Cuxhaven (; ) is an independent town and seat of the
Cuxhaven district
Cuxhaven is a district (''Landkreis'') in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the districts of Stade, Rotenburg, Osterholz and Wesermarsch, the city of Bremerhaven and the North Sea.
History
The district was ...
, in
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony (german: Niedersachsen ; nds, Neddersassen; stq, Läichsaksen) is a German state (') in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. The town includes the northernmost point of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the shore of the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
at the mouth of the
Elbe
The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Repu ...
River. Cuxhaven has a footprint of (east–west) by (north–south). Its town quarters
Duhnen
Duhnen (toponym derived from dunes) is a seaside resort (''Seebad'' ) along the North Sea, from the centre of Cuxhaven city, Lower Saxony, Germany. Duhnen is located northwest of Berlin. In 1935 Duhnen was incorporated into the city of Cuxh ...
,
Döse
Döse (Low German: ''Döös'') the northernmost town in Lower Saxony, Germany at the point where the River Elbe flows into the North Sea. It is a borough of the city Cuxhaven and a popular seaside resort. Döse is located west of Grimmershörn in ...
and
Sahlenburg are especially popular vacation spots on the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
and home to about 52,000 residents.
Cuxhaven is home to an important fisherman's wharf and ship registration point for
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
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, postal ...
as well as the
Kiel Canal until 2008. Tourism is also of great importance. The city and its precursor Ritzebüttel belonged to Hamburg from the 13th century until 1937. The island of
Neuwerk, a Hamburg dependency, is located just northwest of Cuxhaven in the North Sea. The city's symbol, known as the
Kugelbake
The Kugelbake (german: Ball Beacon) is a historic day beacon in the city of Cuxhaven, Germany, at the northernmost point of Lower Saxony, where the River Elbe flows into the North Sea. In the Low German dialect of the Middle Ages, the term ''bake' ...
, is a beacon once used as a
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
; the wooden landmark on the mouth of the Elbe marks the boundary between the river and the North Sea and also adorns the city's coat of arms.
History
Ritzebüttel, today a part of Cuxhaven, belonged to the
Land of Hadeln
Land Hadeln is a historic landscape and former administrative district in Northern Germany with its seat in Otterndorf on the Lower Elbe, the lower reaches of the River Elbe, in the Elbe-Weser Triangle between the estuaries of the Elbe and Wes ...
, first an exclave of the
younger Duchy of Saxony and after its de facto dynastic partition in 1296 of the
Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg, established ''
de jure
In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...
'' in 1260. In 1394 the city of
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
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, postal ...
conquered the fortress of Ritzebüttel and made it its stronghold to protect the estuary of the river
Elbe
The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Repu ...
, which connects that city with the open sea.
The
Hamburg America Line built a large
ocean liner
An ocean liner is a passenger ship primarily used as a form of transportation across seas or oceans. Ocean liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes (such as for pleasure cruises or as hospital ships).
Ca ...
terminal at Cuxhaven in 1900. Connected directly to Hamburg by a dedicated railway line and station, it served as the major departure point for
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
and
European emigrants until 1969 when ocean liner travel ceased. The ornate assembly hall and associated buildings survived wartime damage and peacetime demolition to be restored in 1998 for use as a museum and
cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as "s ...
terminal.
On 15 March 1907 Cuxhaven gained city status within the state of Hamburg. In 1937 Cuxhaven became an
urban district
Urban district may refer to:
* District
* Urban area
* Quarter (urban subdivision)
* Neighbourhood
Specific subdivisions in some countries:
* Urban districts of Denmark
* Urban districts of Germany
* Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland) (hist ...
of the
Stade Region within the Prussian
Province of Hanover by the
Greater Hamburg Act. In 1972 some municipalities of the neighboured rural district of ''Land of Hadeln'' were incorporated into the urban district of Cuxhaven. In 1977 Cuxhaven lost the status as urban district and was integrated into the new rural
District of Cuxhaven, being its capital.
During the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
Nordholz Airbase with its
airship hangars, near
Nordholz to the south of Cuxhaven, was one of the major
Imperial German Navy
The Imperial German Navy or the Imperial Navy () was the navy of the German Empire, which existed between 1871 and 1919. It grew out of the small Prussian Navy (from 1867 the North German Federal Navy), which was mainly for coast defence. Wilhel ...
airship
An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air.
In early ...
stations. On Christmas Day 1914 it was attacked by
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
seaplanes in the
Cuxhaven Raid
The Raid on Cuxhaven (german: link=no, Weihnachtsangriff, Christmas Raid) was a British ship-based Airstrike, air-raid on the Imperial German Navy at Cuxhaven mounted on Christmas Day, 1914.
Aircraft of the Royal Naval Air Service were carried ...
. It subsequently became a strategically important city as German authorities and civilians feared it would be the site of an
Allied
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
invasion.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the town hosted a base of a
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
radio network, codenamed BROWN, which transmitted data regarding experimental weapon developments, including rocketry. From this location the last
ENIGMA-code encrypted message of the war was transmitted on 7 May 1945. It reported the arrival of
British troops and ends: "Closing down for ever - all the best - goodbye."
Between 1945 and 1964 the
Hermann-Oberth-Gesellschaft performed various civilian
experiments in rocketry near Cuxhaven.
Tourism
The origins of tourism go back to the year 1816 when a seaside resort was founded in Cuxhaven. Since 1964 Cuxhaven has been a state-recognized climate seaside resort (''Seeheilbad'') and centre of the so-called holiday region of
Cuxland.
Geographical and cultural background
The town is served by
Cuxhaven station.
The island of
Neuwerk is situated off the coast from Cuxhaven. At
low tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another.
Tide tables can ...
the water recedes so far from the coast that the island can be reached either by
mudflat hiking
Mudflat hiking ( da, Vadehavsvandring, nl, Wadlopen, West Frisian: ''Waadrinnen'', german: Wattwandern) is a recreation enjoyed in the Netherlands, northwest Germany, Denmark, England and France. Mudflat hikers are people who, with the aid of a ...
or by
horse carriage.
A modern landmark of Cuxhaven is the
Friedrich-Clemens-Gerke Tower, a telecommunication tower built of concrete, which is not accessible to the public. It is not really a landmark, for many cities in Germany have a similar tower.
The
high-test peroxide
High-test peroxide (HTP) is a highly concentrated (85 to 98%) solution of hydrogen peroxide, with the remainder consisting predominantly of water. In contact with a catalyst, it decomposes into a high-temperature mixture of steam and oxygen, with n ...
(HTP) submarine
U 1407, was raised from where she had been scuttled in Cuxhaven after
WWII
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and rebuilt by the British, being commissioned as
HMS ''Meteorite''. It was the catalyst for a series of German-made
Air-independent propulsion
Air-independent propulsion (AIP), or air-independent power, is any marine propulsion technology that allows a non-nuclear submarine to operate without access to atmospheric oxygen (by surfacing or using a snorkel). AIP can augment or replace the ...
submarines such as the
Type 212 submarine
The German Type 212 class (German: U-Boot-Klasse 212 A), also Italian ''Todaro'' class, is a diesel-electric submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) for the German and Italian navies. It features diesel propulsion and an a ...
and
Type 214 submarine.
Twin towns – sister cities
Cuxhaven is
twinned with:
*
Binz, Germany (1990)
*
Hafnarfjörður, Iceland (1988)
*
Penzance
Penzance ( ; kw, Pennsans) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated ...
, England, United Kingdom (1967–1974, 2009–present)
*
Sassnitz, Germany (1990)
*
Vannes
Vannes (; br, Gwened) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2,000 years ago.
History Celtic Era
The name ''Vannes'' comes from the Veneti, a seafaring Celtic people who lived ...
, France (1963)
Notable people
*
Carsten Niebuhr
Carsten Niebuhr, or Karsten Niebuhr (17 March 1733 Lüdingworth – 26 April 1815 Meldorf, Dithmarschen), was a German mathematician, cartographer, and explorer in the service of Denmark. He is renowned for his participation in the Royal Danish ...
(1733–1815), mathematician, cartographer and explorer
*
Joachim Ringelnatz (1883–1934), poet, cabaret artiste and painter. Since 2002 the city hosts the Joachim Ringelnatz-Museum, managed by the Joachim Ringelnatz-Foundation.
*
Anna Strohsahl (1885–1953), first woman city councillor in Cuxhaven
*
Curt Rothenberger (1896–1959), lawyer and Nazi politician
*
Rainer Feist (1945–2007), Admiral, Deputy Supreme Commander of the
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
– HQ
*
Jochen Fraatz (born 1963), handball player, member of the national team
*
Gunnar Sauer (born 1964), footballer
*
Stefanie Schneider (born 1968), photographer/artist
*
Volker Neumüller (born 1969), music manager and former DSDS jury member
*
Constantin Schreiber (born 1979), journalist and author
*
Lena Petermann
Lena Petermann (born 5 February 1994) is a German football striker, currently playing for Montpellier in the Division 1 Feminine.
Club career
Petermann started her club career at Hamburger SV. In 2013, she moved to the United States to play ...
(born 1994), footballer
Climate
Cuxhaven has an
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
(
Köppen: ''Cfb'').
See also
*
Rocket experiments in the area of Cuxhaven
Between 1933 and 1964 numerous rocket experiments were carried out in the area of Cuxhaven, Germany.
1930s and 1940s
*In April 1933 Gerhard Zucker launched a mail rocket, which was to fly from Duhnen to the island of Neuwerk, but which fell to E ...
**
Operation Backfire
References
External links
Official site
Further Tourist Information
{{Authority control
Rocket launch sites in Germany
Towns in Lower Saxony
Populated places established in 1907
Port cities and towns in Germany
Port cities and towns of the North Sea
Populated riverside places in Germany
Populated places on the Elbe
Seaside resorts in Germany
Populated coastal places in Germany (North Sea)