Helmstedt

Infobox German Location
Art = city
image_photo = Juleum Helmstedt.jpg
image_caption = "Juleum Novum", building of the former University of Helmstedt
Wappen = Stadtwappen Helmstedt.pnglat_deg = 52 | lat_min = 13 | lat_sec = 41
lon_deg = 11 | lon_min = 00 | lon_sec = 38
Bundesland = Lower Saxony
Landkreis = Helmstedt
Höhe = 123
Fläche = 46.97
Einwohner = 25389
Stand = 2005-12-31
pop_ref = [ [http://www.nls.niedersachsen.de/Download/StatistischeBerichte/AI2_hj1_2005Gesamt.pdf Population data] ]
PLZ = 38350
PLZ-alt = 3330
Vorwahl = 05351
Kfz = HE
Gemeindeschlüssel = 03 1 54 010
Gliederung = 4 Boroughs
Adresse = Markt 1
Website = [http://www.stadt-helmstedt.de www.stadt-helmstedt.de]
Bürgermeister = Heinz-Dieter Eisermann
Bürgermeistertitel = Bürgermeister
Partei = neutral
ruling_party1 =
ruling_party2 =
ruling_party3 =

Helmstedt [ˈhɛlmˌʃtɛt] is a city located at the eastern edge of the German state of Lower Saxony. It is the capital of the District of Helmstedt. Helmstedt has 26,000 inhabitants (2004). In former times the city was also called "Helmstädt".

Helmstedt developed in the vicinity of the Benedictine St. Ludger's Abbey that was founded around 800 by Saint Liudger as a missionary station. Helmstedt was first mentioned in 952; it became a city in 1247. It belonged to the Abbacy of Werden until 1490, when it was bought by the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. From 1576 to 1810, the University of Helmstedt was located here.

From the late 1940s to 1990, the town was the site of a major border crossing between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic. The main rail and autobahn route between West Germany and Berlin, across the GDR, began at the Helmstedt-Marienborn border crossing, also known as Checkpoint Alpha. Official military traffic from NATO countries to West Berlin was allowed to use only this route.

Famous citizens

* Franz Heinrich Ludolf Ahrens, classicist
* Bibiana Beglau, actress
* Victor von Bruns, physician
* Hans Krebs, military officer
* Rudolf Leuckart, biologist
* Anton August Heinrich Lichtenstein, zoologist
* Andree Wiedener, footballer

In addition, see the list of famous students and professors of the University of Helmstedt.

Twinnings

* Vitré, France since 1978
* Chard, United Kingdom since 1980
* Albuquerque, United States since 1983
* Fiuggi, Italy since 1986
* Haldensleben, Germany since 1990
* Svetlahorsk, Belarus since 1991
* Orăştie, Romania since 2002

References and external links

* [http://www.stadt-helmstedt.de/ Official site (in German)]
* [http://helmstedt.jacbiermann.de/ District Emmerstedt (in German)]
* [http://www.helmstedt-citytour.de/ Helmstedt-CITYTOUR (photo-gallery)]
* [http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/dyn/controller/mapPerformPage?strLocation=Helmstedt&strCountry=eur&google=1 Map of Helmstedt]
* [http://home.att.net/~rw.rynerson/alphabhf.htm Photos and information on Helmstedt's role in Allied military rail operations in 1969-70]
* [http://home.att.net/~rails_to_berlin/border.htm Riding with the locomotive engineer (engine driver) across the former intra-German frontier in 2005]
* [http://www.geocities.com/albrwi/he/Helmstedt_1970-71.html Photos of rail operations in and around Helmstedt in 1970-71 (in German)]