Berlin is divided into boroughs or districts (Bezirke) for administration. The boroughs are further divided into neighborhoods (Ortsteile) which are officially recognised but have no administrative bodies of their own. Neighborhoods typically have strong identities that sometimes pre-date their inclusion into the modern boundaries of Berlin. These function differently to other subdivisions in Germany because of the dual status of Berlin as both a city and a federated state of Germany in its own right.
Since 2001, Berlin has been made up of twelve districts, each with its own administrative body. However because Berlin is a single municipality (Einheitsgemeinde), its districts have limited power, acting only as agencies of Berlin's state and city governments as laid out in the Greater Berlin Act of 1920. The districts are financially dependent on state donations, as they neither possess any taxation power nor own any property. This is contrast to municipalities and counties in other German states, which are territorial corporations (Gebietskörperschaften) with autonomous functions and property.
Each district is administered by a representatives' assembly (Bezirksverordnetenversammlung), directly elected by proportional representation, and a district board (Bezirksamt) led by a district mayor (Bezirksbürgermeister), elected by the assembly representatives. The district board is in charge of most administrative matters affecting its residents, but its decisions can be revoked by the Berlin Senate. The district mayors form a council of mayors (Rat der Bürgermeister) led by the city's governing mayor, which advises the Berlin Senate.
History
editEach borough is made up of several officially recognized subdistricts or neighborhoods (Ortsteile in German, sometimes called quarters in English). The number of neighborhoods that form a borough varies considerably, ranging from two (Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg) to fifteen (Treptow-Köpenick). These neighborhoods typically have a historical identity as former independent cities, villages, or rural municipalities that were united in 1920 as part of the Greater Berlin Act, forming the basis for the present-day city and state. The neighborhoods do not have their own governmental bodies but are recognized by the city and the boroughs for planning and statistical purposes. Berliners often identify more with the neighborhood where they live than with the borough that governs them. The neighborhoods are further subdivided into statistical tracts, which are mainly used for planning and statistical purposes. The statistical tracts correspond roughly but not exactly with neighborhoods recognized by residents.
When Greater Berlin was established in 1920, the city was organized into twenty boroughs, most of which were named after their largest component neighborhood, often a former city or municipality; others, such as Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg, were named for geographic features. Minor changes to borough boundaries were made in 1938. After World War II, Berlin was divided into four sectors, with the Western sectors controlled by the United States, Britain, and France, and the Eastern sector controlled by the Soviet Union.
In 1961, the SED built the Berlin Wall to divide the city, effectively separating West Berlin from East Berlin and the rest of East Germany. Three new boroughs were created in East Berlin: Marzahn was split off from Lichtenberg in 1979, Hohenschönhausen from Weissensee in 1985, and Hellersdorf from Marzahn in 1986. In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, and the city was reunified. This marked the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a new era in Berlin's history.
After reunification, Berlin underwent a process of rapid transformation, as the city worked to rebuild and modernize its infrastructure and economy. Many new businesses and cultural institutions were established, and the city became a center of creativity and innovation.
By 2000, Berlin comprised twenty-three boroughs, as three new boroughs had been created in East Berlin. Today Berlin is divided into twelve boroughs (Bezirke), reduced from twenty-three boroughs before Berlin's 2001 administrative reform.
Boroughs
editAn administrative reform in 2001 merged all but three of the existing boroughs into the current 12 boroughs, as listed below.[1] The three boroughs that were not affected were Spandau, Reinickendorf and Neukölln, as the population of each was already exceeding 200,000.
| Borough | Bundestag constituency | Population 31 December 2023 |
Area in km2 |
Density per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf | Berlin-Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (excluding Charlottenburg-Nord and the neighbourhood of Kalowswerder) |
343,081 | 64.72 | 5,301 | |
| Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg | Berlin-Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg – Prenzlauer Berg East | 293,454 | 20.16 | 14,556 | |
| Lichtenberg | Berlin-Lichtenberg | 311,881 | 52.29 | 5,964 | |
| Marzahn-Hellersdorf | Berlin-Marzahn-Hellersdorf | 291,948 | 61.74 | 4,728 | |
| Mitte | Berlin-Mitte | 397,134 | 39.47 | 10,062 | |
| Neukölln | Berlin-Neukölln | 330,017 | 44.93 | 7,345 | |
| Pankow | Berlin-Pankow (excluding Prenzlauer Berg east of Prenzlauer Allee) |
424,307 | 103.01 | 4,119 | |
| Reinickendorf | Berlin-Reinickendorf | 268,792 | 89.46 | 3,005 | |
| Spandau | Berlin-Spandau – Charlottenburg North | 257,091 | 91.91 | 2,797 | |
| Steglitz-Zehlendorf | Berlin-Steglitz-Zehlendorf | 310,446 | 102.50 | 3,029 | |
| Tempelhof-Schöneberg | Berlin-Tempelhof-Schöneberg | 355,868 | 53.09 | 6,703 | |
| Treptow-Köpenick | Berlin-Treptow-Köpenick | 294,081 | 168.42 | 1,746 |
Coats of arms
editAll the coats of arms of Berliner boroughs (the current as of the ones in the period 1990 to 2001) have some common points: The shield has a Spanish form and the coronet is represented by a mural crown: 3 towers in red bricks with the coat of arms of Berlin in the middle.
Most of the coats of arms of current boroughs[2] have changed some elements in their field: Some of them have created a "fusion" of themes of the merged Bezirke (Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Lichtenberg, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Tempelhof-Schöneberg); others have modified their themes taken from one of the two (or more) former merged boroughs (Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Mitte and Treptow-Köpenick). Only the unchanged boroughs of Neukölln, Reinickendorf and Spandau have not changed their field. The coat of arms of Pankow was created with a new design in 2008, having been the only district without an emblem for 7 years.
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf |
Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg |
Lichtenberg |
Marzahn-Hellersdorf |
Mitte |
Neukölln |
Pankow |
Reinickendorf |
Spandau |
Steglitz-Zehlendorf |
Tempelhof-Schöneberg |
Treptow-Köpenick |
Administration and politics
editThe borough government is part of the two-tier administration of the Berlin city-state, whereby the Senate and its affiliated agencies, institutions, and municipal enterprises form the first tier of the so-called Hauptverwaltung (central administration). In the second tier, the boroughs enjoy a certain grade of autonomy—though in no way comparable to the German Landkreise districts or independent cities, nor even to the local government of a common municipality as a legal entity, as according to the Berlin Constitution the legal status of the city as a German state itself is that of a unified municipality (Einheitsgemeinde). The power of the borough governments is limited and their performance of assigned tasks is subject to regulatory supervision by the Senate.
Nevertheless, the twelve self-governing boroughs have constitutional status and are themselves subdivided into two administrative bodies: each is governed by the borough assembly (Bezirksverordnetenversammlung, BVV) and a full-time borough council (Bezirksamt), consisting of five councilors (Bezirksstadträte) and headed by a borough mayor (Bezirksbürgermeister). The BVV assembly is directly elected by the borough's population and therefore acts as a borough parliament, though it is officially part of the executive. It elects the members of the borough council, checks its daily administration, and is able to make applications and recommendations. The twelve borough mayors regularly meet in the Council of Mayors (Rat der Bürgermeister), led by the city's Governing Mayor; the council answers to and advises the Senate.
The localities have no local government bodies, and the administrative duties of the former locality representative, the Ortsvorsteher, were taken over by the borough mayors.
State election party votes by constituency
editPeople who live in the former West Berlin tend to vote for the CDU and the SPD, While voters in the former East Berlin tend to vote for Linke and the AfD.
Neighborhoods
editThis section needs to be updated. The reason given is: population figures are outdated. (August 2024) |
As of 2012, the twelve boroughs are made up of a total of 97 officially recognized neighborhoods or localities (Ortsteile). Almost all of these are further subdivided into several other zones (defined in German as Ortslagen, Teile, Stadtviertel, Orte etc.). The largest Ortsteil is Köpenick (34.9 km2 or 13.5 sq mi), the smallest one is Hansaviertel (53 ha or 130 acres). The most populated is Neukölln (154,127 inhabitants in 2009), the least populated is Malchow (450 inhabitants in 2008).[3]
Note that the coats of arms shown for localities in the tables below are historical and no longer in official use, having lost their validity upon incorporation into Greater Berlin or new districts.
- (01) Mitte
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.70 | 79,582 | 7,445 | ||
| 7.72 | 69,425 | 8,993 | ||
| 0.53 | 5,889 | 11,111 | ||
| 5.17 | 12,486 | 2,415 | ||
| 9.23 | 76,363 | 8,273 | ||
| 6.13 | 82,729 | 13,496 |
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.78 | 114,050 | 11,662 | ||
| 10.40 | 147,227 | 14,184 |
- (03) Pankow
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.00 | 142,319 | 12,991 | ||
| 7.93 | 45,485 | 5,736 | ||
| 6.03 | 6,550 | 1,086 | ||
| 3.95 | 6,580 | 1,666 | ||
| 6.65 | 18,258 | 2,746 | ||
| 5.68 | 1,166 | 205 | ||
| 5.66 | 55,854 | 9,868 | ||
| 13.40 | 1,917 | 144 | ||
| 18.20 | 13,188 | 727 | ||
| 12.00 | 18,766 | 1,560 | ||
| 6.49 | 26,903 | 4,145 | ||
| 4.90 | 8,933 | 1,823 | ||
| 1.37 | 7,216 | 5,267 |
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.60 | 118,704 | 11,198 | ||
| 7.16 | 92,815 | 12,963 | ||
| 3.59 | 19,750 | 5,501 | ||
| 22.30 | 10,014 | 448 | ||
| 13.50 | 37,883 | 2,800 | ||
| 6.20 | 17,327 | 2,795 | ||
| 1.27 | 13,966 | 10,997 |
- (05) Spandau
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.03 | 33,433 | 4,164 | ||
| 4.73 | 13,668 | 2,891 | ||
| 5.66 | 11,388 | 2,012 | ||
| 10.90 | 41,470 | 3,810 | ||
| 10.10 | 3,908 | 386 | ||
| 14.80 | 13,628 | 922 | ||
| 20.40 | 26,337 | 1,292 | ||
| 6.88 | 34,778 | 5,056 | ||
| 10.40 | 37,080 | 3,558 |
- (06) Steglitz-Zehlendorf
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.79 | 70,555 | 10,391 | ||
| 18.20 | 78,338 | 4,300 | ||
| 6.99 | 40,385 | 5,778 | ||
| 18.80 | 57,902 | 3,075 | ||
| 8.36 | 14,966 | 1,784 | ||
| 19.61 | 15,899 | 811 | ||
| 23.68 | 9,044 | 382 | ||
| 4.05 | 10,573 | 2,611 |
- (07) Tempelhof-Schöneberg
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.60 | 116,743 | 11,003 | ||
| 1.65 | 26,736 | 16,204 | ||
| 12.20 | 54,382 | 4,458 | ||
| 9.38 | 48,882 | 5,211 | ||
| 9.15 | 30,151 | 3,295 | ||
| 10.10 | 49,451 | 4,896 |
- (08) Neukölln
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.70 | 154,127 | 13,173 | ||
| 12.40 | 38,334 | 3,091 | ||
| 6.35 | 38,018 | 5,987 | ||
| 11.80 | 41,040 | 3,478 | ||
| 2.66 | 35,844 | 13,475 |
- (09) Treptow-Köpenick
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.31 | 10,426 | 4,513 | ||
| 3.01 | 10,618 | 3,528 | ||
| 4.82 | 16,780 | 3,481 | ||
| 6.54 | 17,650 | 2,699 | ||
| 3.49 | 10,043 | 2,878 | ||
| 7.89 | 26,101 | 3,308 | ||
| 6.11 | 15,112 | 2,473 | ||
| 6.52 | 10,751 | 1,649 | ||
| 6.18 | 17,094 | 2,766 | ||
| 34.90 | 59,201 | 1,695 | ||
| 14.00 | 17,285 | 1,233 | ||
| 21.50 | 8,891 | 414 | ||
| 9.13 | 5,482 | 600 | ||
| 22.20 | 6,350 | 286 | ||
| 17.10 | 4,117 | 240 |
- (10) Marzahn-Hellersdorf
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.50 | 102,398 | 5,240 | ||
| 12.40 | 24,543 | 1,973 | ||
| 8.81 | 18,732 | 2,126 | ||
| 12.90 | 26,852 | 2,075 | ||
| 8.10 | 72,602 | 8,963 |
- (11) Lichtenberg
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.55 | 50,010 | 9,011 | ||
| 6.60 | 21,329 | 3,232 | ||
| 7.22 | 32,295 | 4,473 | ||
| 3.06 | 1,164 | 380 | ||
| 1.54 | 450 | 292 | ||
| 6.92 | 2,433 | 352 | ||
| 5.16 | 53,698 | 10,407 | ||
| 9.33 | 41,780 | 4,478 | ||
| 2.12 | 30,932 | 14,591 | ||
| 4.52 | 17,567 | 3,887 |
- Codes 1105 and 1108 (this one to former Hohenschönhausen locality) are not assigned
- (12) Reinickendorf
| Locality | Area in km2 |
Population as of 2008 |
Density inhabitants per km2 |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.50 | 72,859 | 6,939 | ||
| 33.70 | 33,417 | 992 | ||
| 2.20 | 5,997 | 2,726 | ||
| 10.70 | 17,641 | 1,649 | ||
| 7.80 | 17,025 | 2,183 | ||
| 6.10 | 16,503 | 2,705 | ||
| 2.30 | 10,022 | 4,357 | ||
| 5.00 | 4,915 | 983 | ||
| 5.87 | 22,696 | 3,866 | ||
| 3.20 | 35,206 | 11,002 | ||
| 2.03 | 6,432 | 3,168 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ (in German) Boroughs, Localities, and Statistical Tracts from Berlin's Statistical Office Archived January 27, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (in German) Coats of arms of Berliner boroughs on www.berlin.de Archived April 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (in German) Statistics for Berliner Ortsteile
External links
editMedia related to Boroughs of Berlin at Wikimedia Commons