Bezirk Potsdam

District of Potsdam Bezirk Potsdam
District (Bezirk) of East Germany
1952–1990
Coat of arms
Location of Bezirk Potsdam within the German Democratic Republic
Capital	Potsdam
Area
• 1989	12,568 km2 (4,853 sq mi)
Population
• 1989	1,123,800
Government
SED First Secretary
• 1952–1956	Kurt Seibt
• 1956–1957	Eduard Goetzel (acting)
• 1957–1964	Kurt Seibt
• 1964–1976†	Werner Wittig
• 1976–1989	Günther Jahn
• 1989–1990	Heinz Vietze
Chairman of the Council of the Bezirk
• 1952–1953	Curt Wach
• 1953–1957	Josef Stadler
• 1957–1960	Herbert Rutschke
• 1960–1962	Franz Peplinski
• 1963–1971	Herbert Puchert
• 1971–1974	Günter Pappenheim
• 1974–1977	Werner Eidner
• 1977–1990	Herbert Tzschoppe
• 1990	Jochen Wolf (as Regierungsbevollmächtigter)
History
• Established	1952
• Disestablished	1990
Preceded by Succeeded by Brandenburg (1945–1952) Saxony-Anhalt (1945–1952) Brandenburg Saxony-Anhalt
Today part of	Germany

The Bezirk Potsdam was a district (Bezirk) of East Germany. The administrative seat and the main town was Potsdam.

History

The district was established, with the other 13, on 25 July 1952, substituting the old German states. After 3 October 1990 it was disestablished following German reunification, becoming again part of the state of Brandenburg.

Geography

Position

The Bezirk Potsdam was the largest Bezirk in the GDR and the only one bordering with West Berlin. In addition, it bordered with East Berlin and the Bezirke of Schwerin, Neubrandenburg, Frankfurt (Oder), Cottbus, Halle and Magdeburg.

Subdivision

The Bezirk was divided into 15 Kreise: 2 urban districts (Stadtkreise) and 15 rural districts (Landkreise):

• Urban districts : Brandenburg an der Havel; Potsdam.
• Rural districts : Belzig; Brandenburg; Gransee; Jüterbog; Königs Wusterhausen; Kyritz; Luckenwalde; Nauen; Neuruppin; Oranienburg; Potsdam; Pritzwalk; Rathenow; Wittstock; Zossen.