View source for Altona, Hamburg

{{redirect2|Hamburg-Altona|Hamburg Altona|other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox German place
|name             = Altona
|German_name      = 
|type             = Borough
|City             = Hamburg
|image_photo      = Black Form White House.jpg
|imagesize        = 
|image_caption    = [[Sol LeWitt]], Black Form Dedicated to the Missing Jews, Altona Townhall (Altona-Altstadt)
|image_flag       = Flag of Altona, Hamburg.png
|image_coa        = DEU Altona COA.svg
|coordinates      = {{coord|53|33|N|9|56|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan       = Boroughs of Hamburg.jpg
|plantext         = Boroughs of Hamburg
|state            = Hamburg
|borough          = <nowiki>Altona</nowiki>
|elevation        = 
|elevationmax     = 
|area             = 77.5
|pop_ref          = <ref>{{Population Germany|key=02|datref=QUELLE}}</ref>
|population       = {{Population Germany|key=022}}
|population_as_of = {{Population Germany|key=02|datref=STAND}}
|postal_code      = 
|area_code        = 040
|licence          = HH
|divisions        = 13 [[Quarter (country subdivision)|quarters]]
|website          = 
|mayor            = [[Stefanie von Berg]]
|Bürgermeistertitel = Bezirksamtsleiter
|party            = 
|ruling_party1    = |ruling_party2  =  |ruling_party3 = 
|year             = 1535
|_noautocat       = 
}}
[[File:Dockland Pano.jpg|thumb|right|The Dockland at the harbor]]
[[File:Hamburg-Altona, Infanterie-Regiment 31, Denk- und Gegendenkmal.jpg|thumb|right|Memorial of the Prussian Regiments (IR31, [[Military reserve force|RIR31]] and [[Landwehr|L31]])]]

'''Altona''' ({{IPA|de|ˈaltonaː|lang|De-Altona.ogg}}), also called '''Hamburg-Altona''', is the westernmost [[Boroughs and quarters of Hamburg#Boroughs|urban borough]] (''Bezirk'') of the [[Germany|German]] [[States of Germany|city state]] of [[Hamburg]]. Located on the right bank of the [[Elbe]] river, Altona had a population of 270,263 in 2016.

From 1640 to 1864, Altona was under the administration of the [[Denmark|Danish]] monarchy. Altona was an independent borough until 1937.

== History ==

=== First mention in medieval time ===
The first documented mention of Altona was in 1537 as a tavern "Lohekrug" for the fishermen. For the competing Hamburg innkeepers, the Lohekrug was “all to na” (all too near) to the border with Hamburg, from which the name Altona may have been derived.<ref>asfpg ~ Altonaer Stiftung für philosophische Grundlagenforschung: [https://asfpg.de/english/4763/17330.html ALTONA Historical], retrieved: 20. November 2025</ref> Altona grew up around the inn as a settlement of fishermen and craftsmen, which was promoted by the rulers of the land, the Counts of [[Holstein-Pinneberg]], in the spirit of [[mercantilism]]. In 1640, Altona was part of [[Holstein-Glückstadt]], and in 1664 the place was granted [[town rights|municipal rights]] by the king [[Frederik III of Denmark]], who then ruled in [[personal union]] as Duke of Holstein in the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. Altona was one of his monarchy's most important harbor towns. The railway from Altona to [[Kiel]], the [[Hamburg-Altona–Kiel railway]] ({{langx|da|link=no|[[Christian VIII of Denmark|Christian VIII]] [[Baltic Sea|Østersø]] Jernbane}}), was opened in 1844.

=== Imperial period ===
The wars between [[Denmark]] and the [[German Confederation]] – the [[First Schleswig War]] (1848–1851) and the [[Second Schleswig War]] (February–October 1864) led to Denmark's cession of the [[Duchy of Schleswig|Duchies of Schleswig]], [[Duchy of Holstein|Holstein]] and [[Saxe-Lauenburg|Lauenburg]]; they were initially jointly administered as a [[Condominium (international law)|condominium]] by Prussian and Austrian administration. With the [[Gastein Convention]] of 14 August 1865, Holstein came under solely Austrian administration, while Schleswig and Lauenburg came under Prussian authority. After the [[Austro-Prussian War]], Schleswig-Holstein as a whole became the Prussian [[province of Schleswig-Holstein]] in 1867 and as such Altona became part of the [[German Empire]] in 1871. In the same year, the town was hit by [[cholera]], with a minimum of 16 casualties in Altona.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Colera |date=31 August 1871 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1871/08/31/archives/cholera-the-disease-in-hamburg-and-altona-germany-ravages-in.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

Because of severe restrictions on the number of [[Jew]]s allowed to live in Hamburg until 1864 (with the exception of 1811–1815),<ref>[http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7131-hamburg ''Jewish Encyclopedia'': Hamburg]. "In 1619&nbsp;... it was agreed that, in consideration of a payment made for their protection, the Jews should be tolerated in the town as strangers, though they were not to be allowed to practise their religion publicly". "In 1648 the council of aldermen issued an order expelling the German Jews ["Hochdeutsche Juden"] from the town. They moved to Altona, and were required to pay a monthly tax". "In 1697 the freedom of religious practice which the congregation had obtained was disturbed by hostile edicts of the aldermen, and the Jews were extortionately taxed. On this account many of the rich and important Portuguese Jews left Hamburg, some of them laying the foundation of the Portuguese congregation of Altona." (''[[Jewish Encyclopedia]]'')</ref> a major [[Taxation of the Jews in Hamburg#Jews in Altona|Jewish community]] developed in Altona starting in 1611, when Count [[Ernst of Schaumburg|Ernest of Schaumburg and Holstein-Pinneberg]] granted the first permanent residence permits to [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenazic Jews]].<ref>{{Citation|last=Lowenthal|first=Marvin|title=The Memoirs of Glückel of Hameln|year=1977|publisher=Shocken Books|location=New York|isbn=978-0-8052-0572-5|pages=5–10}}</ref> Members did business both in Hamburg and in Altona itself. All that remains after the [[Nazi]] [[Holocaust]] during [[World War II]] are the [[Jewish cemetery|Jewish cemeteries]], but in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the community was a major center of Jewish life and [[scholarship]]. Holstein-Pinneberg, and later Danish Holstein, imposed lower taxes and fewer civil restrictions on their Jewish communities than the [[government of Hamburg]].

=== History from 1918 to 1945 ===
During the Weimar era following [[World War I]], the town of Altona experienced significant labor strikes and street unrest amid widespread economic instability. Inflation in Germany was a major issue, and in 1923, Altona's mayor, [[Max Brauer]], addressed the problem by partially paying town personnel with gas meter tokens, which retained their value despite the inflation.<ref>{{Citation |last=Verg |first=Erich |last2=Verg |first2=Martin |title=Das Abenteuer das Hamburg heißt |year=2007 |page=158 |location=Hamburg |publisher=Ellert&Richter |edition=4th |isbn=978-3-8319-0137-1 |language=de}}</ref>

The most notable event at that time was the [[Altona Bloody Sunday]] (German: {{Lang|de|Altonaer Blutsonntag}}) on 17 July 1932, when 18 people were killed, all but two by police, during a violent clash between [[Nazi Party|Nazi]] marchers and members or supporters of the [[Communist Party of Germany|Communist Party]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 July 2021 |title=Der "Altonaer Blutsonntag" 1932 |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/weimarer-republik/innenpolitik/altonaer-blutsonntag-1932.html |access-date=11 February 2023 |website=Deutsches Historisches Museum |language=de}}</ref> After police raids and a special court, on 1 August 1933, [[Bruno Tesch (antifascist)|Bruno Tesch]] and others were found guilty and put to death by beheading with a hand-held axe.<ref>{{Citation |title=Back to the Axe! |date=14 August 1933 |newspaper=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,745905-2,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516022259/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,745905-2,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 May 2008 |access-date=14 August 2008}}</ref><ref>Stolpersteine in Hamburg |url=http://87.106.6.17/stolpersteine-hamburg.de/en.php?&LANGUAGE=EN&MAIN_ID=7&BIO_ID=234| {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214254/http://87.106.6.17/stolpersteine-hamburg.de/en.php?&LANGUAGE=EN&MAIN_ID=7&BIO_ID=234%7C |date=3 March 2016 }}</ref> In 1938, the [[Greater Hamburg Act]] removed Altona from the [[Free State of Prussia]] in 1937 and merged it (and several surrounding towns) with the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

=== Modern history ===
In the 1990s, the [[Federal Republic of Germany]] reversed the convictions of Tesch and the other men who were put to death, clearing their names.

On 1 February 2007, the ''Ortsämter'' (district offices) in Hamburg were done away with. In Altona, the districts of Blankenese, Lurup and Osdorf had existed and had local offices. On 1 March 2008, the Schanzenviertel neighborhood, which had spanned parts of the boroughs of Altona, Eimsbüttel and Hamburg-Mitte, became the [[Sternschanze]] quarter, the entirety of which is now in the Altona borough.<ref>Act of the area organisation</ref>

Altona is noted for being the site of the popular [[Altona Fischmarkt]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Dodson |first=Sean |date=2001-12-21 |title=Hamburg with relish |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2001/dec/21/hamburg.germany |access-date=2023-08-28 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

== Borough profile ==
Commentators and politicians, including former member of the [[Hamburg Parliament]] {{Interlanguage link|Stefanie von Berg|de}}, have noted that neighborhoods in Altona is diverse in terms of social conditions. Von Berg noted that poverty present in the [[Lurup]] and [[Osdorf, Hamburg|Osdorf]] quarters contrast with the affluent [[Blankenese]] and [[Nienstedten]] quarters within the borough.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-11 |title=Grüne Bezirkschefin in Hamburg: „Der Bezirk Altona ist ein gutes Abbild von Deutschland“ - WELT |url=https://www.welt.de/regionales/hamburg/plus230956733/Gruene-Bezirkschefin-in-Hamburg-Der-Bezirk-Altona-ist-ein-gutes-Abbild-von-Deutschland.html |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=DIE WELT |language=de}}</ref>

== Geography ==
[[File:Fischmarkt-Hamburg-Areal-Luftaufnahme.jpg|thumbnail|Aerial view of Altona from the South. In the foreground the [[Elbe]] quays. ]]
The border of Altona to the south is the River [[Elbe]], and across the river the state of [[Lower Saxony]] and the boroughs of [[Hamburg-Harburg|Harburg]] and [[Hamburg-Mitte]]. To the east is the borough of Hamburg-Mitte and to the north is the borough of [[Eimsbüttel]]. The western border is with the state of [[Schleswig-Holstein]]. According to the statistical office of Hamburg, Altona has an area of 77.5&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> or 29.9&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi&nbsp;<!-- note old data area -->in 2006.

=== Quarters ===
Politically, the following quarters ({{langx|de|link=no|Stadtteile}}) are part of Altona borough:
# [[Altona-Altstadt]]
# [[Altona-Nord]]
# [[Bahrenfeld]]
# [[Ottensen]]
# [[Othmarschen]] (including parts of Klein Flottbek)
# [[Groß Flottbek]]
# [[Osdorf, Hamburg|Osdorf]]
# [[Lurup]]
# [[Nienstedten]] (including parts of Klein Flottbek)
# [[Blankenese]]
# [[Iserbrook]]
# [[Sülldorf]]
# [[Rissen]]
# [[Sternschanze]]

== Demographics ==
In 2018, Altona had a population of 274,702 people. 18.0% are children under the age of 18 and 17.9% are 65 years of age or older. 16.2% are immigrants. 5.0% of people are registered as unemployed. In 2018, 53,4% of all households are single-person households.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

There are 195 kindergartens and 31 primary schools in Altona as well as 879 physicians in private practice, 254 dentists and 60 pharmacies.<ref>Source: statistical office Nord of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein (2018)</ref>

== Politics ==
[[File:Hamburg Altona Subdivisions.svg|thumb|300px|Subdivisions of Altona]]
Simultaneously with elections to the state parliament (''Bürgerschaft''), the ''Bezirksversammlung'' is elected as representatives of the citizens. It consists of 51 representatives.
{{See also|Boroughs and quarters of Hamburg#Boroughs}}

=== Elections ===

{{Election table|title=District parliament election of Altona in 2024}}
|-
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left;" | Parties
! %
! ±
! Seats
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Alliance '90/The Greens|Alliance 90/The Greens]]
| 27.6
| {{decrease}} 7.5
| style="text-align:center;" | 14
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]
| 21.6
| {{increase}} 1.2
| style="text-align:center;" | 11
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|CDU/CSU}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]
| 18.0
| {{increase}} 1.4
| style="text-align:center;" | 9
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|The Left (Germany)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" | [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]
| 12.8
| {{decrease}} 2.0
| style="text-align:center;" | 7
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]]
| 7.6
| {{increase}} 0.8
| style="text-align:center;" | 4
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Volt Germany}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Volt Germany|Volt]]
| 5.6
| {{increase}} 5.6
| style="text-align:center;" | 3
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Alternative for Germany}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Alternative for Germany]]
| 5.5
| {{increase}} 1.1
| style="text-align:center;" | 3
|-
| style="background-color:#eeeeee" |
| style="text-align:left;" | Others
| 0.6
| {{increase}} 0.2
| style="text-align:center;" | 0
|-
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left;" | Total
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|
! style="text-align:center;" | 51
|}

== Transport ==
{{further|Hamburg-Altona station}}
[[File:130-altona-cropped.GIF|thumb|right|Altona Bahnhof (railway station) in 1971. Buses, streetcars, trains and S-Bahn trains all met at this spot.]]
Altona is the location of a major railway station, [[Hamburg-Altona station|Hamburg-Altona]], connecting the [[Hamburg S-Bahn]] with the regional railways and local bus lines.

The [[Bundesautobahn 7|A&nbsp;7 autobahn]] passes through Altona borough.

According to the Department of Motor Vehicles (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt), in Altona 87,131 private cars were registered (359 cars per 1000 people).<ref name="stats 2006">Source: statistical office Nord of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein (2006)</ref>

== Notable people ==
* [[Jean de Labadie]] (1610–1674), French Christian mystic who died in Altona.
* [[Gluckel of Hameln]] (1646–1724), Jewish businesswoman and diarist.
* [[Jonathan Eybeschutz]] (1690–1764), was a [[Talmudist]], [[Halachist]], and [[Kabbalist]] who died in Altona.
* [[Jacob Emden]] (1697–1776), was a Talmudist, Halachist, and Kabbalist who lived most his life in Altona.
*[[Meshullam Solomon]] (1723-1794), rabbi and son of Jacob Emden.
* [[Johann Friedrich Struensee]] (1737–1772), doctor of medicine, ''de facto'' ruler of Denmark-Norway.
* [[Jens Jacob Eschels]] (1757–1842), nautical captain, author of the oldest known captain's autobiography in Germany (Born in Nieblum, died in Altona).
* [[Corad Hinrich Donner|Conrad Hinrich Donner]] (1774–1854), banker and philanthropist, of Donners Park, Altona
* [[Johann Heinrich Wohlien]] (1779–1842), organ builder<ref>Fock, Gustave; ''Hamburgs Anteil am Orgelbau im niederdeutschen Kulturgebiet'' (''Hamburg's share in organ building in the Low German cultural area'') 1939 p.369 ([http://agora.sub.uni-hamburg.de/subhh/digbib/view?did=c1:20559&sdid=c1:20575 online])</ref>
* [[John Henry Weber]] (1779–1859), fur trader and explorer in the Rocky Mountains, born and raised in Altona. 
* [[:de:Akiba Israel Wertheimer|Akiba Israel Wertheimer]] (1778–1835), was chief Rabbi in Altona from 1815 to 1835
* [[George Jarvis (Philhellene)]] (1797–1828), was the first of the American Philhellenes who took part in the Greek Revolution 1821–1829, general of Greek army, born in Altona.
* [[Johannes Groenland]] (1824–1891), botanist and microscopist who worked for [[Louis de Vilmorin]] in Paris and was born in Altona.
* [[Carl Reinecke]] (1824–1910), composer, conductor, and pianist was born in Altona
* [[Carl Semper]] (1832–1893), German ethnologist and animal ecologist
* [[Georg Semper]] (1837–1909), German entomologist
* [[Sophie Wörishöffer]] (1838–1890), was a writer of adventure stories for young people who died in Altona.
* [[Bernhard von Bülow]] (1849–1929), German politician and chancellor
* [[Constantin Brunner]] (1862–1937), German philosopher, grandson of Akiba Israel Wertheimer, was born in Altona
* [[Carlos Schwabe]] (1866-1926), painter and printmaker of the [[Symbolism (arts)|Symbolist]] art movement
* [[Karl Yens]] (1868–1945), [[plein-air]] painter of Southern California, born in Altona.
* [[Carl F. W. Borgward]] (1890–1963), German engineer, car designer and businessman
* [[Friedrich Völtzer]] (1895–1951), German politician was born in Altona
* [[Johannes de Boer]] (1897–1986), Highly decorated [[Generalleutnant]] during [[World War II]], was born in Altona.
* [[Louise Schroeder]] (1887–1957), German politician (SPD)
* [[Hans-Friedrich Blunck]] (1888-1961), German jurist and writer
* [[Carl Theodor Sørensen]], (1893–1979), Danish landscape architect was born in Altona
* [[Julia Dingwort-Nusseck]] (1921–2025), German journalist
* [[Fatih Akın]], (born 1973), Turkish film director was raised in Altona
* [[Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting]], (born 1989), [[Cameroon]]ian footballer was born in Altona

== See also ==
*[[Altonaer FC von 1893]] Football club based in the area.
*[[Hamburg-Altona (electoral district)|Hamburg-Altona electoral district]], covering the borough
*[[Altona, Victoria]], Australia – a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, named after Altona, Hamburg
*[[Altoona, Pennsylvania]] – named after Altona, Hamburg
*[[850 Altona]], an asteroid named after Altona, Hamburg
*{{annotated link|Operation Gomorrah}} – WW2 RAF campaign of air raids devastating Altona

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080617222809/http://www.statistik-nord.de/fileadmin/regional/regional.php Statistical office Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein] Statistisches Amt für Hamburg und Schleswig-Holstein, official website {{in lang|de}}
*Act of the areal organisation, 6 July 2006 [https://archive.today/20070813163835/http://hh.juris.de/hh/gesamt/RGlG_HA.htm ''Gesetz über die räumliche Gliederung der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg (RäumGiG)'']  {{in lang|de}}
* Stolpersteine Hamburg [http://87.106.6.17/stolpersteine-hamburg.de/en.php?&LANGUAGE=EN&MAIN_ID=7&BIO_ID=234 ''Stolpersteine in Hamburg ''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811000855/http://87.106.6.17/stolpersteine-hamburg.de/en.php?&LANGUAGE=EN&MAIN_ID=7&BIO_ID=234 |date=11 August 2011 }} {{in lang|de}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{wikivoyage inline|Hamburg/Altona-St. Pauli|Altona-St. Pauli}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090624171514/http://www.altona.info/ altona.INFO newspaper with daily local information]
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Altona |short=x}}
* [https://dbs.bh.org.il/place/altona The Jewish Community of Altona], [[The Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot]]

{{Boroughs of Hamburg}}
{{Hamburg}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Altona, Hamburg| ]]
[[Category:Boroughs of Hamburg]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1535]]
[[Category:1535 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire]]