Erfurt 1

Erfurt

Erfurt

Mariendom and the Severikirche

Erfurt

Coordinates 50°59′0″N 11°2′0″E

Administration

Country Germany

State Thuringia

District Urban district

City subdivisions 53 districts

Lord Mayor Andreas Bausewein (SPD)

Basic statistics

Area 269.17 km2 (103.93 sq mi)

Elevation 200 m  (656 ft)

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Population 204994 (31 December 2010)[1]

- Density 762 /km2 (1972 /sq mi)

Other information

Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)

Licence plate EF

Postal codes 99001-99198

Area code 0361

Website www.erfurt.de/ef/en [2] (English)

Erfurt (German pronunciation: [ˈɛʁfʊʁt][3] ) is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographicalcentre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. ErfurtAirport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian Basin within the widevalley of Gera River, a tributary of the Unstrut. To the south, the city is surrounded by the Steigerwald forest.In 2010, Erfurt had a population of over 200,000 and is part of the Erfurt-Weimar-Jena metropolitan area with apopulation of about 500,000

History

Erfurt, woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle,1493

Old synagogue (the oldest in Europe)

Erfurt is an old Germanic settlement. The oldest evidence of humansettlement dates from the prehistoric era; archeological finds from thenorth of Erfurt revealed human traces from the paleolithic period, ca.100,000 BCE. The Erfurt-Melchendorf dig showed a settlement fromthe neolithic period. The Thuringii inhabited the Erfurt area ca. 480and gave their name to Thuringia ca. 500.

The town is first mentioned in 742 under the name of "Erphesfurt": inthat year, Saint Boniface writes Pope Zachary to tell him that he hadestablished three dioceses in Thuringia, one of which "in a place calledErphesfurt, which for a long time has been inhabited by pagan natives."All three dioceses (the other two were Würzburg and Buraburg) wereconfirmed by Zachary the next year, though later Erfurt was broughtinto the diocese of Mainz.[4] That the place was populous already isborne out by archeological evidence, which includes 23 graves and sixhorse burials from the sixth and seventh centuries.[5]

Throughout the Middle Ages, it was an important trading town becauseof its location, near a ford across the Gera river. Together with theother five Thuringian woad-towns of Gotha, Tennstedt, Arnstadt andLangensalza it was the centre of the German woad trade.

In 1349, during the wave of pogroms which followed the Black Deathacross Europe, the Jews of Erfurt were rounded up, with more than 100killed and the rest driven from the city. Recently, the medieval

synagogue has been discovered beneath newer buildings, and is being restored (completion expected 2009). In 1392,the University of Erfurt,

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Old university (1392)

Citadel on Petersberg

Town hall

Angermuseum

where Martin Luther was matriculated, was founded. One of theleading German universities for many centuries, it fell upon hard timesin the early 19th century, and was forced to close in 1816. It wasrefounded in 1994 by the Thuringian state parliament and has regainedits status as a leading German academic and research institution.

In 1664, the city and surrounding area were brought under thedominion of the Electorate of Mainz. Erfurt became part of theKingdom of Prussia in 1802. In the Capitulation of Erfurt the city, its12,000 defenders, and the Petersberg fortress were handed over to theFrench on 16 October 1806. The city became part of the First FrenchEmpire in 1806 as Principality of Erfurt, and was returned to Prussia in1815 after the Napoleonic Wars. Although enclosed by Thuringianterritory in the west, south and east, the city remained part of thePrussian Province of Saxony until 1944. The city was the site of thefailed Erfurt Union of German states in 1850.

The Erfurt Program was adopted by the Social Democratic Party ofGermany during its congress at Erfurt in 1891.

In 1914 The Erfurt Company JA Topf & Sons began the manufactureof crematoria later becoming the market leader in this industry. Underthe Nazi's JA Topf & Sons supplied specially developed crematoria,ovens and associated plant to the death camps at Auschwitz-Birkenauand Mauthausen. On 27 January 2011 a memorial and museumdedicated to the Holocaust victims killed using Topf ovens was openedat the former company premises in Erfurt.

Bombed as a target of the Oil Campaign of World War II, Erfurtsuffered only limited damage and was captured on 12 April 1945, bythe US 80th Infantry Division.[6] On 3 July, American troops left thecity and the city became part of the Soviet Zone of Occupation andEast Germany. On 19 March 1970 the East and West GermanChancellors Willi Stoph and Willy Brandt met in Erfurt, the first suchmeeting since the division of Germany. After reunification, the citybecame the capital of the re-established state of Thuringia.

Main sights

Erfurt has preserved an intact medieval city centre. The city is knownfor its two churches, Erfurt Cathedral (Mariendom) and Severikirche,which stand side by side and together form the emblem of the city.Both churches tower above the townscape and are accessible via hugeopen stairs called Domstufen. Another remarkable site is theKrämerbrücke, a bridge crossing the narrow Gera River. The bridge iscovered with 32 inhabited buildings. It was built in 1325 with a churchon either bridgehead, one of which, the Ägidienkirche, is stillfunctional. The Augustinerkloster is an old Augustinian monastery.

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Main train station

Christmas market

Mariendom at night

Wenigemarkt square

Martin Luther studied at the university and lived in theAugustinerkloster for a few years after 1505.

The eleventh century Erfurt Synagogue is thought to be the oldestsynagogue building still standing in Europe. It is now a museumdisplaying the Erfurt Treasure.

Culture

Martin Luther attended the University of Erfurt and received hisbachelor's and master's degrees of theology there. Luther lived there asa student from 1501 to 1511 and, as a monk, from 1505 to 1511.

The city is the birthplace of one of Johann Sebastian Bach's cousins,Johann Bernhard Bach, as well as Johann Sebastian Bach's fatherJohann Ambrosius Bach. Bach's parents were married in 1668 in asmall church, the Kaufmannskirche (Merchant's Church), that stillexists on the main square, Anger.

The sociologist Max Weber was born in Erfurt,[7] and the theologianand philosopher Meister Eckhart was Prior of Erfurt's DominicanOrder.

Johann Pachelbel served as organist at the Prediger church in Erfurt.Pachelbel composed approximately seventy pieces for organ while inErfurt. After 1906 the composer Richard Wetz lived in Erfurt andbecame the leading person in the town's musical life. His major workswere written here, including three symphonies, a Requiem and aChristmas Oratorio.

Erfurt Theater

Since 2003, the modern new built opera house is home to TheaterErfurt and its Philharmonic Orchestra. The "grand stage" section has800 seats and the "studio stage" can hold 200 spectators. In September2005, the opera Waiting for the Barbarians by Philip Glass premieredin the opera house. The Erfurt Theater has been source of controversyrecently. In 2005 a performance of Humperdinck's opera Hänsel undGretel stirred up the local press since the performance containedsuggestions of pedophilia and incest. The opera was advertised in theprogram with the addition "for adults only".

On 12 April 2008, a version of Verdi's opera Un ballo in mascheradirected by Johann Kresnik opened at the Erfurt Theater. Theproduction stirred deep controversy by featuring nude performers inMickey Mouse masks dancing on the ruins of the World Trade Centerand a female singer with a painted on Hitler toothbrush moustacheperforming a straight arm Nazi salute, along with sinister portrayals ofAmerican soldiers, Uncle Sam, and Elvis Presley impersonators. The

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director described the production as a populist critique of modern American society, aimed at showing up thedisparities between rich and poor. The controversy prompted one local politician to call for locals to boycott theperformances, but this was largely ignored and the premiere was sold out.[8]

TransportErfurt has an Airport and lies on two Bundesstraßen (federal motorways):• Bundesstraße 4 from Ilmenau in south to Nordhausen in north and• Bundesstraße 7 from Gotha in west to Weimar in east.Also there are two Autobahnen crossing each other at Erfurter Kreuz nearby:• Bundesautobahn 4 from Frankfurt am Main to Görlitz (via Dresden) and• Bundesautobahn 71 from Würzburg to Sangerhausen (and Halle (Saale) via Bundesautobahn 38).There have been trams in the city since 1883. Today there are six tram lines to most of the parts of Erfurt,supplemented by several bus linesRailways run from Erfurt main station to:• Berlin via Weimar, Naumburg, Halle (Saale) and Wittenberg,• Dresden via Weimar, Naumburg, Leipzig and Riesa,• Chemnitz via Weimar, Jena and Gera,• Frankfurt am Main via Gotha, Eisenach, Bebra, Fulda and Hanau,• Würzburg via Arnstadt, Suhl, Meiningen, Bad Neustadt and Schweinfurt,• Ilmenau via Arnstadt,• Saalfeld (ICE-connections to Nuremberg and Munich) via Arnstadt,• Nordhausen via Sondershausen,• Magdeburg via Sömmerda, Sangerhausen, Staßfurt and Schönebeck and• Kassel/Göttingen via Gotha, Bad Langensalza, Mühlhausen, Leinefelde-Worbis and Heiligenstadt.

Universities

University of Applied Sciences ErfurtThe University of Applied Sciences Erfurt was founded on 1991. It is characterised by a combination of scientifictraining and its practical applications. In the winter term 2008/09 there studied approximately 4600 students.

Faculties

• Faculty of Social Affairs• Faculty of Business, Logistics and Transport• Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Horticulture and Forestry• Faculty of Architecture• Faculty of Civil Engineering and Conservation/Restoration• Faculty of Building Services Engineering and Computer Science

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University of ErfurtThe University of Erfurt was founded in 1994 and is thus the youngest public university in Germany. It sees itself inthe tradition of the historic University that had been there from 1379 to 1816. The historic university is regarded asthe oldest university in Germany (followed by Heidelberg (1386) and Cologne (1388)). In the winter term 2011/12there were approximately 5500 enrolled students.

Faculties

• Faculty of Political Science• Arts Faculty (Faculty of Philosophy)• Faculty of Education• Faculty of Catholic Theology• Max-Weber-College

IndustryErfurt is the home of the Born Feinkost, producing the mustard served with the Thuringian Bratwurst. In the yearsjust after World War I, Ortgies and Co., succeeded by Deutsche Werke, produced the popular Ortgies 7.65 mmSemi-Automatic Pistol in Erfurt.

Twin townsErfurt is twinned with:• Győr, Hungary, since 1971• Vilnius, Lithuania, since 1972• Kalisz, Poland, since 1982[9]

• Mainz, Germany, since 1988• Lille, France, since 1991• Shawnee, Kansas, United States, since 1993• San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina, since 1993• Lovech, Bulgaria, since 1996• Haifa, Israel, since 2000• Xuzhou, People's Republic of China, since 2005• Kati, Mali, since 2011

References[1] "Bevölkerung nach Gemeinden, erfüllenden Gemeinden und Verwaltungsgemeinschaften" (http:/ / www. statistik. thueringen. de/ datenbank/

TabAnzeige. asp?tabelle=gg000102||) (in German). Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik. 27 June 2011. .[2] http:/ / www. erfurt. de/ ef/ en/[3] Mangold, Max (2005). "Erfurt" (http:/ / www. duden. de). Das Aussprachewörterbuch. Mannheim, Leipzig, Wien, Zürich: Duden Verlag.

p. 311. ISBN 978-3-411-04066-7. . Retrieved 2011-06-22.[4] Heinemeyer, Karl (2004). "Bonifatius in Mitteldeutschland". In Hardy Eidam, Marina Moritz, Gerd-Rainer Riedel, Kai-Uwe Schierz (in

German). Bonifatius: Heidenopfer, Christuskreuz, Eichenkult. Stadtverwaltung Erfurt. pp. 73–87.[5] Schmidt, Christoph G. (2004). "Im Machtbereich der Merowinger: Politische und gesellschaftliche Strukturen in Thüringen vom 6. bis 8.

Jahrhundert". In Hardy Eidam, Marina Moritz, Gerd-Rainer Riedel, Kai-Uwe Schierz (in German). Bonifatius: Heidenopfer, Christuskreuz,Eichenkult. Stadtverwaltung Erfurt. pp. 39–56.

[6] Stanton, Shelby, World War II Order of Battle: An Encyclopedic Reference to U.S. Army Ground Forces from Battalion through Division,1939-1946, Stackpole Books (Revised Edition 2006), p. 150

[7] Lehmann, Hartmut. "Weber's Protestant Ethic". Cambridge University Press, 1995. 118.[8] "German staging of Verdi's A Masked Ball on 9/11 with naked cast in Mickey Mouse masks" (http:/ / www. telegraph. co. uk/ news/ main.

jhtml?xml=/ news/ 2008/ 04/ 11/ wopera111. xml). The Daily Telegraph (London). 11 April 2008. . Retrieved 2 May 2010.

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[9] "Kalisz Official Website - Twin Towns" (http:/ / www. kalisz. pl/ _portal/ 118951340446e688bcd9fee/ Miasta_partnerskie. html) (in Polish).. Retrieved 2008-11-29.

External links• Erfurt City Panoramas (http:/ / www. stadtpanoramen. de/ en/ erfurt/ erfurt. html) - Panoramic Views and virtual

Tours• Kraemerbruecke (http:/ / www. kraemerbruecke. de/ index. php?lng=eng)• Sister City (since 1993) (http:/ / www. cityofshawnee. org/ SisterCities/ erfurt. htm) with Shawnee, Kansas• World Shots. Germany. Erfurt. (http:/ / www. myworldshots. com/ Germany/ Erfurt) - Collection of photographs

(English, Russian, Hebrew)• Memorial and Museum Topf & Sons. (http:/ / www. topfundsoehne. de/ ) - Builders of the Auschwitz Oven

Article Sources and Contributors 8

Article Sources and ContributorsErfurt  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=464655051  Contributors: 03haya, 52 Pickup, ALpHatheONE, Abe Lincoln, Accurizer, Ahoerstemeier, Al Silonov, Alex Middleton,Alvaro, Andre Engels, Andreas Kaganov, Arnomd, Attilios, Axeman89, Axt, Baldhur, Bodnotbod, Buran de, Ceoil, Chesdovi, Civvi, Conversion script, DR04, DW, Dangherous, Darwinek,Davehi1, David Martland, David Parker, Den fjättrade ankan, Dennis Brown, DerBorg, Djmaschek, Drhoehl, Drmies, Eallik, Ehrlich91, Elockid, Emika22, Estemle, Explendido Rocha, Fabartus,Fabhcún, Frokor, Galoubet, Gareth E Kegg, Gavia immer, Grahamec, Grandiose, Guliolopez, Gzuckier, Haldraper, HeartofaDog, Historicist, IXIA, J.delanoy, KaiBrodersen, Karlarndthans,Kessler, Khanami, Kurmis, Kwamikagami, LIU, Lear 21, Leolaursen, Lfh, Littlealien182, Lotje, MER-C, Makemi, Marek69, Markus451, Markussep, Matthias Kupfer, Michael Bednarek,Michael Sander, Militaryartist, Millhouse369, Missamo80, Moncrief, Monegasque, Mugs2109, Murrayr02, N-true, Norvo, Obradovic Goran, Olessi, OwenBlacker, Patrick, Peppyn, R'n'B,RJBurkhart, Restlesstraveler2, Rich Farmbrough, Richie, Rigadoun, RockMFR, Roman Zacharij, Roo72, RottweilerCS, Saintswithin, Se16teddy, Smigs, Snoyes, Soklapptdasnie, Steve9483,Stupa1989, Symposiarch, Tabor, Tartessos75, The JPS, ThermoNuclearWar, Timotheos, Toscho, Tpbradbury, Ulf Heinsohn, UnLoCode, Vilnietis, VivaEmilyDavies, Webmaster 2.0, Xantharius,Yak, Yournamecouldbehere, Ziga, Zoe, 145 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsImage:Dom und Severikirche in Erfurt.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Dom_und_Severikirche_in_Erfurt.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Contributors: AnRo0002, BlackIceNRW, Fb78, FlickreviewR, Kurmis, Till.niermannFile:Wappen Erfurt.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Wappen_Erfurt.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: converted to SVG by User:ChristianBierfile:Germany location map.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Germany_location_map.svg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors:NordNordWestFile:Red_pog.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Red_pog.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: AnomieFile:Schedel erfurt.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Schedel_erfurt.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Michel Wolgemut, Wilhelm Pleydenwurff (Text:Hartmann Schedel)File:Alte Synagoge Erfurt.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Alte_Synagoge_Erfurt.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0 Contributors: Michael SanderFile:CollegiumMaius.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:CollegiumMaius.jpg  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors: TomKiddFile:Eingang Petersberg Erfurt.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Eingang_Petersberg_Erfurt.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0 Contributors: Michael SanderFile:Rathaus Erfurt.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Rathaus_Erfurt.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: TomKiddFile:Angermuseum Erfurt2.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Angermuseum_Erfurt2.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0 Contributors: Michael SanderFile:Erfurt Hbf Front.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Erfurt_Hbf_Front.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported  Contributors:Michael SanderFile:Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Erfurter_Weihnachtsmarkt.JPG  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors:Michael SanderFile:Erfurt cathedral at night.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Erfurt_cathedral_at_night.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:ALpHatheONEFile:Roter Turm Erfurt.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Roter_Turm_Erfurt.JPG  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors: Michael SanderFile:Flag of Hungary.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Hungary.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:SKoppFile:Flag of Lithuania.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Lithuania.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:SKoppFile:Flag of Poland.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Poland.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Anomie, MifterFile:Flag of Germany.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Germany.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: AnomieFile:Flag of France.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_France.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: AnomieFile:Flag of the United States.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: AnomieFile:Flag of Argentina.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Argentina.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Work of Dbenbenn about a national signFile:Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: SKoppFile:Flag of Israel.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Israel.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: AnonMoos, Bastique, Bobika, Brown spite, CaptainZizi, Cerveaugenie, Drork, Etams, Fred J, Fry1989, Geagea, Himasaram, Homo lupus, Humus sapiens, Klemen Kocjancic, Kookaburra, Luispihormiguero, Madden, Neq00, NielsF, Nightstallion,Oren neu dag, Patstuart, PeeJay2K3, Pumbaa80, Ramiy, Reisio, Rodejong, SKopp, Sceptic, SomeDudeWithAUserName, Technion, Typhix, Valentinian, Yellow up, Zscout370, 31 anonymouseditsFile:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors:Drawn by User:SKopp, redrawn by User:Denelson83 and User:Zscout370 Recode by cs:User:-xfi- (code), User:Shizhao (colors)File:Flag of Mali.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Mali.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:SKopp

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