# Zehdenick

Zehdenick is a town in the Oberhavel district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Havel, 26 kilometres (16 miles) southeast of Fürstenberg/Havel, and 51 kilometres (32 miles) north of Berlin (centre). Since 31 July 2013, the city has the additional appellation "Havelstadt".

## Geography

Zehdenick is located about 60 km north of Berlin on the Havel. It forms the northern starting point of the natural region of the Zehdenick-Spandauer Havelniederung. East extends the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve. The urban area belongs mainly to the historical landscape Uckermark. The subdivisions Marienthal and Ribbeck pertain to the Ruppiner Land, Mildenberg and Zabelsdorf to the Land Löwenberg. Zehdenick has a share in the Naturschutzgebiet Kleine Schorfheide.

## Subdivision

The urban area of Zehdenick next to the core city Zehdenick includes 13 villages:
| District | Inhabitants | In the municipality since |
| Badingen (with Neuhof and Osterne) | 632 | 26. Oktober 2003 |
| Bergsdorf | 427 | 31 December 2001 |
| Burgwall | 238 | 26 October 2003 |
| Kappe | 136 | 26 October 2003 |
| Klein-Mutz | 438 | 26 October 2003 |
| Krewelin | 281 | 26 October 2003 |
| Kurtschlag | 268 | 26 October 2003 |
| Marienthal | 428 | 26 October 2003 |
| Mildenberg | 707 | 26 October 2003 |
| Ribbeck | 135 | 31 December 2001 |
| Vogelsang | 79 | 31 December 2001 |
| Wesendorf | 249 | 26 October 2003 |
| Zabelsdorf | 242 | 26 October 2003 |
Besides these Ortsteile (districts), there are several smaller inhabited places: Amt Mildenberg, Ausbau (District Ribbeck), Ausbau (Core city Zehdenick), Bergluch, Boddin, Burgwaller Försterei, Deutschboden, Eichholz, Försterei Blockhaus, Großenhof, Hammelstall, Hellberge, Karlshof, Lüthkeshof, Mahnhorst, Mutzer Plan, Neuhof, Osterne, Revierförsterei Wolfsgarten, Rieckesthal, Siedlung II, Wolfsgarten, Ziegelei, Ziegelei Abbau and Ziegelei Ausbau.

## Demography

* Development of Population since 1875 within the Current Boundaries (Blue Line: Population; Dotted Line: Comparison to Population Development of Brandenburg state; Dotted line: Comparison to population development of Brandenburg state Grey background: Time of nazi rule—Red background: Time of communist rule)
* Recent Population Development and Projections (Population Development before Census 2011 (blue line); Recent Population Development according to the Census in Germany in 2011 (blue bordered line); Official projections for 2005-2030 (yellow line); for 2020-2030 (green line); for 2017-2030 (scarlet line)
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1875 | 10,598 | — |
| 1890 | 12,293 | +0.99% |
| 1910 | 17,117 | +1.67% |
| 1925 | 17,337 | +0.09% |
| 1933 | 18,363 | +0.72% |
| 1939 | 20,247 | +1.64% |
| 1946 | 22,257 | +1.36% |
| 1950 | 22,723 | +0.52% |
| 1964 | 19,215 | −1.19% |
| 1971 | 19,248 | +0.02% |
| 1981 | 17,469 | −0.97% |
| 1985 | 17,413 | −0.08% |
| 1989 | 17,249 | −0.24% |
| 1990 | 16,980 | −1.56% |
| 1991 | 16,749 | −1.36% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1992 | 16,545 | −1.22% |
| 1993 | 16,321 | −1.35% |
| 1994 | 16,243 | −0.48% |
| 1995 | 16,077 | −1.02% |
| 1996 | 15,981 | −0.60% |
| 1997 | 15,752 | −1.43% |
| 1998 | 15,733 | −0.12% |
| 1999 | 15,594 | −0.88% |
| 2000 | 15,443 | −0.97% |
| 2001 | 15,206 | −1.53% |
| 2002 | 14,993 | −1.40% |
| 2003 | 14,903 | −0.60% |
| 2004 | 14,708 | −1.31% |
| 2005 | 14,607 | −0.69% |
| 2006 | 14,478 | −0.88% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 2007 | 14,292 | −1.28% |
| 2008 | 14,090 | −1.41% |
| 2009 | 14,033 | −0.40% |
| 2010 | 13,830 | −1.45% |
| 2011 | 13,511 | −2.31% |
| 2012 | 13,471 | −0.30% |
| 2013 | 13,345 | −0.94% |
| 2014 | 13,325 | −0.15% |
| 2015 | 13,409 | +0.63% |
| 2016 | 13,463 | +0.40% |
| 2017 | 13,456 | −0.05% |
| 2018 | 13,437 | −0.14% |
| 2019 | 13,387 | −0.37% |
| 2020 | 13,307 | −0.60% |

## History

Zehdenick was first mentioned in documentary on 28 December 1216. Zehdenick was at that time a fishing town. Ascanians built a castle here to protect against Pomeranians and Danes.
As a city, Zehdenick was first denoted in 1281.

## Abbey

Zehdenick is the site of the former Cistercian nunnery, Zehdenick Abbey.

## Twin cities

Zehdenick is twinned with:
* Castrop-Rauxel, Germany
* Siemiatycze, Poland (since 10 March 2007)

## Notable residents

* Paul Georg von Möllendorff (1847–1901), German linguist and diplomat in East Asia
* Marianne Grunthal (1896–1945), teacher, victim of the SS
* Karl Frenzel (1911–1996), SS-Oberscharführer, participant in the Action T4 and section commander in Sobibor extermination camp
* Sebastian Mielitz (born 1989), soccer player
* Sten Nadolny (born 1942), writer
* Günther Morbach (1927–2009), classical bass
* Josefine Preuß (born 1986), actress

## Photogallery

* Amtsgericht
* City church
* Wentow channel in Marienthal
* Former brickyard in Mildenberg
* River Havel in Mildenberg
* Fortified house and church in Badingen
* Church in Bergsdorf
* Church in Kappe
* Church in Krewelin
* Church in Kurtschlag
* War memorial in Kurtschlag
* Church in Wesendorf