Schleswig Holstein Google Map, Germany

Schleswig-Holstein is the Northernmost state in Germany. It is surrounded on the North by Denmark and on the West by the North Sea, and on the East by the Baltic Sea. It has Kiel as its capital which is a massive sea-center as well as a city. The region possesses a colourful history, both Danish and German roots and formal status of both Danish and Frisian minorities. Sloping topography Schleswig-Holstein is also regarded to have flat land, tourism along the coast and wind energy play a significant role in the renewable energy sector of Germany. It also possesses the world's largest sailing festival which is the Kiel Week. The state is a combination of natural landscapes, culture diversities and economic innovations.

History

Schleswig and Holstein territories were formed as two distinct duchies. In the north, Schleswig was traditionally a Danish fief and in the south Holstein was a part of the Holy Roman Empire and later the German Confederation.

Beginning in 1460, the two duchies passed to the rule of the Danish king but they legally and culturally remained separate. Schleswig had a closer relation with Denmark and Holstein had an association with German states closely. The union of the Danish crown yet of differing allegiances was the cause of centuries of political strife.

The conflict was intensified by increased nationalism of Denmark and the German states in the 19th century. In 1848 German-speaking people in the duchies rebelled, demanding independence and annexation to Germany. This initiated the first war in Schleswig in 1851 which the Danish won and was strengthened by the 1852 London Protocol that reiterated Danish rule internationally.

The conflict reappeared in 1863, after Denmark tried to officially unite Schleswig with the kingdom. This aroused the Second Schleswig War in 1864 when Prussia and Austria conquered Denmark. It led to the Treaty of Vienna which gave Schleswig and Holstein to Prussia and Austria.

According to the Gastein Convention in 1865, the rule was split Prussia to rule Schleswig, and Austria to rule Holstein. Conflicts between the two powers resulted in the war of Austro-Prussian in 1866. Following the Prussian victory the two duchies became part of Prussia directly, with the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein created in 1868.

After World War I, the Versailles treaty made provisions of plebiscites in the area. In 1920, Northern Schleswig was given the option to vote to be released to Denmark with the majority of the citizens voting in the affirmative. Central Schleswig was however given the option to stay in Germany, which they did. Such a peaceful settlement defined the boundary that has existed between Denmark and Germany up to date.

In the Nazi era, geopolitical change to Schleswig-Holstein occurred with the absorption of Lubeck and surrounding enclaves into Greater Hamburg in 1937 by Act. Following World War II, the area was significantly affected by the inflow of refugees to East Germany. Nevertheless, in the post war world, Schleswig-Holstein was among the original states of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949.

The seat was located in Kiel, whereas Schleswig was given essential cultural and judicial institutions. The state was also starting to advocate collaboration and minorities as well, especially that of the Danish, Frisian and Low German.

Culture

Artists such as Emil Nolde and contemporaries of the expressionist style gave an expression of the feeling of the time in strong affective colors. The area was also very significant in the history of German literature. Theodor Storm, Thomas and Heinrich Mann, and Gunter Grass are but some of writers who took into account the environment and political complexity in the area through their writings. The towns such as Husum and Lübeck have preserved their literary heritage continuing to serve the writers through museums and cultural centres that organise literary activities.

Music plays a major role in cultural life. Traditions handed down in classical referrals are supported in the form of internationally acclaimed festivals, orchestrates and soloists to local towns with church, castle, barn performances. Along the other side of the spectrum advances the culture of modern music, particularly is the annual wacken open air, the biggest heavy metal music festival in the world, taking place each year in a small country village, which is turned into a world centre of rock music fans. The cultural calendar always includes smaller music festivals that pay attention to jazz, folk and experimental sounds.

Farming, fishing, and trade-based traditional festivals also still occur particularly in smaller towns. Seasonal festivals, maritime parades, Viking reenactments and harvest fairs give a taste of all year round. Kiel Week, a week-long, one of the largest sailing festivals in the world, opens the combination of sporting, tourism and cultural show in the incredible regional identity party.

Cooking traditions are a mixture of land-based cuisines and coastal aromas of the west and east. A famous meal is a Labskaus or a mix of corned beef, mashed potatoes, beetroot as well as herring. A winter specialty is Grünkohl mit Pinkel, a stewed-kale and sausage dish. On its part, Birnen, Bohnen und Speck lies a curious sweet-and-savoury amalgamation of pears, green beans, and bacon. Smoked fish and in particular Kieler Sprotten are a staple and the marzipan of Lübeck is internationally renowned.

Language

The linguistic makeup of the region is diverse and German is the official and dominant language as regards to education, mass media, and administration. High German language is applied in the sphere of public life, but rich cultural overtones are provided by a number of regional and minority languages. The most prevalent regional language is Low German, which is also called the Plattdeutsch mainly used in the countryside. Its use is on decline but it is still understood by many, and schools have optional classes and examinations to do so.

The Danish minority (found in the areas close to the border with the north) speaks a local dialect which is a mixture of Danish and German. Cultural and educational institutions confirm language rights that teach standard Danish in minority schools. This society has close affinity with Danish culture and language.

A smaller group of people inhabited in the west coast and islands such as Sylt and Foix speak North Frisian. It comprises several dialects with some being endangered, it is still used in schools and it is represented in official signage. The Frisian has the linguistic resemblance with Danish and Dutch showing the historical ties.

Another linguistic minority is the Sinti and Roma speaking Romani-descended people, who are mostly urban residents. Even though it is legislatively established, Romani is used sparingly in society and cannot be easily passed across generations.

There are also mixed languages: Missingsch is a blend of Low German and High German, Petuh is a German and Danish mix, both are on the verge of extinction. The sign language spoken by the deaf is called German Sign Language and Danish Sign language exists among few.

Although high German prevails in the sphere of public life, minority language flourishes in the family, at school and in the cultural institutions. The right to use Low German, Danish and Frisian in official channels is granted to specific regions and even their use is reinforced with bilingual signage and specific language courses. This multinational diversity of the language embraces the complicated history and cultural relationships with the jurisdiction.

Geography

It is situated in northern Germany, between the North Sea and Baltic Sea and as such it forms a narrow and long strip of land linking Scandinavian to continental Europe like a bridge. It has a coast line of more than 1,100 kilometers with a broad range of coastal scenery and landscapes including sandy beaches and dunes, rocky cliffs and tidal flats.

It is mainly flat terrain with few low hills and in the east of it is a few overlooking hills in the west of the Baltic coast. The western regions are defined by the presence of marshlands and fertile plains and the character of these marshlands and plainlands is historically influenced by the actions of the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is distinguished by its salty regions, ecosystem of tides and diverse biodiversity. Critical habitats of the migratory birds and marine life are found within the Wadden Sea mudflats.

There are a number of large rivers that cut across the region, namely, the Eider, the longest river exclusively located within the region, drains west in the North Sea. Kiel Canal, the busiest man-made canal in the world links the North and the Baltic seas and enables the transportation of goods worldwide; in addition to this, it helps to skip around the shaping of the Jutland Peninsula.

Several lakes as well are to be found, notably many in the lowlands of the east including, the Plöner See See, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the north of Germany. A large part of the forests is donated to biodiversity and recreational opportunities.

The atmosphere is a temperate maritime type with mild winters, cool summers and moderate rainfall during the year. Its location near two seas softens the temperatures down and the atmosphere is humid generally and it has regular winds that affect the weather conditions.

FAQs

Q.1: Which are its major cities?

The major cities are Kiel (capital), Lübeck, Flensburg and Neumünster.

Q.2: What minorities are formally accepted?

Minorities are allowed the right to Danish, Frisian, and Low German (Plattdeutsch) language.

Q.3: What is famous in Schleswig ‑ Holstein?

Its natural attractions in the country are Wadden Sea National Park, Holstein Switzerland and islands such as Sylt and Fehmarn.

Q.4: Which are the best events and festivals?

The most famous events every year are Kiel Week, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, JazzBaltica, Wacken Open Air and Lübeck Nordic Film Days.

Q.5: What is the economy?

Some of the major industries include tourism, renewable energy (wind energy in particular), agriculture, shipbuilding and machinery.