Potsdam
| Potsdam | |
 | |
| |
  Potsdam | |
| Coordinates | 52°24′0″N 13°4′0″E / 52.4°N 13.066667°E |
| Administration | |
| Country | Germany |
|---|---|
| State | Brandenburg |
| District | Landkreis Potsdam-Mittelmark |
| Basic statistics | |
| Area | 187.28 km2 |
| Elevation | 35-114 m |
| Population | 154,606 (31 December 2009)[1] |
| - Density | 826 /km2 (2,138 /sq mi) |
| Other information | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) |
| Licence plate | P |
| Postal codes | 14401–14482 |
| Area code | 0331 |
| Website | www.potsdam.de |
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and is part of the Metropolitan area of Berlin/Brandenburg. It is situated on the River Havel, 24 km southwest of Berlin city center. From 1815 to 1827 and again from 1843 to 1918, the city was the capital of the Province of Brandenburg.
Contents
History
Potsdam has several claims to national and international notability. In Germany, it has the status Windsor holds in England, as it was the country residence of the Prussian kings and their families until the end of 1918. Around the city there are a series of interconnected lakes and unique cultural landscapes, in particular the parks and palaces of Sanssouci, the largest World Heritage Site in Germany.
Potsdam was also a significant garrison of the Prussian Army and location of a cadet school. During the first fifteen years of the 21st century a major reconstruction of the famous city palace (Stadtschloß), destroyed by Royal Air Force senseless and destructive bombing raids in the last days of World War II, has taken place. This masterpiece is open to tourists and for functions. The Potsdam Conference, the major post-war conference between the victorious Allies, was held at another palace here, the Cecilienhof.
Babelsberg, in the south-eastern part of Potsdam, was a major movie production studio before 1945 with the largest sound stages in Europe. It has again enjoyed increased success as a major center of European film production since the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Filmstudio Babelsberg is historically significant as the oldest large-scale film studios in the world. The Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg frequently records soundtracks for domestic and foreign-based film productions.
Potsdam also developed into a centre of science in Germany from the 19th century. As of 2024, there are 13 universities and colleges[2] as well as more than 30 research institutes in the city.
WWII
On 14 April 1945, 724 Bombers of the Royal Air Force destroyed Potsdam in the night of 14/15 April with 1,752 tons of bombs. 5,000 civilians died, 70,000 became homeless (Bombing of Germany during World War II).
Notables
Born in Potsdam (excerpt)
Died in Potsdam (excerpt)
Gallery
The Neue Palais, Potsdam]]
Putting the finishing touches to part of the rebuilt Stadtschloss at Potsdam
The huge UFA studios at Neubabelsburg in 1940, the largest in Europe
Further reading
- „Erinnerung an Berlin, Charlottenburg und Potsdam - 50 Ansichten“, Berlin 1902 (Memories of Berlin, Charlottenburg and Potsdam - 50 Views) (PDF-File residents outside of the USA has to use an US-Proxy to download)
- Leuthauser, Gabriele, & Feierabend, Peter, Potsdam - Palaces and Gardens of the Hohenzollern, Konemann, Koln, ISBN 3-89508-238-4.
