# Witten

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For other uses, see [Witten (disambiguation)](/source/Witten_(disambiguation)).

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Town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Witten Town Town hall in Witten Flag Coat of arms Location of Witten within Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis district Location of Witten Witten Show map of Germany Witten Show map of North Rhine-Westphalia Coordinates: 51°26′N 7°20′E / 51.433°N 7.333°E / 51.433; 7.333 Country Germany State North Rhine-Westphalia Admin. region Arnsberg District Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis Subdivisions 7 districts Government • Mayor (2025–30) Dirk Leistner[1] (SPD) Area • Total 72.4 km2 (28.0 sq mi) Elevation 104 m (341 ft) Population (2024-12-31)[2] • Total 91,808 • Density 1,270/km2 (3,280/sq mi) Time zone UTC+01:00 (CET) • Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (CEST) Postal codes 58452 - 58456 Dialling codes 02302, 02324 (Buchholz) Vehicle registration EN, WIT Website witten.de

**Witten** (German pronunciation: [\[ˈvɪtn̩\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Standard_German) [ⓘ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:De-Witten.ogg)) is a city with almost 100,000 inhabitants in the [Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis](/source/Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis) (district) in [North Rhine-Westphalia](/source/North_Rhine-Westphalia), in western [Germany](/source/Germany).

## Geography

Witten is situated in the [Ruhr](/source/Ruhr_(river)) valley, in the southern [Ruhr area](/source/Ruhr).

### Bordering municipalities

- [Bochum](/source/Bochum)

- [Dortmund](/source/Dortmund)

- [Herdecke](/source/Herdecke)

- [Wetter (Ruhr)](/source/Wetter_(Ruhr))

- [Sprockhövel](/source/Sprockh%C3%B6vel)

- [Hattingen](/source/Hattingen)

### Boroughs

Witten is divided into eight boroughs and each borough is further divided into two or more city-districts. Every district has its own district-number:

- Witten-Mitte: 11 Innenstadt, 12 Oberdorf-Helenenberg, 13 Industriegebiet-West, 14 Krone, 15 Crengeldanz, 16 Hauptfriedhof, 17 Stadion, 18 Industriegebiet-Nord, 19 [Hohenstein](/source/Witten-Hohenstein)

- Düren: 21 Düren-Nord, 22 Düren-Sued

- [Stockum](/source/Witten-Stockum): 31 Stockum-Mitte, 32 Dorney, 33 Stockumer Bruch, 34 Wilhelmshöhe

- [Annen](/source/Witten-Annen): 41 Tiefendorf, 42 [Wullen](/source/Witten-Wullen), 43 Annen-Mitte-Nord, 44 Annen-Mitte-Süd, 45 Kohlensiepen, 46 Wartenberg, 47 [Gedern](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Witten-Gedern&action=edit&redlink=1)

- [Rüdinghausen](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Witten-R%C3%BCdinghausen&action=edit&redlink=1): 51 Industriegebiet-Ost, 52 Rüdinghausen-Mitte, 53 Buchholz, 54 Schnee

- [Bommern](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Witten-Bommern&action=edit&redlink=1): 61 Steinhausen, 62 Bommerbank, 63 Bommerfeld, 64 Wettberg, 65 Buschey, 66 Bommeregge

- [Heven](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Witten-Heven&action=edit&redlink=1): 71 [Papenholz](/source/Heven-Papenholz), 72 Hellweg, 73 Wannen, 74 Heven-Dorf, 75 Lake

- [Herbede](/source/Herbede): 81 Herbede-Ort, 82 Vormholz, 83 Bommerholz-Muttental, 84 Durchholz, 85 [Buchholz-Kaempen](/source/Witten-Buchholz-Kaempen)

## Population 1739–2020

Year Inhabitants 1739 566 1787 690 1808 1,587 1830 2,210 1 December 1840 2,987 1 December 1855 5,112 3 December 1858 6,908 3 December 1864 10,500 3 December 1867 12,200 1 December 1871 15,161 1 December 1875 18,100 1 December 1880 21,600 1 December 1885 23,879 Year Inhabitants 1 December 1890 26,310 2 December 1895 28,769 1 December 1900 33,517 1 December 1905 35,841 1 December 1910 37,450 1 December 1916 34,864 5 December 1917 35,033 8 October 1919 37,441 16 June 1925 45,519 16 June 1933 72,580 17 May 1939 73,365 31 December 1945 70,276 29 October 1946 69,384 Year Inhabitants 13 September 1950 76,312 25 September 1956 91,706 6 June 1961 96,462 31 December 1965 98,506 27 May 1970 97,379 31 December 1975 108,771 31 December 1980 105,876 31 December 1985 102,259 25 May 1987 102,902 31 December 1990 105,403 31 December 1995 104,754 31 December 2000 103,196 30 June 2005 101,019 Year Inhabitants 31 December 2011 98,330 31 December 2015 96,700 31 December 2016 96,781 31 December 2019 96,459 31 December 2020 95,876

## History

The Roburit Explosion in 1906

Witten was first mentioned in historic sources in 1214, however the [borough](/source/Borough) Herbede (which was incorporated into the city in 1975) dates back to 851. The city was a mining town from 1578.

In the late 19th century Witten was known for the Roburit dynamite. This dynamite was once used by coal mines around the world. In 1906 an explosion occurred, resulting in the deaths of 41 people.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

During [World War II](/source/World_War_II), [forced laborers](/source/Forced_labour_under_German_rule_during_World_War_II) of the 3rd [SS construction brigade](/source/SS_construction_brigade) were dispatched in the town by the Nazis in 1943.[3]

In 1946, it was included in [North Rhine-Westphalia](/source/North_Rhine-Westphalia) on its establishment. In 1975 Witten was included in the administrative district [Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis](/source/Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis) and it is now its biggest city. 1975 was also the year Witten was first counted to have more than 100,000 inhabitants, the threshold to be considered a large city ("Großstadt") in Germany.

## Politics

Townhall and Johannis-Church

In the local elections of 2004 the [Social Democratic Party](/source/Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany) (SPD) was the largest party on the council with 24 seats. It was followed by the [Christian Democratic Union](/source/Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany) (CDU) with 18 and the [Alliance 90/The Greens](/source/Alliance_90%2FThe_Greens) with 7, the WBG (a conservative lis) and [Free Democrats](/source/Free_Democratic_Party_(Germany)) with four each, FLW (also a conservative list) with three, [National Democratic Party](/source/National_Democratic_Party_of_Germany) two, and the [PDS](/source/The_Left_Party.PDS)/WAL (socialists) and AUF Witten (a left wing list) with one each.

From 2004 to 2020, for the first time in its history, the council was led by a female mayor: Sonja Leidemann (SPD). In the election of 2020 she lost her mandate to Lars König (CDU).

### Mayor

The current mayor of Witten is Dirk Leistner of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). The most recent mayoral election was held on 14 September 2025.

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (September 2025)

Previous municipal elections was held on 13 September 2020, with a runoff held on 27 September, and the results were as follows:

Candidate Party First round Second round Votes % Votes % Sonja Leidemann Social Democratic Party 12,365 34.5 11,365 40.0 Lars König Christian Democratic Union 10,595 29.6 17,036 60.0 Stefan Borggraefe Pirate Party Germany 4,005 11.2 Martin Strautz Citizens' Forum 2,276 6.4 Ursula Weiß The Left 2,227 6.2 Richard Surrey Witten Citizen's Association/Free Voters 1,793 5.0 Michael Hasenkamp CityClimate Witten 1,110 3.1 Hans-Peter Skotarzik Witten.Direct 1,052 2.9 Norman Kerner Independent 397 1.1 Valid votes 35,820 98.1 28,401 98.7 Invalid votes 709 1.9 369 1.3 Total 36,529 100.0 28,770 100.0 Electorate/voter turnout 78,110 46.8 77,920 36.9 Source: City of Witten (1st round, 2nd round)

### City council

Results of the 2020 city council election.

The Witten city council governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 13 September 2020, and the results were as follows:

Party Votes % +/- Seats +/- Social Democratic Party (SPD) 9,052 25.2 10.0 16 9 Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 8,349 23.2 0.3 15 2 Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) 7,404 20.6 7.6 13 4 Citizens' Forum (BF) 2,182 6.1 4.4 4 3 Alternative for Germany (AfD) 1,681 4.7 New 3 New Pirate Party Germany (Piraten) 1,536 4.3 2.2 3 1 The Left (Die Linke) 1,441 4.0 2.0 3 1 Witten Citizens' Association/Free Voters (WGB-FW) 1,120 3.1 0.9 2 ±0 Free Democratic Party (FDP) 838 2.3 0.1 2 ±0 Die PARTEI 739 2.1 New 1 New CityClimate Witten (SKW) 631 1.8 New 1 New Witten.Direct (W.D) 535 1.5 New 1 New Alternative Independent Progressive Witten (AUF) 227 0.6 0.6 0 1 Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP) 139 0.4 New 0 New Grassroots Democratic List Witten (BLW) 87 0.2 New 0 New Independent Norman Kerner 13 0.0 New 0 New Valid votes 35,974 98.5 Invalid votes 547 1.5 Total 36,521 100.0 64 8 Electorate/voter turnout 78,108 46.8 0.4 Source: City of Witten

### State Landtag

In the [Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia](/source/Landtag_of_North_Rhine-Westphalia), Witten is part of the Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis II constituency. Nadja Büteführ of the SPD was elected as representative in the [2017 state election](/source/2017_North_Rhine-Westphalia_state_election). [Verena Schäffer](/source/Verena_Sch%C3%A4ffer) of the Greens also ran in the constituency and was elected to the Landtag on her party's state list.

### Federal parliament

In the [Bundestag](/source/Bundestag), Witten is part of the [Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis II](/source/Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis_II) constituency. [Axel Echeverria](/source/Axel_Echeverria) of the SPD was elected as representative in the [2021 German federal election](/source/2021_German_federal_election).

## Transport

Tram in Witten-Heven

Witten is connected to the [Autobahn](/source/Autobahn) network by the [A 43](/source/Bundesautobahn_43) and [A 44](/source/Bundesautobahn_44) motorways. It has a [central station](/source/Witten_Hauptbahnhof), connecting the city to the regional-train-network of [Deutsche Bahn](/source/Deutsche_Bahn) with direct connections to Hagen, Bochum, Essen, Siegen, Wuppertal, Düsseldorf, Aachen or Dortmund. Local service is carried out by the [BOGESTRA](/source/BOGESTRA), a joint venture between the cities of Bochum and Gelsenkirchen, to which most of the bus lines in Witten belong. There is a tram line connecting to [Bochum](/source/Bochum). From mid-December on, there will be two tram lines, which will run in Witten (lines 309 and 310). When the new track to Langendreer is completed (September 2020), the tram lines will ride to the station of Bochum-Langendreer (309) or to Wattenscheid-Höntrop via Bochum main station (310). Public transport in the city is carried out according to the fare system of the [VRR](/source/Verkehrsverbund_Rhein-Ruhr) transport association.

## Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Witten with its two lions once belong to the Everhards von Witten-Steinhausen[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] and was first mentioned in 1283[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]. The family of Witten-Steinhausen belongs to the founders of the town of Witten. Their slogan was: *"Sigillum Hermanni de Wittene"*. Because of its long history this coat of arms was the only one in the Ruhr area, that was not forbidden by the [Allies](/source/Allies_of_World_War_II) in May 1945, after the end of the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War)[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*].

## Culture

- [Hebezeug-Museum](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hebezeug-Museum&action=edit&redlink=1) – a museum dedicated to cranes and hoist founded by [J. D. Neuhaus](/source/J._D._Neuhaus) and is located on the [Route der Industriekultur](/source/Route_der_Industriekultur).

- [Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik](/source/Wittener_Tage_f%C3%BCr_neue_Kammermusik), festival for contemporary chamber music, held annually at the end of April

- [Märkisches Museum (Witten)](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M%C3%A4rkisches_Museum_(Witten)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[de](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A4rkisches_Museum_(Witten))]

## Twin towns – sister cities

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

Witten is [twinned](/source/Sister_city) with:[4]

- [Beauvais](/source/Beauvais), France (1975)

- [Barking and Dagenham](/source/London_Borough_of_Barking_and_Dagenham), England, United Kingdom (1979)

- [Mallnitz](/source/Mallnitz), Austria (1979)

- [Lev HaSharon](/source/Lev_HaSharon_Regional_Council), Israel (1979)

- [Bitterfeld-Wolfen](/source/Bitterfeld-Wolfen), Germany (1990)

- [Kursk](/source/Kursk), Russia (1990)

- [Tczew](/source/Tczew), Poland (1990)

- [San Carlos](/source/San_Carlos%2C_R%C3%ADo_San_Juan), Nicaragua (1990)

- [Mekelle](/source/Mekelle), Ethiopia (2016)

## Religions

St. Maria Church

### Roman Catholic

When Witten was first mentioned in historical documents, it was part of the [Archdiocese of Cologne](/source/Archdiocese_of_Cologne). Since 1821 it has been a part of the [Diocese of Paderborn](/source/Diocese_of_Paderborn); however, the borough of Herbede belongs to the [Diocese of Essen](/source/Diocese_of_Essen). In the 19th century the Ruhr area drew up to 500,000 [Poles](/source/Polish_people) from [East Prussia](/source/East_Prussia) and [Silesia](/source/Silesia), most of whom were Catholic. Hundreds settled in Witten, leading to a growth in the Catholic community. Today, between 30 and 40 per cent of the population is Catholic.

### Protestant

In the 16th century Witten was influenced by [Martin Luther](/source/Martin_Luther)'s [Reformation](/source/Protestant_Reformation), and until the late 19th century, Witten was a predominantly Protestant town with just a few Catholic inhabitants. Between 30 and 40 per cent of the population is Protestant today.

### Muslims

There are four mosques in Witten, Annen and Herbede today, founded by immigrants from Turkey who arrived in the 1970s and 1980s. Between five and eight per cent of the population is Muslim.

### Jews

Memorial at the place of the former synagogue

In 1815 the first Jewish community was mentioned in Witten. In 1938 the synagogue was destroyed during the so-called "[Reichspogromnacht](/source/Reichspogromnacht)" (also known as *[Kristallnacht](/source/Kristallnacht)*) of 9–10 November 1938. Today, only about a dozen Jews live in Witten. They belong to the Jewish community in [Dortmund](/source/Dortmund).

Since 1994 the place of the former synagogue is marked with a memorial.

## Notable people

- [Ingeborg Danz](/source/Ingeborg_Danz) (born 1961), concert singer

- [Theodor Detmers](/source/Theodor_Detmers) (1902–1976), officer

- [Felix Dornebusch](/source/Felix_Dornebusch) (born 1994), football player

- [Mirko Englich](/source/Mirko_Englich) (born 1978), wrestler

- [Dennis Eilhoff](/source/Dennis_Eilhoff) (born 1982), football player

- [Robert Graf](/source/Robert_Graf_(actor)) (1923–1966), actor

- [Martin Geck](/source/Martin_Geck) (1936–2019), musicologist

- [Ralf Kapschack](/source/Ralf_Kapschack) (born 1954), politician (SPD)

- [Carsten Keuler](/source/Carsten_Keuler) (born 1971), football player

- [Nadja Lüders](/source/Nadja_L%C3%BCders) (born 1974), politician

- [Jochen Nickel](/source/Jochen_Nickel) (born 1959), actor

- [Sorina Nwachukwu](/source/Sorina_Nwachukwu) (born 1987), sprinter

- [Paul Pleiger](/source/Paul_Pleiger) (1899–1985), industrialist and corporate executive (NSDAP)

- [Alexandra Popp](/source/Alexandra_Popp) (born 1991), football player

- [Andreas Reckwitz](/source/Andreas_Reckwitz) (born 1970), sociologist

- [Stephan Remmler](/source/Stephan_Remmler) (born 1949), singer

- [Moritz Römling](/source/Moritz_R%C3%B6mling) (born 2001), football player

- [Otto Schlüter](/source/Otto_Schl%C3%BCter) (1872–1959), geographer

- [Joseph Schmidt-Görg](/source/Joseph_Schmidt-G%C3%B6rg) (1897–1981), musicologist and composer

- [Otto Schott](/source/Otto_Schott) (1851–1935), chemist

- [Erich Schöppner](/source/Erich_Sch%C3%B6ppner) (1932–2005), boxer

- [Michael Schulz](/source/Michael_Schulz) (born 1961), football player

- [Josef Sieber](/source/Josef_Sieber) (1900–1962), film actor

- [Wilhelm Utermann](/source/Wilhelm_Utermann) (1912–1991), writer and journalist

- [Willi Veller](/source/Willi_Veller) (1896–1941), politician (NSDAP)

- [Tanja Wedhorn](/source/Tanja_Wedhorn) (born 1971), actress

- [Charles Paul Wilp](/source/Charles_Paul_Wilp) (1932–2005), artist and photographer

- [Rosi Wolfstein](/source/Rosi_Wolfstein) (1888–1987), politician (KPD)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Wahlergebnisse in NRW Kommunalwahlen 2025](https://www.witten.de/portal/pressemitteilungen/witten-bekommt-ein-neues-stadtoberhaupt-900001593-37500.html), Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, accessed 04 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Bevölkerung der Gemeinden Nordrhein-Westfalens am 31. Dezember 2024 – Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes auf Basis des Zensus 2022"](https://www.landesdatenbank.nrw.de/ldbnrw//online?operation=table&code=12411-01i&bypass=true&levelindex=0&levelid=1750236363127#abreadcrumb) (in German). [Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW](/source/Landesbetrieb_Information_und_Technik_NRW).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Megargee, Geoffrey P. (2009). *The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume I*. Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. p. 1385. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-253-35328-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-253-35328-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Städtepartnerschaften"](https://web.archive.org/web/20221018064050/https://win.witten.de/staedtepartnerschaften/). *win.witten.de* (in German). Witten. Archived from [the original](https://win.witten.de/staedtepartnerschaften/) on 2022-10-18. Retrieved 2021-02-17.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Witten](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Witten).

v t e Cities in Germany by population 1,000,000+ Berlin Cologne Hamburg Munich 500,000+ Bremen Dortmund Dresden Duisburg Düsseldorf Essen Frankfurt am Main Hanover Leipzig Nuremberg Stuttgart 200,000+ Aachen Augsburg Bielefeld Bochum Bonn Braunschweig Chemnitz Erfurt Freiburg im Breisgau Gelsenkirchen Halle (Saale) Karlsruhe Kassel Kiel Krefeld Lübeck Magdeburg Mainz Mannheim Münster Mönchengladbach Oberhausen Rostock Wiesbaden Wuppertal 100,000+ Bergisch Gladbach Bottrop Bremerhaven Darmstadt Erlangen Fürth Göttingen Gütersloh Hagen Hamm Hanau Heidelberg Heilbronn Herne Hildesheim Ingolstadt Jena Kaiserslautern Koblenz Leverkusen Ludwigshafen Moers Mülheim an der Ruhr Neuss Offenbach am Main Oldenburg Osnabrück Paderborn Pforzheim Potsdam Recklinghausen Regensburg Remscheid Reutlingen Saarbrücken Salzgitter Siegen Solingen Trier Ulm Wolfsburg Würzburg Complete list Municipalities Metropolitan regions Cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants

v t e Towns and municipalities in Ennepe-Ruhr Breckerfeld Ennepetal Gevelsberg Hattingen Herdecke Schwelm Sprockhövel Wetter (Ruhr) Witten Coat of Arms of Ennepe-Ruhr district

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