Place:Thüringen, Germany

Watchers
NameThüringen
Alt namesThuringia
Free State of Thuringiasource: Wikipedia
Freistaat Thüringensource: Wikipedia
Thüringensource: Getty Vocabulary Program
Thuringen
TypeModern state
Coordinates51°N 11°E
Located inGermany     ( 450 - )
Also located inEast Germany     (1945 - 1990)
See alsoReuß jüngere Linie, GermanyParent
Reuß ältere Linie, GermanyParent
Sachsen-Altenburg, GermanyParent
Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha, GermanyParent
Sachsen-Meiningen, GermanyParent
Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach, GermanyParent
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, GermanyParent
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, GermanyParent
Contained Places
Deserted settlement
Paulinzella
District
Altenburger Land
Eichsfeld
Gotha
Greiz
Ilm-Kreis
Kyffhäuserkreis
Nordhausen
Saale-Holzland
Saale-Orla-Kreis
Saalfeld-Rudolstadt
Schmalkalden-Meiningen
Sondershausen
Sonneberg
Sömmerda
Tenneberg
Unstrut-Hainich
Wartburgkreis
Weimarer Land
Duchy
Reuß ( - 1919 )
Former municipality
Allstedt
General region
Finne
Ihnabited place
Hellborn
Independent city
Eisenach ( 1000 - )
Gera
Weimar
Inhabited place
Altenberg
Arnstadt
Artern
Auma
Bad Berka
Bad Blankenburg
Bad Köstritz
Bad Liebenstein
Beerwalde
Behringen
Breitenworbis
Breitungen
Brotterode
Brünn
Buchenwald
Burgk
Buttlar
Chursdorf
Crawinkel
Creuzburg
Dermbach
Ebleleben
Ehrenhain
Eicha
Eichfeld
Eisfeld
Elsterberg
Erfurt
Fambach
Frankenheim
Frauenwald
Friedrichroda
Frohnsdorf
Förtha
Gebra
Gefell
Gehren
Geraberg
Gerstenberg
Geschwenda
Großröda
Großröda
Großstöbnitz
Gräfenroda
Gräfenthal
Gräfinau-Angstedt
Gödern
Göhren
Göpfersdorf
Gößnitz
Heringen
Herpf
Heukendorf
Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen
Hirschbach
Hockeroda
Hümpfershausen
Ifta
Ilfeld
Jena ( 1920 - )
Juchhöh
Kalteneber
Kaltennordheim
Kaltenwestheim
Kamsdorf
Katzhütte
Kaulsdorf
Kirchheiligen
Kleinbodungen
Kosma
Kriebitzsch
Kriebitzsch
Langenleuba-Niederhain
Langenwetzendorf
Lengenfeld
Leutra
Lobenstein
Luisenthal
Manebach
Marksuhl
Martinfeld
Mehna
Meiningen
Mengersgereuth-Hämmern
Mihla
Monstab
Monstab
Mühltroff
Münchenbernsdorf
Netzschkau
Neudietendorf
Neuhaus-Schierschnitz
Neustadt an der Orla
Niedersachswerfen
Nottleben
Oberarnsdorf
Oberhof
Olbersleben
Oldisleben
Pappenheim
Pausa
Pflichtendorf
Posterstein
Probstzella
Ranis
Rauenstein
Remptendorf
Roda
Rositz
Rossleben
Römhild
Saaldorf
Sachsenbrunn
Schleiz
Schmalkalden
Schwarzburg
Schwarzburg
Schönbrunn
Seelingstädt
Seligenthal
Spahl
Spechtsbrunn
Stadtilm
Stadtroda
Steinach
Steinbach Hallenberg
Steinheid
Stotternheim
Straussberg
Stünzhain
Stützerbach
Suhl
Tabarz
Tanna
Tegkwitz
Teichröda
Teichwolframsdorf
Teutleben
Thal
Treben
Treffurt
Trusetal
Uder
Unterkoskau
Untermhaus
Unterweissbach
Unterwellen
Vielselbach
Walldorf
Wernshausen
Werther
Wiesenfeld
Windischholzhausen
Windischleuba
Wintersdorf
Wipperdorf
Wölfis
Wünschendorf
Zella-Mehlis
Zeulenroda
Ziegelroda
Zschernitzsch
Municipality
Frankenhausen ( 1920 - )
Unknown
Abtsbessingen
Abtsbessingen
Albersdorf
Albersdorf
Allmenhausen
Allmenhausen
Allstedt
Alperstedt
Alperstedt
Altenberga
Altenberga
Altenbreitungen
Altenburg
Altendorf
Altendorf
Altenfeld
Altenfeld
Altengönna
Altengönna
Altkirchen
Altkirchen
Altremda
Altremda
Ammelstädt
Ammelstädt
Ammerbach
Angelhausen-Oberndorf
Angelhausen-Oberndorf
Angstedt
Angstedt
Apfelstädt
Arnshaugk
Arnshaugk
Aschara
Aschenhausen
Aschenhausen
Azmannsdorf
Azmannsdorf
Bachfeld
Bachfeld
Bad Sulza
Badra
Badra
Barchfeld
Barchfeld
Bauerbach
Bauerbach
Bebra
Bebra
Beerwalde
Bellstedt
Bellstedt
Bendeleben
Bendeleben
Berga
Bergern
Bergern
Bergsulza
Bergsulza
Berka
Berkach
Berkach
Beuernfeld
Beuernfeld
Beutelsdorf
Beutelsdorf
Biberschlag
Biberschlag
Bienstädt
Billeben
Billeben
Blankenhain
Bliederstedt
Bliederstedt
Bobeck
Bobeck
Bocka
Bocka
Boilstädt
Bornshain
Bornshain
Braunichswalde
Braunichswalde
Braunsdorf
Braunsdorf
Breitenhain
Breitenhain
Bremsnitz
Bremsnitz
Breternitz
Breternitz
Brunnhardtshausen
Brunnhardtshausen
Bucha
Bucha
Buchheim
Buchheim
Bufleben
Burgtonna
Burgwitz
Burgwitz
Burkersdorf
Burkersdorf
Buscha
Buscha
Buttelstedt
Buttstädt
Böhlen
Böhlen
Börthen
Börthen
Bösleben
Bösleben
Bünauroda
Bünauroda
Bürgel
Camburg
Casekirchen
Casekirchen
Catharinau
Catharinau
Clingen
Craula
Culmitzsch
Culmitzsch
Dankmarshausen
Dankmarshausen
Darnstedt
Darnstedt
Denstedt
Denstedt
Dielsdorf
Dielsdorf
Dienstädt
Dienstädt
Dittersdorf
Dittersdorf
Dobia
Dobia
Dobitschen
Dorfsulza
Dorfsulza
Dorna
Dorna
Dorna
Dornburg
Dornburg
Dorndorf
Dothen
Dothen
Dragensdorf
Dragensdorf
Drakendorf
Drakendorf
Dreißigacker
Dreißigacker
Drößnitz
Drößnitz
Döhlen
Döhlen
Döllstedt
Döllstedt
Döllstädt
Dörnfeld
Dörnfeld
Ebeleben
Ebeleben
Eberstädt
Eckardtsleben
Eckolstädt
Eckolstädt
Effelder
Effelder
Ehrenhain
Ehrenstein
Ehrenstein
Eichenberg
Eichenberg
Eichfeld
Eineborn
Eineborn
Einsdorf
Einsdorf
Eishausen
Eishausen
Elgersburg
Ellichleben
Ellichleben
Emleben
Engerda
Engerda
Erbenhausen
Erbenhausen
Erdmannsdorf
Erdmannsdorf
Ettenhausen
Ettersburg
Ettersburg
Etzdorf
Etzdorf
Etzelbach
Etzelbach
Feldengel
Feldengel
Fernbreitenbach
Fernbreitenbach
Finsterbergen
Fischersdorf
Fischersdorf
Flemmingen
Flemmingen
Frankenau
Frankenau
Frankendorf
Frankendorf
Frankenhausen
Frauenbreitungen
Frauensee
Frauensee
Freienorla
Freienorla
Freiroda
Freiroda
Friedersdorf
Friedersdorf
Frießnitz
Frießnitz
Frohnsdorf
Frössen
Frössen
Gaberndorf
Gaberndorf
Gamstädt
Garbisdorf
Garbisdorf
Garsitz
Garsitz
Gauern
Gauern
Gebstedt
Gebstedt
Gehaus
Gehaus
Geiersthal
Geiersthal
Geisa
Gellershausen
Gellershausen
Gelmeroda
Georgenthal
Gernewitz
Gernewitz
Gerstenberg
Gerstungen
Geunitz
Geunitz
Gieba
Gieba
Gierstädt
Gillersdorf
Gillersdorf
Gleichen
Gleicherwiesen
Gleicherwiesen
Graba
Graba
Greiz
Greußen
Grochwitz
Grochwitz
Groitschen
Groitschen
Großaga
Großaga
Großbockedra
Großbockedra
Großbreitenbach
Großbrembach
Großbrüchter
Großbrüchter
Großcromsdorf
Großcromsdorf
Großebersdorf
Großenbehringen
Großenehrich
Großenehrich
Großenlupnitz
Großenlupnitz
Großenstein
Großenstein
Großeutersdorf
Großeutersdorf
Großfurra
Großfurra
Großgeschwenda
Großgeschwenda
Großhettstedt
Großhettstedt
Großkröbitz
Großkröbitz
Großmehlra
Großmehlra
Großmölsen
Großmölsen
Großneundorf
Großneundorf
Großobringen
Großobringen
Großpürschütz
Großpürschütz
Großromstedt
Großromstedt
Großschwabhausen
Großschwabhausen
Großstechau
Großstechau
Großstöbnitz
Gräfentonna
Gröben
Gröben
Gumpelstadt
Gumpelstadt
Gumperda
Gumperda
Gundersleben
Gundersleben
Gutendorf
Gutendorf
Gödern
Göhren
Göllnitz
Göllnitz
Göpfersdorf
Gösen
Gösen
Göttern
Göttern
Gößnitz
Hachelbich
Hachelbich
Hain
Hain
Haina
Hainchen
Hainchen
Hainichen
Hainichen
Hainspitz
Hainspitz
Hammerstedt
Hammerstedt
Harras
Harras
Hartroda
Hartroda
Haufeld
Haufeld
Hausen
Hausen
Hayn
Hayn
Heichelheim
Heichelheim
Heiligenkreuz
Heiligenkreuz
Heilingen
Heilingen
Heldburg
Hellborn
Hellingen
Hellingen
Henfstädt
Henfstädt
Henneberg
Herbsleben
Herda
Herda
Hermsdorf
Heygendorf
Heygendorf
Heßberg
Heßberg
Himmelsberg
Himmelsberg
Hirschberg
Hochdorf
Hochdorf
Hohendorf
Hohendorf
Hohenebra
Hohenfelden
Hohenfelden
Hohenkirchen
Hohenleuben
Holzengel
Holzengel
Holzsußra
Holzsußra
Holzthalleben
Holzthalleben
Hottelstedt
Hottelstedt
Hummelshain
Hummelshain
Hörselgau
Ichtershausen
Illeben
Ilmenau
Immelborn
Immelborn
Immenroda
Immenroda
Ingersleben
Isseroda
Isseroda
Jecha
Jecha
Jechaburg
Jechaburg
Jesuborn
Jesuborn
Jägersdorf
Jägersdorf
Kalbsrieth
Kalbsrieth
Kaltensundheim
Kapellendorf
Kapellendorf
Karlsdorf
Karlsdorf
Kauern
Kauern
Kerspleben
Kerspleben
Keula
Kirchberg
Kirchberg
Kirchengel
Kirchengel
Kirchhasel
Kirchhasel
Kirchremda
Kirchremda
Kleinbreitenbach
Kleinbreitenbach
Kleinbrembach
Kleinbrembach
Kleinbrüchter
Kleinbrüchter
Kleinebersdorf
Kleinebersdorf
Kleineutersdorf
Kleineutersdorf
Kleinmölsen
Kleinmölsen
Kleinobringen
Kleinobringen
Kleinrudestedt
Kleinrudestedt
Klettbach
Klettbach
Klosterlausnitz
Knau
Knau
Kolba
Kolba
Kolkwitz
Kolkwitz
Korbussen
Korbussen
Kosma
Kraftsdorf
Kranichborn
Kranichborn
Kranichfeld
Krauthausen
Krauthausen
Köckenitzsch
Köckenitzsch
Königsee
Königshofen
Königshofen
Könitz
Könitz
Körner
Kösnitz
Kösnitz
Köthel
Köthel
Laasdorf
Laasdorf
Landgrafroda
Landgrafroda
Langenberg
Langenberg
Langenleuba-Niederhain
Langenorla
Langenorla
Langewiesen
Lausnitz
Lausnitz
Leesen
Leesen
Legefeld
Legefeld
Lehesten
Lehnstedt
Lehnstedt
Leislau
Leislau
Leitlitz
Leitlitz
Lengfeld
Lengfeld
Leuchtenburg
Leuchtenburg
Leumnitz
Leumnitz
Leutenberg
Leutenthal
Leutenthal
Lichstedt
Lichstedt
Lichte
Lichtentanne
Lichtentanne
Liebenstein
Liebstedt
Liebstedt
Limbach
Linda
Linda
Linderbach
Linderbach
Lindig
Lindig
Lippersdorf
Lippersdorf
Lobeda
Lobeda
Lotschen
Lotschen
Lumpzig
Lumpzig
Löbschütz
Löbschütz
Madelungen
Madelungen
Magdala
Magdala
Maina
Maina
Mannichswalde
Mannichswalde
Marisfeld
Marisfeld
Marksußra
Marksußra
Markvippach
Markvippach
Masserberg
Masserberg
Mechterstädt
Meckfeld
Meckfeld
Mehlis
Mehna
Melborn
Melborn
Mellenbach
Mellenbach
Mellingen
Mennewitz
Mennewitz
Menteroda
Merkendorf
Merkendorf
Meuselbach
Meuselbach
Milbitz
Milbitz
Molbitz
Molbitz
Molschleben
Molsdorf
Munschwitz
Munschwitz
Möhra
Möhra
Möhrenbach
Möhrenbach
Mönchenholzhausen
Mönchenholzhausen
Mörsdorf
Mörsdorf
Mötzelbach
Mötzelbach
Mückern
Mückern
Münchengosserstädt
Münchengosserstädt
Münchenroda
Münchenroda
Naitschau
Naitschau
Nauendorf
Nauendorf
Neckeroda
Neckeroda
Neidhartshausen
Neidhartshausen
Nermsdorf
Nermsdorf
Neuenmörbitz
Neuenmörbitz
Neuhaus
Neundorf
Neunhofen
Neunhofen
Neusitz
Neusitz
Niederbösa
Niederbösa
Niedergrunstedt
Niedergrunstedt
Niederkrossen
Niederkrossen
Niederpöllnitz
Niederpöllnitz
Niederroßla
Niederroßla
Niederspier
Niederspier
Niederwiera
Niederwiera
Niederzimmern
Niederzimmern
Nimritz
Nimritz
Nischwitz
Nischwitz
Nobitz
Nohra
Nohra
Nöbdenitz
Nöbdenitz
Nöda
Nöda
Oberarnsdorf
Obergeißendorf
Obergeißendorf
Obergrunstedt
Obergrunstedt
Oberhasel
Oberhasel
Oberlemnitz
Oberlemnitz
Oberlind
Oberlind
Oberlödla
Oberlödla
Oberndorf
Oberndorf
Oberpöllnitz
Oberpöllnitz
Oberreißen
Oberreißen
Oberrenthendorf
Oberrenthendorf
Oberroßla
Oberroßla
Oberspier
Oberstadt
Oberstadt
Oberweid
Oberweid
Oberweimar
Oberweimar
Oberweißbach
Ohrdruf
Oppurg
Orlamünde
Ottendorf
Ottendorf
Otterstedt
Otterstedt
Ottmannshausen
Ottmannshausen
Ottstedt
Ottstedt
Oßla
Oßla
Oßmannstedt
Oßmannstedt
Partschefeld
Partschefeld
Pennewitz
Pennewitz
Petersberg
Petersberg
Petriroda
Pfarrkeßlar
Pfarrkeßlar
Pfarrsdorf
Pfarrsdorf
Pferdingsleben
Pferdsdorf
Pferdsdorf
Pfiffelbach
Pfiffelbach
Plaue
Pohlitz
Pohlitz
Ponitz
Possendorf
Possendorf
Posterstein
Prießnitz
Prießnitz
Prößdorf
Prößdorf
Pöllwitz
Pöllwitz
Pöllwitz
Pölzig
Pößneck
Rabis
Rabis
Raitzhain
Raitzhain
Ramsla
Ramsla
Rasephas
Rasephas
Rastenberg
Rattelsdorf
Rattelsdorf
Rauda
Rauda
Rehmen
Rehmen
Reichardtsdorf
Reichardtsdorf
Reichenbach
Reichstädt
Reichstädt
Reinsdorf
Reinsdorf
Reinstädt
Reinstädt
Remptendorf
Reust
Reust
Rieth
Rieth
Riethnordhausen
Riethnordhausen
Rittersdorf
Rittersdorf
Roben
Roben
Rockensußra
Rockensußra
Rockhausen
Rockhausen
Rockstedt
Rockstedt
Rodias
Rodias
Rohnstedt
Rohnstedt
Rohrbach
Rohrbach
Rosa
Rosa
Roschütz
Roschütz
Rothenstein
Rothenstein
Rottdorf
Rottdorf
Roßdorf
Roßdorf
Rudolstadt
Ruhla
Ruttersdorf
Ruttersdorf
Rußdorf
Rußdorf
Rödelwitz
Rödelwitz
Rödigsdorf
Rödigsdorf
Röpsen
Röpsen
Rückersdorf
Rückersdorf
Rüdersdorf
Rüdersdorf
Saalborn
Saalborn
Saalburg
Saalfeld
Saalthal
Saalthal
Saara
Saara
Saasa
Saasa
Sachsendorf
Sachsendorf
Sankt Gangloff
Sankt Gangloff
Sankt Jakob
Sankt Jakob
Schaafsdorf
Schaafsdorf
Schaala
Schaala
Schalkau
Schellroda
Schellroda
Scherbda
Scherbda
Schernberg
Schernberg
Schierschnitz
Schierschnitz
Schilbach
Schilbach
Schlechtsart
Schlechtsart
Schleifreisen
Schleifreisen
Schlotheim
Schloßig
Schloßig
Schloßvippach
Schlöben
Schlöben
Schmiedebach
Schmiedebach
Schmiedefeld
Schmirchau
Schmirchau
Schnellmannshausen
Schnellmannshausen
Schoppendorf
Schoppendorf
Schwaara
Schwaara
Schwabhausen
Schwabsdorf
Schwabsdorf
Schwansee
Schwansee
Schwarza
Schwarza
Schwarzbach
Schwarzbach
Schwarzmühle
Schwarzmühle
Schweickershausen
Schweickershausen
Schweina
Schwerborn
Schwerborn
Schwerstedt
Schwerstedt
Schönau vor dem Wald
Schönbach
Schönbach
Schöndorf
Schöndorf
Schöngleina
Schöngleina
Schöten
Schöten
Seidewitz
Seidewitz
Seidingstadt
Seidingstadt
Seifarthsdorf
Seifarthsdorf
Seifarthsdorf
Seiselitz
Seiselitz
Seitenbrück
Seitenbrück
Seitenroda
Seitenroda
Selka
Selka
Serba
Serba
Siebleben
Sommeritz
Sommeritz
Sonneborn
Stadtlengsfeld
Stadtremda
Stadtremda
Stadtsulza
Stadtsulza
Stanau
Stanau
Stedten
Stedten
Steinsdorf
Steinsdorf
Stelzendorf
Stelzendorf
Stockhausen
Stockhausen
Stregda
Stregda
Streufdorf
Streufdorf
Stutzhaus
Stünzhain
Sulza
Sulza
Sünna
Sünna
Süßenborn
Süßenborn
Tambach
Taubach
Taubach
Taubenbach
Taubenbach
Tautendorf
Tautendorf
Tautenhain
Tautenhain
Tegkwitz
Teichel
Teichel
Teuritz
Teuritz
Thalbürgel
Thalebra
Thalebra
Thangelstedt
Thangelstedt
Themar
Thiemendorf
Thiemendorf
Thonhausen
Thonhausen
Thränitz
Thränitz
Thüringenhausen
Thüringenhausen
Tiefenort
Tiefenort
Tiefurt
Tiefurt
Tischendorf
Tischendorf
Titschendorf
Titschendorf
Toba
Toba
Treben
Trebra
Trebra
Trebula
Trebula
Treppendorf
Treppendorf
Triebes
Triptis
Trockenborn
Trockenborn
Troistedt
Troistedt
Tröbnitz
Tröbnitz
Tröbsdorf
Tröbsdorf
Töttelstädt
Tünschütz
Tünschütz
Udestedt
Udestedt
Uhlstädt
Ulla
Ulla
Ulrichshalben
Ulrichshalben
Ummerstadt
Umpferstedt
Unterbodnitz
Unterbodnitz
Untergneus
Untergneus
Unterkoskau
Unterrenthendorf
Unterrenthendorf
Unterweid
Unterweid
Unterwellenborn
Unterwellenborn
Urbach
Urbach
Urnshausen
Urnshausen
Vacha
Veilsdorf
Veitsberg
Veitsberg
Vieselbach
Vieselbach
Vogelgesang
Vogelgesang
Vogelsberg
Vogelsberg
Voigtland
Vollmarshain
Vollmarshain
Völkershausen
Völkershausen
Waaswitz
Waaswitz
Wachholderbaum
Wachholderbaum
Wahlwinkel
Walldorf Werra
Wallendorf
Wallendorf
Walpernhain
Walpernhain
Wangenheim
Wartburg
Wartburg
Warza
Wasserthalleben
Wasserthalleben
Wasungen
Wechmar
Weckersdorf
Weckersdorf
Weichau
Weichau
Weißen
Weißen
Wenigenehrich
Wenigenehrich
Wenigenlupnitz
Wenigenlupnitz
Werningshausen
Wernsdorf
Wernsdorf
Wersdorf
Wersdorf
Westerengel
Westerengel
Westgreußen
Westgreußen
Westhausen
Westhausen
Wettelswalde
Wettelswalde
Wiedermuth
Wiedermuth
Wiegendorf
Wiegendorf
Wiegleben
Wildenbörten
Wildenbörten
Willersdorf
Willersdorf
Willmersdorf
Willmersdorf
Windischleuba
Winterstein
Witzelrode
Witzelrode
Witzleben
Witzleben
Wohlsborn
Wohlsborn
Wolferschwenda
Wolferschwenda
Wolfsbehringen
Wolperndorf
Wolperndorf
Wormstedt
Wormstedt
Wurzbach
Wümbach
Wümbach
Zeutsch
Zeutsch
Zimmritz
Zimmritz
Zinna
Zinna
Zollgrün
Zollgrün
Zoppoten
Zoppoten
Zschernitzsch
Zwabitz
Zwabitz
Zürchau
Zürchau
Öhrenstock
Öhrenstock
Ölknitz
Ölknitz
Ölze
Ölze
Österbehringen
Ülleben
Ütteroda
Ütteroda
source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
source: Family History Library Catalog


the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Thuringia, officially the Free State of Thuringia, is a state of Germany. Located in central Germany, it covers , being the sixth smallest of the sixteen German States (including City States). It has a population of about 2.1 million.

Erfurt is the state capital and largest city. Other cities are 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" from 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 as of 2014 were by Thuringian athletes. Thuringia was favoured 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.

Thuringia had an earlier existence as the Frankish Duchy of Thuringia, established around 631 AD by King Dagobert I. The state was established in 1920 as a state of the Weimar Republic from 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, to be divided into 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.

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History

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Named after the Thuringii Germanic tribe who occupied it around AD 300, Thuringia came under Frankish domination in 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, 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 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 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.

Early modern period

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 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; 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.

Free State of Thuringia

In 1920, after World War I, these small states merged into one state, called Thuringia; only Saxe-Coburg voted to join Bavaria instead. Weimar became the new capital of Thuringia. The coat of arms of this new state was simpler than those of its predecessors.

In 1930, Thuringia was one of the free states where the Nazis gained real political power. Wilhelm Frick was appointed Minister of the Interior for the state of Thuringia after the Nazi Party won six delegates to the Thuringia Diet. In this position he removed from the Thuringia police force anyone he suspected of being a republican and replaced them with men who were favourable towards the Nazi Party. He also ensured that whenever an important position came up within Thuringia, he used his power to ensure that a Nazi was given that post.

After being controlled briefly by the US, 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 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 instead. The three districts that shared the former territory of Thuringia were Erfurt, Gera and Suhl. Altenburg Kreis was part of Leipzig Bezirk.

The State of Thuringia was recreated with slightly altered borders during German reunification in 1990.

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