weihnachtsmaerkte.de/en

Бремен, земля Бремен

Близится звездный час праздничного базара Шлахтенцаубер на средневековой набережной Везерпроменаде, где царит зимнее настроение и атмосфера дальних плаваний. Погулять с размахом приглашает и рождественская ярмарка на Рыночной площади вокруг ратуши и знаменитой статуи Бременского Роланда — двух объектов Всемирного наследия ЮНЕСКО. Эта ярмарка считается самой красивой в стране. 

Совет: Из номеров отеля Classico открываются виды на праздничные улицы старого города. Продегустируйте глинтвейн в ресторане Bremer Ratskeller, старейшем винном погребке Германии. 

www.bremen-tourism.de/ru

Хильдесхайм, земля Нижняя Саксония

Старинная Рыночная площадь с ратушей и знаменитым фахверковым Домом гильдии мясников — идеальное обрамление для рождественской ярмарки в средневековом Хильдесхайме. С 27 ноября по 28 декабря праздничный городок с украшенными киосками на Рыночной площади и площади Лилии приглашает на большую прогулку и угощение. 

Совет: Остановитесь прямо на Рыночной площади в отеле Van der Valk с видом на ярмарку. Его здание с темно-коричневым фахверковым фасадом — памятник архитектуры. 

www.hildesheimer-weihnachtsmarkt.de

Гамбург, земля Гамбург

В главном портовом городе Германии в 2017 году — целых 15 рождественских ярмарок на все вкусы: от романтической «Зимней сказки» на Юнгфернштиг до эротической «Санта-Паули» на Репербан, где в зимнем павильоне гостей согреют камины и живая музыка. Особенно красивы тематические торговые ряды в центре города перед эффектной старинной ратушей — на этой исторической ярмарке всегда есть на что посмотреть и что попробовать. Не пропустите главное зрелище — полет Санта-Клауса, который трижды в день проносится над рождественской ярмаркой в сверкающих санях. 

Совет: Насладитесь чаем с выпечкой в атмосфере праздничного вечера в традиционно украшенной гостиной отеля Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten. 

www.hamburg-travel.com

Росток, земля Мекленбург — Передняя Померания 

30 аттракционов и более миллиона праздничных огней гарантируют веселое настроение в старинном центре 800-летнего ганзейского города. Гвоздь программы — историческая рождественская ярмарка в саду монастыря Святого Креста, с жонглерами, ремесленниками и актерами. Ежедневные театрализованные представления, турниры по стрельбе из лука, огненные шоу и сытная крестьянская кухня перенесут посетителей в мир Средневековья. 

Совет: Загляните в старейший городской рыбный ресторан Zur Kogge, украшенный моделями кораблей и морской атрибутикой. 

www.rostock.de/en