Schleswig-Holstein
State in Germany / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Schleswig-Holstein (pronounced [ˌʃleːsvɪç ˈhɔlʃtaɪn] ⓘ; Danish: Slesvig-Holsten [ˌsle̝ːsvi ˈhʌlˌste̝ˀn]; Low German: Sleswig-Holsteen; North Frisian: Slaswik-Holstiinj; English: Sleswick-Holsatia[5]) 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. 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-Holstein
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Coordinates: 54°28′12″N 9°30′50″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 (4 January 2022)[1] | |
• Total | 2,920,850 |
• Density | 190/km2 (480/sq mi) |
GDP | |
• Total | €112.755 billion (2022) |
• Per capita | €41,925 (2022) |
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)[3] |
NUTS Region | DEF |
HDI (2018) | 0.924[4] very high · 13th of 16 |
Website | schleswig-holstein.de |
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.
Between 500 and 1200 Schleswig was an integral part of Denmark, but during the 12th century, Duke Abel of Schlewig came into conflict with his brother King Eric IV. Abel managed to gain autonomy for Schleswig, making it an autonomous duchy. Later, Abel had Eric slain and seized the throne. Despite this, Schleswig remained an autonomous duchy within the Kingdom, setting the stage for future conflicts. 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 being part of the Holy Roman Empire. In the 19th century, both Danes and Germans claimed Schleswig-Holstein. Holstein was entirely ethnic German, while Schleswig was predominantly Danish-speaking until the late 1700 and early 1800s. During this period, a linguistic shift began in southern Schleswig, transitioning from Danish to German. This change divided the region into a German-speaking south and a Danish-speaking north. The resulting long-term political and territorial dispute was known as the Schleswig-Holstein Question. In 1848, Denmark tried to formally annex Schleswig into the Kingdom. Prussia responded by invading, thus starting the First Schleswig War, which ended in a victory for Denmark and the signing of the 1852 London Protocol. The conflict 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 mandated the return of Schleswig to Denmark, while France advocated for the new border to extend as far south as the Kiel Canal. Denmark lead by Carl T. Zahle and the Social Liberal Party suggested instead to decide the matter through plebiscites, leading to the 1920 Schleswig plebiscites, which resulted in the return of the Danish-speaking North Schleswig to Denmark. After World War II, the British and Soviets offered Denmark South Schleswig. Denmark's then Prime Minister, the Liberal Party's Knud Kristensen, accepted the offer. A survey showed that 75% of the Danish population supported the incorporation, 500,000 signatures had been collected in support of it and The Danish South Schleswig Association had sent the government a formal request for incorporation. However, one of the dominante parties Social Liberal Party feared that Denmark might again face wars like the two Schleswig Wars once Germany recovered from World War II. Therefore, they pressured the Prime Minister to call for new elections, where the Liberal Party did not secure enough mandates to form a government. The Social Democrats won the election with a minority government and could not gather enough mandates for the incorporation of South Schleswig. This outcome created a furious population and was considered a scandal. Realizing that the incorporation of South Schleswig was not feasible, the new government chose to proclaim the 1920 plebiscites as legitimate and that the borders would remain unchanged, opting instead for cooperation with the Germans. Rather than altering the border, the new government chose to support the Danish minority in South Schleswig with financial aid, a support that continues to this day. Social Liberal Party, blamed for the lost opportunity of South Schleswig's reunification with Denmark, would never again see the influence they had prior to this incident and remains a smaller and less influential party to this day.
Due to the forced migrations of Germans between 1944 and 1950, Schleswig-Holstein took in almost a million refugees after the war.
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 and tourists across the globe.