Finsterwalde (German pronunciation: [fɪnstɐˈvaldə] , Lower Sorbian: Grabin, pronounced [ˈɡrabʲin]) is a town in the Elbe-Elster district (German: Landkreis), in Lower Lusatia, Brandenburg, Germany.

Finsterwalde
Town hall
Town hall
Coat of arms of Finsterwalde
Location of Finsterwalde within Elbe-Elster district
Bad LiebenwerdaCrinitzDoberlug-KirchhainElsterwerdaFalkenbergFichtwaldFinsterwaldeGorden-StaupitzGroßthiemigGrödenHeidelandHerzbergHirschfeldHohenbuckoHohenleipischKremitzaueLebusaLichterfeld-SchacksdorfMassen-NiederlausitzMerzdorfMühlbergPlessaRöderlandRückersdorfSallgastSchildaSchliebenSchönbornSchönewaldeSchradenSonnewaldeTröbitzUebigau-WahrenbrückBrandenburg
Finsterwalde is located in Germany
Finsterwalde
Finsterwalde
Finsterwalde is located in Brandenburg
Finsterwalde
Finsterwalde
Coordinates: 51°37′42″N 13°42′37″E / 51.628243°N 13.710210°E / 51.628243; 13.710210
CountryGermany
StateBrandenburg
DistrictElbe-Elster
Subdivisions3 Stadtteile / 2 Ortsteile
Government
 • Mayor (2017–25) Jörg Gampe[1] (CDU)
Area
 • Total
76.91 km2 (29.70 sq mi)
Elevation
108 m (354 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total
15,968
 • Density210/km2 (540/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
03238
Dialling codes03531
Vehicle registrationEE, FI, LIB
Websitewww.finsterwalde.de

Overview

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It is situated on the Schackebach, a tributary of the Kleine Elster, 28 m. W.S.W of Cottbus by rail. Pop. (2005) 18,840. The town has a Gothic church (1581), a castle, schools, cloth and cigar factories, iron-foundries, flour and saw mills and factories for machine building. Popular are the "four singers from Finsterwalde" and their "singer-song".[citation needed]

History

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Finsterwalde was first mentioned in 1288. Up until the beginning of 17th century, a large part of the city's population was still speaking Lower Sorbian.[3] In 1635, Finsterwalde came into the possession of the Electorate of Saxony and from 1815 it became part of the Kingdom of Prussia.[4] From 1815 to 1947, Finsterwalde was part of the Prussian Province of Brandenburg. From 1952 to 1990, it was part of the Bezirk Cottbus of East Germany.

Demography

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Finsterwalde: Population development
within the current boundaries[5]
YearPop.±% p.a.
1875 10,098—    
1890 11,466+0.85%
1910 17,297+2.08%
1925 17,474+0.07%
1933 18,072+0.42%
1939 20,120+1.81%
1946 22,613+1.68%
1950 22,374−0.27%
1964 23,609+0.38%
1971 23,976+0.22%
1981 24,870+0.37%
1985 24,781−0.09%
1989 24,427−0.36%
1990 23,777−2.66%
1991 23,019−3.19%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1992 22,985−0.15%
1993 22,556−1.87%
1994 22,029−2.34%
1995 21,744−1.29%
1996 21,457−1.32%
1997 21,343−0.53%
1998 20,908−2.04%
1999 20,482−2.04%
2000 20,103−1.85%
2001 19,704−1.98%
2002 19,378−1.65%
2003 19,152−1.17%
2004 18,985−0.87%
2005 18,693−1.54%
2006 18,516−0.95%
YearPop.±% p.a.
2007 18,162−1.91%
2008 17,861−1.66%
2009 17,517−1.93%
2010 17,407−0.63%
2011 16,876−3.05%
2012 16,680−1.16%
2013 16,561−0.71%
2014 16,407−0.93%
2015 16,548+0.86%
2016 16,497−0.31%
2017 16,409−0.53%
2018 16,220−1.15%
2019 16,068−0.94%
2020 15,968−0.62%

Known persons

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Beach volleyball player Stephanie Pohl.

The following well known persons are from Finsterwalde:

Buildings and Monuments

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  • Finsterwalde Solar Park
  • Janusz-Korczak-Gymnasium, formerly Knabenschule by Max Taut (1913)
  • In Finsterwalde is located a relief dedicated to Lenin in the park "Bürgerheide"[6]

Climate

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Climate data for Doberlug-Kirchhain [a] (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 3.4
(38.1)
5.0
(41.0)
9.2
(48.6)
15.3
(59.5)
19.7
(67.5)
23.1
(73.6)
25.3
(77.5)
25.1
(77.2)
20.1
(68.2)
14.3
(57.7)
8.1
(46.6)
4.4
(39.9)
14.4
(57.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 0.6
(33.1)
1.5
(34.7)
4.6
(40.3)
9.5
(49.1)
13.9
(57.0)
17.3
(63.1)
19.4
(66.9)
19.0
(66.2)
14.5
(58.1)
9.6
(49.3)
4.9
(40.8)
1.8
(35.2)
9.7
(49.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −2.4
(27.7)
−2.0
(28.4)
0.3
(32.5)
3.3
(37.9)
7.5
(45.5)
11.0
(51.8)
13.2
(55.8)
12.8
(55.0)
9.2
(48.6)
5.4
(41.7)
1.7
(35.1)
−0.9
(30.4)
4.9
(40.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 45.7
(1.80)
34.0
(1.34)
38.8
(1.53)
27.9
(1.10)
57.2
(2.25)
53.4
(2.10)
69.4
(2.73)
61.2
(2.41)
45.8
(1.80)
39.4
(1.55)
43.3
(1.70)
44.1
(1.74)
561.6
(22.11)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 17.1 13.7 15.1 11.0 13.1 12.9 14.0 12.7 11.8 13.8 15.0 16.4 166.8
Average relative humidity (%) 84.5 80.6 77.0 70.5 70.5 70.0 69.0 69.9 76.6 82.3 87.1 86.2 77.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours 55.2 78.0 124.7 190.8 224.2 218.7 228.4 220.4 163.7 114.1 62.2 48.3 1,741.3
Source: NOAA[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ Doberlug-Kirchhain is located approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west of Finsterwalde.

References

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  1. ^ Landkreis Elbe-Elster Wahl der Bürgermeisterin / des Bürgermeisters, retrieved 1 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerungsentwicklung und Bevölkerungsstandim Land Brandenburg Dezember 2022" (PDF). Amt für Statistik Berlin-Brandenburg (in German). June 2023.
  3. ^ Der Niedersorben Wendisch. Eine Sprach-Zeit-Reise. Bautzen 2003, p. 69
  4. ^   One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Finsterwalde". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 393.
  5. ^ Detailed data sources are to be found in the Wikimedia Commons.Population Projection Brandenburg at Wikimedia Commons
  6. ^ https://leninisstillaround.com/2015/07/20/in-front-of-the-playground/ checked 26.1.2020
  7. ^ "Doberlug-Kirchhain Climate Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
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  Media related to Finsterwalde at Wikimedia Commons