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115-408: Elsterberg is situated in a deep valley, which begins in the neighbouring town of Greiz, and is surrounded by dense forests. This valley continues till the incorporated village Gippe to the following nature reserve Elstertal . Elsterberg is situated directly at the river White Elster and belongs to the political area of the free state of Saxony. The federal road B92 leads through the town and connects

230-725: A compressor manufacturer (Kompressorenwerk Kaeser), a precision-tool maker (SMK-Präzisionsmechanik), and a subsidiary of the construction company Max Bögl. The e-commerce service-provider D+S Europe has a service centre in Gera with several hundred workers, and Rittal, a manufacturer of information-technology enclosures, recently moved from Bad Köstritz to Gera. Some industrial branches operating before 1990 no longer have major importance. Sectors either no longer existing or sharply reduced include those in toolmaking ( VEB Wema Union), textiles (VEB Modedruck), textile machinery (VEB Textima), electronic equipment (VEB Elektronik Gera). Other industries that had

345-556: A crushing defeat at the Battle of Jena a few days later. The Gera line of Reussians died out in 1802, so that it had no royal resident until the new one moved there from Schleiz in 1848. From 1848 to 1918 Gera served as the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Gera . With the industrial revolution in the mid-19th century, Gera grew rapidly, due largely to its textile industry, which saw the first Power loom installed in 1836. In 1859, Gera

460-490: A demographic boom with a population of 83,000 at the end of this phase in 1930. In 1950, Gera had 98,000 inhabitants and the all-time peak was reached in 1988 with a population of 135,000. After the German reunification in 1990, the city saw a significant decline in population, despite the large incorporations of 1994. The population shrunk to 113,000 in 2000 and 95,000 in 2012. The average decrease of population between 2009 and 2012

575-497: A more natural and tough vegetation more resilient to climate change as well as diseases and vermin. In comparison to the forest, agriculture is still quite conventional and dominated by large structures and monocultures. Problems here are caused especially by increasingly prolonged dry periods during the summer months. Environmental damage in Thuringia has been reduced to a large extent after 1990. The condition of forests, rivers and air

690-606: A new bypass road was built in the east to improve the connection of southern city parts to the A 4 and to relieve the city centre from transit traffic. The closest regional airports are the Leipzig/Halle Airport , about 70 km (43 mi) north and the Erfurt-Weimar Airport , about 90 km (56 mi) west of Gera. Both serve mainly holiday flights. The nearest major airports are the Frankfurt Airport ,

805-471: A presence included VEB Carl Zeiss Jena and a brewery. One important industrial branch had been uranium-ore mining in nearby Ronneburg ( Wismut ), whereby the region became the Soviet Union 's leading uranium supplier. In 2012 Gera had 41 companies with more than 20 workers in the industrial sector, employing 3,400 people and generating an overall turnover of €452 million. Gera is a supra-centre according to

920-404: A small foreign population: circa 1.6% are non-Germans by citizenship and overall 5.0% are migrants (according to 2011 EU census ). Differing from the national average, the biggest groups of migrants in Gera are Russians , Vietnamese people and Ukrainians . During recent years, the economic situation of the city improved a bit: the unemployment rate declined from 22% in 2005 to 11% in 2013, which

1035-447: A strong tendency from rural areas towards the big cities. From 2008 to 2012, there was a net migration from Thuringia to Erfurt of +6,700 persons (33 per 1000 inhabitants), +1,800 to Gera (19 per 1000), +1,400 to Jena (14 per 1000), +1,400 to Eisenach (33 per 1000) and +1,300 to Weimar (21 per 1000). Between Thuringia and the other German states, the balance is negative: In 2012, Thuringia lost 6,500 persons to other federal states,

1150-496: Is Germany's driest area, with annual precipitation of only 400 to 500 mm. Artern , in the north-east, is warm and dry, with a mean annual temperature of 8.5 °C and mean precipitation of 450 mm; contrast this with wet, cool Oberhof , in the Thuringian Forest, where temperature averages only 4.4 °C and mean annual precipitation reaches 1300 mm. Due to many centuries of intensive settlement, most of

1265-450: Is a connection between Lusan and the Zwötzen railway station (line 2). Another line is planned to connect Langenberg and the northern city parts. On line 3 is one course every 5 minutes, on line 1 every 10 minutes and on line 2 every 20 minutes. The bus network connects districts without trams as well as neighbouring municipalities that do not have a rail connection. Tertiary institutions are

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1380-452: Is a protracted city along a wide valley in south-northern direction. The historic city centre is quite small and located between Sorge in the north, Nicolaistraße in the east, Stadtgraben in the south and Reichsstraße in the west. It survived World War II, but during the 1960s and 1970s, the GDR government demolished larger inner-city areas to rebuild them with modern concrete architecture, which marks

1495-750: Is a white-red bicolor, derived from the white and red stripes of the Ludowingian lion. The coat of arms and flag of Hesse are quite similar to the Thuringian ones, since they are also derived from the Ludowingian symbols. Symbols of Thuringia in popular culture are the Bratwurst and the Forest , because a large amount of the territory is forested. Named after the Thuringii Germanic tribe who occupied it around AD 300, Thuringia came under Frankish domination in

1610-412: Is about 1.78% less. The current population is 2,120,237 (31 December 2020) with an annual rate of decrease of about 0.5%, which varies widely between the local regions. In 2012, 905,000 Thuringians lived in a municipality with more than 20,000 inhabitants, this is an urbanization rate of 42% which continues to rise. In July 2013, there were 41,000 non-Germans by citizenship living in Thuringia (1.9% of

1725-516: Is eight kilometres south of the capital's Cathedral , in the municipality of Rockhausen . Thuringia's climate is temperate with humid westerly winds predominating. Increasingly as one moves from the north-west to the south-east, the climate shows continental features: winters can be cold for long periods, and summers can become warm. Dry periods are often recorded, especially within the Thuringian Basin, leeward to mountains in all directions. It

1840-643: Is followed up by Werra river valley, dividing it from the Rhön Mountains in the west and the Grabfeld plain in the south. Eastern Thuringia, commonly described as the area east of Saale and Loquitz valley, is marked by a hilly landscape, rising slowly from the flat north to the mountainous south. The Saale in the west and the White Elster in the east are the two big rivers running from south to north and forming densely settled valleys in this area. Between them lies

1955-527: Is located in the Central German Metropolitan Region , approximately 60 kilometres (37 miles) south of Saxony's largest city of Leipzig , 80 km (50 miles) east of Thuringia's capital Erfurt , 120 km (75 miles) west of Saxony's capital Dresden and 90 km (56 miles) north of Bavaria's city of Hof (Saale) . First mentioned in 995 and developing into a city during the 13th century, Gera has historical significance as being one of

2070-502: Is no big issue anymore. Now, the birth deficit, caused by the high average age of the population, is getting a bigger problem because the immigration isn't sufficient to compensate it yet. Despite urban planning activities to tear down unused flats, vacancy is still a problem with rates around 12% (according to 2011 EU census). A positive side effect for the inhabitants is that Gera has one of the lowest rent levels in Germany. The birth deficit

2185-466: Is now Thuringia were the Sorbs proper , who unified all tribes in what is now southern half of Eastern Germany. The Ostsiedlung movement led to the assimilation of Slavic people between the 11th and the 13th century under German rule. The population growth increased during the 18th century and stayed high until World War I , before it slowed within the 20th century and changed to a decline since 1990. Since

2300-428: Is one of Germany's 16 states with 2.1 million people, its 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, its 11th-largest in area. Erfurt is the capital and largest city. Other cities include Jena , Gera and Weimar . Thuringia is bordered by Bavaria , Hesse , Lower Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt , and Saxony . It has been known as "the green heart of Germany" ( das grüne Herz Deutschlands ) from

2415-417: Is only 591 millimeters (23.3 in) with moderate rainfall throughout the year. Light snowfall mainly occurs from December through February, but snow cover does not usually remain for long. Gera abuts the following municipalities: The 12 statistical districts are: The main urban quarters are the city centre, Untermhaus (incorporated 1919) in the west, Langenberg (1950), Tinz (1919) and Bieblach (1905) in

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2530-623: Is still the highest one out of all Thuringian districts. Due to the official atheism in former GDR , most of the population is non-religious. In 2011, 9.8% were members of the Evangelical Church in Central Germany and 2.6% were Catholics, giving Gera one of the lowest shares of religious people in the Western world. There are some museums in Gera: Like its western neighbour-city Jena , Gera

2645-818: The Bleiloch Dam and the Hohenwarte Dam on the River Saale, as well as the Leibis-Lichte Dam and the Goldisthal Pumped Storage Station in the Thuringian Highlands. Thuringia is Germany's only state with no connection to navigable waterways. The geographic centre of the Federal Republic is in Thuringia, within the municipality of Vogtei next to Mühlhausen . The centre of Thuringia

2760-543: The Bundesgartenschau 2007 were implemented to stimulate Gera's economy. Sights include some retained buildings of the royal residence epoque and many public and private buildings from the economic heyday between 1870 and 1930. The famous painter Otto Dix was born in Gera in 1891. The place name Gera originally referred to the area of the Elster river valley where the city stands now. The name most likely originated before

2875-462: The Bundesstraße 2 to Zeitz in the north and Hof in the south, the Bundesstraße 7 to Jena (via Eisenberg ) in the west and to Altenburg in the east and the Bundesstraße 92 to Plauen (via Greiz ) in the south. Important secondary roads run to Altenburg (via Lumpzig ), to Werdau (via Linda ), to Wünschendorf , to Stadtroda and to Hermsdorf . As part of the Bundesgartenschau 2007,

2990-593: The Central Place Theory in German regional planning. This makes the city a regional centre for retailing, with three major shopping centres: Gera-Arcaden , Amthor-Passage and Elster-Forum . Health services are important, with one of the biggest hospitals in Thuringia, the SRH Waldklinikum. Nevertheless, Gera's economy is weak compared to equal-sized neighbouring cities like Jena or Zwickau . While Jena counts 51,000 and Zwickau 50,000 jobs liable to pay into

3105-668: The Elbe , with its tributaries the Unstrut , Ilm and White Elster, drains the most part of Thuringia. The Werra – the headwater of the Weser – drains the south-west and west of the state. Furthermore, some small areas on the southern border are drained by tributaries of the Main , itself a tributary of the Rhine . There are no large natural lakes in Thuringia, but it does have some of Germany's biggest dams, including

3220-433: The Evangelical Church in Central Germany or to the Evangelical Church of Hesse Electorate-Waldeck ( Schmalkalden region). Catholic dioceses are Erfurt (most of Thuringia), Dresden-Meissen (eastern parts) and Fulda (Rhön around Geisa in the very west). Thuringia is a stronghold for the far right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the party emerged as the largest in Thuringia in the 2021 national elections . In 2017

3335-649: The Hermunduri , but later research rejected the idea. Other historians argue that the Thuringians were allies of the Huns , came to central Europe together with them, and lived before in what is Galicia today. Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus first mentioned the Thuringii around 400; during that period, the Thuringii were famous for their excellent horses. The Thuringian Realm existed until after 531. The Landgraviate of Thuringia

3450-743: The Kingdom of Prussia also acquired some Thuringian territory and administered it within the Province of Saxony . The Thuringian duchies which became part of the German Empire in 1871 during the Prussian-led unification of Germany were Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach , Saxe-Meiningen , Saxe-Altenburg , Saxe-Coburg-Gotha , Schwarzburg-Sondershausen , Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and the two principalities of Reuss Elder Line and Reuss Younger Line . In 1920, after World War I , these small states merged into one state, called

3565-514: The Leine river emanates. The central and northern part of Thuringia is defined by the 3,000 km (1,200 sq mi) wide Thuringian Basin , a very fertile and flat area around the Unstrut river and completely surrounded by the following hill chains (clockwise from the north-west): Dün , Hainleite , Windleite , Kyffhäuser , Hohe Schrecke , Schmücke , Finne , Ettersberg , Steigerwald , Thuringian Forest , Hörselberge and Hainich . Within

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3680-639: The Munich Airport and the Berlin Brandenburg Airport . In the eastern part of Gera lies the airfield Gera-Leumnitz meant for private aviation. Cycling is becoming more popular since the construction of quality cycle tracks began in the 1990s. For tourists, there are the Weiße Elster track and the Thuringian city string track (Radweg Thüringer Städtekette) . Both connect points of tourist interest,

3795-655: The Principality of Reuss-Greiz , a defunct principality in the modern state's borders. Some reordering of the Thuringian states occurred during the German Mediatisation from 1795 to 1814, and the territory was included within the Napoleonic Confederation of the Rhine organized in 1806. The 1815 Congress of Vienna confirmed these changes and the Thuringian states' inclusion in the German Confederation ;

3910-590: The Protestant Reformation , and Roman Catholicism was suppressed as early as 1520; priests who remained loyal to it were driven away and churches and monasteries were largely destroyed, especially during the German Peasants' War of 1525. In Mühlhausen and elsewhere, the Anabaptists found many adherents. Thomas Müntzer , a leader of some non-peaceful groups of this sect, was active in this city. Within

4025-694: The Rhön Mountains around Geisa in the southwest. Protestant church membership is shrinking rapidly, whereas the Catholic Church is somewhat more stable because of Catholic migration from Poland, Southern Europe and West Germany. Other religions play no significant role in Thuringia. There are only a few thousand Muslims (largely migrants) and about 750 Jews (mostly migrants from Russia) living in Thuringia. Furthermore, there are some Orthodox communities of Eastern European migrants and some traditional Protestant Free churches in Thuringia without any societal influence. The Protestant parishes of Thuringia belong to

4140-647: The Thuringian Highland approx. 50 km (31 mi) in the south-west, the Ore Mountains approx. 50 km (31 mi) in the south-east and the Leipzig Bay approx. 50 km (31 mi) in the north. The municipal territory is marked by the Elster valley, crossing it in south-northern direction. West of the valley, the landscape is more hilly and forested (with the Gera Municipal Forest), whereas

4255-734: The Weimar Republic , six Landtag elections were held. Thuringia was one of the states where the Nazi Party first gained real political power during the Weimar Republic. Wilhelm Frick was appointed Minister of the Interior in the state coalition government after the Nazi Party won six deputies to the Thuringian Landtag in the December 1929 election. In this position, he removed from

4370-582: The electoral threshold of 5%. The other two parties of the traffic light coalition in Berlin, Greens and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), did not pass the threshold and lost all of their seats, which contributed to the break-up of that coalition on November 6th. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) recorded small gains and came second with 24%. The newly-founded Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance BSW debuted in third place at 16%. The AfD in Thuringia became

4485-474: The 2011 Census results. Since the Protestant Reformation , the most prominent Christian denomination in Thuringia has been Lutheranism . During the GDR period, church membership was discouraged and has continued shrinking since the reunification in 1990. Today over two thirds of the population is non-religious. The Protestant Church in Germany has had the largest number of members in the state, adhered to by 20.8% of

4600-590: The 6th century. Thuringia became a landgraviate in 1130 AD. After the extinction of the reigning Ludowingian line of counts and landgraves in 1247 and the War of the Thuringian Succession (1247–1264), the western half became independent under the name of " Hesse ", never to become a part of Thuringia again. Most of the remaining Thuringia came under the rule of the Wettin dynasty of the nearby Margraviate of Meissen ,

4715-679: The Basin the smaller hill chains Fahner Höhe and Heilinger Höhen . South of the Thuringian Basin is the state's largest mountain range, marked by the Thuringian Forest in the north-west, the Thuringian Highland in the middle and the Franconian Forest in the south-east. Most of this range is forested and the Großer Beerberg (983 m) is Thuringia's highest mountain. To the south-west, the Forest

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4830-637: The Districts of Erfurt , Suhl and Gera . Thuringia was re-established in 1990 following German reunification , slightly re-drawn, and became one of the new states of the Federal Republic of Germany. The name Thuringia or Thüringen derives from the Germanic tribe Thuringii , who emerged during the Migration Period . Their origin is largely unknown. An older theory claims that they were successors of

4945-632: The Ernestine Wettins . Their various lands formed the Free State of Thuringia, founded in 1920, together with some other small principalities. The Prussian territories around Erfurt , Mühlhausen and Nordhausen joined Thuringia in 1945. The coat of arms of Thuringia shows the lion of the Ludowingian Landgraves of 12th-century origin. The eight stars around it represent the eight former states which formed Thuringia. The flag of Thuringia

5060-673: The European Migration Period – the people who first settled the area during the 8th century adopted the name. The first known documentary mention of Gera dates from 995. In 999 Emperor Otto III assigned the "province" of Gera to the Quedlinburg Abbey . In turn, the church assigned the protectorship of this area in 1209 to the Vogts of Weida (in German: Vögte von Weida ) who served as its administrators. The Vogts of Weida were

5175-545: The Free State of Thuringia ( Freistaat Thüringen ); only Saxe-Coburg voted to join Bavaria instead. Weimar became the new capital. The coat of arms of this new state was simpler than those of its predecessors. The Landtag of the newly established state first convened in 1920 in Weimar. Its deputies were elected for three years according to proportional representation , with a minimum voting age of 21. Between 1920 and 1932, under

5290-443: The German federal system with a unitary state . Thuringia was the location of the Buchenwald concentration camp with multiple subcamps. After being controlled briefly by the US following the end of the Second World War , from July 1945 the state of Thuringia came under the Soviet occupation zone and was expanded to include parts of Prussian Saxony, such as the areas around Erfurt , Mühlhausen , and Nordhausen . Erfurt became

5405-415: The German social insurance, Gera had only 35,000 of those full-time jobs in 2012. The commuter balance was +14,000 in Jena and +16,000 in Zwickau, but only +2,000 in Gera, which is one of the lowest ratios among German supra-centres, highlighting the lack of ability of Gera to provide jobs for the region. The unemployment rate reached 11.2% in September 2013 - the highest among all Thuringian districts. Since

5520-412: The Gößnitz line, to Greiz , to Hof and to Saalfeld. Local trains provide connections to Weimar via Jena, Leipzig, Weischlitz (near Plauen), Hof and Saalfeld. The most lines run every two hours, so that there is hourly service (express and local trains in alternation) to most directions. The electrification of the west-eastern mainline Weimar – Jena – Gera – Gößnitz is in discussion for closing that gap in

5635-455: The Knight Ritter Rayer von Elsterberg , who called his mansion Elsterburg. Years later the sirs of the Lobdeburg colonized the area and built up a new castle in 1225, later called Castle Elsterberg. These lords had let establish a huge church beneath their castle and let Frankonians and Saxons take up residence around as their subjects. Originally there was no thought of founding this city, however, when 36 close villages came to Elsterberg in

5750-448: The Leipzig line, Zwötzen at the Saalfeld and Hof line as well as Gera Ost and Liebschwitz at the Plauen line. Freight transport by rail is immaterial in Gera since the 1990s. The two Autobahnen crossing each other nearby at Hermsdorf junction are the Bundesautobahn 4 (Frankfurt–Dresden) and the Bundesautobahn 9 (Berlin–Munich), which were both built during the 1930s. Furthermore, there are three Bundesstraßen connecting Gera:

5865-470: The Soviets on 1 July 1945. Gera became part of the GDR in 1949 and was a flash point in the Uprising of 1953 in East Germany as thousands of workers – among them many employees of the Soviet-established Wismut uranium mining entity in the nearby Ore Mountains ( Erzgebirge ) – demanded higher wages and free elections. The demonstrations were put down by Soviet military forces, including armored units. With governmental reorganization in East Germany,

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5980-425: The Thuringian police force anyone he suspected of being a republican and replaced them with men who were favourable towards the Nazis. He also ensured that, whenever an important position came up within Thuringia, a Nazi was given that post. Following the Nazi seizure of power in Berlin, the Landtag was formally abolished as a result of the " Law on the Reconstruction of the Reich " of 30 January 1934, which replaced

6095-416: The ancestors of the Reussians , who ruled Gera until 1918. Gera was first mentioned as a town in 1237, though it is unclear in which year Gera got the municipal law. The small town got circumvallated in the 13th century on an area of 350 x 350 m and the Vogts' city castle was built in the south-western corner at today's Burgstraße. A municipal seal was first used in 1350, the council was first named in 1360 and

6210-463: The area is shaped by human influence. The original natural vegetation of Thuringia is forest with beech as its predominant species, as can still be found in the Hainich mountains today. In the uplands, a mixture of beech and spruce would be natural. However, most of the plains have been cleared and are in intensive agricultural use while most of the forests are planted with spruce and pine . Since 1990, Thuringia's forests have been managed aiming for

6325-415: The balance was negative with Switzerland (−2,800) and Austria (−900). Of the approximately 850 municipalities of Thuringia, 126 are classed as towns (within a district) or cities (forming their own urban district). Most of the towns are small with a population of less than 10,000; only the ten biggest ones have a population greater than 30,000. The first towns emerged during the 12th century, whereas

6440-408: The beginning of Urbanisation around 1840, the Thuringian cities have higher growth rates resp. smaller rates of decline than rural areas (many villages lost half of their population since 1950, whereas the biggest cities ( Erfurt and Jena ) kept growing). The 1981 census projected that Thuringia's population would reach 2,221,222 by 2011. The population counted in the 2011 census was 2,181,603, which

6555-415: The birth ratio. Furthermore, the population is getting older and older with some rural municipalities recording more than 30% of over-65s (pensioners). This is a problem for the regional labour market, as there are twice as many people leaving as entering the job market annually. The birth rate was about 1.8 children per women in the 1970s and 1980s, shrinking to 0.8 in 1994 during the economic crisis after

6670-570: The borders of Gera are the Erlbach on the western side and the Wipsenbach , Gessenbach and Brahme on the eastern side. Gera has a humid continental climate (Dfb) or an oceanic climate ( Cfb ) according to the Köppen climate classification system. Summers are warm and sometimes humid, winters are relatively cold. The city's topography creates a microclimate caused through the basin position with sometimes inversion in winter (quite cold nights under −20 °C (−4 °F)) and heat and inadequate air circulation in summer. Annual precipitation

6785-405: The borders of modern Thuringia the Roman Catholic faith only survived in the Eichsfeld district, which was ruled by the Archbishop of Mainz , and to a small degree in Erfurt and its immediate vicinity. The modern German black-red-gold tricolour flag's first appearance anywhere in a German-ethnicity sovereign state , within what today comprises Germany, occurred in 1778 as the state flag of

6900-423: The city Plauen and the towns Elsterberg and Greiz. Incorporated villages are: Elsterberg was first mentioned in documents dating from 1198. This mention is based on townspeople information and a document presumably destroyed by a fire in 1840. In this document a small knight seat, there called the old house of Elsterberg , was described. These castle buildings were situated on the rocks of Weßnitz and belonged to

7015-542: The city also became an administrative centre in GDR as one of the capitals of Gera administrative district (Bezirk) . In 1990, Gera became part of re-established Thuringia. The loss of its administrative functions as well as its industrial core (caused both by structural change among the European textile industry and the economic system change after the German reunification) precipitated the city's slide into an enduring economic crisis. Since 1990, many of Gera's buildings have been restored and big urban planning programmes like

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7130-420: The city became the capital of the newly created District of Gera in 1952. The population rose during the GDR period, and massive Plattenbau prefabricated apartment blocks, built throughout East Germany, were constructed in Gera. After German reunification in 1990, Gera became part of the restored state of Thuringia. However, Gera lost most of its administrative functions after reunification, and nearly all

7245-432: The city's factories were closed. This led to a continuing economic crisis with significant unemployment, and the city's population declined from 135,000 in 1990 to less than 100,000 a decade later. The city hosted the Bundesgartenschau (federal horticultural exhibition) in 2007. Gera is located in a smooth-hilly landscape in eastern Thuringia at the White Elster river (progression: Saale → Elbe → North Sea ), between

7360-426: The college towns Erfurt , Jena , Weimar and Ilmenau have the highest rates, whereas there are almost no migrants living in the most rural smaller municipalities. The Thuringian population has a significant sex ratio gap, caused by the emigration of young women, especially in rural areas. Overall, there are 115 to 120 men per 100 women in the 25–40 age group ("family founders") which has negative consequences for

7475-422: The common curriculum. The first freely elected mayor after German reunification was independent Ralf Rauch , who served from 1994 to 2006. He was succeeded by Norbert Vornehm of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who served from 2006 to 2012. Viola Hahn was elected in 2012, but was defeated seeking re-election in 2018, failing to progress to the second round. Julian Vonarb served from 2018 to 2024 when he

7590-453: The detail, the "Bürgerkeller" (town hall) redesigned and all other parts of the city carefully considered. numbers of inhabitants (31. December) and incorporations: Gera Gera is a city in the German state of Thuringia . With around 93,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city in Thuringia after Erfurt and Jena as well as the easternmost city of the Thüringer Städtekette , an almost straight string of cities consisting of

7705-404: The eastern parts are more flat and in agricultural use. The elevation is between 180 metres (the level of the White Elster river) and 354 m (1,161.42 ft) (when measured at Gera-Falka at the furthest southeastern point). Usually the height above sea level for the city appears as 205 m (673 ft) when measured at the market place. Small tributaries of the White Elster river within

7820-573: The economy has seen an upturn and the general economic situation has improved. Agriculture and forestry have declined in importance over the decades. Nevertheless, they are more important than in most other areas of Germany, especially within rural regions. 54% of Thuringia's territory is in agricultural use. The fertile basins such as the large Thuringian Basin or the smaller Goldene Aue , Orlasenke and Osterland are in intensive use for growing cereals, vegetables, fruits and energy crops. Important products are apples, strawberries, cherries and plums in

7935-409: The end of World War II, on 6 April 1945, U.S. bombing destroyed parts of the city and killed 514 residents. Some 300 buildings were hit, including the Osterstein castle and several historic buildings in city centre, many of which weren't rebuilt after the war, so in present day nearly half of Geras buildings date back to before World War II. U.S. forces occupied Gera on 14 April 1945 but were replaced by

8050-438: The factory in favour of its affiliated factory in Obernburg , despite full order books. This was the end of the textile and chemical industry in Elsterberg. The adverse circumstances and a high unemployment nonwithstanding, Elsterberg developed a lot. The historic section of the town was renovated, the "Waldbad" (forest pool) was reconstructed, a bypass was built, historic structures of buildings were renewed with great attention to

8165-421: The first far-right party in Germany since World War II to win a state election. Thuringia is divided into 17 districts ( Landkreise ): Furthermore, there are five urban districts: Thuringia's economy is marked by the economic transition that happened after the German reunification and led to the closure of most of the factories within the Land. The unemployment rate reached a peak in 2005. Since that year,

8280-780: The first along the White Elster valley from the Elster Mountains at the Czech border to Saale river in Halle and second from Eisenach via Erfurt , Weimar , Jena and Gera to Altenburg . For inner city every-day traffic, some cycle lanes exist along several main streets. The Gera tram network was the second in Germany that launched electrical engines in 1892. Today, there are two long lines, one from Bieblach via city centre to Lusan (line 3) and another one – opened in 2006 – from Untermhaus via city centre to Zwötzen (line 1). The third short line

8395-510: The flat and forested Holzland in the north, the flat and fertile Orlasenke in the middle and the Vogtland , a hilly but in most parts non-forested region in the south. The far eastern region (east of White Elster) is the Osterland or Altenburger Land along Pleiße river, a flat, fertile and densely settled agricultural area. There are two large rivers in Thuringia. The Saale , a tributary of

8510-805: The forested mountains, are protected as natural reserves, including Thuringia's first national park within the Hainich mountains, founded in 1997, the Rhön Biosphere Reserve , the Thuringian Forest Nature Park and the South Harz Nature Park . During the Middle Ages, Thuringia was at the border between Germanic and Slavic territories, marked by the Saale river. The main Slavic tribe in what

8625-615: The largest party with 33% of the vote (and 36% of the seats), its best ever performance and the first time it placed first in a state election in Germany. The incumbent governing coalition suffered dramatic losses; the Left had split up, with new Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) becoming the more popular part, while the remaining Left lost more than half of its support and fell to fourth place on 13%. The 130+ year old SPD, which since late 2021 rules Germany under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, recorded its worst result in any postwar state election, barely passing

8740-477: The late 19th century due to its broad, dense forest. Most of Thuringia is in the Saale drainage basin , a left-bank tributary of the Elbe . Thuringia is home to the Rennsteig , Germany's best-known hiking trail . Its winter resort of Oberhof makes it a well-equipped winter sports destination – half of Germany's 136 Winter Olympic gold medals had been won by Thuringian athletes as of 2014. Thuringia

8855-910: The late 19th century, Gera has been a hub in the railway network. The first railway ran to the Thuringian Railway in Weißenfels (with connection to Halle ) via Zeitz in 1859. Further main lines were opened to Gößnitz (with connection to Chemnitz ) in 1865, to Saalfeld in 1871, to Leipzig (via Zeitz) in 1873, to Plauen in 1875, to Weimar (with connection to Erfurt ) via Jena in 1876 and to Hof in 1883. The secondary railways to Werdau (opened in 1876) and Meuselwitz (opened via Pölzig in 1901 and via Lumpzig in 1887) are abandoned. Nevertheless, none of these lines are electrified or in use for long-distance trains. Today, there are regional express trains to Göttingen via Jena and Erfurt, to Leipzig via Zeitz, to Altenburg , Glauchau and Zwickau via

8970-417: The latest ones received town status only in the 20th century. Today, all municipalities within districts are equal in law, whether they are towns or villages. Independent cities (i.e. urban districts) have greater powers (the same as any district) than towns within a district. * Average annual change in percent within the last three years (13 December 2009 to 31 December 2012), adjusted from incorporations and

9085-524: The machinery was dismantled and carried off to the Soviet Union and companies were forced to nationalization. Nevertheless, the production of spinnable fiber, leather and stoves could gear up slowly and under many difficulties. In 195 Elsterberg was integrated into the new district of Gera, Thuringia , within the administrative reform in Saxony. During the years in the former GDR , Elsterberg developed to one of

9200-509: The main residences of the Ducal House of Reuss and subsequently the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Gera (1848-1918) and of the People's State of Reuss (1918-1920), one of the many microstates the Thuringian region consisted of , before they were unified to form Thuringia in 1920. Over the 19th century, Gera became a centre of the textile industry and saw a period of rapid growth. In 1952,

9315-447: The most important industrial locations of the district of Gera. At this time, industrialisation forms a modern industry town out of Elsterberg, with its "VEB"(state owned company) "Kunstseidenwerk", producing spinnable fiber and in the late 70s additionally sponges, its "VEB Wäscheunion", which as its first priority manufactured bed linen, its "VEB Wärmegerätewerk", which produced the coveted "Glutos"-stoves and its leather factory. Through

9430-432: The most influential and important company in this field before WW II. The leather industry boomed as well. In the year 1885 Elsterberg was connected to the railway network between Gera and Plauen and that of course helped its industry and the raise of industrialization. The small town of Elsterberg remained exempt from air raids, except a few unexploded bombs, during World War II. On April 16, 1945 American troops occupied

9545-460: The most to Bavaria , Saxony , Hesse and Berlin . Only with Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg the balance is positive. The international migration is fluctuating heavily. In 2009, the balance was +700, in 2010 +1,800, in 2011 +2,700 and in 2012 +4,800. The most important countries of origin of the Thuringia migrants from 2008 to 2012 were Poland (+1,700), Romania (+1,200), Afghanistan (+1,100) and Serbia / Montenegro / Kosovo (+1,000), whereas

9660-499: The network and enable Gera's connection to long-distance trains, which can be reached today either via Jena or via Leipzig. The most important stations in Gera are the Gera main station (former Prussian station), where all the trains stop, and the Gera southern station (former Saxonian station), where all the trains, except the local ones to Weimar, stop. More stations in Gera are Langenberg at

9775-551: The new capital of Thuringia. Ostheim , an exclave of Landkreis Eisenach, was ceded to Bavaria. In 1952, the German Democratic Republic dissolved its states, and created districts ( Bezirke ) instead. The three districts that shared the former territory of Thuringia were Erfurt, Gera and Suhl . Altenburg Kreis was part of Leipzig Bezirk. The present State of Thuringia was recreated with slightly altered borders during German reunification in 1990. From

9890-623: The newly founded state of Thuringia in 1920. After the incorporation of some suburbs in the 1910s and 1920s Gera, with some 80,000 inhabitants, was the largest city in Thuringia, although the more centrally located Weimar became its capital. After the Nazi takeover of Germany, the Jewish community of Gera was destroyed, the synagogue burnt down in the Kristallnacht in 1938 and the city's Jews emigrated or were murdered in concentration camps . A month before

10005-419: The north, Leumnitz (1919) in the east, Pforten (1919) and Zwötzen (1919) in the south-east as well as Debschwitz (1912) and Lusan (1919) in the south-west. For centuries, Gera was a small town of about 2,000 inhabitants. As the textile business saw a first peak, the population rose to 7,000 in 1800 and further to 17,000 after the early stage of industrialisation in 1870. Gera's heyday between 1870 and 1930 led to

10120-635: The northwest going clockwise; Thuringia borders on the German states of Lower Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt , Saxony , Bavaria and Hesse . The landscapes of Thuringia are quite diverse. The far north is occupied by the Harz mountains, followed by the Goldene Aue , a fertile floodplain around Nordhausen with the Helme as most important river. The north-west includes the Eichsfeld , a hilly and sometimes forested region, where

10235-594: The nucleus of the later Electorate and Kingdom of Saxony . With the division of the house of Wettin in 1485, Thuringia went to the senior Ernestine branch of the family, which subsequently subdivided the area into a number of smaller states, according to the Saxon tradition of dividing inheritance amongst male heirs. These were the " Saxon duchies ", consisting, among others, of the states of Saxe-Weimar , Saxe-Eisenach , Saxe-Jena , Saxe-Meiningen , Saxe-Altenburg , Saxe-Coburg , and Saxe-Gotha . Thuringia generally accepted

10350-460: The party got 22.7%, while in 2021 they got 24.0%. Thuringia is notable for being the first and only state in Germany where the communist party that ruled former East Germany until 1989, The Left (Die Linke), and the new Alternative for Germany (AfD) have seen their first-ever first place finish in a state election. Die Linke in 2019 , and the AfD in 2024 . The Alternative for Germany (AfD) became

10465-402: The political change, the leather and stove industry collapsed and even the spinnable fiber industry had to suffer a lot. After 1990 just a few parts of the "Kunstseidenwerk" stayed alive. The "spinnable fiber of Elsterberg" remained internationally demanded, despite its reduced staff due to modernisation processes. This continued until 2009, when the "International Chemical Investment Group" closed

10580-457: The population in 2018. Members of the Catholic Church formed 7.6% of the population, while 71.6% of Thuringians were non-religious or adhere to other faiths. The highest Protestant concentrations are in the small villages of southern and western Thuringia, whereas the bigger cities are even more non-religious (up to 88% in Gera ). Catholic regions are Eichsfeld in the northwest and parts of

10695-560: The population − among the smallest proportions of any state in Germany). Nevertheless, the number rose from 33,000 in July 2011, an increase of 24% in only two years. About 4% of the population are migrants (including persons that already received German citizenship). The biggest groups of foreigners by citizenship are (as of 2012): Russians (3,100), Poles (3,000), Turks (2,100) and Ukrainians (2,000). The number of foreigners varies between regions:

10810-514: The private college SRH Fachhochschule für Gesundheit Gera ( university of applied sciences for health) with 500 students and the Gera branch of the Duale Hochschule Gera-Eisenach ( cooperative state college ) with 850 students locally. Furthermore, there are four Gymnasiums , all of them are state-owned. The Goethe-Gymnasium/Rutheneum seit 1608 (“since 1608”) focuses on music education as an elite boarding school, in addition to

10925-424: The purpose of starting their trade there, market rights were needed. The first appearance in documents of the name Elsterberg as a town was in 1354. Till the end of the 17th century Elsterberg was a typical rural town, fulfilling just its own requirements through trade inside its allowed zone of trading. Three disastrous fires destroyed Elsterberg. In 1492 most parts of the town center went up in flames. In 1702 again

11040-471: The reunification and rose again to more than 1.4 children in 2010, which is a higher level than in West Germany. Nevertheless, there are only 17,000 births compared to 27,000 deaths per year, so that the annual natural change of the Thuringian population is about −0.45%. In 2015 there were 17,934 births, the highest number since 1990. Migration plays an important role in Thuringia. The internal migration shows

11155-461: The river and the parks are more upscale, whereas the areas next to the railway and the factories are more working-class styled. Nevertheless, the Gründerzeit architecture is quite diverse and interesting in Gera. Most buildings were extensively refurbished after 1990. Especially Gera's mansion architecture from the 1900s and 1910s is unique. The 1920s brought some modern-style Bauhaus buildings to

11270-534: The rural districts of Gera, especially in the northern and eastern city parts. Approximately 57% of the municipal territory is in agricultural use: growing maize, rapeseed and crops as well as pasturing cattle. The city's economy features industrial machinery (Dagro Gera GmbH), communications (DTKS GmbH, Deutsche Telekom ), security locks (Schloßsicherungen Gera GmbH), optics (POG Präzisionsoptik Gera GmbH), electrical equipment (Electronicon Kondensatoren GmbH), and margarine manufacturing (Othüna). Other companies include

11385-471: The six largest Thuringian cities from Eisenach in the west, via Gotha , Erfurt , Weimar and Jena to Gera in the east. Gera is the largest city in the Vogtland , and one of its historical capitals along with Plauen , Greiz and Weida . The city lies in the East Thuringian Hill Country, in the wide valley of the White Elster , between Greiz (upstream) and Leipzig (downstream). Gera

11500-514: The textile business in Gera. In the 18th century, there was a first peak in this industry ( Putting-out system ), which can be seen today at the large agents houses. In 1673, the Reussians were raised to Imperial Counts which granted them full sovereignty within the Holy Roman Empire ; Gera became their royal residence. In 1686 and 1780, big town fires destroyed most buildings in Gera. The town

11615-571: The then rich city. During the GDR period, urban growth was handled by establishing big Plattenbau settlements on the city's periphery, like the Lusan district in south and the Bieblach district in north. Overall nearly half of Geras buildings date back to World War II. In 2022, 22544 people were employed full-time in Gera with a median salary of EUR 2,595.34. The median wage in Gera is 10% lower compared to eastern Germany. Agriculture has some importance in

11730-515: The town hall was mentioned in 1426. The abbess of Quedlinburg remained the formal sovereign of Gera until 1358, as the Wettins followed her up. The Vogt's couldn't emancipate themselves from Wettin rule. In 1450, Gera was almost totally destroyed during the Saxon Fratricidal War , but it could recuperate quick because the starting textile manufacture brought wealth to the town. The Reformation

11845-507: The town. In July of the same year Soviets took over the occupation. Being driven out of Bohemia-Moravia, the Sudetenland and Silesia, a great number of evacuees had found a new accommodation in Elsterberg since 1945. Supply bottlenecks made the situation here even worse. All factories in Elsterberg were expropriated, industrial plants and large estates were sometimes even violently confiscated,

11960-427: The view of Gera's centre, particularly in the north-west until today. Between 1870 and 1930, the city was largely extended in all directions. As distinct from other German cities, there is no citywide spatial separation between the worker's quarters and the upper-class mansion districts, instead, the mansions and the tenements are situated near to each other, spread over all the districts. The hilly areas and those next to

12075-538: The whole city center, except the parish and the manor Frankenhof, fell victim to the flames. After all a third fire destroyed the town, including its town hall and church, in 1840. All documentary files and records got irretrievably lost. Therefore, today's townscape is influenced by the restoration after 1840. In 1882 the first mechanical weaving opened its doors in Elsterberg, becoming the Spinnfaser-Aktiengesellschaft Elsterberg in 1910, one of

12190-489: Was 715 in 2012, this is -7.5 per 1,000 inhabitants (Thuringian average: -4.5; national average: -2.4). The net migration rate was +3.6 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2012 (Thuringian average: -0.8; national average: +4.6). The most important regions of origin of Gera migrants are bordering rural areas of Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony as well as foreign countries like Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. Like other eastern German cities, Gera has only

12305-452: Was also defeated seeking re-election, succeeded by Kurt Dannenberg (CDU). The most recent mayoral election was held on 26 May 2024, with a runoff held on 9 June, and the results were as follows: The most recent city council election was held on 26 May 2024, and the results were as follows: Gera is twinned with: Thuringia Thuringia , officially the Free State of Thuringia ,

12420-506: Was approximately 0.55% p. a, whereas the population in bordering rural regions is shrinking with accelerating tendency. Suburbanization played only a small role in Gera. It occurred after the reunification for a short time in the 1990s, but most of the suburban areas were situated within the administrative city borders. During the 1990s and the 2000s, many inhabitants left Gera to search a better life in west Germany or other major east German cities like Jena or Leipzig . Since 2010, emigration

12535-581: Was established in 1920 by the Weimar Republic through a merger of the Ernestine duchies , save for Saxe-Coburg . After World War II , Thuringia came under the Soviet occupation zone in Allied-occupied Germany , and its borders were reformed, to become contiguous . Thuringia became part of the German Democratic Republic in 1949, but was dissolved in 1952 during administrative reforms , and divided into

12650-597: Was favoured by or was the birthplace of three key intellectuals and leaders in the arts: Johann Sebastian Bach , Johann Wolfgang von Goethe , and Friedrich Schiller . The state has the University of Jena , the Ilmenau University of Technology , the University of Erfurt , and the Bauhaus University of Weimar . The Frankish Duchy of Thuringia was established around 631 AD by King Dagobert I . The modern state

12765-470: Was first connected by railway to Halle via Zeitz and Weißenfels . During the following decades, rail lines in all directions made Gera to a transport hub, and the town kept growing. The second electric tram in Germany was installed in Gera in 1892. After World War I, during the German Revolution of 1918–19 , the prince of Reuss was forced to abdicate and as the resultant " Republic of Reuss " joined

12880-570: Was improved by modernizing factories, houses (decline of coal heating) and cars, and contaminated areas such as the former Uranium surface mines around Ronneburg have been remediated. Today's environmental problems are the salination of the Werra river, caused by discharges of K+S salt mines around Unterbreizbach and overfertilisation in agriculture, damaging the soil and small rivers. Environment and nature protection has been of growing importance and attention since 1990. Large areas, especially within

12995-757: Was introduced in Gera in 1533 against the will of the Vogts by the Wettins. After the Schmalkaldic War in 1546, the Wettins lost Gera to the Bohemian Crown , who however had no influence on the city, so that the Vogts resp. the Reussians (which arose from the Vogts in the mid-16th century) as indeed rulers were strengthened. During the 16th century, some cloth-makers from the Spanish Netherlands migrated to Gera as religious refugees at Count Henry's invitation and raised

13110-524: Was rebuilt relatively uniform during the 1780s in late-Baroque style, which marks the inner city until today. In 1806 Napoleon established his Imperial Headquarters at Gera during the War of the Fourth Coalition . From here, on October 12, 1806, the French Emperor purposely sent an arrogant and threatening letter to King Frederick William III of Prussia – a letter that enticed Prussia to war and

13225-448: Was the largest state in the region, persisting between 1131 and 1247. Afterwards the state known as Thuringia ceased to exist; nevertheless the term commonly described the region between the Harz mountains in the north, the White Elster river in the east, the Franconian Forest in the south and the Werra river in the west. After the Treaty of Leipzig , Thuringia had its own dynasty again,

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