Spandau

Spandau is the westernmost borough (Bezirk) of Berlin, situated around the meeting of the Havel and Spree rivers and along the western bank of the Havel. It encompasses an area of 91.91 km² and has (as of 2003) about 226.100 inhabitants. Its current mayor is Konrad Birkholz (CDU).

Table of contents

1 History 2 Sights 3 External Links

History

The history of Spandau begins in the 7th or 8th century, when the slavic Heveller first settle in the area and later build a fortress there. It is conquered in 928 by the German King Henry I, but returns to slavic rule later in the 10th century.

In 1156, the Ascanian Earl Albrecht von Ballenstedt ("Albrecht the Bear") takes posession of the region. 1197 marks the first mention of Spandau in a document - then called Spandowe. It is given City rights in 1232. During the Ascanian Rule the construction of the Spandau Citadel begins, which is completed between 1559 and 1594 by Joachim II of Brandenburg.

In 1806, after the Battle of Jena and Auerstedt, French troops under Napoleon take posession of the city and stay there until 1807. In 1812, Napoleon returns and the Spandau Citadel is sieged in 1813 by Prussian and Russian Troops.

In 1920, Spandau (whose name had been changed from Spandow in 1878) is incorporated into Berlin as a borough.

After World War II, it is part of the British Occupation Zone in West Berlin and the Spandau Prison is built to house Nazi war criminals who were sentenced to imprisonment at the Nuremberg Trials.

Sights

• Spandau Citadel, Fortress build in the 16th Century
• St. Nikolai Church, Church from the Middle Ages (there is a church with the same name in Berlin-Mitte)

External Links

• Official Homepage (in German)