- Birkenfeld (district)
Infobox German district noregbez
name=Birkenfeld
state=Rhineland-Palatinate
former regierungsbezirk=Koblenz
capital=Birkenfeld
area=777
population=90,200
population_as_of=2001
density=116
carsign=BIR
url= [http://www.landkreis-birkenfeld.de/ landkreis-birkenfeld.de]
Birkenfeld is a district ("Landkreis") in
Rhineland-Palatinate ,Germany . It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Sankt Wendel (Saarland ),Trier-Saarburg ,Bernkastel-Wittlich ,Rhein-Hunsrück , Bad Kreuznach and Kusel.History
In the past, the
Nahe River was the boundary between two tiny principalities: Birkenfeld west of the Nahe, and Lichtenberg east of the river. The principality of Birkenfeld was annexed by Oldenburg in 1817; Lichtenberg became an exclave ofSaxe-Coburg . The latter unit was bought byPrussia in 1834 and became the District of Sankt Wendel.After
World War I the southern half of Sankt Wendel had to be ceded to the newly-createdSaarland territory, and the small part remaining in Prussia was then officially called "Restkreis Sankt Wendel" ("remaining district of Sankt Wendel"). In 1937 the Oldenburgian District of Birkenfeld was merged with the remaining Sankt Wendel District to form the new Prussian District of Birkenfeld.Following
World War II 24 more villages were ceded to the Saarland. It was not before 1970 that the district got its present borders.Geography
The
Nahe River runs through the district from south to north. The portions west of the river are located on the eastern slopes of theHunsrück Mountains.Coat of arms
Towns and municipalities
"Verband"-free town:
Idar-Oberstein External links
* [http://www.landkreis-birkenfeld.de/ Official website] (German)
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