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A ' () means "governmental district" and is a type of
administrative division Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...
in Germany. Four of sixteen ' ( states of Germany) are split into '. Beneath these are rural and urban districts.
Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
has ' (directorate districts) with more responsibilities shifted from the state parliament. The cities of Bremen,
Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...
and
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
– the
city state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...
s – have a different system. ' serve as regional mid-level local government units in four of Germany's sixteen federal states:
Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
,
Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
,
Hesse Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are Dar ...
and
North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inha ...
. Each of the nineteen ' features a non-
legislative A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known ...
governing body A governing body is a group of people that has the authority to exercise governance over an organization or political entity. The most formal is a government, a body whose sole responsibility and authority is to make binding decisions in a taken ...
called a ' (governing presidium) or ' (district government) headed by a '' Regierungspräsident'' (governing president), concerned mostly with administrative decisions on a local level for districts within its jurisdiction.


Translations

' is a German term variously translated into English as "governmental district", "administrative district" or "province",Shapiro, Henry D. and Jonathan D. Sarna, ''Ethnic Diversity and Civic Identity'', Illinois: UIP, 1992, p. 135. with the first two being the closest literal translations.


History

The first ' were established in the
Kingdom of Bavaria The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German ...
and the
Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (german: Königreich Preußen, ) was a German kingdom that constituted the state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918. Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. ...
in 1808. During the course of the
Prussian reforms The Prussian Reform Movement was a series of constitutional, administrative, social and economic reforms early in nineteenth-century Prussia. They are sometimes known as the Stein-Hardenberg Reforms, for Karl Freiherr vom Stein and Karl August ...
between 1808 and 1816, Prussia subdivided its
provinces A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
into 25 ', eventually featuring 37 such districts within 12 provinces. By 1871, at the time of
German unification The unification of Germany (, ) was the process of building the modern German nation state with federal features based on the concept of Lesser Germany (one without multinational Austria), which commenced on 18 August 1866 with adoption of t ...
, the concept of ' had been adopted by most States of the German Empire. Similar entities were initially established in other states under different names, including ' (district captainship) in
Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
, ' (district) in Bavaria and
Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Württ ...
(not to be confused with the present-day ' or ' districts), and ''province'' in Hesse. The names of these equivalent administrative divisions were standardized to ' in
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
, but after
World War II 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 opposing ...
these naming reforms were reverted. The ' in the state of
North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inha ...
in modern Germany are in direct continuation of those created in the Prussian
Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...
and
Westphalia Westphalia (; german: Westfalen ; nds, Westfalen ) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of and 7.9 million inhabitants. The territory of the regio ...
provinces in 1816. ''Regierungsbezirke'' never existed in Bremen, Hamburg,
Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein (; da, Slesvig-Holsten; nds, Sleswig-Holsteen; frr, Slaswik-Holstiinj) is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Sc ...
, and
Saarland The Saarland (, ; french: Sarre ) is a state of Germany in the south west of the country. With an area of and population of 990,509 in 2018, it is the smallest German state in area apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, and ...
. In 1946,
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 ...
was founded by the merger of the three former Free States of Brunswick, Free State of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Free State of Schaumburg-Lippe, Schaumburg-Lippe, and the former Prussian province of Hanover. Brunswick and Oldenburg became ' (roughly administrative regions of extended competence) alongside six less autonomous Prussian-style ' comprising the Province of Hanover and Schaumburg-Lippe. These differences in autonomy and size were levelled on 1 January 1978, when four ' replaced the two ' and the six ': Brunswick and Oldenburg, Aurich, Hanover (region), Hanover (remaining mostly the same), Hildesheim, Lüneburg, Osnabrück and Stade (region), Stade. Following the reunification of Germany in 1990, the territory of the former East Germany was organized into six re-established New states of Germany, new federal states, including a reunified
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
.
Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
and Saxony-Anhalt established three ' each, while the other new states didn't implement them.


2000s disbandment and reorganization

During the 2000s, four German states discontinued the use of '. On 1 January 2000, Rhineland-Palatinate disbanded its three ' of Koblenz (region), Koblenz, Rheinhessen-Pfalz and Trier (region), Trier. The employees and assets of the three ' were converted into three public authorities responsible for the whole state, each covering a part of the former responsibilities of the '. On 1 January 2004, Saxony-Anhalt disbanded its three ' of Dessau (region), Dessau, Halle (region), Halle and Magdeburg (region), Magdeburg. The responsibilities are now covered by a ' (county administration office) with three offices at the former seats of the '. On 1 January 2005, Lower Saxony followed suit, disbanding its remaining four ' of Braunschweig (region), Brunswick, Hanover (region), Hanover, Lüneburg (region), Lüneburg, and Weser-Ems. On 1 August 2008, Saxony restructured its counties ('), changed the name of its ' to ' (directorate districts), and moved some responsibilities to the districts. The ' were still named ''Chemnitz'', ''Dresden'', and ''Leipzig'', but a border change was necessary because the new district of Mittelsachsen crossed the borders of the old '. On 1 March 2012, the ' were merged into one ' (county directorate).


''Regierungsbezirke'' by state

Currently, only four German states out of 16 in total are divided into '; all others are directly divided into districts without mid-level agencies. Those four states are divided into a total of 19 ', ranging in population from 5,255,000 (Duesseldorf (region), Düsseldorf) to 1,065,000 (Gießen (region), Gießen): *
Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
: Freiburg (region), Freiburg, Karlsruhe (region), Karlsruhe, Stuttgart (region), Stuttgart, Tübingen (region), Tübingen *
Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
: Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, Upper Palatinate, Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia, Lower Franconia, Swabia (Bavaria), Swabia *
Hesse Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are Dar ...
: Darmstadt (region), Darmstadt, Gießen (region), Gießen, Kassel (region), Kassel *
North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inha ...
: Arnsberg (region), Arnsberg, Cologne (region), Cologne, Detmold (region), Detmold, Düsseldorf (region), Düsseldorf, Münster (region), Münster


List of historic former ''Regierungsbezirke''

* Prussia **
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
, comprising the city and several suburbs, incorporated into ''Regierungsbezirk'' Potsdam of Province of Brandenburg, Brandenburg in 1822 ** Kleve (region), Kleve, Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, incorporated into Düsseldorf (region), Düsseldorf region in 1822 ** Dzierżoniów, Reichenbach, Province of Silesia, incorporated into Wrocław, Breslau and Legnica, Liegnitz regions in 1820 ** Stralsund (region), Stralsund, Province of Pomerania (1815–1945), Province of Pomerania, incorporated into Stettin (region), Stettin Region in 1932 * Dissolved in 1919/20 after cession of territory according to the Treaty of Versailles: ** Bromberg (region), Bromberg, Province of Posen ** Danzig (region), Danzig, Province of West Prussia (see Free City of Danzig) ** Bezirk Lothringen, Lorraine, Imperial Land of Alsace-Lorraine ** Unterelsaß, Lower Alsace, Imperial Land of Alsace-Lorraine ** Marienwerder (region), Marienwerder, Province of West Prussia, re-established as West Prussia region of the Province of East Prussia, East Prussia province in 1922 ** Posen (region), Posen, Province of Posen ** Oberelsaß, Upper Alsace, Imperial Land of Alsace-Lorraine * Established after the 1939 Invasion of Poland, dissolved in 1945: ** Inowrocław, Hohensalza, ''Reichsgau Wartheland'' ** Katowice, Kattowitz, Province of Silesia (Province of Upper Silesia, Upper Silesia from 1941) ** Łódź, Litzmannstadt (Kalisz, Kalisch until 1941), ''Reichsgau Wartheland'' ** Poznań, Posen, ''Reichsgau Wartheland'' ** Zichenau (region), Zichenau, Province of East Prussia * Former eastern territories of Germany, Former eastern territories, dissolved in 1945: ** Allenstein (region), Allenstein, Province of East Prussia ** Wrocław, Breslau, Province of Silesia ** Regierungsbezirk Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Province of Brandenburg ** Gumbinnen (region), Gumbinnen, Province of East Prussia ** Köslin (region), Köslin, Province of Pomerania ** Königsberg (region), Königsberg, Province of East Prussia ** Legnica, Liegnitz, Province of Silesia ** Opole, Oppeln, Province of Silesia ** Posen-West Prussia (Piła, Schneidemühl), Province of Pomerania, established in 1938 ** Stettin (region), Stettin, Province of Pomerania * Allied-occupied Germany: ** Erfurt (region), Erfurt, dissolved in 1944/1945 ** Regierungsbezirk Frankfurt, Frankfurt, dissolved in 1945, Province of Brandenburg ** Liegnitz (region), Liegnitz, Province of Silesia, dissolved in 1945 ** Magdeburg (region), Magdeburg, dissolved in 1945, reestablished in 1990 and redissolved in 2004 ** Merseburg (region), Merseburg, dissolved in 1944/1945 ** Minden (region), Minden, Province of Westphalia, incorporated into Detmold (region), Detmold in 1947 ** Potsdam (region), Potsdam, dissolved in 1945, Province of Brandenburg ** Schleswig (region), Schleswig, dissolved in 1946, Province of Schleswig-Holstein ** Sigmaringen, Province of Hohenzollern, incorporated into Württemberg-Hohenzollern in 1946. ** Stettin (region), Stettin, dissolved in 1945, Province of Pomerania


References


External links

{{Authority control Government regions of Germany, Lists of subdivisions of Germany, Regierungsbezirke Government regions of Prussia,