District reforms in Germany after 1990

The article District reforms in Germany after 1990 records the implementation of area reforms at district level (independent cities and districts) after German reunification . There are 294 counties (including the Aachen region , the Hannover Region and the Regional Association Saarbrücken ) and 107 county-level cities in Germany. For each country , a list shows when and how the number of independent cities and districts has changed.

The terms such as integration or enlargement do not refer to the legal situation, but to the generally accepted regulation. Often it is a matter of associations , which are nevertheless not understood in this way by the majority of the population, even in the integrated circle . Therefore, the continuation or the reassignment of a name is the decisive criterion here. The legal regulation, whether it is an amalgamation or an incorporation / incorporation or has acted, is only of immediate importance. After a few years it is meaningless. Reference is made to specific articles where further information can be found.

Note on the effects of reunification

With the municipal constitution that came into force on May 17, 1990, the "districts" of the GDR were again referred to as "rural districts". On the occasion of German reunification on October 3, 1990, its layout ( apart from preparatory renaming ) remained unchanged.

Baden-Württemberg

The state of Baden-Württemberg was created on April 25, 1952 through the merger of the states of Baden, Württemberg-Baden and Württemberg-Hohenzollern.

The following urban and rural districts existed in the country on the day of reunification:

City districts: Baden-Baden , Freiburg im Breisgau , Heidelberg , Heilbronn , Karlsruhe , Mannheim , Pforzheim , Stuttgart and Ulm

Districts: Alb-Donau-Kreis , Biberach , Böblingen , Bodenseekreis , Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald , Calw , Emmendingen , Enzkreis , Esslingen , Freudenstadt , Göppingen , Heidenheim , Heilbronn , Hohenlohekreis , Karlsruhe , Konstanz , Lörrach , Ludwigsburg , Main-Tauber-Kreis , Neckar-Odenwald , Ortenaukreis , Ostalbkreis , Rastatt , Ravensburg , Rems-Murr-Kreis , Reutlingen , Rhein-Neckar-Kreis , Rottweil , Schwäbisch Hall , Schwarzwald-Baar , Sigmaringen , Tubingen , Tuttlingen , Waldshut and Zollernalbkreis

2011 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the Alb-Danube district around inhabited parts of the manor district of Münsingen , a community-free area of the district of Reutlingen

Number of urban and rural districts

date	City districts number	Counties number
3rd October 1990	9	35
today	9	35

Bavaria

The Free State of Bavaria has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since May 23, 1949.

On the day of reunification, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Amberg , Ansbach , Aschaffenburg , Augsburg , Bamberg , Bayreuth , Coburg , Erlangen , Fürth , Hof , Ingolstadt , Kaufbeuren , Kempten (Allgäu) , Landshut , Memmingen , Munich , Nuremberg , Passau , Regensburg , Rosenheim , Schwabach , Schweinfurt , Straubing , Weiden in the Upper Palatinate and Würzburg

Counties: Aichach-Friedberg , Altötting , Amberg-Sulzbach , Ansbach , Aschaffenburg , Augsburg , Bad Kissingen , Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen , Bamberg , Bayreuth , Berchtesgadener Land , Cham , Coburg , Dachau , Deggendorf , Dillingen an der Donau , Dingolfing-Landau , Donau-Ries , Ebersberg , Eichstätt , Erding , Erlangen-Höchstadt , Forchheim , Freising , Freyung-Grafenau , Fürstenfeldbruck , Fürth , Garmisch-Partenkirchen , Günzburg , Haßberge , Hof , Kelheim , Kitzingen , Kronach , Kulmbach , Landsberg am Lech , Landshut , Lichtenfels , Lindau (Bodensee) , Main-Spessart , Miesbach , Miltenberg , Mühldorf am Inn , Munich , Neuburg-Schrobenhausen , Neumarkt in the Upper Palatinate , Neustadt an der Aisch-Bad Windsheim , Neustadt an der Waldnaab , Neu-Ulm , Nürnberger Land , Oberallgäu , Ostallgäu , Passau , Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm , Regen , Regensburg , Rhön-Grabfeld , Rosenheim , Roth , Rottal-Inn , Schwandorf , Schweinfurt , Starnberg , Straubing-Bogen , Tirschenreuth , Traunstein , Untera llgäu , Weilheim-Schongau , Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen , Wunsiedel in the Fichtelgebirge and Würzburg

1994 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Aichach-Friedberg around the municipality of Baar (Swabia) of the district of Augsburg (spin-off from the municipality of Thierhaupten and formation of an independent municipality)

2013 , November 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Cham around part of the community-free area Einsiedler and Walderbacher Forst of the district of Schwandorf

Number of independent cities and districts

date	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990	25th	71
today	25th	71

Berlin

Berlin has been part of the Federal Republic of Germany since October 3rd, 1990.

For the status of the city, especially the western part, see the article Berlin (West)

1990 , October 3rd:

Neoplasm

the city of Berlin from the previous east and the previous west of the city and the municipality of Staaken in the district of Nauen , Brandenburg (previously Potsdam district ), part of the municipality of Ahrensfelde ( Berlin-Ahrensfelde ) of the district of Bernau and part of the municipality of Hönow ( Berlin- Hellersdorf ) of the Strausberg district , both districts in Brandenburg (previously Frankfurt district )

Number of independent cities and districts

date	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990	1	0
today	1	0

Brandenburg

The state of Brandenburg has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since October 3, 1990.

When joining the Federal Republic of Germany, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Brandenburg / Havel , Cottbus , Eisenhüttenstadt , Frankfurt / Oder , Potsdam and Schwedt / Oder

Counties: Angermünde , Bad Freienwalde , Bad Liebenwerda , Beeskow , Belzig , Bernau , Brandenburg , Calau , Cottbus , Eberswalde , Eisenhüttenstadt , Finsterwalde , Forst , Fürstenwalde , Gransee , Guben , Herzberg , Jüterbog , Königs Wusterhausen , Kyritz , Lübben , Luckau , Luckenwalde , Nauen , Neuruppin , Oranienburg , Perleberg , Potsdam , Prenzlau , Pritzwalk , Rathenow , Seelow , Senftenberg , Spremberg , Strausberg , Templin , Wittstock and Zossen

1990 , October 3rd:

Neoplasm

the city of Berlin from the previous east and the previous west of the city as well as the municipality of Staaken of the district of Nauen and part of the communities of Ahrensfelde ( Berlin-Ahrensfelde ) of the district of Bernau and Hönow ( Berlin-Hellersdorf ) of the district of Strausberg

1992 , August 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Perleberg to communities in the district of Ludwigslust , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
of the district of Prenzlau to communities in the districts of Pasewalk , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Strasburg , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

1993 , June 15:

renaming

the independent city of Brandenburg / Havel in Brandenburg an der Havel

1993 , December 6th:

resolution

of the district of Bad Freienwalde and division into the districts of Barnim and Märkisch-Oderland (main part)
of the district of Beeskow and division into the districts of Dahme-Spreewald and Oder-Spree (main part)
of the district of Brandenburg and division between the independent city of Brandenburg an der Havel and the district of Potsdam-Mittelmark
of the Cottbus district and split between the urban district Cottbus and the Spree-Neisse district
of the district of Eberswalde and division into the districts of Barnim (main part) and Uckermark
of the district of Fürstenwalde and division into the districts of Dahme-Spreewald , Märkisch-Oderland and Oder-Spree (main part)
of the Gransee district and subdivision to the Oberhavel (main part) and Ostprignitz-Ruppin districts
of the district of Herzberg and division into the districts of Elbe-Elster (main part) and Teltow-Fläming
of the Jüterbog district and division into the Potsdam-Mittelmark and Teltow-Fläming districts (main part)
of the district of Kyritz and division into the districts of Ostprignitz-Ruppin (main part) and Prignitz
of the district of Luckau and division into the districts of Dahme-Spreewald (main part) and Teltow-Fläming
of the district of Luckenwalde and division into the districts of Potsdam-Mittelmark and Teltow-Fläming (main part)
of the district of Potsdam and division into the independent city of Potsdam and the district of Potsdam-Mittelmark
of the district of Pritzwalk and division into the districts of Ostprignitz-Ruppin (main part) and Prignitz
of the district of Zossen and division into the districts of Dahme-Spreewald and Teltow-Fläming (main part)

Inclusion

the independent city of Eisenhüttenstadt in the Oder-Spree district
the independent city of Schwedt / Oder in the district of Uckermark
of the Angermünde district in the Uckermark district
of the Bad Liebenwerda district in the Elbe-Elster district
of the district of Belzig in the district of Potsdam-Mittelmark
of the district of Bernau in the district of Barnim
of the district of Calau in the district of Oberspreewald-Lausitz
of the Eisenhüttenstadt district in the Oder-Spree district
of the Finsterwalde district in the Elbe-Elster district
of the forest district in the Spree-Neisse district
of the district of Guben in the district of Spree-Neisse
of the district of Königs Wusterhausen in the district of Dahme-Spreewald
of the district of Lübben in the district of Dahme-Spreewald
of the district of Nauen in the district of Havelland
the district Neuruppin in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin
of the district of Oranienburg in the district of Oberhavel
of the district of Perleberg in the district of Prignitz
of the Prenzlau district in the Uckermark district
of the Rathenow district in the Havelland district
of the district of Seelow in the district of Märkisch-Oderland
of the Senftenberg district in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district
of the district of Spremberg in the district of Spree-Neisse
of the district of Strausberg in the district of Märkisch-Oderland
of the Templin district in the Uckermark district
of the district of Wittstock in the district of Ostprignitz-Ruppin

Neoplasm

of the district of Barnim from the district of Bernau and communities in the districts of Bad Freienwalde and Eberswalde
of the district of Dahme-Spreewald from the districts of Königs Wusterhausen and Lübben as well as communities of the districts of Beeskow and Luckau and the community of Wernsdorf of the district of Fürstenwalde and the community of Telz of the district of Zossen
of the Elbe-Elster district from the Bad Liebenwerda , Finsterwalde and Herzberg districts
of the Havelland district from the Nauen and Rathenow districts
of the district of Märkisch-Oderland from the districts of Seelow and Strausberg as well as communities of the district of Bad Freienwalde and the community of Rüdersdorf near Berlin of the district of Fürstenwalde
of the Oberhavel district from the Oranienburg district and communities in the Gransee district
of the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district from the Calau and Senftenberg districts
of the Oder-Spree district from the independent city of Eisenhüttenstadt , the Eisenhüttenstadt district and communities in the Beeskow and Fürstenwalde districts
of the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district from the Neuruppin and Wittstock districts as well as communities in the Kyritz and Pritzwalk districts and the Keller community in the Gransee district
of the district of Potsdam-Mittelmark from the districts of Belzig , Brandenburg and Potsdam and communities in the districts of Jüterbog and Luckenwalde
of the district of Prignitz from the districts of Perleberg and Pritzwalk and communities of the district of Kyritz
of the district of Spree-Neisse from the districts of Forst , Guben and Spremberg and municipalities of the district of Cottbus
of the Teltow-Fläming district from communities in the Jüterbog , Luckau , Luckenwalde and Zossen districts and the Schöna-Kolpien community of the Herzberg district
of the district of Uckermark from the independent city of Schwedt / Oder and the districts of Angermünde , Prenzlau and Templin as well as the municipality of Bölkendorf of the district of Eberswalde

enlargement

the independent city of Brandenburg an der Havel to communities of the Brandenburg district
the independent city of Cottbus to the municipalities of the district of Cottbus
the independent city of Potsdam to communities in the district of Potsdam

2003 , October 26th:

enlargement

the independent city of Brandenburg an der Havel to communities in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district
the independent city of Cottbus to the municipalities of the Spree-Neisse district
the independent city of Potsdam to the municipalities of the Potsdam-Mittelmark district
of the Havelland district around the municipality of Seeburg in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district (incorporated into Dallgow-Döberitz )

2009 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Märkisch-Oderland around the municipality of Hohensaaten of the district of Barnim (incorporated into Bad Freienwalde (Oder) )

Number of independent cities and districts

date	independent cities change	Counties change	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990			6th	38
December 6, 1993	- 2nd	- 24	4th	14th
today			4th	14th

Bremen

Bremen has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since May 23, 1949.

On the day of reunification, the independent cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven existed in the state .

Number of independent cities and districts

date	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990	2	0
today	2	0

Hamburg

Hamburg has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since May 23, 1949.

Number of independent cities and districts

date	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990	1	0
today	1	0

Hesse

The state of Hesse has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since May 23, 1949.

On the day of reunification, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Darmstadt , Frankfurt am Main , Kassel , Offenbach am Main and Wiesbaden

Districts: Bergstrasse , Darmstadt-Dieburg , Fulda , Gießen , Groß-Gerau , Hersfeld-Rotenburg , Hochtaunuskreis , Kassel , Lahn-Dill-Kreis , Limburg-Weilburg , Main-Kinzig-Kreis , Main-Taunus-Kreis , Marburg-Biedenkopf , Odenwaldkreis , Offenbach , Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis , Schwalm-Eder-Kreis , Vogelsbergkreis , Waldeck-Frankenberg , Werra-Meißner-Kreis and Wetteraukreis

Number of independent cities and districts

date	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990	5	21st
today	5	21st

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

The state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since October 3, 1990.

When joining the Federal Republic of Germany, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Greifswald , Neubrandenburg , Rostock , Schwerin , Stralsund and Wismar

Localities: Altentreptow , Anklam , Bad Doberan , Bützow , Demmin , Gadebusch , Greifswald , Grevesmühlen , Grimmen , Güstrow , Hagenow , Lübz , Ludwigslust , Malchin , Neubrandenburg , Neustrelitz , Parchim , Pasewalk , Ribnitz-Damgarten , Röbel / Müritz , Rostock , Rügen , Schwerin , Sternberg , Stralsund , Strasburg , Teterow , Ueckermünde , Waren , Wismar and Wolgast

1992 , August 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Perleberg , Brandenburg, to communities in the district of Ludwigslust
of the district of Prenzlau , Brandenburg, to communities in the districts of Pasewalk and Strasburg

1993 , June 30th:

enlargement

of the district of Lüneburg , Lower Saxony, to the municipalities of the Neuhaus office of the district of Hagenow

1994 , June 12th:

resolution

of the district of Bützow and division into the districts of Bad Doberan and Güstrow (main part)
of the Malchin district and subdivision to the Demmin (main part) and Müritz districts
of the district of Neustrelitz and division into the districts of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (main part) and Müritz
of the district of Schwerin and division into the districts of Ludwigslust , Northwest Mecklenburg and Parchim (main part)
of the district of Sternberg and division into the districts of Northwest Mecklenburg and Parchim (main part)
of the district of Strasburg and division into the districts of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (main part) and Uecker-Randow
of the district of Ueckermünde and division into the districts of Ostvorpommern and Uecker-Randow (main part)

Inclusion

of the Altentreptow district in the Demmin district
of the district of Anklam in the district of Ostvorpommern
of the district of Gadebusch in the district of Northwest Mecklenburg
of the district of Greifswald in the district of Ostvorpommern
of the district of Grevesmühlen in the district of Northwest Mecklenburg
of the district of Grimmen in the district of North Western Pomerania
of the district of Hagenow in the district of Ludwigslust
of the district of Lübz in the district of Parchim
of the district of Neubrandenburg in the district of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
of the district of Pasewalk in the district of Uecker-Randow
of the Ribnitz-Damgarten district in the Nordvorpommern district
of the Röbel district in the Müritz district
of the Rostock district in the Bad Doberan district
of the Stralsund district in the Northern Pomerania district
of the Teterow district in the Güstrow district
of the district of goods in the district of Müritz
of the district of Wismar in the district of Northwest Mecklenburg
of the Wolgast district in the Ostvorpommern district

Neoplasm

of the district of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from the districts of Neubrandenburg and Neustrelitz and municipalities of the district of Strasburg
of the district of Müritz from the districts of Röbel and Waren and communities of the district of Neustrelitz and the community of Schwinkendorf of the district of Malchin
of the district of North Western Pomerania from the districts of Grimmen , Ribnitz-Damgarten and Stralsund
of the district of Northwest Mecklenburg from the districts of Gadebusch , Grevesmühlen , Wismar and communities in the districts of Schwerin and Sternberg

of the district of Ostvorpommern from the districts of Anklam , Greifswald and Wolgast and communities of the district of Ueckermünde

of the district of Uecker-Randow from the districts of Pasewalk and municipalities of the districts of Strasburg and Ueckermünde

enlargement

the district Bad Doberan to the district of Rostock as well as to municipalities in the county Bützow
of the Demmin district to the Altentreptow and Malchin districts
of the district of Güstrow around the district of Teterow as well as communities of the district of Bützow
of the Ludwigslust district around the Hagenow district and communities in the Schwerin district
of the Parchim district around the Lübz district and communities in the Schwerin and Sternberg districts

1998 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Uecker-Randow around the municipality of Lübs in the district of Ostvorpommern

2011 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Uecker-Randow around the municipality of Wietstock in the district of Ostvorpommern (incorporated into Altwigshagen )

2011 , September 4th:

resolution

of the Demmin district and subdivision to the Mecklenburg Lake District (main part) and South Western Pomerania

Inclusion

the independent city of Greifswald in the district of South Western Pomerania
the independent city of Neubrandenburg in the Mecklenburg Lake District
the independent city of Stralsund in the district of North Western Pomerania
the independent city of Wismar in the district of Northwest Mecklenburg
of the Bad Doberan district in the Mittleres Mecklenburg district
of the district of Güstrow in the district of Mittleres Mecklenburg
of the district of Ludwigslust in the district of Südwestmecklenburg
of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz district in the Mecklenburg Lake District
of the Müritz district in the Mecklenburg Lake District
of the district of Ostvorpommern in the district of Südvorpommern
of the Parchim district in the Südwestmecklenburg district
of the district of Rügen in the district of North Western Pomerania
of the district of Uecker-Randow in the district of South Western Pomerania

Neoplasm

of the district of Mecklenburg Lake District from the independent city of Neubrandenburg , the districts of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Müritz and the municipalities of the Demmin district
of the district of Mittleres Mecklenburg from the districts of Bad Doberan and Güstrow
of the district of Südvorpommern from the independent city of Greifswald , the districts of Ostvorpommern and Uecker-Randow as well as the municipalities of the Demmin district
of the district of Southwest Mecklenburg from the districts of Ludwigslust and Parchim

enlargement

of the district of Northern Pomerania around the independent city of Stralsund and the district of Rügen
of the district of Northwest Mecklenburg around the independent city of Wismar

2011 , September 7th:

renaming

of the district of Middle Mecklenburg in the district of Rostock
of the district of Northern Pomerania in the district of Western Pomerania-Rügen
of the district of Südvorpommern in the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald
of the district of Southwest Mecklenburg in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim

Number of independent cities and districts

date	independent cities change	Counties change	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990			6th	31
June 12, 1994	0	- 19th	6th	12
4th September 2011	- 4th	- 6	2	6th

Lower Saxony

The state of Lower Saxony has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since May 23, 1949.

On the day of reunification, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Braunschweig , Delmenhorst , Emden , Hanover , Oldenburg (Oldb) , Osnabrück , Salzgitter , Wilhelmshaven and Wolfsburg

Counties: Ammerland , Aurich , Celle , Cloppenburg , Cuxhaven , Diepholz , Emsland , Friesland , Gifhorn , Goslar , Göttingen , Grafschaft Bentheim , Hameln-Pyrmont , Hanover , Harburg , Helmstedt , Hildesheim , Holzminden , Leer , Lüchow-Dannenberg , Lüneburg , Nienburg / Weser , Northeim , Oldenburg (Oldenburg) , Osnabrück , Osterholz , Osterode am Harz , Peine , Rotenburg (Wümme) , Schaumburg , Soltau-Fallingbostel , Stade , Uelzen , Vechta , Verden , Wesermarsch , Wittmund and Wolfenbüttel

1993 , June 30th:

enlargement

of the district of Lüneburg around the municipalities of the Neuhaus office of the district of Hagenow , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

1993 , July 16:

renaming

of the district of Oldenburg (Oldenburg) in the district of Oldenburg

2001 , November 1st:

Neoplasm

the Hanover region from the independent city of Hanover and the Hanover district

2011 , August 1st:

renaming

of the district of Soltau-Fallingbostel in the district of Heidekreis

2016 , November 1st:

Inclusion

of the district of Osterode am Harz in the district of Göttingen

Number of independent cities and districts

date	independent cities change	Counties change	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990			9	38
November 1, 2001	- 1	0	8th	38
November 1, 2016	0	- 1	8th	37
today			8th	37

North Rhine-Westphalia

The state of North Rhine-Westphalia has been part of the Federal Republic of Germany since May 23, 1949.

On the day of reunification, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Aachen , Bielefeld , Bochum , Bonn , Bottrop , Dortmund , Duisburg , Düsseldorf , Essen , Gelsenkirchen , Hagen , Hamm , Herne , Cologne , Krefeld , Leverkusen , Mönchengladbach , Mülheim ad Ruhr , Münster , Oberhausen , Remscheid , Solingen and Wuppertal

Districts: Aachen , Borken , Coesfeld , Düren , Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis , Erftkreis , Euskirchen , Gütersloh , Heinsberg , Herford , Hochsauerlandkreis , Höxter , Kleve , Lippe , Märkischer Kreis , Mettmann , Minden-Lübbecke , Neuss , Oberbergischer Kreis , Olpe , Paderborn , Recklinghausen , Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis , Siegen-Wittgenstein , Siegkreis , Soest , Steinfurt , Unna , Viersen , Warendorf and Wesel

1991 , March 27th:

renaming

the independent city of Mülheim ad Ruhr in Mülheim an der Ruhr

2003 , July 1st:

renaming

of the Neuss district in the Rhine district of Neuss

2003 , November 1st:

renaming

of the Erftkreis in Rhein-Erft-Kreis

2009 , October 21:

Neoplasm

the city region of Aachen from the independent city of Aachen and the district of Aachen

Number of independent cities and districts

date	independent cities change	Circles change	number of independent cities	Circles number
3rd October 1990			23	31
October 21, 2009	- 1	0	22nd	31
today			22nd	31

Rhineland-Palatinate

The state of Rhineland-Palatinate has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since May 23, 1949.

On the day of reunification, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Frankenthal (Palatinate) , Kaiserslautern , Koblenz , Landau in the Palatinate , Ludwigshafen am Rhein , Mainz , Neustadt an der Weinstrasse , Pirmasens , Speyer , Trier , Worms and Zweibrücken

Counties: Ahrweiler , Altenkirchen (Westerwald) , Alzey-Worms , Bad Dürkheim , Bad Kreuznach , Bernkastel-Wittlich , Birkenfeld , Bitburg-Prüm , Cochem-Zell , Daun , Donnersbergkreis , Germersheim , Kaiserslautern , Kusel , Ludwigshafen , Mainz-Bingen , Mayen -Koblenz , Neuwied , Pirmasens , Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis , Rhein-Lahn-Kreis , Südliche Weinstrasse , Trier-Saarburg and Westerwaldkreis

1994 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Kusel to subareas of the dissolved manor district of Baumholder of the district of Birkenfeld

1997 , January 1st:

renaming

of the district of Pirmasens in the district of Südwestpfalz

2004 , January 1st:

renaming

of the Ludwigshafen district in the Rhine-Palatinate district

2007 , January 1st:

renaming

of the Bitburg-Prüm district in the Eifel district of Bitburg-Prüm
of the district of Daun in the district of Vulkaneifel

2012 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Trier-Saarburg around the municipality of Trittenheim of the district of Bernkastel-Wittlich

2014 , July 1st:

enlargement

of the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis around communities in the district of Cochem-Zell

Number of independent cities and districts

date	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990	12	24
today	12	24

Saarland

The Saarland has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since January 1st, 1957.

On the day of reunification the following counties existed in the country:

Merzig-Wadern , Neunkirchen , Saarbrücken city association , Saarlouis , Saarpfalz district and Sankt Wendel

2000 , December 1st:

renaming

of the district of Sankt Wendel in the district of St. Wendel

2008 , January 1st:

renaming

the Urban Community of Saarbrucken in regional Saarbrücken

Number of independent cities and districts

date	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990	0	6th
today	0	6th

Saxony

The Free State of Saxony has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since October 3, 1990.

When joining the Federal Republic of Germany, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Chemnitz , Dresden , Görlitz , Leipzig , Plauen and Zwickau

Counties: Annaberg , Aue , Auerbach , Bautzen , Bischofswerda , Borna , Brand-Erbisdorf , Chemnitz , Delitzsch , Dippoldiswalde , Döbeln , Dresden , Eilenburg , Flöha , Freiberg , Freital , Geithain , Glauchau , Görlitz , Grimma , Großenhain , Hainichen , Hohenstein- Ernstthal , Hoyerswerda , Kamenz , Klingenthal , Leipzig , Löbau , Marienberg , Meißen , Niesky , Oelsnitz , Oschatz , Pirna , Plauen , Reichenbach , Riesa , Rochlitz , Schwarzenberg , Sebnitz , Stollberg , Torgau , Weißwasser , Werdau , Wurzen , Zittau , Zschopau and Zwickau

1992 , April 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Plauen to communities in the Thuringian districts of Greiz , Schleiz and Zeulenroda

1993 , January 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Leipzig around the municipality Hartmannsdorf in the district of Leipzig
of the district of Döbeln around the municipality of Langenau of the district of Rochlitz (incorporated into Gersdorf )
of the district of Pirna around the municipality of Borthen of the district of Freital (incorporation into Röhrsdorf )

1993 , July 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Zwickau around the municipality Hartmannsdorf near Werdau in the district of Werdau
of the district of Reichenbach around the municipality of Plohn of the district of Auerbach (incorporated into Lengenfeld )

1994 , January 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Görlitz around the municipality of Deutsch Ossig (†) in the district of Görlitz
the independent city of Plauen around the municipality of Meßbach in the district of Plauen
of the district of Bautzen around the communities of Naundorf of the district of Bischofswerda (incorporated into Gaussig ) and Neudorf / Spree of the district of Hoyerswerda (incorporated into Guttau )
of the district of Bischofswerda around the municipality of Friedersdorf of the district of Kamenz (incorporation to Pulsnitz ) with the assignment of the municipality of Naundorf to the district of Bautzen (incorporation to Gaussig ) and the municipality of Lauterbach to the district of Sebnitz (incorporation to Stolpen )
of the district of Brand-Erbisdorf around communities of the district of Marienberg when the community of Berthelsdorf / Erzgebirge is transferred to the district of Freiberg (incorporation to Weißenborn / Erzgebirge )
of the district of Freiberg around the community of Berthelsdorf / Erzgebirge of the district of Brand-Erbisdorf (incorporated into Weißenborn / Erzgebirge )
of the district of Grimma around the communities of the district of Geithain and the community of Lastau of the district of Rochlitz (incorporation after Colditz )
of the district of Hainichen around the municipality of Altenhain of the district of Flöha (incorporation into Frankenberg ) when the municipality of Beerwalde is assigned to the district of Rochlitz (incorporation into Erlau )
of the district of Löbau to the communities of the district of Görlitz (when the community of Zoblitz of the district of Löbau changes to the district of Görlitz [incorporation to Reichenbach / Oberlausitz ])
of the district of Plauen to the communities of the district of Reichenbach and the community of Heinersgrün of the district of Oelsnitz (merger with six communities of the district of Plauen to form the municipality of Burgstein ) when the municipality of Meßbach cedes to the independent city of Plauen
of the Riesa district around the municipality of Raden in the Großenhain district (merger with three communities in the Riesa district to form the Röderaue municipality )
of the district of Rochlitz around the municipality of Beerwalde of the district of Hainichen (incorporation to Erlau ) when the municipality of Lastau is assigned to the district of Grimma (incorporation to Colditz )
of the district of Sebnitz around the community Lauterbach of the district of Bischofswerda (incorporation to Stolpen ) and the community of Wünschendorf of the district of Pirna (incorporation to Dürrröhrsdorf-Dittersbach )
of the district of Zschopau around the municipality of Dittersdorf of the district of Chemnitz (merger with two municipalities of the district of Zschopau to form the municipality of Amtsberg )

1994 , March 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Görlitz to communities in the district of Görlitz
of the district of Auerbach around the community of Muldenberg of the district of Klingenthal (incorporated into Grünbach )
of the district of Bischofswerda to communities in the district of Kamenz
of the district of Löbau around the municipality of Altbernsdorf auf dem Eigen of the district of Görlitz (incorporated into Bernstadt auf dem Eigen )
of the district of Niesky around the municipality of Thiemendorf of the district of Görlitz (merger with three municipalities of the district of Niesky to form the municipality of Waldhufen )
of the district of Torgau around the municipality of Falkenberg of the district of Eilenburg (incorporated into Trossin )
of the district of Zschopau to communities of the district of Flöha

1994 , March 31:

enlargement

the independent city of Chemnitz around the municipality of Euba of the Chemnitz district

1994 , August 1st:

resolution

of the district of Aue and division into the districts of Stollberg and Westerzgebirgskreis (main part)
of the district of Bischofswerda and division into the districts of Bautzen (main part) and Kamenz
of the Borna district and subdivided into the districts of Leipziger Land (main part) and Muldentalkreis
of the district of Chemnitz and division into the districts of Chemnitzer Land (main part), Central Ore Mountains District , Mittweida and Stollberg
of the district of Eilenburg and division into the districts of Delitzsch (main part) and Torgau-Oschatz
of the district of Flöha and subdivision into the districts of Freiberg (main part), Middle Ore Mountains District and Mittweida
of the district of Freital and division into the districts of Meißen and Weißeritzkreis (main part)
of the district of Geithain and division into the districts of Leipziger Land and Mittweida (main part)
of the district of Glauchau and division into the districts of Chemnitzer Land (main part) and Zwickauer Land
of the district of Görlitz and division into the districts of Lower Silesian Oberlausitzkreis (main part) and Saxon Oberlausitzkreis
of the district of Löbau and division into the districts of Bautzen and Saxon Upper Lusatia district (main part)
of the Rochlitz district and subdivision to the Mittweida (main part) and Muldentalkreis districts
of the district of Zschopau and division into the districts of Annaberg and Central Ore Mountains (main part)

Inclusion

of the district of Brand-Erbisdorf in the district of Freiberg

of the district of Dippoldiswalde in the Weißeritzkreis

of the district of Grimma in the Muldental district

of the district of Großenhain in the district of Riesa-Großenhain

of the district of Hainichen in the district of Mittweida

of the Hohenstein-Ernstthal district in the Chemnitzer Land district

of the district of Leipzig in the district of Leipziger Land

of the Marienberg district in the Middle Ore Mountains

of the Niesky district in the Lower Silesian Upper Lusatia District
of the district of Oschatz in the district of Torgau-Oschatz
of the district of Pirna in the district of Saxon Switzerland
of the district of Riesa in the district of Riesa-Großenhain
of the district of Schwarzenberg in the Westerzgebirgskreis
of the district of Sebnitz in the district of Saxon Switzerland
the district Torgau in Torgau-Oschatz
of the district of Weißwasser in the Lower Silesian Oberlausitzkreis
of the district of Werdau in the district of Zwickauer Land
of the district of Wurzen in the Muldental district
of the district of Zittau in the Saxon Upper Lusatia district
of the district of Zwickau in the district of Zwickauer Land

Neoplasm

of the district of Chemnitzer Land from the districts of Glauchau and Hohenstein-Ernstthal as well as communities of the district of Chemnitz
of the district of Leipziger Land from the districts of Borna and Leipzig and communities of the district of Geithain
of the Middle Ore Mountains District from the Marienberg district and communities in the Flöha and Zschopau districts as well as the Kleinolbersdorf-Altenhain community in the Chemnitz district

of the Mittweida district from the Hainichen district and communities in the Chemnitz , Geithain and Rochlitz districts and the Mühlbach community in the Flöha district

of the Muldental district from the districts of Grimma and Wurzen and communities in the district of Rochlitz and the community of Steinbach in the district of Borna

of the Lower Silesian Upper Lusatia District from the Niesky and Weißwasser districts and communities in the Görlitz district

of the district of Riesa-Großenhain from the districts of Großenhain and Riesa

of the Saxon Upper Lusatia district (later the district of Löbau-Zittau ) from the district of Zittau and communities in the districts of Görlitz and Löbau

of the district of Saxon Switzerland from the districts of Pirna and Sebnitz

of the district of Torgau-Oschatz from the districts of Oschatz and Torgau as well as communities of the district of Eilenburg

of the Weißeritzkreis from the Dippoldiswalde district and communities in the Freital district

of the Westerzgebirgskreis (later Aue-Schwarzenberg district ) from the Schwarzenberg district and communities in the Aue district

of the district of Zwickauer Land from the districts of Werdau and Zwickau

enlargement

of the district of Annaberg to the municipalities of the district of Zschopau
of the district of Bautzen to communities in the districts of Bischofswerda and Löbau
of the Delitzsch district to communities in the Eilenburg district
of the Freiberg district around the Brand-Erbisdorf district and communities in the Flöha district
of the district of Kamenz to communities of the district of Bischofswerda
of the district of Meißen to communities in the district of Freital
of the district of Plauen around the district of Cunsdorf in the municipality of Schönbach in the district of Greiz , Thuringia (formation of the independent municipality of Cunsdorf)
of the district of Stollberg to communities of the district of Chemnitz and the community of Zwönitz of the district of Aue

1995 , January 1st:

renaming

of the Saxon Upper Lusatia district in the Löbau-Zittau district

of the Western Ore Mountains in the Aue-Schwarzenberg district

Enlargement of the independent city of Leipzig to include the Lausen community in the Leipziger Land district

1996 , January 1st:

resolution

of the district of Dresden and division into the districts of Meißen-Radebeul , Saxon Switzerland and West Lusatia-Dresdner Land (main part)
of the district of Hoyerswerda and division into the independent city of Hoyerswerda and the districts of Lower Silesian Upper Lusatia and West Lusatia-Dresdner Land (main part)
of the district of Plauen and division into the independent city of Plauen and the Vogtlandkreis (main part)

Outsourcing

the city of Hoyerswerda from the district of Hoyerswerda

Inclusion

of the Auerbach district in the Vogtland district
of the district of Kamenz in the district of Westlausitz-Dresdner Land
of the district of Klingenthal in the Vogtland district
of the district of Meißen in the district of Meißen-Radebeul
of the district of Oelsnitz in the Vogtlandkreis
of the Reichenbach district in the Vogtlandkreis

Neoplasm

of the district of Meißen-Radebeul (later district of Meißen ) from the district of Meißen and municipalities of the district of Dresden
of the Vogtlandkreis from the districts of Auerbach , Klingenthal , Oelsnitz , Plauen and Reichenbach
of the district of Westlausitz-Dresdner Land (later district of Kamenz ) from the district of Kamenz and municipalities of the districts of Dresden and Hoyerswerda

enlargement

the independent city of Plauen around the community of Großfriesen in the district of Plauen
of the Lower Silesian Oberlausitzkreis around the community of Uhyst in the district of Hoyerswerda
of the district of Saxon Switzerland around the municipality of Schönfeld-Weißig of the district of Dresden

1996 , April 1st:

renaming

of the district of Westlausitz-Dresdner Land in the district of Kamenz

enlargement

the independent city of Zwickau around the municipality of Rottmannsdorf in the district of Zwickauer Land

1996 , July 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Leipzig around the municipality of Plaußig in the district of Leipziger Land
of the Mittweida district around the municipality of Obergräfenhain in the Leipziger Land district (incorporated into Langensteinbach )

1996 , October 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Zwickau around the municipality of Crossen in the district of Zwickauer Land

1997 , January 1st:

renaming

of the district of Meißen-Radebeul in the district of Meißen

enlargement

the independent city of Chemnitz around the municipalities of the Stollberg district and the Kleinolbersdorf-Altenhain municipality in the Middle Ore Mountains District
the independent city of Dresden around the municipality of Altfranken in the district of Meißen-Radebeul

1997 , July 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Dresden around the municipality of Cossebaude in the district of Meißen
the independent city of Leipzig around the municipality of Seehausen in the district of Leipziger Land

1998 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the Lower Silesian Oberlausitzkreis around the district of Bärwalde in the municipality of Lohsa in the district of Kamenz (incorporated into the municipality of Boxberg )

1998 , July 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Hoyerswerda around the municipality Dörgenhausen in the district of Kamenz
the independent city of Leipzig to a large part of the municipality Podelwitz of the district of Leipziger Land

1998 , July 9th:

enlargement

of the Weißeritzkreis around the municipality of Wilsdruff in the district of Meißen

1999 , January 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Chemnitz to the municipalities of the Chemnitzer Land district and the Wittgensdorf municipality of the Mittweida district
the independent city of Dresden around communities in the districts of Kamenz and Meißen and the community of Schönfeld-Weißig in the district of Saxon Switzerland
the independent city of Görlitz to the municipalities of the Lower Silesian Upper Lusatia District
the independent city of Leipzig to municipalities of the district of Leipziger Land
the independent city of Plauen to communities of the Vogtlandkreis
the independent city of Zwickau to communities in the district of Zwickauer Land
of the district of Delitzsch to communities of the district of Leipziger Land
of the Muldentalkreis around communities in the district of Leipziger Land

2000 , January 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Leipzig around the districts of Burghausen and Rückmarsdorf of the municipality of Bienitz in the district of Leipziger Land
of the district of Delitzsch around the district Dölzig of the municipality of Bienitz of the district of Leipziger Land (incorporated into Schkeuditz )

2005 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Bautzen around the district of Wartha in the municipality of Knappensee in the district of Kamenz (reclassification to Königswartha )

2008 , August 1st:

Inclusion

the independent city of Görlitz in the district of Görlitz

the independent city of Hoyerswerda in the district of Bautzen

the independent city of Plauen in the Vogtlandkreis

the independent city of Zwickau in the district of Zwickau

of the district of Annaberg in the Erzgebirgskreis

of the Aue-Schwarzenberg district in the Erzgebirgskreis

of the Chemnitzer Land district in the Zwickau district

of the Delitzsch district in the Northern Saxony district
of the district of Döbeln in the district of central Saxony
of the district of Freiberg in the district of central Saxony
of the Kamenz district in the Bautzen district
of the district of Leipziger Land in the district of Leipzig
of the district of Löbau-Zittau in the district of Görlitz
of the Middle Erzgebirgskreis in the Erzgebirgskreis
of the Mittweida district in the Central Saxony district
of the Muldental district in the district of Leipzig
of the Lower Silesian Oberlausitzkreis in the district of Görlitz
of the Riesa-Großenhain district in the Meißen district
of the district of Saxon Switzerland in the district of Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains
of the district of Stollberg in the Erzgebirgskreis
of the Torgau-Oschatz district in the northern Saxony district
of the Weißeritzkreis in the Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains district
of the district of Zwickauer Land in the district of Zwickau

Neoplasm

of the Erzgebirgskreis from the districts of Annaberg , Aue-Schwarzenberg , Mittlerer Erzgebirgskreis and Stollberg
of the district of Görlitz from the independent city of Görlitz and the districts of Löbau-Zittau and Lower Silesian Upper Lusatia
of the district of Leipzig from the districts of Leipziger Land and Muldentalkreis
of the district of central Saxony from the districts of Döbeln , Freiberg and Mittweida
of the district of North Saxony from the districts of Delitzsch and Torgau-Oschatz
of the district of Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains from the districts of Saxon Switzerland and Weißeritzkreis
of the district of Zwickau from the independent city of Zwickau and the districts of Chemnitzer Land and Zwickauer Land

enlargement

of the district of Bautzen around the independent city of Hoyerswerda and the district of Kamenz
of the district of Meißen around the district of Riesa-Großenhain
of the Vogtlandkreis around the independent city of Plauen

Number of independent cities and districts

date	independent cities change	Counties change	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990			6th	48
August 1, 1994	0	- 20	6th	28
January 1, 1996	+ 1	- 6	7th	22nd
August 1, 2008	- 4th	- 12	3	10
today			3	10

Saxony-Anhalt

The state of Saxony-Anhalt has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since October 3, 1990.

When joining the Federal Republic of Germany, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Dessau , Halle / Saale and Magdeburg

Localities: Aschersleben , Bernburg , Bitterfeld , castle , Eisleben , Gardelegen , Genthin , Gräfenhainichen , Halberstadt , Haldensleben , Havelberg , Hettstedt , Hohenmölsen , Jessen , blocks , Köthen , Merseburg , Naumburg , Nebra , Oschersleben , Osterburg , Quedlinburg , Querfurt , Roßlau , Saalkreis , Salzwedel , Sangerhausen , Schönebeck , Staßfurt , Stendal , Wanzleben , Weißenfels , Wernigerode , Wittenberg , Wolmirstedt , Zeitz and Zerbst

1994 , April 14th:

enlargement

of the district of Klötze around the municipality of Lockstedt near Oebisfelde of the district of Haldensleben (incorporated into Oebisfelde )

1994 , July 1st:

resolution

of the district of Aschersleben and division into the districts of Aschersleben-Staßfurter district (main part) and Quedlinburg
of the district of Gardelegen and division into the districts of Ostliche Altmark and Westliche Altmark (main part)
of the district of Graefenhainichen and division into the independent city of Dessau and the districts of Anhalt-Zerbst , Bitterfeld and Wittenberg (main part)
of the district of Havelberg and division into the districts of Jerichower Land and Eastern Altmark (main part)
of the district of Hettstedt and division into the districts of Aschersleben-Staßfurter district and Mansfelder Land (main part)
of the district of Hohenmölsen and division into the districts of Burgenlandkreis and Weißenfels (main part)
of the district of Klötze and division into the districts of Ohre-Kreis and Westliche Altmark (main part)
of the district of Nebra and division into the districts of Burgenlandkreis (main part) and Merseburg-Querfurt
of the district of Osterburg and division into the districts of Eastern Altmark (main part) and Western Altmark
of the district of Querfurt and division into the districts of Mansfelder Land , Merseburg-Querfurt (main part) and Saalkreis
of the district of Staßfurt and division into the districts of Aschersleben-Staßfurter district (main part), Bernburg , Bördekreis and Schönebeck
of the district of Stendal and division into the districts of Ohre-Kreis and Östliche Altmark (main part)

Inclusion

of the district of Burg in the district of Jerichower Land
of the Eisleben district in the Mansfelder Land district
of the Genthin district in the Jerichower Land district
of the district of Haldensleben in the Ohre district
of the district of Jessen in the district of Wittenberg
of the district of Merseburg in the district of Merseburg-Querfurt
of the Naumburg district in the Burgenland district
of the district of Oschersleben in the Bördekreis
of the district of Roßlau in the district of Anhalt-Zerbst
of the district of Salzwedel in the district of Westliche Altmark
of the district of Wanzleben in the Bördekreis
of the Wolmirstedt district in the Ohre district
of the Zeitz district in the Burgenland district
of the district of Zerbst in the district of Anhalt-Zerbst

Neoplasm

of the district of Anhalt-Zerbst from the districts of Roßlau and Zerbst and municipalities of the district of Graefenhainichen
of the Aschersleben-Staßfurt district (later Aschersleben-Staßfurt district ) from parts of the Aschersleben district and communities in the Hettstedt and Staßfurt districts
of the Bördekreis from the districts of Oschersleben and Wanzleben and the municipality of Kroppenstedt of the Staßfurt district
of the Burgenland district from the districts of Naumburg , Nebra and Zeitz as well as communities of the Hohenmölsen district
of the district of Jerichower Land from the districts of Burg and Genthin and of the municipality of Mangelsdorf in the district of Havelberg
of the district of Mansfelder Land from the district of Eisleben and communities in the districts of Hettstedt and Querfurt
of the district of Merseburg-Querfurt from the district of Merseburg and communities of the district of Querfurt and the community of Branderoda of the district of Nebra
of the Ohre district (later Ohre district ) from the districts of Haldensleben and Wolmirstedt and communities of the Stendal district and the city of Oebisfelde of the Klötze district
of the district of Östliche Altmark (later district of Stendal ) from communities in the districts of Gardelegen , Havelberg , Osterburg and Stendal
of the district of Westliche Altmark (later Altmarkkreis Salzwedel ) from the district of Salzwedel and communities in the districts of Gardelegen , Klötze and Osterburg

enlargement

the independent city of Dessau around communities in the district of Graefenhainichen
the independent city of Magdeburg to communities in the district of Schönebeck
of the district of Bernburg around the community Güsten of the district of Staßfurt
of the district of Bitterfeld to communities of the district of Graefenhainichen
of the district of Quedlinburg to the communities of the district of Aschersleben in the event of the transfer of communities to the district of Wernigerode
of the Saalkreis around the Dornstedt community in the Querfurt district
of the district of Schönebeck to the municipalities of the district of Staßfurt with the assignment of municipalities to the independent city of Magdeburg
of the Weißenfels district to communities of the Hohenmölsen district
of the district of Wernigerode to communities of the district of Quedlinburg
of the district of Wittenberg around the district of Jessen and municipalities of the district of Graefenhainichen

1994 , August 2nd:

renaming

of the circle of ears in circle of ears
of the district of Eastern Altmark in the district of Stendal

1994 , August 15th:

renaming

of the district of Westliche Altmark in Altmarkkreis Salzwedel

1994 , September 23:

renaming

of the Aschersleben-Staßfurt district in the Aschersleben-Staßfurt district

1995 , December 31:

renaming

the independent city of Halle / Saale in Halle (Saale)

2001 , April 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Magdeburg around the municipality of Beyendorf of the Bördekreis

2004 , August 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Merseburg-Querfurt around municipalities of the Saalkreis (incorporated into Schkopau )

2005 , January 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Dessau to the municipalities of the Anhalt-Zerbst district
of the district of Bitterfeld around the community of Cösitz of the district of Köthen (incorporated into Zörbig )
of the district of Jerichower Land around municipalities of the district of Anhalt-Zerbst (incorporation into Gommern )

2007 , July 1st:

resolution

of the district of Anhalt-Zerbst and division into the independent city of Dessau-Roßlau and the districts of Anhalt-Bitterfeld (main part), Jerichower Land and Wittenberg
of the district of Aschersleben-Staßfurt and division into the districts of Harz and Salzland (main part)

Inclusion

the independent city of Dessau to the independent city of Dessau-Roßlau
of the district of Bernburg in the district of Salzland
of the district of Bitterfeld in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld
of the Bördekreis in the district of Börde
of the Burgenland district in the Burgenland district
of the district of Halberstadt in the district of Harz
of the district of Köthen in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld
of the district of Mansfelder Land in the district of Mansfeld-Südharz
of the district of Merseburg-Querfurt in the Saalekreis
of the Ohrekreis in the district of Börde
of the district of Quedlinburg in the district of Harz
of the Saalkreis in the Saalekreis
of the district of Sangerhausen in the district of Mansfeld-Südharz
of the district of Schönebeck in the district of Salzland
of the district of Weißenfels in the district of Burgenland
of the district of Wernigerode in the district of Harz

Neoplasm

the independent city of Dessau-Roßlau from the independent city of Dessau and the municipalities of the Anhalt-Zerbst district
of the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld from the districts of Bitterfeld and Köthen as well as communities of the district of Anhalt-Zerbst
of the district of Börde from the districts of Bördekreis and Ohrekreis
of the Burgenland district (later Burgenlandkreis ) from the Burgenlandkreis and the Weißenfels district
of the district of Harz from the districts of Halberstadt , Quedlinburg and Wernigerode as well as the municipality of Falkenstein / Harz of the district of Aschersleben-Staßfurt
of the district of Mansfeld-Südharz from the districts of Mansfelder Land and Sangerhausen
the Saalekreis from the district of Merseburg-Querfurt and the Saalkreis
of the district of Salzland (later Salzlandkreis ) from the districts of Bernburg , Schönebeck and communities in the district of Aschersleben-Staßfurt

enlargement

of the district of Jerichower Land to communities of the district of Anhalt-Zerbst
of the district of Wittenberg to communities of the district of Anhalt-Zerbst

2007 , July 12th:

renaming

of the district of Salzland in Salzlandkreis

2007 , August 1st:

renaming

of the Burgenland district in Burgenlandkreis

Number of independent cities and districts

date	independent cities change	Counties change	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990			3	37
July 1, 1994	0	- 16	3	21st
July 1, 2007	0	- 10	3	11
today			3	11

Schleswig-Holstein

The state of Schleswig-Holstein has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since May 23, 1949.

On the day of reunification, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Flensburg , Kiel , Lübeck and Neumünster

Districts: Dithmarschen , Duchy of Lauenburg , North Friesland , Ostholstein , Pinneberg , Plön , Rendsburg-Eckernförde , Schleswig-Flensburg , Segeberg , Steinburg and Stormarn

Number of independent cities and districts

date	number of independent cities	Circles number
3rd October 1990	4th	11
today	4th	11

Thuringia

The Free State of Thuringia has belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany since October 3, 1990.

When joining the Federal Republic of Germany, the following independent cities and districts existed in the country:

Independent cities: Erfurt , Gera , Jena , Suhl and Weimar

Counties: Altenburg , Apolda , Arnstadt , Artern , Bad Salzungen , Eisenach , Eisenberg , Erfurt , Gera , Gotha , Greiz , Heiligenstadt , Hildburghausen , Ilmenau , Jena , Langensalza , Lobenstein , Meiningen , Mühlhausen , Neuhaus am Rennweg , Nordhausen , Pößneck , Rudolstadt , Saalfeld , Schleiz , Schmalkalden , Schmölln , Sömmerda , Sondershausen , Sonneberg , Stadtroda , Suhl , Weimar , Worbis and Zeulenroda

1992 , April 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Plauen , Saxony, to communities in the districts of Greiz , Schleiz and Zeulenroda

1994 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Mühlhausen around the community of Zaunröden of the district of Sondershausen (merger with two communities of the district of Mühlhausen to form the community of Dünwald )

1994 , February 25th:

enlargement

of the district of Schmalkalden around the municipality of Schwarzbach of the district of Meiningen (incorporation after Schwallungen )

1994 , March 8th:

Enlargement of the district of Zeulenroda to include the municipality of Zoghaus in the district of Greiz

1994 , April 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Erfurt by municipalities in the district of Erfurt
the independent city of Gera to municipalities of the district of Gera
the independent city of Jena to the municipalities of the district of Jena
the independent city of Suhl by municipalities of the district of Suhl and the municipality of Vesser of the district of Ilmenau
the independent city of Weimar to communities in the district of Weimar

1994 , April 14th:

enlargement

the independent city of Weimar around the community Süßenborn of the district of Weimar

1994 , June 30th:

enlargement

of the district of Arnstadt around the district Bechstedt-Wagd of the municipality of Egstedt of the district of Erfurt (reclassification to the municipality of Kirchheim )

1994 , July 1st:

resolution

of the district of Arnstadt and division into the districts of Gotha and Ilm district (main part)
of the district of Artern and division into the districts of Kyffhäuserkreis (main part) and Sömmerda
of the district of Erfurt and division into the independent city of Erfurt and the districts of Gotha , Ilm-Kreis , Sömmerda (main part) and Weimar-Land
of the district of Gera and division between the independent city of Gera and the district of Greiz
of the district of Jena and division between the independent city of Jena and the wood district
of the district of Langensalza and division into the districts of Gotha , Unstrut-Hainich district (main part) and Wartburg district
of the district of Lobenstein and division into the districts of Saale-Orla-Kreis (main part) and Schwarza-Kreis
of the district of Meiningen and division into the districts of Hildburghausen and Schmalkalden-Meiningen (main part)
of the district of Neuhaus am Rennweg and division into the districts of Schwarza-Kreis and Sonneberg (main part)
of the Pößneck district and subdivided into the Saale-Orla district (main part) and Schwarza district
of the district of Suhl and division into the districts of Hildburghausen , Ilm-Kreis and Schmalkalden-Meiningen (main part)
of the district of Weimar and division between the independent city of Weimar and the district of Weimar-Land

Inclusion

of the Apolda district in the Weimar-Land district
of the Bad Salzungen district in the Wartburg district
of the Eisenach district in the Wartburg district
of the Eisenberg district in the Holzlandkreis
of the district of Heiligenstadt in the district of Eichsfeld
of the district of Ilmenau in the Ilm district
of the district of Mühlhausen in the Unstrut-Hainich district
of the district of Rudolstadt in the Schwarza district
of the district of Saalfeld in the Schwarza district
of the Schleiz district in the Saale-Orla district
of the district of Schmalkalden in the district of Schmalkalden-Meiningen
of the Schmölln district in the Altenburg district
of the district of Sondershausen in the Kyffhäuserkreis
of the district of Stadtroda in the wood district
of the district of Worbis in the district of Eichsfeld
of the Zeulenroda district in the Greiz district

Neoplasm

of the Eichsfeld district from the Heiligenstadt and Worbis districts
of the Holzlandkreis (later Saale-Holzland-Kreis ) from the Eisenberg and Stadtroda districts and communities in the Jena district
of the Ilm district from the district of Ilmenau and communities in the districts of Arnstadt , Erfurt and Suhl
of the Kyffhäuserkreis from the district of Sondershausen and communities of the district of Artern
of the Saale-Orla district from the Schleiz district and communities in the Lobenstein and Pößneck districts
of the district of Schmalkalden-Meiningen from the districts of Meiningen and Schmalkalden and municipalities of the district of Suhl
the Schwarza district (later Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district ) from the Rudolstadt and Saalfeld districts and communities in the Neuhaus am Rennweg district and the Lehesten community in the Lobenstein district and the Leusnitz near Pößneck district in the Pößneck district
of the Unstrut-Hainich district from the Mühlhausen district and communities in the Langensalza district
of the Wartburg district from the districts of Bad Salzungen and Eisenach as well as communities in the district of Langensalza
of the district of Weimar-Land (later the district of Weimarer Land ) from the district of Apolda and communities in the districts of Erfurt and Weimar and the municipality of Drößnitz in the district of Jena

enlargement

the independent city of Erfurt by municipalities in the district of Erfurt
the independent city of Gera to municipalities of the district of Gera
the independent city of Jena to the municipalities of the district of Jena
the independent city of Weimar to communities in the district of Weimar
of the district of Gotha to the communities of the district of Erfurt and the communities of Crawinkel of the district of Arnstadt and Tonna of the district of Langensalza
of the district of Greiz around the district of Zeulenroda and municipalities of the district of Gera
of the Hildburghausen district to communities in the Meiningen and Suhl districts
of the district of Sömmerda to communities in the districts of Artern and Erfurt
of the district of Sonneberg to communities in the district of Neuhaus am Rennweg

1994 , August 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Plauen , Saxony, around the district of Cunsdorf of the municipality of Schönbach in the district of Greiz (formation of the independent municipality of Cunsdorf)

1994 , August 11th:

renaming

of the district of Altenburg in the district of Altenburger Land

1994 , September 29th:

renaming

of the Holzlandkreis in Saale-Holzland-Kreis
of the Schwarza district in the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district

1994 , October 12th:

enlargement

the independent city of Erfurt around the municipality of Töttelstädt in the district of Sömmerda

1994 , November 5th:

renaming

of the district of Weimar-Land in the district of Weimarer Land

1997 , January 1st:

enlargement

of the district of Weimarer Land around the municipality of Neckeroda of the district of Saalfeld-Rudolstadt (incorporated into Blankenhain )

1998 , January 1st:

Outsourcing

the city of Eisenach from the Wartburg district

2019 , January 1st:

enlargement

the independent city of Suhl to communities from the Ilm district
of the district of Schmalkalden-Meiningen around the municipality of Kaltennordheim of the Wartburg district
of the district of Sonneberg around the municipalities of the district of Saalfeld-Rudolstadt (incorporated into Neuhaus am Rennweg )

Number of independent cities and districts

date	independent cities change	Counties change	number of independent cities	Counties number
3rd October 1990			5	35
July 1, 1994	0	- 18th	5	17th
January 1, 1998	+ 1	0	6th	17th
today			6th	17th

Total number of independent cities and districts (rural districts) in the Federal Republic of Germany

To provide a better overview, this table contains all changes from the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany (May 23, 1949). The total numbers valid today are shown in bold type.

date	Country (state)	Independent cities change	Counties (districts) change	Number of independent cities	Counties (districts) number
May 23, 1949	Federal Republic of Germany			139	418
October 1, 1951	Lower Saxony	+ 1	0	140	418
October 1, 1953	Baden-Württemberg	- 1	0	139	418
April 1, 1955	North Rhine-Westphalia	+ 1	0	140	418
January 1, 1957	Saarland	+ 1	+ 7	141	425
4th July 1964	Lower Saxony	- 1	0	140	425
July 1, 1966	North Rhine-Westphalia	- 1	0	139	425
1st January 1969	North Rhine-Westphalia	- 2nd	0	137	425
7th June 1969	Rhineland-Palatinate	0	- 11	137	414
1st August 1969	North Rhine-Westphalia	0	- 1	137	413
January 1, 1970	North Rhine-Westphalia	- 1	0	136	413
April 26, 1970	Schleswig-Holstein	0	- 5th	136	408
November 7, 1970	Rhineland-Palatinate	0	- 2nd	136	406
January 1, 1972	North Rhine-Westphalia	0	- 4th	136	402
April 22, 1972	Rhineland-Palatinate	0	- 1	136	401
July 1, 1972	Bavaria	- 23	- 72	113	329
July 1, 1972	Lower Saxony	- 1	- 5th	112	324
August 1, 1972	Hesse	0	- 7th	112	317
1st January 1973	Baden-Württemberg	0	- 28	112	289
	Lower Saxony	- 2nd	- 2nd	110	287
	North Rhine-Westphalia	0	- 4th	110	283
1st January 1974	Hesse	0	- 4th	110	279
1st January 1974	Saarland	- 1	- 1	109	278
March 1, 1974	Lower Saxony	- 2nd	- 5th	107	273
March 16, 1974	Rhineland-Palatinate	0	- 1	107	272
March 24, 1974	Schleswig-Holstein	0	- 1	107	271
July 1, 1974	Hesse	- 3	- 4th	104	267
1st January 1975	North Rhine-Westphalia	- 11	- 17th	93	250
6th December 1975	North Rhine-Westphalia	+ 1	0	94	250
July 1, 1976	North Rhine-Westphalia	- 1	0	93	250
January 1, 1977	Hesse	0	- 4th	93	246
August 1, 1977	Lower Saxony	- 1	- 11	92	235
1st August 1979	Hesse	- 1	+ 1	91	236
January 1, 1980	Lower Saxony	0	+ 1	91	237
October 2, 1990				91	237
3rd October 1990	new federal states	+ 26	+ 189	117	426
December 6, 1993	Brandenburg	- 2nd	- 24	115	402
June 12, 1994	Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania	0	- 19th	115	383
July 1, 1994	Saxony-Anhalt	0	- 16	115	367
July 1, 1994	Thuringia	0	- 18th	115	349
August 1, 1994	Saxony	0	- 20	115	329
January 1, 1996	Saxony	+ 1	- 6	116	323
January 1, 1998	Thuringia	+ 1	0	117	323
November 1, 2001	Lower Saxony	- 1	0	116	323
July 1, 2007	Saxony-Anhalt	0	- 10	116	313
August 1, 2008	Saxony	- 4th	- 12	112	301
October 21, 2009	North Rhine-Westphalia	- 1	0	111	301
4th September 2011	Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania	- 4th	- 6	107	295
November 1, 2016	Lower Saxony	0	- 1	107	294
today				107	294

Web links

Information from the Federal Statistical Office

District reforms in Germany after 1990

contents

Note on the effects of reunification

Baden-Württemberg

Bavaria

Berlin

Brandenburg

Bremen

Hamburg

Hesse

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Lower Saxony

North Rhine-Westphalia

Rhineland-Palatinate

Saarland

Saxony

Saxony-Anhalt

Schleswig-Holstein

Thuringia

Total number of independent cities and districts (rural districts) in the Federal Republic of Germany

See also

Web links