Free State of Oldenburg

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Freistaat Oldenburg
Free State of Oldenburg
State of Germany

1918 – 1946
Flag Coat of arms
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Oldenburg
Location of Oldenburg within Germany
Capital Oldenburg
Government Republic
History
 - Established 19181918
 - Disestablished 1946
Area
 - 1925 6,427 km² (2,481 sq mi)
Population
 - 1925 est. 545,172 
     Density 84.8 /km²  (219.7 /sq mi)

The Free State of Oldenburg was a state of the Weimar Republic. It was established in 1918 following the abdication of the Grand Duke Frederick Augustus II following the German Revolution.

In 1937, it lost the exclave districts of Eutin near the Baltic coast and Birkenfeld in southwestern Germany to Prussia and gained the City of Wilhelmshaven; however, this was a formality, as the Hitler regime had de facto abolished the federal states in 1934.

By the beginning of World War II in 1939, as a result of these territorial changes, Oldenburg had an area of 5,375 km² (2,075.3 sq mi) and 580,000 inhabitants.

After World War II, Oldenburg was merged into the newly founded state of Lower Saxony as the administrative region (Regierungsbezirk) of Oldenburg, both of which became a part of West Germany.

[edit] See also