Woltersdorf, Brandenburg

Woltersdorf

New commune center with the town hall in the background
Woltersdorf

Coordinates: 52°26′52″N 13°45′26″E / 52.44778°N 13.75722°E / 52.44778; 13.75722Coordinates: 52°26′52″N 13°45′26″E / 52.44778°N 13.75722°E / 52.44778; 13.75722
Country Germany
State Brandenburg
District Oder-Spree
Government
  Mayor Wolfgang Höhne (Ind.)
Area
  Total 9.12 km2 (3.52 sq mi)
Population (2013-12-31)[1]
  Total 7,885
  Density 860/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 15569
Dialling codes 03362
Vehicle registration LOS
Website woltersdorf-schleuse.de

Woltersdorf is a municipality in the Oder-Spree district in Brandenburg. It is often referred to as "near Berlin" (German: "bei Berlin") or "near Erkner" (German: "bei Erkner") as there are a number of other places bearing the same name in Germany.

Geography

The municipality is located at the three lakes Flakensee, Kalksee and the Bauernsee, between Schöneiche, the Berlin forest and Erkner.

Bordering municipalities

Woltersdorf borders (in clockwise direction, starting in north) on Rüdersdorf, Erkner, Berlin and Schöneiche.

History

Around 1240 14 farmer families settled on a bank. Today the church, the city hall and the "old school" (German "alte Schule") are located here, representing the Woltersdorf "downtown". The first residents were farmers and mariners. In 1319 Woltersdorf was first documented as Waltersdorf slawika. Waltersdorf means "the village from Walter". In 1375 Woltersdorf was first noted in the "Landbuch". Together with Rahnsdorf, it paid taxes for the castle of Köpenick.

In 1487 Berlin acquired Woltersdorf. Then in 1550 a lock was built between the Flakensee and the Kalksee, the same year the first church of Woltersdorf was built. Between 1618 till 1648 Woltesdorf was desolated (Thirty Years' War) and temporarily uninhabited. About 1886 a touristic observation tower is built on top of the Kranichsberge. It granted a great perspective from a height of 105 meters, and on clear days you were able to see the Berliner Fernsehturm. Inside the tower today is an exhibition "When Woltersdorf still was Hollywood" (German "Als Woltersdorf noch Hollywood war"). It recalls the 1920s, where Joe May shot famous movies (Das indische Grabmal (1920), Herrin der Welt (1919) and Der Tiger von Eschnapur). Today you are able to find remains of the movie scenery on site.

At the end of the 19th century the rail from Berlin to the east was finished. In the bordering commune of Woltersdorf, Erkner, a train station was built. Many Berlin people had their summer residence in Woltersdorf. Since 1913 a tramway has run between the lock and the S-Bahn station of Rahnsdorf.

Demography

At the time of the German reunification, 4,790 people lived in Woltersdorf. Since then, the population of Woltersdorf has risen from 6,800 (2001) to nearly 8,000 (2010). Today, Woltersdorf is the youngest commune in the Oder-Spree district. More than 12% of the population is younger than 15 years of age.

Woltersdorf:
Population development within the current boundaries (2013)
[2]
Year Population
1875 728
1890 1 323
1910 2 517
1925 3 348
1933 5 146
1939 6 071
1946 5 765
1950 6 202
1964 6 156
1971 6 109
Year Population
1981 5 520
1985 5 318
1989 5 075
1990 4 902
1991 4 831
1992 4 824
1993 4 854
1994 4 865
1995 5 007
1996 5 216
Year Population
1997 5 655
1998 6 247
1999 6 645
2000 6 799
2001 7 003
2002 7 198
2003 7 390
2004 7 570
2005 7 564
2006 7 642
Year Population
2007 7 781
2008 7 831
2009 7 791
2010 7 802
2011 7 744
2012 7 812
2013 7 885

Politics

The City Council has 18 members, one however has not accepted his seat which remains vacant.

(Election 2008)

Famous Persons

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Woltersdorf.
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