# Northern Germany > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Northern_Germany > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Northern_Germany.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Germany > Source revision: 1344610674 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Geographic region in Europe}} {{Use British English|date=December 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} right|thumb|Extent of Northern Germany '''Northern Germany''' ({{langx|de|link=no|Norddeutschland}}, {{IPA|de|ˈnɔʁtdɔɪ̯tʃlant||De-Norddeutschland.ogg}}) is a linguistic, geographic, socio-cultural and historic region in the northern part of [Germany](/source/Germany) which includes the coastal states of [Schleswig-Holstein](/source/Schleswig-Holstein), [Mecklenburg-Vorpommern](/source/Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) and [Lower Saxony](/source/Lower_Saxony) and the two city-states [Hamburg](/source/Hamburg) and [Bremen](/source/Bremen). It contrasts with [Southern Germany](/source/Southern_Germany), Western Germany, and [Eastern Germany](/source/Eastern_Germany). ==Language== thumb|Uerdingen line: ''ich'' ("I") and ''ik'' isogloss Northern Germany generally refers to the ''[Sprachraum](/source/Sprachraum)'' area north of the [Uerdingen](/source/Uerdingen_line) and [Benrath line](/source/Benrath_line) [isogloss](/source/isogloss)es, where [Low German](/source/Low_German) [dialect](/source/dialect)s are spoken. These comprise the [Low Saxon](/source/West_Low_German) dialects in the west (including the [Westphalian language](/source/Westphalian_language) area up to the [Rhineland](/source/Rhineland)), the [East Low German](/source/East_Low_German) region along the [Baltic](/source/Baltic_Sea) coast with [Western Pomerania](/source/Western_Pomerania), the [Altmark](/source/Altmark) and northern [Brandenburg](/source/Brandenburg), as well as the North Low German dialects. Although from the 19th century onwards, the use of [Standard German](/source/Standard_German) was strongly promoted especially by the [Prussian](/source/Kingdom_of_Prussia) administration, Low German dialects are still present in rural areas, with an estimated number of five to eight million active speakers. However, since [World War II](/source/World_War_II) and the immigration of [expellees](/source/Flight_and_expulsion_of_Germans_(1944%E2%80%931950)) from the [former eastern territories of Germany](/source/former_eastern_territories_of_Germany), its prevalence has steadily reduced. Besides which, [Frisian](/source/Frisian_languages) is spoken in [East](/source/East_Frisia) and [North Frisia](/source/North_Frisia), as well as [Danish](/source/Danish_language) (Standard and [South Jutlandic](/source/South_Jutlandic)) in parts of [Schleswig](/source/Schleswig). ==Geography== The key terrain feature of Northern Germany is the [North German Plain](/source/North_German_Plain) including the [marsh](/source/marsh)es along the coastline of the [North](/source/North_Sea) and [Baltic Sea](/source/Baltic_Sea)s, as well as the [geest](/source/Geest_(topography)) and [heath](/source/heath)s inland. Also prominent are the low hills of the [Baltic Uplands](/source/Baltic_Uplands), the [ground moraine](/source/ground_moraine)s, [end moraine](/source/end_moraine)s, [sandur](/source/outwash_plain), [glacial valley](/source/glacial_valley)s, [bog](/source/bog)s and [''Luch''](/source/Luch_(landform)). These features were formed during the [Weichselian glaciation](/source/Weichselian_glaciation) and contrast topographically with the adjacent [Central Uplands](/source/Central_Uplands) of Germany to the south, such as the [Harz](/source/Harz) and [Teutoburg Forest](/source/Teutoburg_Forest), which are occasionally counted as part of Northern Germany. ==Culture== Northern Germany has traditionally been dominated by [Protestantism](/source/Protestantism), especially [Lutheranism](/source/Lutheranism). The two northern provinces of [Schleswig-Holstein](/source/Schleswig-Holstein) and [Lower Saxony](/source/Niedersachsen) have the highest proportion of self-reported Lutherans in Germany.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ekd.de/download/Ber_Kirchenmitglieder_2010.pdf|title=Kirchenmitgliederzahlen am 31.12.2010|last=Evangelische Kirche Deutschlands|publisher=EDK|access-date=13 May 2016}} Exceptions include the Catholic districts of [Emsland](/source/Landkreis_Emsland), [Cloppenburg](/source/Landkreis_Cloppenburg) and [Vechta](/source/Landkreis_Vechta) in the west, traditionally linked to the Catholic region of [Westphalia](/source/Westphalia) in the south, and the southernmost region of [Lower Saxony](/source/Niedersachsen), around the city of [Duderstadt](/source/Duderstadt), comprising part of the traditional Catholic enclave of [Eichsfeld](/source/Eichsfeld). Culturally and socially, Northern Germany is characterized by higher levels of income equality and gender equality than southern and south-western Germany. While the national federal [Gini coefficient](/source/Gini_coefficient) for Germany stands at around 30, the southern states have a Gini coefficient of 30.6 whereas for the Northern states the Gini coefficient stands at 27.5 which is closer to the Scandinavian average of 25. Traditional society in the western part of Northern Germany ([Schleswig-Holstein](/source/Schleswig-Holstein), [Lower Saxony](/source/Lower_Saxony) and some parts of [North Rhine-Westphalia](/source/North_Rhine-Westphalia) and [Saxony-Anhalt](/source/Saxony-Anhalt)) until the early 20th century was based on well-off, literate and landowning yeoman farmers owning relatively large pieces of land, making a living growing grain crops and raising dairy cattle and pigs, and a large and educated middle class in the towns and cities working in the civil service, or as businessmen, artisans, blue-collar workers and skilled workers. Thus, the proportion of serfs, landless labourers, semi-skilled industrial workers and large landlords was relatively smaller, making for a more stable society than elsewhere in Germany like the Rhineland region and the region east of the Elbe river. Additionally, Northern cities like [Hamburg](/source/Hamburg), [Bremen](/source/Bremen) and [Rostock](/source/Rostock) have always been economic powerhouses of trade and commerce and have had a long tradition of innovation and creativity in business and industry. Northern German culture, especially those of [Lower Saxony](/source/Lower_Saxony) and [Schleswig-Holstein](/source/Schleswig-Holstein) are very similar to the [culture of the Netherlands](/source/culture_of_the_Netherlands), due to their common Lower Saxon history. ==Cuisine== The traditional northern German daily diet is centered around boiled [potatoes](/source/potatoes), [rye](/source/rye) bread, dairy products, cabbages, cucumbers, berries, jams, [fish](/source/fish), and [pork](/source/pork) and [beef](/source/beef). A breakfast specialty is the [crispbread](/source/crispbread) ({{lang|de|Knäckebrot}}), eaten with a variety of toppings such as ham, soft cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, and liver paste. Lentil stews and soups are very popular as a working lunch. Regional specialties in [Schleswig-Holstein](/source/Schleswig-Holstein), [Mecklenburg-Vorpommern](/source/Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) and [Lower Saxony](/source/Lower_Saxony) include [blood sausage](/source/blood_sausage) ({{lang|de|Blutwurst}}) and a variety of [black pudding](/source/black_pudding)s commonly eaten for [brunch](/source/brunch). Another northern German regional specialty are [meatloaves](/source/Meatloaf) ({{lang|de|Hackbraten}}), made from a mixture of ground pork and beef and served with mashed potatoes, brown sauce and [lingonberry](/source/lingonberry) jam. Many traditional meat-based lunch dishes are served with boiled or mashed potatoes and brown sauce. Eating [brunch](/source/brunch) is very popular during weekends in the larger towns and cities. In regions nearer to the coast, fish is very popular, with [pickled herring](/source/pickled_herring) and [salmon](/source/salmon) being delicacies. Drinking coffee is firmly rooted in northern Germany and the northern provinces on average consume around {{convert|8|kg}} of coffee per capita annually. This is more than the {{convert|6|kg}} of coffee per capita consumed in the south. Coffee is frequently drunk four times a day: at breakfast, after lunch, in the evening at around 4 pm, and after dinner. Many people also drink a coffee at their place of work at the start of the day's work, and a coffee break with colleagues around an hour before or after lunch. There is also a strong tradition of taking coffee breaks and visiting cafés with friends and acquaintances. In places such as publicly funded universities where free coffee is not available to students, it is not uncommon for students to bring their own hot coffee in insulated flasks and drink from it intermittently. Cafés usually offer medium-fat milk and [sugar cube](/source/sugar_cube)s along with [filter coffee](/source/filter_coffee). Commonly eaten desserts include [waffle](/source/waffle)s with ice cream, pancakes, the sweet bun roll with cream known as ''[Heißwecke](/source/Hei%C3%9Fwecke)'', and blueberry pie ({{lang|de|Heidelbeerkuchen}}) with vanilla cream. The northwesternmost region of [East Frisia](/source/East_Frisia) is an exception insofar as tea is largely preferred over coffee there, to the extent that East Frisians drink about {{convert|300|L|usgal}} of tea per capita and year, more than in any particular country.[http://www.teeverband.de/wirtschaft/pdf/WFT_2013_DE_final_27-JUNI.pdf ''Deutscher Teeverband: Tee als Wirtschaftsfaktor''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218072604/http://www.teeverband.de/wirtschaft/pdf/WFT_2013_DE_final_27-JUNI.pdf |date=2017-02-18 }} (PDF; 941 kB) p. 4, retrieved 5 May 2017 Lunch at workplaces and educational institutions in northern Germany begins very early{{snd}}usually between 11:45 and 12:15 pm, and dinner is usually eaten between 7 and 8 pm. This is because the work and school day starts pretty early, at 8 am sharp. Lunches eaten at home during holidays and weekends usually start later{{snd}}around 1 pm. The drinking culture in the north is more or less similar to that of the rest of the country, heavily based on [beer](/source/beer) with [pale lager](/source/pale_lager)s and [pilsner](/source/pilsner)s being favourites. Unlike [Bavaria](/source/Bavaria) and [Central Germany](/source/Central_Germany_(geography)), dark beers or dark lagers are not at all popular in northern Germany. The north has a slightly stronger tradition of [hard liquor](/source/hard_liquor), such as [corn](/source/Korn_(liquor)), [vodka](/source/vodka), and [schnapps](/source/schnapps). Binge drinking is far more common in the north{{snd}}almost 70% of binge drinking hospitalizations on weekends happen in the eight northern provinces and states containing just 40% of the population.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}} As in all of Germany, [mulled wine](/source/mulled_wine) is a popular alcoholic drink during the Christmas season. ==History== thumb|Holy Roman Empire
Saxony in yellow ({{Circa|1000 AD}}) In the [Early Middle Ages](/source/Early_Middle_Ages), Northern Germany was the settlement area of the [Saxon](/source/Saxons) tribes, which were subjugated by the [Frankish](/source/Francia) ruler [Charlemagne](/source/Charlemagne) in the [Saxon Wars](/source/Saxon_Wars) from 772 onwards, whereafter the Imperial [Duchy of Saxony](/source/Duchy_of_Saxony) was established in 804. In the 10th century the Saxon lands, enlarged by the [Saxon Eastern March](/source/Saxon_Eastern_March), became the cradle of the [Kingdom of Germany](/source/Kingdom_of_Germany) and the [Holy Roman Empire](/source/Holy_Roman_Empire), when the dukes of the [Ottonian dynasty](/source/Ottonian_dynasty) were elected [King of the Romans](/source/King_of_the_Romans) and crowned [Holy Roman Emperors](/source/Holy_Roman_Emperors). From 1500 onwards, the former Saxon territories (except for Westphalia) were incorporated into the [Lower Saxon Circle](/source/Lower_Saxon_Circle) of the [Holy Roman Empire](/source/Holy_Roman_Empire). The [Hanseatic League](/source/Hanseatic_League) is also part of the common history and culture of the cities in northern Germany. Northern Germany corresponds to the territory of the [North German Confederation](/source/North_German_Confederation) in the 19th century. The boundary between the spheres of political influence of [Prussia](/source/Prussia) (Northern Germany) and [Austria](/source/Austrian_Empire) (Southern Germany) within the [German Confederation](/source/German_Confederation) (1815–1866) was known as the "Main line" (''[Mainlinie](/source/Main_line_(political))'', after the river [Main](/source/Main_(river))), [Frankfurt am Main](/source/Frankfurt_am_Main) being the seat of the federal assembly. The "Main line" did not follow the course of the river Main upstream of Frankfurt, rather corresponding to the northern border of the [Kingdom of Bavaria](/source/Kingdom_of_Bavaria). Cultural or political east–west divisions have existed in northern Germany since at least the early modern period, when *the easternmost and southeastern part (mainly [East Prussia](/source/East_Prussia), [Brandenburgian Pomerania](/source/Province_of_Pomerania_(1653%E2%80%931815)), and [Brandenburg](/source/Brandenburg)) was owned by or part of the [State of the Teutonic Order](/source/State_of_the_Teutonic_Order) and later [Brandenburg-Prussia](/source/Brandenburg-Prussia), *the middle part (the island of [Rügen](/source/R%C3%BCgen), parts of [Western Pomerania](/source/Western_Pomerania), eastern coastal regions of [Schleswig-Holstein](/source/Schleswig-Holstein), and a fragmented [Mecklenburg](/source/Mecklenburg) in the middle) during the Early Middle Ages was at least in parts inhabited by a large Slavic population (see [Obotrites](/source/Obotrites) and [Veleti](/source/Veleti)) and for a long time from the High Middle Ages onwards was first under Danish ([Principality of Rügen](/source/Principality_of_R%C3%BCgen), 1168–1365), then Swedish influence as [Swedish Pomerania](/source/Swedish_Pomerania) (1628-1807/15), *and the Western part (today most of Schleswig-Holstein and all of [Lower Saxony](/source/Lower_Saxony), including the Hanseatic city states and other towns in the region), sometimes known as ''Nordwestdeutschland'' and defined by the original homegrounds of the two tribes of the [Frisians](/source/Frisians) and [Saxons](/source/Saxons), which would later comprise the [Duchy of Saxony](/source/Duchy_of_Saxony) (est. 806), the [Lower Rhenish–Westphalian Circle](/source/Lower_Rhenish%E2%80%93Westphalian_Circle) (1500), and the [Lower Saxon Circle](/source/Lower_Saxon_Circle) (1512). ''Nordwestdeutschland'' also more or less corresponds to the [British Zone of Occupation](/source/British_Zone_of_Occupation) in [Allied-occupied Germany](/source/Allied-occupied_Germany) between 1945 and 1949. During the [Cold War](/source/Cold_War) of the second half of the 20th century, a cultural division of northern Germany into an Eastern and a Western part has become more pronounced due to the [1949–1990 division of all of Germany](/source/History_of_Germany_(1945%E2%80%9390)) into [West Germany](/source/West_Germany) and [East Germany](/source/East_Germany), where identities based upon the former [Iron Curtain](/source/Iron_Curtain) and mutual prejudices regarding what once was the other side may still persist today. A number of Scottish and English Lutheran Families settled in Northern Germany between the years 1683 and 1709, with the result that many Germans in Northwest Germany can claim Scottish and English ancestry.{{cite journal | url=https://journals.openedition.org/etudesecossaises/217 | doi=10.4000/etudesecossaises.217 | title=English and Scottish Exiles in Northwest Germany c. 1683–1709 | year=2010 | last1=Zickermann | first1=Kathrin | journal=Études Écossaises | issue=13 | pages=41–58 }} ==Northern German states== The term '''northern German states''' is always used to refer to the following coastal federal [States of Germany](/source/States_of_Germany): *[Bremen](/source/Bremen_(state)) *[Hamburg](/source/Hamburg) *[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern](/source/Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) *[Lower Saxony](/source/Lower_Saxony) *[Schleswig-Holstein](/source/Schleswig-Holstein) In some cases, it also includes the non-coastal states of: *[Brandenburg](/source/Brandenburg) *[Berlin](/source/Berlin) *[Saxony-Anhalt](/source/Saxony-Anhalt) *[North Rhine-Westphalia](/source/North_Rhine-Westphalia) Northern Germany as a region or as a historical landscape includes additional federal states (see geography above). Northwestern Germany is usually considered to be part of [Northern Europe](/source/Northern_Europe) both culturally and geographically where as the southern states are much closer to Central European cultures. {{coord missing|Germany}} ==Major cities== Where a city has different names in English and German, the English name is given first. {| class="wikitable" |- | width="20px" style="background-color:#FFFFE0" | | Federal capital |- | width="20px" style="background-color:#D0E7FF" | | State capital |} {{Clear}} {| class="wikitable sortable" |----- ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Rank ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |City ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
1950 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
1960 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
1970 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
1980 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
1990 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
2000 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
2010 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Area
[km2] ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Density
per km2 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Growth
[%]
(2000–
2010) ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |surpassed
100,000 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |[State](/source/States_of_Germany)
(''Bundesland'') |- bgcolor="#FFFFE0" | 1. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Berlin}} || {{nts|3336026}} || {{nts|3274016}} || {{nts|3208719}} || {{nts|3048759}} || {{nts|3433695}} || {{nts|3382169}} || style="background-color:#E0E0E0;"|{{nts|3460725}} || 887,70 || {{nts|3899}} || 2.32 || 1747 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Berlin}} |- bgcolor="#D0E7FF" | 2. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Hamburg}} || {{nts|1605606}} || {{nts|2376958}} || {{nts|1793640}} || {{nts|1645095}} || {{nts|1652363}} || {{nts|1715392}} || style="background-color:#E0E0E0;"|{{nts|1786448}} || 755,16 || {{nts|2366}} || 4.14 || 1787 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Hamburg}} |- bgcolor="#D0E7FF" | 3. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Bremen}} || {{nts|499549}} || {{nts|563270}} || {{nts|592533}} || {{nts|555118}} || {{nts|551219}} || {{nts|539403}} || looks="background-color:#E0E0E0;" |{{nts|547340}} || 325,42 || {{nts|1682}} || 1.47 || 1875 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Free Hanseatic City of Bremen}} |- bgcolor="#D0E7FF" | 4. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Hanover}}|| {{nts|444296}} || {{nts|574672}} || {{nts|521003}} || {{nts|534623}} || {{nts|513010}} || {{nts|515001}} || style="background-color:#E0E0E0;" |{{nts|522686}} || 204,14 || {{nts|2560}} || 1.49 || 1875 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Lower Saxony}} |- | 5. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Bielefeld}} || {{nts|153613}} || {{nts|174527}} || {{nts|168609}} || {{nts|312708}} || {{nts|319037}} || {{nts|321758}} || style="background-color:#E0E0E0;" |{{nts|323270}} || 257,92 || {{nts|1253}} || 0.47 || 1930 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|North Rhine-Westphalia}} |- | 6. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Münster}} || {{nts|118496}} || {{nts|180871}} || {{nts|198878}} || {{nts|269696}} || {{nts|259438}} || {{nts|265609}} || style="background-color:#E0E0E0;" |{{nts|279803}} || 302,96 || {{nts|924}} || 5.34 || 1915 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|North Rhine-Westphalia}} |- | 7. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Braunschweig|text=[Braunschweig](/source/Braunschweig)}} || {{nts|223760}} || {{nts|242489}} || {{nts|223275}} || {{nts|261141}} || {{nts|245816}} || {{nts|245816}} || style="background-color:#E0E0E0;" |{{nts|248867}} || 192,15 || {{nts|1295}} || 1.24 || 1890 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Lower Saxony}} |- bgcolor="#D0E7FF" | 8. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Kiel}} || {{nts|254449}} || {{nts|271610}} || {{nts|271070}} || {{nts|250062}} || {{nts|245567}} || {{nts|232612}} || style="background-color:#E0E0E0;" |{{nts|239526}} || 118,65 || {{nts|2019}} || 2.97 || 1898 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Schleswig-Holstein}} |- bgcolor="#D0E7FF" | 9. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Magdeburg}} || {{nts|260305}} || {{nts|261594}} || {{nts|272237}} || {{nts|289032}} || {{nts|278807}} || {{nts|231450}} || style="background-color:#E0E0E0;" |{{nts|231549}} || 200,99 || {{nts|1152}} || 0.04 || 1882 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Saxony-Anhalt}} |- | 10. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Lübeck}} || {{nts|238276}} || {{nts|232140}} || {{nts|239955}} || {{nts|220588}} || {{nts|214758}} || {{nts|213399}} || style="background-color:#E0E0E0;" |{{nts|210232}} || 214,21 || {{nts|981}} || −1.48 || 1912 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Schleswig-Holstein}} |- | 11. || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Rostock}} || {{nts|133109}} || {{nts|158630}} || {{nts|198636}} || {{nts|232506}} || {{nts|248088}} || {{nts|200506}} || style="background-color:#E0E0E0;" |{{nts|202735}} || 181,26 || {{nts|1118}} || 1.11 || 1935 || align=left | {{Coat of arms|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}} |-class="sortbottom" ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Rank ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |City ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
1950 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
1960 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
1970 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
1980 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
1990 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
2000 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Pop.
2010 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Area
[km2] ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Density
per km2 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |Growth
[%]
(2000–
2010) ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |surpassed
100,000 ! style="color: black; background-color: #ABCDEF" |[State](/source/States_of_Germany)
(''Land'') |} ==Sports== [[File:Wolfsburg stadion.jpg|thumb|The [Volkswagen Arena](/source/Volkswagen_Arena)]] [[File:Centre Court Am Rothenbaum Sliding Roof.jpg|thumb|[Am Rothenbaum](/source/Am_Rothenbaum) tennis stadium]] The [German Football Association](/source/German_Football_Association) was founded in Leipzig in 1900. Several cities in Northern Germany have hosted matches of the [1974 FIFA World Cup](/source/1974_FIFA_World_Cup), [UEFA Euro 1988](/source/UEFA_Euro_1988) and [2006 FIFA World Cup](/source/2006_FIFA_World_Cup). The [Nordderby](/source/Nordderby) (''Northern derby'') is played between [Hamburger SV](/source/Hamburger_SV) and [SV Werder Bremen](/source/SV_Werder_Bremen), whereas the [Hamburg derby](/source/Hamburg_derby) is played between Hamburger SV and [FC St. Pauli](/source/FC_St._Pauli). Other notable men's football clubs include [Hertha Berlin](/source/Hertha_Berlin), [VfL Wolfsburg](/source/VfL_Wolfsburg), [Hannover 96](/source/Hannover_96), [Eintracht Braunschweig](/source/Eintracht_Braunschweig), [F.C. Hansa Rostock](/source/F.C._Hansa_Rostock), [1. FC Magdeburg](/source/1._FC_Magdeburg). Hamburger SV won the [1982–83 European Cup](/source/1982%E2%80%9383_European_Cup) and six German championships, whereas Werder Bremen won the German championship four times and Hertha Berlin twice. In women's football, the [VfL Wolfsburg](/source/VfL_Wolfsburg_(women)) won the Bundesliga three times and the [UEFA Women's Champions League](/source/UEFA_Women's_Champions_League) twice, whereas [1. FFC Turbine Potsdam](/source/1._FFC_Turbine_Potsdam) won the Bundesliga six times and the UEFA Champions League twice. Notable [Basketball Bundesliga](/source/Basketball_Bundesliga) teams include [Alba Berlin](/source/Alba_Berlin), [Basketball Löwen Braunschweig](/source/Basketball_L%C3%B6wen_Braunschweig), [Hamburg Towers](/source/Hamburg_Towers) and [EWE Baskets Oldenburg](/source/EWE_Baskets_Oldenburg). Notable [Eishockey-Bundesliga](/source/Eishockey-Bundesliga) teams include [Eisbären Berlin](/source/Eisb%C3%A4ren_Berlin), [Grizzlys Wolfsburg](/source/Grizzlys_Wolfsburg), [Hamburg Freezers](/source/Hamburg_Freezers), [Hannover Scorpions](/source/Hannover_Scorpions) and [Fischtown Pinguins](/source/Fischtown_Pinguins). Notable handball teams include [GWD Minden](/source/GWD_Minden), [SG Flensburg-Handewitt](/source/SG_Flensburg-Handewitt), [TuS Nettelstedt-Lübbecke](/source/TuS_Nettelstedt-L%C3%BCbbecke), [THW Kiel](/source/THW_Kiel), [Handball Hamburg](/source/Handball_Hamburg), [SC Magdeburg](/source/SC_Magdeburg), [Buxtehuder SV](/source/Buxtehuder_SV), [VfL Oldenburg](/source/VfL_Oldenburg) and [HSG Blomberg-Lippe](/source/HSG_Blomberg-Lippe). Notable marathon races include the [Berlin Marathon](/source/Berlin_Marathon) (one of the [World Marathon Majors](/source/World_Marathon_Majors)), [Hamburg Marathon](/source/Hamburg_Marathon), [Hannover Marathon](/source/Hannover_Marathon). Notable tennis tournaments include the [Halle Open](/source/Halle_Open), [International German Open](/source/International_German_Open) and [Sparkassen Open](/source/Sparkassen_Open). Other notable competitions are the [Kiel Week](/source/Kiel_Week), [EuroEyes Cyclassics](/source/EuroEyes_Cyclassics) and the [Hanse Sail](/source/Hanse_Sail). The [Olympiastadion](/source/Olympiastadion_(Berlin)) in Berlin has hosted the [1936 Summer Olympics](/source/1936_Summer_Olympics), [2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics](/source/2009_IAAF_World_Championships_in_Athletics) and [Internationales Stadionfest](/source/Internationales_Stadionfest). The sailing competitions for the 1936 and [1972 Summer Olympics](/source/1972_Summer_Olympics) were held at the Bay of Kiel. ==Transport== The region has 5 main [international](/source/International_airport) airports: *[Berlin Brandenburg Airport](/source/Berlin_Brandenburg_Airport) (serving [Berlin](/source/Berlin) and [Brandenburg](/source/Brandenburg)) *[Bremen Airport](/source/Bremen_Airport) (serving [Bremen](/source/Bremen_(state)) *[Hamburg Airport](/source/Hamburg_Airport) (serving [Hamburg](/source/Hamburg)) *[Hannover Airport](/source/Hannover_Airport) (serving [Hannover](/source/Hannover) and [Lower Saxony](/source/Lower_Saxony)) *[Münster Osnabrück Airport](/source/M%C3%BCnster_Osnabr%C3%BCck_Airport) (serving [Münster](/source/M%C3%BCnster_(Westfalen)) and [Osnabrück](/source/Osnabr%C3%BCck)) ==See also== *[Southern Germany](/source/Southern_Germany) *[Central Germany (cultural area)](/source/Central_Germany_(cultural_area)) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Portal bar|Germany}} {{Authority control}} Category:Regions of Germany --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Northern Germany](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Germany) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Germany?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.