Greiz (district)

Greiz
District
Country  Germany
State Thuringia
Capital Greiz
Area
  Total 844 km2 (326 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2015)[1]
  Total 101,114
  Density 120/km2 (310/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Vehicle registration GRZ, ZR
Website www.landkreis-greiz.de

Greiz is a Kreis (district) in the east of Thuringia, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from the west clockwise) Saale-Holzland, Saale-Orla, district-free city Gera, the Burgenlandkreis in Saxony-Anhalt, Altenburger Land, and the two Saxon districts Zwickauer Land and Vogtlandkreis.

History

Historically the area of the district was part of the Vogtland, named after the title Vogt given to the local rulers in the 13th century. Only two lines of the Reuß family survived from that time, with one principality based in Greiz, and the other in Gera and Schleiz. In 1919 both were merged into the Volksstaat Reuß, which then became part of Thuringia in 1920.

A subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp was located at Berga/Elster during World War II. It was an SS joint venture, in which inmates dug tunnels and laid railway tracks for the Schwalbe V project.[2]

The district in its current form was created on July 1, 1994, when the districts Gera-Land, Zeulenroda and the previous district Greiz were merged.

Geography

In the south of the district are the mountains of the Thuringian Slate Mountains (Thüringer Schiefergebirge) and the Ore Mountains, with the river valley of the Weiße Elster going through the district from south to north.

Coat of arms

Both the lion as well as the crane in the top part of the coat of arms derive from the coat of arms of the Reuß families and their principalities. In the bottom is a part of the coat of arms of Saxony, as a small part of the district belonged to the Duchies of Saxony.

Towns and municipalities

Verwaltungsgemeinschaft-free towns and municipalities
  1. Auma-Weidatal
  2. Bad Köstritz
  3. Berga/Elster
  4. Greiz
  5. Hohenleuben
  6. Ronneburg
  7. Weida
  8. Zeulenroda-Triebes
  1. Caaschwitz
  2. Crimla
  3. Harth-Pöllnitz
  4. Hartmannsdorf
  5. Kraftsdorf
  6. Kühdorf
  1. Langenwetzendorf
  2. Langenwolschendorf
  3. Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf
  4. Neumühle/Elster
  5. Weißendorf
Verwaltungsgemeinschaften

1. Am Brahmetal

  1. Bethenhausen
  2. Brahmenau
  3. Großenstein1
  4. Hirschfeld
  5. Korbußen
  6. Pölzig
  7. Reichstädt
  8. Schwaara

2. Münchenbernsdorf

  1. Bocka
  2. Hundhaupten
  3. Lederhose
  4. Lindenkreuz
  5. Münchenbernsdorf1, 2
  6. Saara
  7. Schwarzbach
  8. Zedlitz

3. Wünschendorf/Elster

  1. Braunichswalde
  2. Endschütz
  3. Gauern
  4. Hilbersdorf
  5. Kauern
  6. Linda bei Weida
  7. Paitzdorf
  8. Rückersdorf
  9. Seelingstädt
  10. Teichwitz
  11. Wünschendorf/Elster1
1seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft;2town

Sights

Sights in the district Greiz:

Museums in the district Greiz:

References

  1. "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden, Gemeinschaftsfreie Gemeinde, erfüllende/beauftragende Gemeinden, Verwaltungsgemeinschaft/Mitgliedsgemeinden in Thüringen". Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik (in German). July 2016.
  2. Edward Victor. Alphabetical List of Camps, Subcamps and Other Camps. www.edwardvictor.com/Holocaust/List %20 of %20 camps.htm

Coordinates: 50°45′N 12°05′E / 50.75°N 12.08°E / 50.75; 12.08

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