- Herzogtum Lauenburg
Infobox German district noregbez
name=Herzogtum Lauenburg
state=Schleswig-Holstein
capital=Ratzeburg
area=1263
population=182,600
population_as_of=2002
density=145
carsign=RZ
url= [http://www.herzogtum-lauenburg.de herzogtum-lauenburg.de]
Herzogtum Lauenburg is the southernmost "Kreis", or district, of
Schleswig-Holstein ,Germany . It is bordered by (from the west and clockwise) the district ofStormarn , the city ofLübeck , the state ofMecklenburg-Vorpommern (districts ofNordwestmecklenburg and Ludwigslust), the state ofLower Saxony (districts of Lüneburg andHarburg ), and the city state ofHamburg . The district Herzogtum Lauenburg (literally "Duchy of Lauenburg") is named after the former Duchy ofSaxe-Lauenburg .Geography
This area contains a number of historically important towns, e.g.
Lauenburg/Elbe , Mölln andRatzeburg . This importance was due to theOld Salt Route ("Alte Salzstraße"), one of the major medieval trade routes. Salt from the salt-works south of the Elbe river was transported northward toLübeck . The transport of salt was also the motive for constructing the oldest artificial waterway of Europe, theStecknitz Canal (1398). It was replaced in 1900 by theElbe-Lübeck Canal .The landscape is characterized by numerous lakes, forming the
Lauenburg Lakes Nature Park . The largest lake is theRatzeburger See with an area of 16 km².History
The district Herzogtum Lauenburg is named after the medieval Duchy of
Saxe-Lauenburg , which was one of the remnants of the originalDuchy of Saxony . The Duchy of Saxony was divided in 1260 into the two states of Saxe-Wittenberg and Saxe-Lauenburg.Saxe-Lauenburg was also known simply as Lauenburg. While the territory of Saxe-Wittenberg changed drastically over the centuries, the Duchy of Lauenburg remained almost unchanged, until it lost its independence in 1689, when it was inherited by the
Principality of Lüneburg . From 1815-1864 it belonged to theDuke of Holstein and the King ofDenmark , who was one and the same. In 1864 it fell toPrussia after theSecond Schleswig War . For a short period Lauenburg was still an autonomous entity, but in 1876 it was incorporated as a district into the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein.Lauenburg was the first capital of the district. In 1937 the city of
Ratzeburg , which had formerly been a part ofMecklenburg , became a part of the district.Politics
Coat of arms
External links
* [http://www.herzogtum-lauenburg.de Official website] de icon
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