.gif)
Wittmund (district)
Encyclopedia
Wittmund is a Landkreis
(district) in the northwestern part of Lower Saxony
, Germany
. It is situated in East Frisia
, on the North Sea
coast. Neighboring districts are (from the east clockwise) Friesland
, Leer
and Aurich
.
and of the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park. The coastal areas of the mainland are also known as Harlinger Land. The islands of Langeoog
and Spiekeroog
, both belonging to the East Frisian Islands
, are part of this district.
in 1885 from the Amt Wittmund, the Amt Esens and the City of Esens. All were previously part of the District of Aurich
. In 1977 the district was merged with the District of Friesland
; however, the merger was not popular. The merger was declared unconstitutional in 1979 because it violated the rights of the former State of Oldenburg
to which Friesland had belonged, and the two districts were re-established in their old boundaries.
in Saxony-Anhalt
. It was started with German reunification
in 1990 to help to establish district administration in former East Germany.
Districts of Germany
The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....
(district) in the northwestern part of Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is situated in East Frisia
East Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
, on the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
coast. Neighboring districts are (from the east clockwise) Friesland
Friesland (district)
Friesland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Wesermarsch, Ammerland, Leer and Wittmund, and by the North Sea...
, Leer
Leer (district)
Leer is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the city of Emden, the districts of Aurich, Wittmund, Friesland, Ammerland, Cloppenburg and Emsland, and by the Netherlands ....
and Aurich
Aurich (district)
Aurich is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the North Sea, the districts of Wittmund and Leer, and the city of Emden.- History :...
.
Geography
The district contains part of the Wadden SeaWadden Sea
The Wadden Sea is an intertidal zone in the southeastern part of the North Sea. It lies between the coast of northwestern continental Europe and the range of Frisian Islands, forming a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands. It is rich in biological diversity...
and of the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park. The coastal areas of the mainland are also known as Harlinger Land. The islands of Langeoog
Langeoog
Langeoog is one of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands at the edge of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea in the southern North Sea, located between Baltrum Island , and Spiekeroog . It is also a municipality in the district of Wittmund in Lower Saxony, Germany. The name Langeoog means Long Island in...
and Spiekeroog
Spiekeroog
Spiekeroog is one of the East Frisian Islands, off the North Sea coast of Germany. It is situated between Langeoog to its west, and Wangerooge to its east. The island belongs to the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony in Germany. The only village on the island is also called...
, both belonging to the East Frisian Islands
East Frisian Islands
The East Frisian Islands are a chain of islands in the North Sea, off the coast of East Frisia in Lower Saxony, Germany. The islands extend for some from west to east between the mouths of the Ems and Jade / Weser rivers and lie about 3.5 to 10 km offshore...
, are part of this district.
History
The district was created by the Kingdom of PrussiaKingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
in 1885 from the Amt Wittmund, the Amt Esens and the City of Esens. All were previously part of the District of Aurich
Aurich (district)
Aurich is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the North Sea, the districts of Wittmund and Leer, and the city of Emden.- History :...
. In 1977 the district was merged with the District of Friesland
Friesland (district)
Friesland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Wesermarsch, Ammerland, Leer and Wittmund, and by the North Sea...
; however, the merger was not popular. The merger was declared unconstitutional in 1979 because it violated the rights of the former State of Oldenburg
Oldenburg (state)
Oldenburg — named after its capital, the town of Oldenburg — was a state in the north of present-day Germany. Oldenburg survived from 1180 until 1918 as a county, duchy and grand duchy, and from 1918 until 1946 as a free state. It was located near the mouth of the River Weser...
to which Friesland had belonged, and the two districts were re-established in their old boundaries.
Partnerships
The district has a partnership with the district of SchönebeckSchönebeck (district)
Schönebeck was a district in the middle of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Neighboring districts are the district-free city Magdeburg, the districts Jerichower Land, Anhalt-Zerbst, Köthen, Bernburg, Aschersleben-Staßfurt and Bördekreis.- History :The district was created on July 1, 1816, with the capital...
in Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
. It was started with German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
in 1990 to help to establish district administration in former East Germany.
Coat of arms
The ship in the coat of arms symbolizes the coastal location of the district. The three sails show heraldic symbols for the district - the front one shows a bear as the symbol of the Attena family from Esens, who ruled in the 14th and 15th century. The legend of the bear saving the City of Esens from its besiegers is associated with Balthasar Oomkens von Esens Balthasar Oomkens von Esens Balthasar Oomkens von Esens was an East Frisian nobleman who died during the siege of his castle in Esens by the Bremen army. He was described by his partisans as the last true Frisian freedom fighter, although some decried his seemingly insatiable appetite for violence.-Biography and... . The main sail shows two tournament lances as the symbol of the Hero Omken or Hero Oomkens von Esens Hero Oomkens von Esens Hero Oomkens von Esens was a Frisian nobleman, Earl of Harlingerland, who inherited the title on the death of his father, Sibet Attena von Esens, in 1473. He is usually referred to as Hero Oomkens "the Younger" to distinguish him from his maternal grandfather, Hero Oomkens the Elder... , taken from the coat of arms of the City of Wittmund. The eagle in the rear sail stands for the castle and Amt Friedeburg. |
Towns and municipalities
| Towns | Samtgemeinden | |
|---|---|---|
Free municipalities
|
Dunum Dunum is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Holtgast Holtgast is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Moorweg Moorweg is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Neuharlingersiel Neuharlingersiel is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Stedesdorf Stedesdorf is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Werdum Werdum is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... |
Blomberg, Lower Saxony Blomberg is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Eversmeer Eversmeer is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Nenndorf Nenndorf is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Neuschoo Neuschoo is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Ochtersum Ochtersum is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Schweindorf Schweindorf is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Utarp Utarp is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... Westerholt Westerholt is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.... 1 |
| |colspan=2 align=center|1seat of the Samtgemeinde; 2town |