Prignitz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Prignitz | |
|---|---|
 Map of Brandenburg highlighting the district Prignitz |
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| State | Brandenburg |
| County seat | Perleberg |
| Area | 2,123 km² |
| Population | 92,646 (2002) |
| pop. density | 44 inh./km² |
| Car identification | PR |
| Web page | landkreis-prignitz.de |
Prignitz is a Kreis (district) in the northwestern part of Brandenburg, Germany. Neighboring are (from the north clockwise) the districts Ludwigslust and Parchim in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the district Ostprignitz-Ruppin, the district Stendal in Saxony-Anhalt and the district Lüchow-Dannenberg in Lower Saxony.
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[edit] Geography
The term Prignitz originally means the region north of the confluence of the Elbe and Havel rivers. This region is larger than the district and also includes large portions of the neighbouring district of Ostprignitz-Ruppin.
The Elbe river forms the western border of the district.
[edit] History
The district was created in 1993 by merging the previous districts Pritzwalk and Perleberg and a few municipalities from the district Kyritz. The westernmost part of the district was previously part of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and changed to be part of Brandenburg on August 1, 1992.
The earlier district of the Prignitz was the buffer between Brandenburg and Mecklenburg. When Frederick Count of Zollern was appointed Margrave in 1411, he faced an uprising of the Wendish nobilty, supported by the Wendish Duke of Mecklenburg. However, he was able to put the revolt down at the battle of the Cremmer Dam, with the support of the German nobilty. Families who had stayed loyal were rewarded. Otto von Blumenthal, for example, was made Captain of the Prignitz from 1415-1422 and of Lenzen from 1420.
[edit] Coat of arms
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The coat of arms shows a goose preparing for flight, the symbol of the Gans zu Putlitz family (Gans is German for goose), who in the 12th century were one of a number of families (such as the von Blumenthal and von Arnim families) who introduced Christianity and German culture to Prignitz. The pearls around the goose symbolize Perleberg (which translates to Mountain of Pearl). The wolf in bottom stands for the former administrative seat Pritzwalk, as walk derives from the slavonic wolk meaning wolf. The wavy separation between the top and bottom symbolizes the river Elbe, the colors red and white are the same as those of Brandenburg. |
[edit] Towns and municipalities
| Towns | Ämter | free municipalities |
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The eleven districts established in the 13th century were Wittenberge, Lenzen, Perleberg, Putlitz, Kyritz, Nitzow, Wittstock, Pritzwalk, Havelberg, Wusterhausen and Grabow. The modern arrangement is as follows:
¹ inside a Amt |
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[edit] External links
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Urban and rural districts in the Federal State of Brandenburg in Germany |
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Urban |
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Rural |
Barnim | Dahme-Spreewald | Elbe-Elster | Havelland | Märkisch-Oderland | Oberhavel | Oberspreewald-Lausitz |
