Bouches-de-l'Elbe
Encyclopedia
Bouches-de-l'Elbe is the name of a département of the First French Empire
in present Germany
that survived three years. It is named after the mouth of the river Elbe
. It was formed in 1811, when the region, originally belonging partially to Bremen-Verden
(which in 1807 had been intermittently incorporated into the Kingdom of Westphalia
), to Hamburg, Lübeck and Saxe-Lauenburg, was annexed by France. Its territory is part of the present German lands Lower Saxony
, Schleswig-Holstein
and Hamburg. Its capital was Hamburg. The département was subdivided into the following arrondissement
s and cantons
:
After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, the département was redivided over the Kingdom of Hanover
(Bremen-Verden), the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg
and the free cities of Hamburg and Lübeck.
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
in present 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...
that survived three years. It is named after the mouth of the river Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
. It was formed in 1811, when the region, originally belonging partially to Bremen-Verden
Bremen-Verden
Bremen-Verden, formally the Duchies of Bremen and Verden , were two territories and immediate fiefs of the Holy Roman Empire, which emerged and gained Imperial immediacy in 1180...
(which in 1807 had been intermittently incorporated into the Kingdom of Westphalia
Kingdom of Westphalia
The Kingdom of Westphalia was a new country of 2.6 million Germans that existed from 1807-1813. It included of territory in Hesse and other parts of present-day Germany. While formally independent, it was a vassal state of the First French Empire, ruled by Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte...
), to Hamburg, Lübeck and Saxe-Lauenburg, was annexed by France. Its territory is part of the present German lands 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...
, Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
and Hamburg. Its capital was Hamburg. The département was subdivided into the following arrondissement
Arrondissement
Arrondissement is any of various administrative divisions of France, certain other Francophone countries, and the Netherlands.-France:The 101 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The capital of an arrondissement is called a...
s and cantons
Canton (subnational entity)
A canton is a type of administrative division of a country. In general, cantons are relatively small in terms of area and population when compared to other administrative divisions such as counties, departments or provinces. Internationally the best-known cantons, and the most politically...
:
- Hamburg, cantons: BergedorfBergedorfBergedorf is the largest of the seven boroughs of Hamburg, Germany and a quarter within this borough. In 2006 the population of the borough was 118,942.-History:...
, Hamburg, Hamm and Wilhelmsburg. - LübeckLübeckThe Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
, cantons: Lauenburg upon ElbeLauenburg/ElbeLauenburg/Elbe is a town in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated at the northern bank of the river Elbe, east of Hamburg. It is the southernmost town of Schleswig-Holstein. Lauenburg belongs to the Kreis of Herzogtum Lauenburg and had a population of 11,900 as of 2002...
, Lübeck, Mölln, Neuhaus upon ElbeAmt NeuhausAmt Neuhaus is a municipality in the District of Lunenburg , in Lower Saxony, Germany.- History :In the course of the eastern colonisation the area of today's Amt Neuhaus became a part of the Duchy of Saxony...
, RatzeburgRatzeburgRatzeburg is a town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is surrounded by four lakes—the resulting isthmuses between the lakes form the access lanes to the town. Ratzeburg is the capital of the Kreis of Lauenburg.-History:...
, SchwarzenbekSchwarzenbekSchwarzenbek is a town in the district of Lauenburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approximately 10 km northeast of Geesthacht, and 35 km east of Hamburg...
and Steinhorst (Lauenburg)Steinhorst (Lauenburg)Steinhorst is a municipality in Kreis Herzogtum Lauenburg in Schleswig-Holstein. It belongs to the Amt Sandesneben-Nusse.-Geography:...
. - LüneburgLüneburgLüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
, cantons: BardowickBardowickBardowick is a municipality in the district of Lüneburg in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is three miles north of Lüneburg on the navigable river Ilmenau. Bardowick is also the seat of the Samtgemeinde Bardowick.-History:The town was first mentioned in AD 795 and was raised to city status in AD 972 by...
, BuxtehudeBuxtehudeBuxtehude is a town on the Este River in Northern Germany in the district of Stade and part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region . Buxtehude is a steadily growing medium-sized town and the second largest in the district of Stade. It lies on the southern borders of the Altes Land within easy reach of...
, GarlstorfSalzhausenSalzhausen is a municipality in the district of Harburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 40 km southeast of Hamburg, and 15 km west of Lüneburg....
, HarburgHamburg-HarburgHarburg is a borough of the city of Hamburg, Germany and a quarter in this borough. The borough Harburg lies on the southern shores of the river Elbe and covers parts of the port of Hamburg, residential and rural areas and some research institutes...
, HittfeldSeevetalSeevetal is a municipality in the district of Harburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 20 km south of Hamburg, and 15 km west of Winsen . Its seat is in the village Hittfeld...
, LüneburgLüneburgLüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
, TostedtTostedtTostedt is a municipality in the district of Harburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 35 km southwest of Hamburg, and 12 km southwest of Buchholz in der Nordheide....
and Winsen upon LuheWinsen (Luhe)Winsen is the capital of the district of Harburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the small river Luhe, near its confluence with the Elbe, approx. 25 km southeast of Hamburg, and 20 km northwest of Lüneburg....
. - StadeStadeStade is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany and part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region . It is the seat of the district named after it...
, cantons: BremervördeBremervördeBremervörde is a town in the north of the district Rotenburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated at the Oste river near the mid of the triangle, which is formed of the rivers Weser and Elbe respectively the cities of Hamburg, Bremen and Cuxhaven....
, Freiburg upon ElbeFreiburg, Lower SaxonyFreiburg , or Freiborg is a municipality in the district of Stade, Lower Saxony, Germany.-History:...
, HimmelpfortenHimmelpfortenHimmelpforten is a municipality west of Hamburg in the district of Stade in Lower Saxony. Himmelpforten is also the seat of the Samtgemeinde Himmelpforten.-History:...
, HorneburgHorneburgHorneburg is a municipality southwest of Hamburg in the district of Stade in Lower Saxony.Horneburg is also the seat of the Samtgemeinde Horneburg.-History:Horneburg belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen...
, JorkJorkJork is a small town on the left bank of the Elbe, near Hamburg .Jork belongs to the district of Stade, in Lower Saxony. The town is the capital of the Altes Land, one of the biggest fruit growing areas in Europe, and Jork is home to a Fruit Research Center.-History:Jork was mentioned for the first...
, Neuhaus upon OsteNeuhaus (Oste)Neuhaus an der Oste is a municipality in the district of Cuxhaven, in Lower Saxony, Germany.-History:The area of today's Neuhaus belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, established in 1180...
, OtterndorfOtterndorfOtterndorf is a town on the coast of the North Sea in the region of Lower Saxony, Germany, and is part of the Samtgemeinde Land Hadeln . The town is at the mouth of the river Medem on part of the Elbe delta in the district Cuxhaven...
, Ritzebüttel, Stade and ZevenZevenZeven is a town in the district of Rotenburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of around 14,000. The nearest large towns are Bremerhaven, Bremen and Hamburg. It is situated approximately 22 km northwest of Rotenburg, and 40 km northeast of Bremen...
.
After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, the département was redivided over the Kingdom of Hanover
Kingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
(Bremen-Verden), the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg
Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg
The Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg between the 14th and 17th centuries), later also known as the Duchy of Lauenburg, was a reichsfrei duchy that existed 1296–1803 and 1814–1876 in the extreme southeast region of what is now Schleswig-Holstein...
and the free cities of Hamburg and Lübeck.