Esterwegen

Esterwegen
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Esterwegen within Emsland district
Location of Esterwegen
Esterwegen Location within Germany Esterwegen Location within Lower Saxony
Coordinates: 52°59′31″N 7°38′1″E
Country	Germany
State	Lower Saxony
District	Emsland
Municipal assoc.	Nordhümmling
Government
• Mayor	Hermann Willenborg
Area
• Total	49.53 km2 (19.12 sq mi)
Elevation	13 m (43 ft)
Population  (2024-12-31)
• Total	5,357
• Density	108.2/km2 (280.1/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	26897
Dialling codes	0 59 55
Vehicle registration	EL
Website	www.esterwegen.de

Esterwegen is a municipality in the Emsland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany.

Geography

Esterwegen lies in northwest Germany, less than 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the Dutch border and about 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the sea.

Demographics

In 2015 the population was 5,280.

Government

The mayor is Heinz Thomes.

Concentration camp

Main article: Esterwegen concentration camp

In 1933 a concentration camp was established in Esterwegen. In 1936 the camp was dissolved and used until 1945 as a prisoner camp, for political prisoners and later for prisoners of the decree Nacht und Nebel.

Inmates at Esterwegen.

Notable inmates

See also: Category:Esterwegen concentration camp prisoners

• Julius Leber, politician
• Carl von Ossietzky, journalist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
• Georg Diederichs, later Minister-President of Lower Saxony
• Karl Germer, Outer Head of the Order (OHO) of Ordo Templi Orientis

External links

• memorial of Camp Esterwegen and the other 14 Emsland camps (in German, English, Dutch, French)
• de:KZ Esterwegen
• homepage of the Esterwegen Memorial (in German, English, Dutch, French, Russian)
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - Concentration Camps, 1933-1939