# Lauenburg

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For other uses, see [Lauenburg (disambiguation)](/source/Lauenburg_(disambiguation)).

**Lauenburg** (ˈlaʊənbʊʁk), or **Lauenburg an der Elbe** (English: *"Lauenburg on the Elbe"*; nds: *Loonborg*), is a town in the state of [Schleswig-Holstein](/source/Schleswig-Holstein), [Germany](/source/Germany). It is situated on the northern bank of the river [Elbe](/source/Elbe), east of [Hamburg](/source/Hamburg). It is overall the southernmost town of Schleswig-Holstein and belongs to the district (German: *Kreis*) of [Herzogtum Lauenburg](/source/Herzogtum_Lauenburg).

## History

The town was founded in 1182 by the [Ascanian](/source/House_of_Ascania) Duke [Bernard](/source/Bernard_III,_Duke_of_Saxony) of [Saxony](/source/Duchy_of_Saxony), the ancestor of the [Dukes of Lauenburg](/source/Duke_of_Lauenburg). It took its name from that of the castle of *Lowenborch* (erected here between 1181 and 1182), deriving from *Lave*, the [Polabian-language](/source/Polabian_language) name of the Elbe (compare modern [Czech](/source/Czech_language) *Labe*).

In 1296 the [duchy](/source/Duchy) of [Saxe-Lauenburg](/source/Saxe-Lauenburg) was partitioned from Saxony (the other part becoming [Saxe-Wittenberg](/source/Saxe-Wittenberg)), which persisted until the 19th century. Lauenburg served as the ducal capital until 1616, when the castle burnt down. In 1619 the capital was moved to [Ratzeburg](/source/Ratzeburg). The area of the duchy was roughly coterminous with today's district. From 1689 the duchy was in a [personal union](/source/Personal_union) with [Lüneburg-Celle](/source/Principality_of_L%C3%BCneburg), from 1705 [Brunswick-Lüneburg](/source/Electorate_of_Hanover) (commonly known as Hanover) and from 1714 also [Great Britain](/source/Kingdom_of_Great_Britain) and [Ireland](/source/Kingdom_of_Ireland).

During the [Napoleonic Wars](/source/Napoleonic_Wars) the area was briefly incorporated into the [First French Empire](/source/First_French_Empire) as part of the [Bouches-de-l'Elbe](/source/Bouches-de-l'Elbe) department. After the Napoleonic Wars Lauenburg was acquired by [Prussia](/source/Kingdom_of_Prussia) from [Hanover](/source/Kingdom_of_Hanover) in exchange for [East Frisia](/source/East_Frisia); Prussia then ceded it to [Denmark](/source/Denmark) in exchange for its part of [Pomerania](/source/Pomerania) (which had been [Swedish Pomerania](/source/Swedish_Pomerania)).

It remained in Danish hands until 1864 when they lost it in [Treaty of Vienna](/source/Treaty_of_Vienna_(1864)) following the [Second Schleswig War](/source/Second_Schleswig_War). It entered a personal union with Prussia in 1865 and on 1 July 1876 it was incorporated into the Prussian [Province of Schleswig-Holstein](/source/Province_of_Schleswig-Holstein).

In medieval times Lauenburg was a waypoint on the [Old Salt Route](/source/Old_Salt_Route), while today it is the southern terminus of the [Elbe-Lübeck Canal](/source/Elbe-L%C3%BCbeck_Canal).

Between 1945 and 1982, Lauenburg served as a [West German](/source/West_Germany) [Inner German border](/source/Inner_German_border) crossing for cars travelling along [Bundesstraße 5](/source/Bundesstra%C3%9Fe_5) between the [Soviet Zone of occupation in Germany](/source/Soviet_Zone_of_occupation_in_Germany) (until 1949, thereafter the East [German Democratic Republic](/source/German_Democratic_Republic), or [West Berlin](/source/West_Berlin)) and the British zone of occupation (until 1949 and thereafter the West German Federal Republic of Germany). The traffic was subject to the [Interzonal traffic](/source/Interzonal_traffic) regulations that between West Germany and West Berlin followed the special regulations of the [Transit Agreement (1972)](/source/Transit_Agreement_(1972)).

## Culture and sights

Lauenburg has many historic buildings from the 17th century and earlier. These include houses, which were mostly the homes of sailors, and the Maria-Magdalenen Church, which was built in the 13th century.

The town is nestled at the bottom of 50 meter high bluffs. Narrow streets up the hill lead to the "upper town" where Lauenburg Castle is located. Lauenburg Castle, the former residence of the Dukes of Lauenburg and the political centre of their Dukedom, the majority of which has since been destroyed, with only the old castle tower remaining. Currently, the castle serves as city and municipal administration. To the south of the city lies the Elbe and Lower-Saxony, which used to belong to the duchy until it was ceded to the then neighbouring [Kingdom of Hanover](/source/Kingdom_of_Hanover) in 1814.

Lauenburg also has the "Palmschleuse", a historic [river lock](/source/Lock_(water_transport)), originally built in 1398 and renewed in the 17th century. It is the oldest of its kind in Europe.[citation needed]

## Notable residents

### Rulers

- [Bernard II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg](/source/Bernard_II,_Duke_of_Saxe-Lauenburg) (1385/1392–1463), ruler
- [Clara of Saxe-Lauenburg](/source/Clara_of_Saxe-Lauenburg) (1518–1576), a Princess of [Saxe-Lauenburg](/source/Saxe-Lauenburg)
- [Eric I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg-Ratzeburg](/source/Eric_I,_Duke_of_Saxe-Lauenburg) (c. 1280–1360), ruler
- [Eric II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg-Ratzeburg](/source/Eric_II,_Duke_of_Saxe-Lauenburg) (1318/20–1368), ruler
- [Eric IV, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg](/source/Eric_IV,_Duke_of_Saxe-Lauenburg) (1354–1411), ruler
- [Eric V, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg](/source/Eric_V,_Duke_of_Saxe-Lauenburg) (died 1436), ruler
- [John V, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg](/source/John_V,_Duke_of_Saxe-Lauenburg) (1439–1507), ruler, reconstructed Lauenburg Castle

### Others (in date order)

- [Karl Ludwig Harding](/source/Karl_Ludwig_Harding) (1765–1834), astronomer
- [Samuel Peter Schilling](/source/Samuel_Peter_Schilling) (1773–1852), entomologist
- [Mathilde Block](/source/Mathilde_Block) (1850–1932), painter, embroiderer
- [Otto von Moltke](/source/Otto_von_Moltke) (1851–1881), German-Danish military officer
- [Jürgen Plagemann](/source/J%C3%BCrgen_Plagemann) (1936–2026), rower, won Olympic silver in 1964
- [Dirk Schreyer](/source/Dirk_Schreyer) (1944–2025), rower, won Olympic gold in 1968
- [Norbert Brackmann](/source/Norbert_Brackmann) (born 1954), German CDU politician, member of the Bundestag from 2009 to 2021

## International relations

See also: [List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany](/source/List_of_twin_towns_and_sister_cities_in_Germany)

Lauenburg is [twinned](/source/Town_twinning) with:

- [Boizenburg](/source/Boizenburg) (Germany)
- [Dudelange](/source/Dudelange) ([Luxembourg](/source/Luxembourg))
- [Lębork](/source/L%C4%99bork) ([Poland](/source/Poland)) (formerly *Lauenburg in Pommern*)
- [Manom](/source/Manom) (France)

## External links

- (in German)
- [Altstadt-Lauenburg](https://altstadt-lauenburg.de/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180520053956/https://altstadt-lauenburg.de/) 20 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine (in German)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lauenburg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauenburg) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauenburg?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.