Greiz(/ɡraɪts/gryts) is a Kreis (district) in the east ofThuringia, Germany.Neighboring districts are (from the west clockwise)Saale-Holzland,Saale-Orla,district-free cityGera,theBurgenlandkreisinSaxony-Anhalt,Altenburger Land,and the twoSaxondistrictsZwickauandVogtlandkreis.
Greiz | |
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Country | Germany |
State | Thuringia |
Capital | Greiz |
Government | |
• District admin. | Ulli Schäfer (CDU) |
Area | |
• Total | 845.97 km2(326.63 sq mi) |
Population (31 December 2022)[1] | |
• Total | 96,381 |
• Density | 110/km2(300/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00(CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00(CEST) |
Vehicle registration | GRZ, ZR |
Website | www.landkreis-greiz.de |
History
editHistorically the area of the district was part of theVogtland,named after the titleVogtgiven to the local rulers in the 13th century. Only two lines of theReußfamily survived from that time, with one principality based in Greiz, and the other in Gera and Schleiz. In 1919 both were merged into theVolksstaat Reuß,which then became part of Thuringia in 1920.
A subcamp of theBuchenwald concentration campwas located atBerga/ElsterduringWorld War II.It was anSSjoint venture, in which inmates dug tunnels and laid railway tracks for the Schwalbe V project.[2]
The district in its current form was created on 1 July 1994, when the districts Gera-Land, Zeulenroda and the previous district Greiz were merged.
Geography
editIn the south of the district are the mountains of the Thuringian Slate Mountains (Thüringer Schiefergebirge) and theOre Mountains,with the river valley of theWeiße Elstergoing through the district from south to north.
Coat of arms
editBoth the lion as well as the crane in the top part of the coat of arms derive from the coat of arms of the Reuß families and their principalities. In the bottom is a part of the coat of arms of Saxony, as a small part of the district belonged to the Duchies of Saxony.
Towns and municipalities
editVerwaltungsgemeinschaft-free towns | and municipalities |
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Verwaltungsgemeinschaften | ||
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1seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft;2town |
Sights
editSights in the district Greiz:
- The Upper Castle of Greiz
- The Lower Castle of Greiz
- The Summer Palace Greiz
- Weida Osterburg Castle
- Ronneburg Castle
- Reichenfels Castle Ruin
- Old Guardhouse "Alte Wache" inGreiz
- Zeulenroda Town Hall
- Widen Church Ruin in Weida
- St. Veit Parish Church
- Mildenfurth Monastery
- Cronschwitz Monastery Ruin
- Greiz Park
- Fairy Tale Forest in Wünschendorf
Museums in the district Greiz:
- Museum of Local History inGreiz
- Summer Palace inGreiz
- Zeulenroda City Museum inZeulenroda
- Osterburg CastleMuseum inWeida, Thuringia
- Heinrich Schütz HouseinBad Köstritz
- Museum inHohenleuben
References
edit- ^"Bevölkerung der Gemeinden, erfüllenden Gemeinden und Verwaltungsgemeinschaften in Thüringen Gebietsstand: 31.12.2022"(in German).Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik.June 2023.
- ^Edward Victor.Alphabetical List of Camps, Subcamps and Other Camps.www.edwardvictor.com/Holocaust/List %20 of %20 camps.htm