Schleswig-Holstein is Germany's northernmost federal state, a narrow peninsula wedged between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, bordering Denmark. It combines windswept Wadden Sea islands like Sylt and Amrum, the historic Hanseatic port of Lubeck, the sailing capital Kiel, and the tranquil lake district of Holstein Switzerland. The state is defined by water on nearly every side, a mix of German, Danish, and North Frisian culture, and a laid-back maritime pace of life.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Schleswig-Holstein.
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1
Construction of the Danevirke Begins
Danish rulers begin building the Danevirke, a defensive earthwork wall across the base of the Jutland peninsula near modern Schleswig, to guard against Frankish and Saxon incursions
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2
Haithabu Founded as a Trading Hub
The Viking-age trading settlement of Haithabu (Hedeby) is established on the Schlei fjord, growing into one of northern Europe's largest early medieval marketplaces
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3
Treaty of Heiligen Sets the Eider Border
Frankish emperor Charlemagne and Danish king Hemming agree the Eider river as the border between the Frankish empire and Denmark, a boundary that shaped the region for a millennium
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4
Founding of Lubeck
Count Adolf II of Schauenburg founds Lubeck on a peninsula in the Trave river; the town is refounded in 1159 by Henry the Lion after a fire and grows into the leading Baltic trading city
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5
Battle of Bornhoved
The counts of Holstein and allied German princes defeat the Danish king Valdemar II, ending Danish dominance over Holstein and northern Germany
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6
Lubeck Leads the Hanseatic League
Lubeck becomes the unofficial capital of the Hanseatic League, a confederation of trading cities that dominates Baltic and North Sea commerce for two centuries
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7
Treaty of Ripen
The nobility of Schleswig and Holstein elect the Danish king Christian I as their duke and count, with the treaty declaring the two territories 'forever undivided,' a phrase that echoes through centuries of later political disputes
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8
Division into Ducal Lines
Schleswig and Holstein are partitioned among royal and ducal branches, including the Gottorf line based at Schloss Gottorf, creating overlapping and competing sovereignties
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9
First Schleswig War
German-speaking Schleswig-Holsteiners rise up against Danish rule amid the wave of European nationalist revolutions; Denmark ultimately retains control after Prussian and German Confederation forces withdraw
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10
Second Schleswig War
Prussia and Austria defeat Denmark and force the cession of Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg, ending centuries of Danish sovereignty over the duchies
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11
Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein
After the Austro-Prussian War, Prussia annexes the duchies outright and organizes them as the Province of Schleswig-Holstein
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12
Schleswig Plebiscites
Following the Treaty of Versailles, referendums split Schleswig by language and identity: the northern zone votes to join Denmark while the southern zone, including the city of Schleswig, remains part of Germany
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13
Postwar Refugee Crisis and Statehood
Schleswig-Holstein absorbs hundreds of thousands of refugees and expellees after World War II, and in 1946 the British occupation authorities establish it as a state (Land) of what becomes West Germany
Historical sites
Places where Schleswig-Holstein's past comes alive.
Holstentor
Where: Lubeck
Admission: Adult: EUR 8 (approx $9.30) | Child: Free under 18
Lubeck Old Town (Hanseatic UNESCO Site)
Where: Lubeck
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Marienkirche (St. Mary's Church Lubeck)
Where: Lubeck
Admission: Adult: Free entry, EUR 4 (approx $4.65) donation requested | Child: Free
Schloss Gottorf
Where: Schleswig
Admission: Adult: EUR 14 (approx $16.25) | Child: EUR 5 (approx $5.80); free 6 and under
Haithabu Viking Settlement and Museum
Where: Busdorf, near Schleswig
Admission: Adult: EUR 9 (approx $10.45) | Child: EUR 3 (approx $3.50); family EUR 15 (approx $17.40)
Danevirke Defensive Wall
Where: Dannewerk, near Schleswig
Admission: Adult: Free to walk the earthworks; museum admission approx EUR 6 (approx $7) | Child: Free to walk the earthworks
Ratzeburger Dom (Ratzeburg Cathedral)
Where: Ratzeburg
Admission: Adult: Free, donation of approx EUR 2 (approx $2.35) suggested | Child: Free
Meldorfer Dom (Meldorf Cathedral)
Where: Meldorf
Admission: Adult: Free, donation appreciated | Child: Free
Schloss Plon (Plon Castle)
Where: Plon
Admission: Adult: EUR 8 (approx $9.30) | Child: EUR 4 ages 6-14 (approx $4.65); free under 6
Schloss Eutin (Eutin Castle)
Where: Eutin
Admission: Adult: Approx EUR 8.50 (approx $9.85) | Child: Approx EUR 4 (approx $4.65)
Schloss Glucksburg (Glucksburg Castle)
Where: Glucksburg
Admission: Adult: EUR 11 (approx $12.75) | Child: EUR 7 (approx $8.10); family from EUR 15 (approx $17.40)
Friedrichstadt Old Town (Dutch Settler Town)
Where: Friedrichstadt
Admission: Adult: Free to walk; canal boat tour approx EUR 8 (approx $9.30) | Child: Free to walk; reduced boat tour rate
Laboe Naval Memorial (Marine-Ehrenmal)
Where: Laboe
Admission: Adult: EUR 7 (approx $8.10); combined with U-995 EUR 11 (approx $12.75) | Child: Reduced rate available, approx EUR 4 (approx $4.65)