Esterwegen is a municipality in the Emsland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany.
Esterwegen | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Esterwegen within Emsland district  | |
  Esterwegen  Esterwegen | |
| Coordinates: 52°59′31″N 7°38′1″E / 52.99194°N 7.63361°E | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Lower Saxony |
| District | Emsland |
| Municipal assoc. | Nordhümmling |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Hermann Willenborg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 49.53 km2 (19.12 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 13 m (43 ft) |
| Population (2022-12-31)[1] | |
| • Total | 5,546 |
| • Density | 110/km2 (290/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 26897 |
| Dialling codes | 0 59 55 |
| Vehicle registration | EL |
| Website | www.esterwegen.de |
Geography
Esterwegen lies in northwest Germany, less than 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the Dutch border and about 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the sea.
Demographics
In 2015 the population was 5,280.
Government
The mayor is Hermann Willenborg.
Concentration camp
In 1933 a concentration camp was established in Esterwegen.[2] In 1936 the camp was dissolved and used till 1945 as a prisoner camp, for political prisoners and later for prisoners of the decree Nacht und Nebel.
Notable inmates
- Julius Leber, politician
- Carl von Ossietzky, journalist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
- Georg Diederichs, later Minister-President of Lower Saxony
- Karl Germer, Outer Head of the Order (OHO) of Ordo Templi Orientis
Notes
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Esterwegen.
- memorial of Camp Esterwegen and the other 14 Emsland camps (in German, English, Dutch, French)
- de:KZ Esterwegen
- homepage of the memorial (in German)
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - Concentration Camps, 1933-1939