Gesetz über Groß-Hamburg und andere Gebietsbereinigungen
Encyclopedia
The Greater Hamburg Act was passed by the government of Nazi Germany
on January 26, 1937, and mandated the exchange of territories between Hamburg
and the Free State of Prussia. It became effective on 1 April 1937.1 Its full title in German was Gesetz über Groß-Hamburg und andere Gebietsbereinigungen ("Law Regarding Greater Hamburg and Other Territorial Readjustments").
and Cuxhaven. In return, Hamburg was enlarged by including formerly Prussian cities like Altona
, Wandsbek
, and Harburg-Wilhelmsburg
as well as a number of villages. This represented the formal merger of what had previously been referred to as the "Four-City-Region".
A symbolic but important change was the "re-naming" of Hamburg. It had to be referred to as "Hansestadt Hamburg" ("Hanseatic
city of Hamburg") instead of "Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg" ("Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg"). The reference to freedom in the older name dates back to the Holy Roman Empire
, which included a number of more or less independent imperial free cities, including Hamburg.
. Lübeck had been an independent member of the federation of states that formed the Reich before the Gleichschaltung
began to bring them into line in 1933-1934. Adolf Hitler
had a distaste for Lübeck ever since the city council forbade him to campaign there in 1932 although there was also a need to compensate Prussia for its losses to Hamburg. Besides Lübeck, which was incorporated into the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein
, Hamburg had to cede its possessions of Geesthacht, which went to Schleswig-Holstein as well, and Ritzebüttel (which included Cuxhaven), which went to the Province of Hanover
. From the possessions Prussia gave up to Hamburg, Altona
and Wandsbek
had belonged to Schleswig-Holstein, while Harburg-Wilhelmsburg
had been a part of Hanover.
As all of Nazi Germany
was divided into Gaue, the Gau leaders
of the regions neighbouring Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein
, and Mecklenburg
began vying for the control of the city. Its merging with Prussia represented the victory of the Schleswig-Holstein Gauleiter.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
on January 26, 1937, and mandated the exchange of territories between Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
and the Free State of Prussia. It became effective on 1 April 1937.1 Its full title in German was Gesetz über Groß-Hamburg und andere Gebietsbereinigungen ("Law Regarding Greater Hamburg and Other Territorial Readjustments").
Larger Hamburg
Hamburg lost most of its exclaves, including GeesthachtGeesthacht
Geesthacht is the largest city in the District of the Duchy of Lauenburg in Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany, 34 km southeast of Hamburg on the right bank of the river Elbe.-History:*Around 800: A church is documented....
and Cuxhaven. In return, Hamburg was enlarged by including formerly Prussian cities like Altona
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
, Wandsbek
Wandsbek
Wandsbek is the second-largest of seven boroughs that make up the city of Hamburg, Germany. The name of the district is derived from the river Wandse which passes here. The quarter Wandsbek, which is the former independent city, is urban and, with the quarters Eilbek and Marienthal part of the...
, and Harburg-Wilhelmsburg
Harburg-Wilhelmsburg
Harburg-Wilhelmsburg was a city in the Prussian Province of Hanover briefly in existence from 1927 and 1937, resulting from the merger of the cities of Harburg and Wilhelmsburg. In 1937, Harburg-Wilhelmsburg, along with the cities from the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein, Altona and...
as well as a number of villages. This represented the formal merger of what had previously been referred to as the "Four-City-Region".
A symbolic but important change was the "re-naming" of Hamburg. It had to be referred to as "Hansestadt Hamburg" ("Hanseatic
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
city of Hamburg") instead of "Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg" ("Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg"). The reference to freedom in the older name dates back to the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, which included a number of more or less independent imperial free cities, including Hamburg.
Prussia
Besides the regulations for Hamburg, the law merged the Free City of Lübeck with Prussia. Some smaller villages were included in the State of MecklenburgMecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
. Lübeck had been an independent member of the federation of states that formed the Reich before the Gleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung , meaning "coordination", "making the same", "bringing into line", is a Nazi term for the process by which the Nazi regime successively established a system of totalitarian control and tight coordination over all aspects of society. The historian Richard J...
began to bring them into line in 1933-1934. Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
had a distaste for Lübeck ever since the city council forbade him to campaign there in 1932 although there was also a need to compensate Prussia for its losses to Hamburg. Besides Lübeck, which was incorporated into the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein
Province of Schleswig-Holstein
The Province of Schleswig-Holstein was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to 1946. It was created from the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, which had been conquered by Prussia and the Austrian Empire from Denmark in the Second War of Schleswig in 1864...
, Hamburg had to cede its possessions of Geesthacht, which went to Schleswig-Holstein as well, and Ritzebüttel (which included Cuxhaven), which went to the Province of Hanover
Province of Hanover
The Province of Hanover was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to 1946.During the Austro-Prussian War, the Kingdom of Hanover had attempted to maintain a neutral position, along with some other member states of the German Confederation...
. From the possessions Prussia gave up to Hamburg, Altona
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
and Wandsbek
Wandsbek
Wandsbek is the second-largest of seven boroughs that make up the city of Hamburg, Germany. The name of the district is derived from the river Wandse which passes here. The quarter Wandsbek, which is the former independent city, is urban and, with the quarters Eilbek and Marienthal part of the...
had belonged to Schleswig-Holstein, while Harburg-Wilhelmsburg
Hamburg-Harburg
Harburg 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...
had been a part of Hanover.
As all of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
was divided into Gaue, the Gau leaders
Gauleiter
A Gauleiter was the party leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP or the head of a Gau or of a Reichsgau.-Creation and Early Usage:...
of the regions neighbouring Lübeck, 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 Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
began vying for the control of the city. Its merging with Prussia represented the victory of the Schleswig-Holstein Gauleiter.
Literature
- Dr. William Boehart: Das Groß-Hamburg-Gesetz - Ein Rückblick 70 Jahre danach. In Lichtwark-Heft Nr. 71, November 2006. Verlag HB-Werbung, Bergedorf. .