Halberstadt is a city in the German
state of Saxony-Anhalt, capital of the district of
Harz. It was made an episcopal see in 814 and was a
popular trade point in the 13th century to 14th century. It was annexed by Brandenburg in 1648. The city was severely damaged in World War 2, but retains many
important historic buildings and much of its ancient towscape. Notable places in Halberstadt include the St. Stephen Cathedral and Liebfrauenkirche, churches built in the
13th century and 12th century, respectively.
The Prince Bishopric of Halberstadt was secularised under the
Treaty of Westphalia and ceded to Brandenburg. At this time in 1648, the newly
created Principality of Halberstadt consisted of two longstanding counties: one of which was Osterwieck and the other was
Halberstadt. It also included the ancient County and Principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben, the County of Regenstein (including
Hainburg), and the County of Valkenstein. Its first secular Governor in 1648 was the statesman Joachim Friedrich von Blumenthal, who had negotiated its acquisition. Later the Lordship of Darenburg was added in
1701 and after the Congress of Vienna, the Principality of Halberstadt obtained the Barony of Schauen and the Lordship of
Hessenrode.
Lost territories include the eastern half of its district to the newly created Archbishopric of Magdeburg in 968, the County
of Weferlingen in 1701, the County of Hohnstein about the same time, Stapelburg in 1727, Hesserode in 1714, and the Lordships of
Wolfsberg and Erichsberg in 1815.
From its secularization in 1648, the Princes of Halberstadt were the Prince/Electors of Brandenburg, who became the Kings of
Prussia and later the Emperors of Germany. The principality was a recognized part of the grand arms of the Imperial and Royal
House of Prussia and was one of the acknowledged possessions of the last emperor, HIRM Wilhelm II. The Principality was governed
under a royal Prussian system of Provinces--specifically the Brandenburgish Province of
Saxony starting in 1817 to the end of the Germany Empire in 1918.
In the 17th century, Halberstadt had one of the largest Jewish communities in central Europe. At the time, nearly one in twelve of the town's inhabitants, almost 700
people, were Jewish. Notable amongst them was Berend Lehmann.
One example of Lehmann's work was the impressive synagogue he financed in Bakenstrasse, which was completed in
1712. In 1938 after Kristallnacht most of the building was taken down as the attack on it was said to have left it in
danger of collapsing..
A short distance from the synagogue, in the Rosenwinkel alley, Lehmann also had a house built for students of Judaism, with a collection of theological writings. This building, known as
the "Klaus", was where many important students of the Talmud and rabbis were taught. The "Klaus" gave Halberstadt the reputation of being an important centre for the study of the
Torah. Today the Moses Mendelssohn Academy is based
there; this organises exhibitions, congresses and presentations and provides a wide range of information about the Jewish culture
and way of life.
In 2001, performance of John Cage's composition
As slow as possible began in the Burchardikirche in Halberstadt; the
performance is scheduled to take 639 years.
People
Sister cities
External links
Moses Mendelssohn Akademie [1]
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