Province of Brandenburg

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The Province of Brandenburg (German: Provinz Brandenburg) was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946. Its capital was originally Potsdam, before moving to Berlin in 1827, then back to Potsdam in 1843 and finally in Berlin-Charlottenburg in 1918.

Contents 1 History 2 Administration 2.1 Regierungsbezirk Frankfurt 2.2 Regierungsbezirk Potsdam 3 External Links

[edit] History

The province of Brandenburg was created from the majority of the territory that previously formed the Margravate of Brandenburg which had been under Prussian rule since the House of Hohenzollern, rulers of Brandenburg, inherited the Duchy of Prussia in 1618 (see Brandenburg-Prussia). The major territorial difference was that the province’s western border was brought eastward to the Elbe River, with the Altmark region (east of the Elbe) going to the newly-formed Province of Saxony. The Neumark region east of the Oder River was retained by Brandenburg, as was Lower Lusatia.

The Greater Berlin Act of 1920 separated the city of Berlin from Brandenburg to form a separate province. The act also expanded the borders of Berlin, incorporating numerous surrounding districts and towns, to form Greater Berlin (German: Groß-Berlin).

In 1946, after World War II, the section of Brandenburg east of the Oder-Neisse line was ceded to Poland to form the Poznań Voivodeship. The remaining territory became part of the Soviet occupation zone and became part of East Germany in 1949. Following German reunification in 1990 Brandenburg was re-established as a state of the Federal Republic of Germany.

[edit] Administration

The province of Brandenburg was divided into two Regierungsbezirke

[edit] Regierungsbezirk Frankfurt

Urban districts (Stadtkreise)

1. Cottbus (from 1886)
2. Forst (Lausitz) (from 1897)
3. Frankfurt an der Oder (from 1826)
4. Guben (from 1884)
5. Landsberg (Warthe) (from 1892)

Rural districts (Landkreise)

1. Calau
2. Cottbus
3. Crossen (Oder)
4. Guben
5. Königsberg Nm.
6. Landsberg (Warthe)
7. Lebus
8. Luckau
9. Lübben (Spreewald)
10. Meseritz
11. Oststernberg
12. Schwerin (Warthe)
13. Soldin
14. Sorau (Lausitz)
15. Spremberg (Lausitz)
16. Weststernberg
17. Züllichau-Schwiebus

[edit] Regierungsbezirk Potsdam

Urban districts (Stadtkreise)

1. Lichtenberg (1908-1920; from 1912: known as Berlin-Lichtenberg; after 1920: part of Groß-Berlin)
2. Schöneberg (1899-1920; from 1912: known as Berlin-Schöneberg; after 1920: part of Groß-Berlin)
3. Wilmersdorf (1907-1920; from 1912: known as Berlin-Wilmersdorf; after 1920: part of Groß-Berlin)
4. Brandenburg (Havel) (from 1881)
5. Charlottenburg (1877-1920; then a part of Groß-Berlin)
6. Eberswalde (from 1911)
7. Neukölln (1899-1920; then a part of Groß-Berlin)
8. Potsdam (from 1809)
9. Rathenow (from1925)
10. Spandau (1886-1920; then a part of Groß-Berlin)
11. Wittenberge (from 1922)

Rural districts (Landkreise)

1. Angermünde
2. Beeskow-Storkow
3. Jüterbog-Luckenwalde
4. Niederbarnim (mostly incorporated into Groß-Berlin in 1920)
5. Oberbarnim
6. Osthavelland (mostly incorporated into Groß-Berlin in 1920)
7. Ostprignitz
8. Prenzlau
9. Ruppin
10. Teltow (mostly incorporated into Groß-Berlin in 1920)
11. Templin
12. Westhavelland
13. Westprignitz
14. Zauch-Belzig

[edit] External Links

• Further information (in German)
• Population breakdown of Brandenburg province, 1910 (in German)