Gotha borders the Thuringian Basin in the north and east, with a low point of about 200 meters (656 feet) in the northern part of the district. Fahner Heights, a muschelkalk ridge with a height of 413 meters (1,355 feet), is located in the extreme north, between the municipalities of Tonna and Bienstädt.
The land rises to about 900 meters (2,953 feet) in the Thuringian Forest, which covers the south-western area of the district. The Rennsteig hiking trail follows a ridge line through the forest. The highest point in the district is Großer Inselsberg at 916.5 m (3,007 ft), on the border with Schmalkalden-Meiningen. The southern area of the district also has 3 dams: the Ohra Dam near the village of Luisenthal, as well as the Tambach-Dietharz Dam and the Schmalwasser Dam, both in the catchment area of the Apfelstädt, near the town of Tambach-Dietharz.
On the southeastern boundary of the district, between Ohrdruf and Mühlberg, is the muschelkalk Ohrdrufer Plateau which sits at an average of about 450 meters (1,436 ft). Since 1906, 49.5 km2 of this plateau has been used as military proving ground.
Aside from the areas covered by the Thuringian forest and other small wooded ridges, the district is largely used for agriculture.
History
Administrative
In 1640, Gotha was partitioned from the Saxon Duchy of Saxe-Weimar to form the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha in the Holy Roman Empire. After acquiring additional territory from nearby dutchies, Saxe-Gotha was itself partitioned into seven dutchies in 1680, with the Gotha territory continuing in Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. The duchy's ruling family line went extinct in 1825 with the death of Frederick IV, and the territory was divided again, this time into Saxe-Hildburghausen and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. With the abolishment of the Monarchy of Germany following the November Revolution, the territory of Coburg was merged into Bavaria, and Gotha became part of Thuringia.
The Weimar district of Gotha was formed on October 1, 1922, from the largest parts of the cities and surrounding district offices of Gotha, Ohrdruf, and Waltershausen. The city of Gotha was made the district capital. This merged district extended south to Oberhof.
During the Nazi regime, municipal self-government ended abruptly in 1933. After the Second World War, both the US and later Soviet military government reinstated the administrative structures from the Weimar period, with some municipal additions and removals happening in 1946. In 1949, Gotha was integrated into East Germany, undergoing further territorial changes in 1950 and during the administrative reform of 1952.
In May 1990, the first free municipal elections since 1946 took place in Thuringia, with Thuringia being re-established as a free state later in October of that year. Local government was officially granted power by Thuringia in 1993, in the form of district councils and district administrators. The most recent territorial change for the district was in 1994, where it gained several towns from surrounding former East German districts.
In 2009, the Nesse-Apfelstädt-Gemeinden Verwaltungsgemeinschaft ("collective municipality") was disbanded.
Population
1925 - 104,178
1933 - 106,262
1939 - 111,101
1994 - 148 437
1995 - 148,373
1996 - 148,868
1997 - 149,532
1998 - 149,625
1999 - 149,491
2000 - 148,527
2001 - 147,418
2002 - 146,632
2003 - 145,383
2004 - 144,833
2005 - 143,745
2006 - 142,491
2007 - 141,405
2008 - 140,041
2009 - 138,857
2010 - 138,056
2011 - 137,340
2012 - 135,376
2013 - 135,155
2014 - 135,381
2015 - 136,831
2016 - 135,430
Data Source: Thuringian State Office for Statistics[2]
Directors, Chairmen, and Administrators of the District
The coat of arms shows Friedenstein Castle in the top, the largest Baroque building located in the city of Gotha. The wavy line below symbolizes the Leina canal, which was built 1366 to 1369 from Schönau to Gotha, to bring water into the city. The star at the bottom was the symbol of the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.
The coat of arms was granted 28 June 1991.
Towns and municipalities
Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district
^ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden, erfüllenden Gemeinden und Verwaltungsgemeinschaften in Thüringen Gebietsstand: 31.12.2021" (in German). Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik. June 2022.
^"Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik". statistik.thueringen.de. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Landkreis Gotha.
gotha, district, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, gotha, district, news, newspapers, books, scholar, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Gotha district news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Gotha German Landkreis Gotha is a Kreis district in western central Thuringia Germany Neighboring districts are Unstrut Hainich Kreis Sommerda the Kreis free city Erfurt Ilm Kreis Schmalkalden Meiningen and the Wartburgkreis GothaDistrictFlagCoat of armsCountryGermanyStateThuringiaCapitalGothaGovernment District admin Onno Eckert SPD Area Total935 89 km2 361 35 sq mi Population 31 December 2021 1 Total133 825 Density140 km2 370 sq mi Time zoneUTC 01 00 CET Summer DST UTC 02 00 CEST Vehicle registrationGTHWebsitewww landkreis gotha de Contents 1 Geography 2 History 2 1 Administrative 2 2 Population 2 3 Directors Chairmen and Administrators of the District 3 Partnerships 4 Coat of arms 5 Towns and municipalities 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksGeography EditGotha borders the Thuringian Basin in the north and east with a low point of about 200 meters 656 feet in the northern part of the district Fahner Heights a muschelkalk ridge with a height of 413 meters 1 355 feet is located in the extreme north between the municipalities of Tonna and Bienstadt The land rises to about 900 meters 2 953 feet in the Thuringian Forest which covers the south western area of the district The Rennsteig hiking trail follows a ridge line through the forest The highest point in the district is Grosser Inselsberg at 916 5 m 3 007 ft on the border with Schmalkalden Meiningen The southern area of the district also has 3 dams the Ohra Dam near the village of Luisenthal as well as the Tambach Dietharz Dam and the Schmalwasser Dam both in the catchment area of the Apfelstadt near the town of Tambach Dietharz On the southeastern boundary of the district between Ohrdruf and Muhlberg is the muschelkalk Ohrdrufer Plateau which sits at an average of about 450 meters 1 436 ft Since 1906 49 5 km2 of this plateau has been used as military proving ground Aside from the areas covered by the Thuringian forest and other small wooded ridges the district is largely used for agriculture History EditAdministrative Edit In 1640 Gotha was partitioned from the Saxon Duchy of Saxe Weimar to form the Duchy of Saxe Gotha in the Holy Roman Empire After acquiring additional territory from nearby dutchies Saxe Gotha was itself partitioned into seven dutchies in 1680 with the Gotha territory continuing in Saxe Gotha Altenburg The duchy s ruling family line went extinct in 1825 with the death of Frederick IV and the territory was divided again this time into Saxe Hildburghausen and Saxe Coburg and Gotha With the abolishment of the Monarchy of Germany following the November Revolution the territory of Coburg was merged into Bavaria and Gotha became part of Thuringia The Weimar district of Gotha was formed on October 1 1922 from the largest parts of the cities and surrounding district offices of Gotha Ohrdruf and Waltershausen The city of Gotha was made the district capital This merged district extended south to Oberhof During the Nazi regime municipal self government ended abruptly in 1933 After the Second World War both the US and later Soviet military government reinstated the administrative structures from the Weimar period with some municipal additions and removals happening in 1946 In 1949 Gotha was integrated into East Germany undergoing further territorial changes in 1950 and during the administrative reform of 1952 In May 1990 the first free municipal elections since 1946 took place in Thuringia with Thuringia being re established as a free state later in October of that year Local government was officially granted power by Thuringia in 1993 in the form of district councils and district administrators The most recent territorial change for the district was in 1994 where it gained several towns from surrounding former East German districts In 2009 the Nesse Apfelstadt Gemeinden Verwaltungsgemeinschaft collective municipality was disbanded Population Edit 1925 104 178 1933 106 262 1939 111 101 1994 148 437 1995 148 373 1996 148 868 1997 149 532 1998 149 625 1999 149 491 2000 148 527 2001 147 418 2002 146 632 2003 145 383 2004 144 833 2005 143 745 2006 142 491 2007 141 405 2008 140 041 2009 138 857 2010 138 056 2011 137 340 2012 135 376 2013 135 155 2014 135 381 2015 136 831 2016 135 430Data Source Thuringian State Office for Statistics 2 Directors Chairmen and Administrators of the District Edit Years in Office Name Title1922 Max Friedrich Jungherr Acting District Director1922 1924 Edmund Christian Georg Koch District Director1924 1926 Louis Leutheusser District Director1926 1932 Louis Leutheusser District Administrator1932 1933 Alexander Borkhardt District Administrator 1939 1945 Ernst Guyet District Administrator1945 Hans Echarti District Administrator1945 1949 Arthur Luck District Administrator1949 1950 Kurt Hecht District Administrator1950 1951 Elisabeth Marz Wesenick District Administrator1951 1952 Hugo Graf District Administrator1952 1953 Hugo Graf Chairman of the Council of the District1953 1958 Fritz Singer Chairman of the Council of the District1958 1960 Herwig Roos Chairman of the Council of the District1960 1966 Karl Hupe Chairman of the Council of the District1966 Herbert Korb President in Office of the Council of the District1966 1981 Rudolf Kornagel Chairman of the Council of the District1981 1990 Wolfgang Schadel Chairman of the Council of the District1990 Gunther Hertel Chairman of the Council of the District1990 2000 Dieter Reinholz District Administrator2000 2005 Siegfried Liebezeit District Administrator2005 2006 Konrad Giessmann Acting District Administrator2006 2018 Konrad Giessmann District Administrator2018 Onno Eckert District AdministratorPartnerships EditSince 1990 the district has a partnership with the district Main Kinzig in Hessen Germany Coat of arms EditThe coat of arms shows Friedenstein Castle in the top the largest Baroque building located in the city of Gotha The wavy line below symbolizes the Leina canal which was built 1366 to 1369 from Schonau to Gotha to bring water into the city The star at the bottom was the symbol of the Duchy of Saxe Gotha Altenburg The coat of arms was granted 28 June 1991 Towns and municipalities Edit Clickable map of towns and municipalities in the district Verwaltungsgemeinschaft free towns and municipalitiesFriedrichroda Gotha Ohrdruf Tambach Dietharz Waltershausen Bad Tabarz Drei Gleichen Emleben Georgenthal Herrenhof Horsel Luisenthal Nesse Apfelstadt Nessetal Schwabhausen SonnebornVerwaltungsgemeinschaften1 Fahner Hohe Dachwig Dollstadt Gierstadt Grossfahner Tonna1 2 Nesseaue Bienstadt Eschenbergen Friemar1 Molschleben Nottleben Pferdingsleben Trochtelborn Tuttleben Zimmernsupra1seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft 2townSee also EditSaxe Gotha Saxe Coburg GothaReferences Edit Bevolkerung der Gemeinden erfullenden Gemeinden und Verwaltungsgemeinschaften in Thuringen Gebietsstand 31 12 2021 in German Thuringer Landesamt fur Statistik June 2022 Thuringer Landesamt fur Statistik statistik thueringen de 12 January 2018 Retrieved 23 July 2018 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Landkreis Gotha Official website German Coordinates 50 55 N 10 45 E 50 92 N 10 75 E 50 92 10 75 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gotha district amp oldid 1134534599, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
