View source for Lübeck

{{Short description|City in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox German place
|name              = Lübeck
|German_name = <small>{{native name|nds-DE|Lübęk / Lübeek}}</small>
|type              = City
| image_skyline            = {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| perrow = 2/2/2
| total_width = 290
| align = center
| caption_align = center
| image1 = Lübeck - panoramio.jpg
| caption1 = [[St James' Church, Lübeck|St James']], [[St. Mary's Church, Lübeck|St Mary's]] and [[St Peter's Church, Lübeck|St Peter's]]
| image2 = Lübeck, Holstentor -- 2017 -- 0305.jpg
| caption2 = [[Holsten Gate]]
| image3 = Lübeck Lübecker Rathaus (50228526292).jpg
| caption3 = {{ill|Lübeck City Hall|de|Lübecker Rathaus}}
| image4 = Lübeck Dom-von-Westen 070311.jpg
| caption4 = [[Lübeck Cathedral]]
| image5 = Lübeck An der Obertrave 14 Baudenkmal 1.JPG
| caption5 = An der Obertrave
| image6 = Aerial image of Lübeck (view from the southwest).jpg
| caption6 = Aerial view of Lübeck
}}
|image_coa         = DEU Luebeck COA.svg
|image_flag        = Flagge Luebeck.svg
|coordinates       = {{Coord|53|52|11|N|10|41|11|E|typye:city(216,000)_region:DE-SH|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|state             = Schleswig-Holstein
|district          = Urban district
|elevation         = 13
|area              = 214.13
|postal_code       = 23501−23570
|area_code         = 0451, 04502
|licence           = HL
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 01 0 03 000
|divisions         = 35 {{lang|de|[[Stadtbezirk]]e}}
|website           = {{Official URL}}
|mayor             = Jan Lindenau
|party             = SPD
|ruling_party1     = SPD
|ruling_party2     = CDU
}}
{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site
| Name         = Hanseatic City of Lübeck
| Image        = [[File:Aerial image of Lübeck (view from the southwest).jpg|250px]]
| imagecaption = Aerial view of the old town 
| Criteria     = Cultural: iv
| ID           = 272
| Year         = 1987
| Area         = {{convert|81.1|ha|acre|abbr=on}}
| Buffer_zone  = {{convert|693.8|ha|acre|abbr=on}}
}}

'''Lübeck''' ({{IPA|de|ˈlyːbɛk|lang|GT Lübeck.ogg}}; {{langx|nds-DE|Lübęk}} or {{lang|nds-DE|Lübeek}} {{IPA|nds-DE|ˈlyːbeːk|}};<ref>Institut för nedderdüütsche Spraak: [http://www.ins-bremen.de/recherche/plattdueuetsche-landkoort/karte.html?tx_qcomcities_cities%5Baction%5D=list&tx_qcomcities_cities%5Bcontroller%5D=City&cHash=55c34c49f4413331b6965c6a240a5546 Utspraak vun ''Lübeck''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110005146/http://www.ins-bremen.de/recherche/plattdueuetsche-landkoort/karte.html?tx_qcomcities_cities%5Baction%5D=list&tx_qcomcities_cities%5Bcontroller%5D=City&cHash=55c34c49f4413331b6965c6a240a5546 |date=10 November 2017 }}</ref> [[Latin]]: {{lang|la|[[:de:Lubeca|Lubeca]]}}), officially the '''[[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic]] City of Lübeck''' ({{langx|de|Hansestadt Lübeck}}), is a city in [[Northern Germany]]. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]] coast and the second-largest city in the state of [[Schleswig-Holstein]], after its capital of [[Kiel]]. It is the [[List of cities in Germany by population|36th-largest city]] in Germany.

The city lies in the [[Holsatian]] part of Schleswig-Holstein, on the mouth of the [[Trave]], which flows into the [[Bay of Lübeck]] in the borough of [[Travemünde]], and on the Trave's tributary [[Wakenitz]]. The island with the historic old town and the districts north of the Trave are also located in the historical region of [[Wagria]]. Lübeck is the southwesternmost city on the Baltic Sea, and the closest point of access to the Baltic from [[Hamburg]]. The city lies in the [[Northern Low Saxon|Holsatian]] dialect area of [[Low German]].

The name ''Lübeck'' ultimately stems from the [[Slavic languages|Slavic]] root {{lang|sla|lub-}} ('love-'). Before 819, [[Polabian Slavs]] founded a settlement which they called [[Liubice]] on the mouth of the [[Schwartau]] into the Trave. Since the 10th century, Liubice was the second-most important settlement of the [[Obotrites]] after [[Starigard]]. Lübeck was granted [[Soest, Germany|Soest]] city rights in 1160, and, in 1260, it became an [[Imperial immediacy|immediate]] city within the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. In the middle of the 12th century, Lübeck developed into the cradle of the [[Hanseatic League]], of which it was considered the de facto capital and most important city from then on. The [[Lübeck law]] was eventually adopted by around 100 cities in the [[Baltic region]]. Lübeck could preserve its status as an independent city, which it held since 1226, [[Greater Hamburg Act|until 1937]].

Lübeck's historic old town, located on a densely built-up island, is Germany's most extensive [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]].<ref name="unesco">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/272/ |title=Hanseatic City of Lübeck |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher=United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization |access-date=11 Jun 2022}}</ref> With six church towers surpassing {{convert|100|m}}, Lübeck is the city with the [[list of tallest church buildings|highest number of tall church towers]] worldwide.{{NoteTag|There are five churches taller than {{convert|100|m}} in Hamburg and four in Lübeck, but two of the churches in Lübeck have two towers, and in Hamburg there are just five towers overall.}} Nicknamed the "City of the Seven Towers" ({{lang|de|Stadt der {{ill|Sieben Türme|de|Sieben Türme (Lübeck)}}}}), Lübeck's skyline is dominated by the seven towers of its five [[Protestantism|Protestant]] main churches: [[St. Mary's Church, Lübeck|St Mary's]], [[Lübeck Cathedral]], [[St James' Church, Lübeck|St James']], [[St Peter's Church, Lübeck|St Peter's]], and [[Aegidienkirche, Lübeck|St Giles's]]. The [[Lübeck Cathedral|cathedral]], constructed in various stages between 1173 and 1335, was the first large [[brickwork]] church in the Baltic region. St Mary's Church, built between 1265 and 1351, is considered the model on which most of the other [[Brick Gothic]] churches in the sphere of influence of the Hanseatic League are based. It is the second-tallest church with two main towers after [[Cologne Cathedral]] (which only surpassed it in 1880), has the tallest brick [[Vault (architecture)|vault]], and is the second-tallest brickwork structure after [[St. Martin's Church, Landshut|St. Martin's Church]] in [[Landshut]].

Lübeck is home to the [[University of Lübeck]] with its [[University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein]], the [[Technical University of Applied Sciences Lübeck]], and the [[Lübeck Academy of Music]]. There are 18 museums in Lübeck, among which are the [[European Hansemuseum]], Lübeck Museum Port, and the [[Niederegger]] Marzipan Museum dedicated to the culinary specialty for which the city is best known, namely [[Lübeck Marzipan]]. Due to their southwestern location, Travemünde and the nearby seaside resorts of Niendorf, [[Timmendorfer Strand]], [[Scharbeutz]], Haffkrug, [[Sierksdorf]], and [[Grömitz]] are among Germany's most visited.

[[Lübeck Hauptbahnhof|Lübeck Main Station]] is located on the {{lang|de|[[Vogelfluglinie]]}} railway line connecting continental Europe (Hamburg) to [[Scandinavia]] ([[Copenhagen]]) via the future [[Fehmarn Belt fixed link]]. The port of Lübeck is the second-largest German port on the Baltic Sea after the [[Rostock Port|port]] of [[Rostock]], and the {{lang|de|Skandinavienkai}} in Travemünde is Germany's most important ferry port, with connections to Scandinavia and the [[Baltic countries]]. The city has its own [[Lübeck Airport|regional airport at Lübeck-Blankensee]], while nearby [[Hamburg Airport]] serves as Lübeck's main air hub.

==History==
{{Main|Liubice|Free City of Lübeck|Timeline of Lübeck}}
{{More citations needed|section|date=August 2022}}

Humans settled in the area around what today is Lübeck after the [[Weichselian glaciation|last Ice Age]] ended about 9700 BCE. Several [[Neolithic]] [[dolmen]]s can be found in the area.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Around 700 AD, [[Polabian Slavs|Slavic people]]s started moving into the eastern parts of [[Holstein]], an area previously settled by [[Germanic peoples|Germanic inhabitants]] who had moved on in the [[Migration Period]]. [[Charlemagne]], whose efforts to [[Christianisation|Christianise]] the area were opposed by the Germanic [[Saxons]], expelled many of the Saxons and brought in [[Polabian Slavs]] allies. [[Liubice]] (the place-name means "how lovely") was founded on the banks of the River Trave about {{convert|4|km|abbr=on}} north of the present-day city-center of Lübeck.

In the 10th century, it became the most important settlement of the [[Obotrites|Obotrite confederacy]] and a castle was built. In 1128, the pagan [[Rani (Slavic tribe)|Rani]] from [[Rügen]] razed Liubice.

In 1143, [[Adolf II of Holstein|Adolf II]], Count of Schauenburg and Holstein, founded the modern town as a German settlement on the river island of [[Bucu]]. He built a new castle, first mentioned by the chronicler [[Helmold]] as existing in 1147. Adolf had to cede the castle to the Duke of Saxony, [[Henry the Lion]], in 1158. After Henry's fall from power in 1181, the town became an [[Imperial Free City|Imperial city]] for eight years.{{citation needed |date=March 2011}}

Emperor [[Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor|Barbarossa]] (reigned 1152–1190) ordained that the city should have a ruling council of 20 members. With the council dominated by merchants, pragmatic trade interests shaped Lübeck's politics for centuries. The council survived into the 19th century. The town and castle changed ownership for a period afterwards and formed part of the [[Duchy of Saxony]] until 1192, of the County of [[Holstein]] until 1217, and of the kingdom of Denmark until the [[Battle of Bornhöved (1227)|Battle of Bornhöved]] in 1227.

===Hanseatic city===
[[File:Nuremberg chronicles f 265-66 (Lubeca).jpg|thumb|400px|Lübeck as illustrated in the ''[[Nuremberg Chronicle]]'', 1493]]

Around 1200, the port became the main point of departure for colonists leaving for the Baltic territories conquered by the [[Livonian Order]], and later, by the [[Teutonic Order]]. In 1226, Emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] elevated the town to the status of an Imperial free city, by which it became the [[Free City of Lübeck]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In the 14th century, Lübeck became the "Queen of the [[Hanseatic League]]", being by far the largest and most powerful member of that medieval trade organization. In 1375, Emperor [[Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles IV]] named Lübeck one of the five "Glories of the Empire", a title shared with [[Venice]], [[Rome]], [[Pisa]], and [[Florence]].

Several conflicts about trading privileges resulted in fighting between Lübeck (with the Hanseatic League) and Denmark and Norway – with varying outcome. While Lübeck and the Hanseatic League prevailed in conflicts in 1435 and 1512, Lübeck lost when it became involved in the [[Count's Feud]], a civil war that raged in Denmark from 1534 to 1536. Lübeck also joined the pro-Lutheran [[Schmalkaldic League]] of the mid-16th century.

===Decline===
After its defeat in the [[Count's Feud]], Lübeck's power slowly declined. The city remained neutral in the [[Thirty Years' War]] of 1618–1648, but the combination of the devastation from the decades-long war and the new transatlantic orientation of European trade caused the Hanseatic League – and thus Lübeck with it – to decline in importance. However, even after the ''de facto'' disbanding of the Hanseatic League in 1669, Lübeck still remained an important trading town on the Baltic Sea.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

===From the Napoleonic wars to the Franco-Prussian war===
In the course of the war of the [[Fourth Coalition]] against [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]], troops under Marshal [[Charles XIV John of Sweden|Jean Baptiste Bernadotte]] (who would later become King of Sweden) occupied Lübeck after a battle against Prussian General [[Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher|Gebhard Blücher]] on 6 November 1806 due to the latter's illegal use of the city as a fortress, in violation of Lübeck's neutrality, following the French pursuit of his corps after the [[Battle of Jena-Auerstadt]]. Under the [[Continental System]], the State bank went into bankruptcy. In 1811, the [[First French Empire|French Empire]] formally annexed Lübeck as part of France but the anti-Napoleonic allies liberated the area in 1813.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

After Napoleon's defeat, the [[Congress of Vienna]] of 1815 recognised Lübeck as an independent free city. The city became a member of the [[German Confederation]] (1815–1866), the [[North German Confederation]] (1866–1871) and the [[German Empire]] (1871–1918).

[[File:HL Damals – 1871.jpg|thumb|Entry of the Fusilier battalion on June 18, 1871, in Lübeck]]
During the [[Franco-Prussian War]], the battalion de Fusilier of Lübeck was part of the "2nd Hanseatic Infantry Regiment No. 76".
On the day of the [[Battle of Loigny–Poupry|Battle of Loigny]] the commander of the [[17th Division (German Empire)|17th Division]], Hugo von Kottwitz, of the morning advanced in front of the Fusilier battalion of the regiment, urging them to "commemorate the bravery of the Hanseatic League". his attack in the north while the other battalions turned towards [[Loigny-la-Bataille|Loigny]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

This shock surprised the French so much that they were invaded by their flank. They fled to the Fougeu place and were kicked out of this. The battle was to become the founding myth of the last Lübeck regiment, 3rd Hanseatic Infantry Regiment No. 162, which was founded in 1897. When the battalion commander returned to Lübeck with his battalion, he was appointed regimental commander.

===20th century===
At the end of the [[First World War]] and the fall of the German Empire, Lübeck became a member state of the [[Weimar Republic]] (1919–1933). After the [[Nazi seizure of power]], Lübeck, like all other German states, was subjected to the process of ''[[Gleichschaltung]]'' (coordination). Subsequent to the enactment of the "[[Second Law on the Coordination of the States with the Reich]]" on 7 April 1933, [[Friedrich Hildebrandt]] was appointed to the new position of ''[[Reichsstatthalter]]'' (Reich Governor) of Lübeck on 26 May 1933.<ref>{{cite book |last1= Miller |first1= Michael D. |last2= Schulz |first2= Andreas |title= Gauleiter: The Regional Leaders of the Nazi Party and Their Deputies, 1925–1945 |volume= 1 (Herbert Albrecht - H. Wilhelm Hüttmann) |publisher= R. James Bender Publishing |year= 2012 |page=485 |isbn= 978-1-932-97021-0}}</ref> Hildebrandt installed  [[Otto-Heinrich Drechsler]] as the ''[[Burgomaster|Bürgermeister]]'', displacing the duly-elected [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democrat]], {{interlanguage link|Paul Löwigt|de}}.

Additionally, on 30 January 1934, the Reich government enacted the "[[Law on the Reconstruction of the Reich]]," formally abolishing all the state parliaments and transferring the sovereignty of the states to the central government. With this action, the Lübeck popular assembly, the ''Bürgerschaft'', was dissolved and Lübeck effectively lost its rights as a federal state. Under the provisions of the [[Greater Hamburg Act]], Lübeck was absorbed into the [[Free State of Prussia|Prussia]]n [[Province of Schleswig-Holstein]], effective 1 April 1937, thereby losing its 711-year status as an independent free city.

During [[World War II]] (1939–1945), Lübeck became the first German city to suffer substantial [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) bombing. The attack of 28 March 1942 created a [[firestorm]] that caused severe damage to the historic centre. [[Bombing of Lübeck in World War II|This raid]] destroyed three of the main churches and large parts of the built-up area; the bells of St Marienkircke plunged to the stone floor.<ref name="luebeck-tourism.de">{{Cite web |url=http://www.luebeck-tourism.de/discover/sights/churches-in-luebeck/st-marys.html |title=St. Mary's - luebeck-tourismus.de |access-date=10 November 2015 |archive-date=30 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930212939/https://www.luebeck-tourism.de/discover/sights/churches-in-luebeck/st-marys.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Nearly 1,500 houses were completely destroyed, 2,200 heavily damaged and 9,000 slightly damaged.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ndr.de/geschichte/chronologie/Maerz-1942-Luebeck-brennt-im-Bombenhagel,bombenaufluebeck101.html | title=März 1942: Lübeck brennt im Bombenhagel }}</ref> More than 320 people lost their lives. The industrial area of Lübeck was bombed on 25 August 1944 and 110 people were killed. In total, nearly 20% of the city centre was entirely destroyed, with particular damage in the Gründungsviertel neighborhood, where the rich merchants from the Hanseatic League had once lived.<ref name = "unesco"/> Germany operated a [[prisoner-of-war camp]] for officers, [[Oflag X-C]], near the city from 1940 until April 1945. The British [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|Second Army]] entered Lübeck on 2 May 1945 and occupied it without resistance.

On 3 May 1945, one of the biggest disasters in naval history occurred in the [[Bay of Lübeck]] when RAF bombers sank three ships: the [[SS Cap Arcona|SS ''Cap Arcona'']], the [[SS Deutschland (1923)|SS ''Deutschland'']], and the [[SS Thielbek (1940)|SS ''Thielbek'']] – which, unknown to them, were packed with concentration-camp inmates. About 7,000 people died.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}<ref>Watson, Robert, ''The Nazi Titanic: The Incredible Untold Story of a Doomed Ship in World War II'', Da Capo Press, 2016 {{ISBN|978-0-3068-2489-0}} {{p.|247}}</ref>

Lübeck's population grew considerably, from about 150,000 in 1939 to more than 220,000 after the war, owing to an influx of ethnic German refugees expelled from the [[Historical Eastern Germany|former eastern provinces]] of Germany in the [[Communist Bloc]]. Lübeck remained part of Schleswig-Holstein after World War II (and consequently lay within [[West Germany]]). It stood directly on what became the [[inner German border]] during the division of Germany into two states in the [[Cold War]] period. South of the city, the border followed the path of the river [[Wakenitz]], which separated Germany by less than {{convert|10|m|0|abbr=on}} in many parts. The northernmost border crossing was in Lübeck's district of Schlutup. Lübeck spent decades restoring its historic city centre. In 1987, [[UNESCO]] designated this area a [[World Heritage Site]].

In April 2015, Lübeck hosted the G7 conference.<ref name="conference">{{Cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/g7-gipfel-in-luebeck-die-beschluesse-a-1028769.html|title = G7-Gipfel in Lübeck: Die Beschlüsse|newspaper = Der Spiegel|date = 15 April 2015}}</ref>

==Climate==
Lübeck has an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfb''; [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Dobk''). Lübeck is located on the eastern coast of the [[Baltic Sea]] and is greatly regulated by the ocean. The average annual temperature ranges from {{convert|2|C|F}} in winter to {{convert|18|C|F}} in summer. Although the summer is relatively cooler than inland, there is still a high probability of high temperature days. On average, there are 6.6 days per year with maximum temperatures exceeding {{convert|30|C|F}}.<ref name=WMO/>

The Lübeck weather station has recorded the following extreme values:<ref name=sklima/>
* Highest Temperature {{convert|38.0|C|F}} on 9 August 1982.
* Warmest Minimum {{convert|21.5|C|F}} on 30 July 2018.
* Coldest Maximum {{convert|-16.1|C|F}} on 18 January 1893.
* Lowest Temperature {{convert|-27.2|C|F}} on 4 February 1912.<ref name=wetterzentrale/>
* Highest Daily Precipitation {{convert|95.7|mm|in|abbr=on}} on 17 July 2002.
* Wettest Month {{convert|188.9|mm|in|abbr=on}} in August 2010.
* Wettest Year {{convert|933.9|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 1998.
* Driest Year {{convert|381.3|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 1959.<!--
* Earliest Snowfall: 4 November 1966.
* Latest Snowfall: 28 April 1985.-->
* Longest annual sunshine: 2,064.5 hours in 1959.
* Shortest annual sunshine: 1,300.7 hours in 1998.

{{Weather box
|location = Lübeck (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1890–present{{efn|Temperature data for Lübeck have been recorded since 1890. The weather station data used from 1 January 1890 to 30 June 1973 came from [[Flender Werke|Lübeck-Werft]], and temperature data from 1 July 1973 to 28 February 1985 came from Lübeck weather station, and temperature data from 1 March 1985 to the present are from [[Lübeck Airport]].}})
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 15.7
|Feb record high C = 18.6
|Mar record high C = 23.8
|Apr record high C = 29.8
|May record high C = 34.2
|Jun record high C = 34.8
|Jul record high C = 37.9
|Aug record high C = 38.0
|Sep record high C = 32.4
|Oct record high C = 26.8
|Nov record high C = 19.9
|Dec record high C = 15.4
|year record high C = 38.0
|Jan avg record high C = 10.4
|Feb avg record high C = 11.4
|Mar avg record high C = 16.6
|Apr avg record high C = 22.8
|May avg record high C = 27.2
|Jun avg record high C = 29.8
|Jul avg record high C = 31.8
|Aug avg record high C = 31.7
|Sep avg record high C = 26.2
|Oct avg record high C = 20.3
|Nov avg record high C = 14.0
|Dec avg record high C = 11.0
|year avg record high C = 33.7
|Jan high C = 3.7
|Feb high C = 5.0
|Mar high C = 8.7
|Apr high C = 13.9
|May high C = 18.2
|Jun high C = 21.1
|Jul high C = 23.8
|Aug high C = 23.5
|Sep high C = 19.1
|Oct high C = 13.7
|Nov high C = 7.7
|Dec high C = 4.6
|year high C = 13.5
|Jan mean C = 1.4
|Feb mean C = 2.0
|Mar mean C = 4.4
|Apr mean C = 8.5
|May mean C = 12.6
|Jun mean C = 15.7
|Jul mean C = 18.0
|Aug mean C = 17.7
|Sep mean C = 13.9
|Oct mean C = 9.4
|Nov mean C = 5.2
|Dec mean C = 2.4
|year mean C = 9.2
|Jan low C = -1.3
|Feb low C = -1.1
|Mar low C = 0.4
|Apr low C = 3.0
|May low C = 6.5
|Jun low C = 9.9
|Jul low C = 12.3
|Aug low C = 12.2
|Sep low C = 9.2
|Oct low C = 5.7
|Nov low C = 2.2
|Dec low C = -0.1
|year low C = 4.9
|Jan avg record low C = -11.4
|Feb avg record low C = -9.7
|Mar avg record low C = -6.7
|Apr avg record low C = -3.4
|May avg record low C = -0.2
|Jun avg record low C = 4.5
|Jul avg record low C = 7.2
|Aug avg record low C = 6.9
|Sep avg record low C = 3.4
|Oct avg record low C = -1.9
|Nov avg record low C = -5.0
|Dec avg record low C = -8.5
|year avg record low C = -13.9
|Jan record low C = -24.3
|Feb record low C = -27.2
|Mar record low C = -19.1
|Apr record low C = -8.4
|May record low C = -3.0
|Jun record low C = -0.1
|Jul record low C = 3.4
|Aug record low C = 2.6
|Sep record low C = -2.6
|Oct record low C = -7.8
|Nov record low C = -14.3
|Dec record low C = -18.8
|year record low C = -27.2
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 59.9
|Feb precipitation mm = 51.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 47.9
|Apr precipitation mm = 38.0
|May precipitation mm = 49.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 70.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 71.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 71.1
|Sep precipitation mm = 54.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 55.4
|Nov precipitation mm = 55.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 65.6
|year precipitation mm = 680.8
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 12.8
|Feb precipitation days = 10.8
|Mar precipitation days = 10.7
|Apr precipitation days = 8.0
|May precipitation days = 9.9
|Jun precipitation days = 10.6
|Jul precipitation days = 10.9
|Aug precipitation days = 11.4
|Sep precipitation days = 9.9
|Oct precipitation days = 10.3
|Nov precipitation days = 11.2
|Dec precipitation days = 11.9
|year precipitation days = 
|Jan snow depth cm = 4.0
|Feb snow depth cm = 6.7
|Mar snow depth cm = 3.9
|Apr snow depth cm = 0.8
|May snow depth cm = 0
|Jun snow depth cm = 0
|Jul snow depth cm = 0
|Aug snow depth cm = 0
|Sep snow depth cm = 0
|Oct snow depth cm = 0
|Nov snow depth cm = 1.6
|Dec snow depth cm = 3.2
|year snow depth cm = 11.3
|humidity colour = green
|Jan humidity = 87.7
|Feb humidity = 84.5
|Mar humidity = 80.0
|Apr humidity = 74.6
|May humidity = 73.0
|Jun humidity = 74.1
|Jul humidity = 74.3
|Aug humidity = 76.2
|Sep humidity = 81.2
|Oct humidity = 85.7
|Nov humidity = 89.4
|Dec humidity = 89.4
|Jan sun = 42.2
|Feb sun = 60.5
|Mar sun = 119.4
|Apr sun = 183.1
|May sun = 231.0
|Jun sun = 216.6
|Jul sun = 223.1
|Aug sun = 203.5
|Sep sun = 149.8
|Oct sun = 103.7
|Nov sun = 48.4
|Dec sun = 32.3
|year sun = 1606.2
|source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name=WMO>{{cite web
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231012162518/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Luebeck-Blankensee_10156.csv
|archive-date = 12 October 2023
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Luebeck-Blankensee_10156.csv
|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020
|work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = 12 October 2023}}</ref>
|source 2 = DWD Open Data<ref name = wetterzentrale>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.wetterzentrale.de/extremes_mon.php?station=3088&maand=1&country=1&order=1&extreem=X_TX
|title = Extremwertanalyse der DWD-Stationen, Tagesmaxima, Dekadenrekorde, usw. (Lübeck-Werft)
|publisher = DWD
|language = de
|access-date = 18 November 2023}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.wetterzentrale.de/extremes_mon.php?station=3085&maand=1&country=1&order=1&extreem=X_TX
|title = Extremwertanalyse der DWD-Stationen, Tagesmaxima, Dekadenrekorde, usw. (Lübeck)
|publisher = DWD
|language = de
|access-date = 18 November 2023}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.wetterzentrale.de/extremes_mon.php?station=3086&maand=1&country=1&order=1&extreem=X_TX
|title = Extremwertanalyse der DWD-Stationen, Tagesmaxima, Dekadenrekorde, usw. (Lübeck-Blankensee)
|publisher = DWD
|language = de
|access-date = 18 November 2023}}</ref><ref name=sklima>{{cite web 
|url = http://sklima.de/datenbank_auswertung.php?tab=2
|title = Monatsauswertung 
|website = sklima.de 
|publisher = SKlima 
|language = de 
|access-date = 31 October 2024}}</ref>
}}

===Notes===
{{notelist}}

==Population==
{{Historical populations|1350|18800|1502|25444|1807|31450|1845|38190|1871|48274|1900|93241|1910|112890|1925|124358|1939|154811|1946|239194|1951|234960|1956|229554|1961|236477|1966|242616|1971|239761|1976|230407|1981|219403|1986|209159|1991|213847|1996|215673|2001|213496|2006|211213|2011|213112|2016|218253|2021|216227|footnote=Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.
Source:<ref name=stat>{{cite web|url=https://bekanntmachungen.luebeck.de/dokumente/d/1494/inline|title=Statistische Nachrichten Nr. 41|publisher=Hansestadt Lübeck|pages=5, 30, 48|date=14 April 2021}}</ref>}}

Lübeck has a population of about 217,000 people and is the 2nd largest city in [[Schleswig-Holstein]]. Lübeck became a major city after becoming a part of the [[Hanseatic League]] in the 15th century. Lübeck later became one of the important and leading Hanseatic cities in Europe. Following [[World War II]], the population of Lübeck grew rapidly due to the refugee crisis, as many people from [[East Prussia]] and other former parts of Germany and had to flee there after the war. The population began to decline in the 1970s but grew again in 1990s after the [[German Reunification]], as many people from the former [[East Germany]] came to Lübeck due to the fact that it lies directly on the former East German border. Today Lübeck attracts many tourists due to its rich history and Hanseatic architecture, and it is known as one of the most beautiful cities in Germany.

The largest ethnic minority groups are [[Turkish people|Turks]], Central Europeans ([[Polish people|Poles]]), Southern Europeans (mostly [[Greeks]] and [[Italians]]), Eastern Europeans (e.g. [[Russians]] and [[Ukrainians]]), [[Arabs]], and several smaller groups.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! style="background:#efefef;"|Rank
! style="background:#efefef;"|Nationality
! style="background:#efefef;"|Population (31 Dec. 2022)
|-
|1.||{{flag|Turkey}}|| 4,500
|-
|2.||{{flag|Ukraine}}|| 2,867
|-
|3||{{flag|Poland}}|| 2,496
|-
|4||{{flag|Syria}}|| 2,363
|-
|5||{{flag|Croatia}}|| 1,425
|-
|6||{{flag|Italy}}|| 1,237
|-
|7||{{flag|Afghanistan}}|| 1,024
|-
|8||{{flag|Greece}}|| 971
|-
|9||{{flag|Portugal}}|| 956
|-
|10||{{flag|Bulgaria}}|| 724
|}

==Politics==
The current mayor of Lübeck is [[Jan Lindenau]] of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD). The most recent mayoral election was held in 2017. The [[Lübeck city council]] governs the city alongside the mayor.

== Culture ==
[[File:Germany Luebeck Heiligen-Geist-Hospital.jpg|thumb|[[Hospital of the Holy Spirit]], one of the oldest social institutions of Lübeck (1260)]]
[[File:Luebeck-Rathaus am Markt von Suedwesten gesehen-20100905.jpg|thumb|City hall]]
[[File:View_of_Luebeck.jpg|thumb|[[St. Mary's Church, Lübeck|St. Mary's Church]]]]
[[File:Lubeck An der Obertrave.jpg|thumb|[[Lübeck Cathedral]] and historic buildings at the Obertrave]]
[[File:Lübeck Sleeswijk-Holstein Salzspeicher Duitsland.jpg|thumb|[[Salzspeicher]]]]
[[File:Luebeck 04 2008 047.jpg |thumb|Lübeck, Trave]]

=== Tourism ===
In 2019, Lübeck reached 2 million overnight stays. Lübeck is famous for its medieval city centre with its churches, [[Holstentor]], and small alleys. Lübeck has been called "Die Stadt der 7 Türme" (the city of seven towers) because of its seven prominent church towers. Like many other places in Germany, Lübeck has a long tradition of a Christmas market in December, which includes the famous handicrafts market inside the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital ([[Hospital of the Holy Spirit]]), located at the northern end of Königstrasse.

===Buildings===
Over 80% of the old town has preserved its [[Middle Ages|medieval]] appearance, with historic buildings and narrow streets. The rest has been and is currently in a process of restoration and reconstruction. At one time, the town could only be entered by any of four [[City gate|town gates]], two of which remain today, the well-known [[Holstentor]] (1478) and the [[Burgtor]] (1444).{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

The old town centre is dominated by seven church steeples. The oldest are [[Lübeck Cathedral]] and the [[Marienkirche, Lübeck|Marienkirche]] (Saint Mary's), both dating from the 13th and 14th centuries.

Built in 1286, the Hospital of the Holy Spirit at Koberg is one of the oldest existing social institutions in the world and one of the most important buildings in the city. The Hospital functions both as a retirement and a nursing home. Some historical parts have been made available for public viewing.

Other sights include:
*The City Hall
*[[St. Catherine's Church, Lübeck|St. Catherine's Church]], a church that belonged to a former monastery, now the [[Katharineum]], a [[Latin school]]
*[[Thomas Mann]]'s house
*[[Günter Grass]]'s house
*[[St Peter's Church, Lübeck|Church of St Peter]]
*Church of St Lawrence, located on the site of a cemetery for people who died during the 16th-century plague
*[[St James' Church, Lübeck|Church of St James]], 1334
*[[Sacred Heart Church, Lübeck|Church of the Sacred Heart]]
*[[Aegidienkirche (Lübeck)|Church of St Aegidien]]
*the [[Salzspeicher]], historic warehouses where salt delivered from [[Lüneburg]] awaited shipment to Baltic ports
*The City of [[Travemünde]] on the Coast of the Baltic Sea.

=== Music, literature and the arts ===
The composer [[Franz Tunder]] was principal organist in the [[Marienkirche, Lübeck]], when he initiated the tradition of weekly ''[[Abendmusik]]en''. In 1668, his daughter Anna Margarethe married the Danish-German composer [[Dieterich Buxtehude]], who became the new organist at the Marienkirche. Some of the rising composers of the day travelled to Lübeck to witness his performances, notably [[Georg Frideric Handel|Handel]] and [[Johann Mattheson|Mattheson]] in 1703, and [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]] in 1705.<ref>[[Kerala J. Snyder|Snyder, Kerala J.]], "[https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000000040 Abendmusik]", ''Grove Music Online'', 2001</ref><ref>[[Kerala J. Snyder|Snyder, Kerala J.]], "[https://www.mgg-online.com/mgg/stable/49481 Abendmusik]", in Lütteken, Laurenz (ed.), ''[[Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart]]'', Kassel/Stuttgart/New York, 1994 [online ed. 2016]. (in German)</ref>

Writer and Nobel laureate [[Thomas Mann]] was a member of the [[Mann family]] of Lübeck merchants. His well-known 1901 novel ''[[Buddenbrooks]]'' made readers in Germany (and later worldwide, through numerous translations) familiar with the manner of life and mores of the 19th-century Lübeck ''[[bourgeoisie]]''.

Lübeck became the scene of a notable art scandal in the 1950s. [[Lothar Malskat]] was hired to restore medieval [[fresco]]es of the Marienkirche, which were unearthed as a result of severe bomb damage during World War II. Instead, he painted new works, which he passed off as restorations, fooling many experts. Malskat later revealed the deception himself. Writer and Nobel laureate [[Günter Grass]] featured this incident in his 1986 novel ''[[The Rat (novel)|The Rat]]''; from 1995 he lived close to  Lübeck in [[Behlendorf]], where he was buried in 2015.

===Museums===
Lübeck has many small museums, such as the [[St. Anne's Museum Quarter, Lübeck]], the [[Behnhaus]], the [[European Hansemuseum]], and the [[Holstentor]]. [[Lübeck Museum of Theatre Puppets]] is a privately run museum. Waterside attractions are a [[lightvessel]] that served [[Fehmarnbelt]] and the [[Lisa von Lübeck]], a reconstruction of a Hanseatic 15th century [[caravel]].
The marzipan museum in the second floor of Café [[Niederegger]] in Breite Strasse explains the history of [[marzipan]], and shows historical wood molds for the production of marzipan blocks and a group of historical figures made of marzipan.

=== Food and drink ===
[[File:Marzipan-Herz ies.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Niederegger]] [[marzipan]]]] 
Lübeck is famous for its [[marzipan]] industry. According to local legend, marzipan was first made in Lübeck, possibly in response either to a military siege of the city or a famine year. The story, perhaps apocryphal, is that the city ran out of all food except stored almonds and sugar, which were used to make loaves of marzipan "bread".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sacirbey|first1=Omar|title=A culinary treasure in marzipan in Lubeck, Germany|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2012/06/05/culinary-treasure-marzipan-lubeck-germany/yXAQBv8ToolzANzVryNacO/story.html|access-date=18 May 2017|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=6 Jun 2012}}</ref> Others believe that marzipan was actually invented in [[Iran|Persia]] a few hundred years before Lübeck claims to have invented it. The best known producer is [[Niederegger]], which tourists often visit while in Lübeck, especially at Christmas time.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Woolsey|first1=Barbara|title=Germany's Sweet Spot Is This Marzipan Factory|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/germanys-sweet-spot-is-this-marzipan-factory/|access-date=24 December 2017|magazine=Vice|date=28 Nov 2015}}</ref>

The Lübeck wine trade dates back to [[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic]] times. One Lübeck specialty is Rotspon ({{Audio|GeoTrinity Rotspon.ogg|listen}}), wine made from grapes processed and fermented in France and transported in wooden barrels to Lübeck, where it is stored, aged and bottled.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Matthews|first1=Patrick|title=German retailers call on EU to protect Rotspon|url=http://www.decanter.com/wine-news/german-retailers-call-on-eu-to-protect-rotspon-22575/|access-date=18 May 2017|magazine=Decanter|date=21 Jan 2013}}</ref>

Like other coastal [[Northern Germany|North German]] communities, [[Fischbrötchen]] and [[Brathering]] are popular takeaway foods, given the abundance of fish varieties.

==Sports==
Lübeck is home to [[3. Liga]] side [[VfB Lübeck]] who play at the 17,849 capacity [[Stadion Lohmühle|Stadion an der Lohmühle]]. In addition to the football department the sports club has departments for badminton, women's gymnastics, handball, and table tennis.

==Education==
[[File:Musikhochschule Lübeck.JPG|thumb|The [[Lübeck Academy of Music]]]]
Lübeck has three universities, the [[University of Lübeck]], the [[Technical University of Applied Sciences Lübeck]], and the [[Lübeck Academy of Music]]. The [http://www.gradschool.uni-luebeck.de Graduate School for Computing in Medicine and Life Sciences] is a central faculty of the university and was founded by the [https://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/coordinated_programmes/excellence_initiative/ German Excellence Initiative] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925035830/http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/coordinated_programmes/excellence_initiative/ |date=25 September 2009 }}.
The [[International School of New Media]] is an affiliated institute of the university.The Academy of Hearing Acoustics is Germany's central education facility for Hearing aid professionals, responsible for the industry-wide vocational training.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=15 November 2024 |url=https://www.afh-luebeck.de/en/akademie/ |title=Academy }}</ref>

==Districts==
[[File:Lübeck-skyline-von-norden.JPG|thumb|The skyline of the old town as seen from North]]
[[File:HL HBF – Front.jpg|thumb|Lübeck main station (''Lübeck Hauptbanhof'')]]
[[File:Standesamt lübeck.jpg|thumb|Lübeck civil registration office, in the St. Jürgen zone]]
[[File:Travemünde-strandpromenade-strand-ostsee.JPG|thumb|The beach of Travemünde]]

The city of Lübeck is divided into 10 zones. These again are arranged into altogether 35 urban districts. The 10 zones with their official numbers, their associated urban districts and the numbers of inhabitants of the quarters:

*'''01 City centre''' (~ 12,000 inhabitants)
The ''Innenstadt'' is the main tourist attraction and consists of the old town as well as the former ramparts. It is the oldest and smallest part of Lübeck.
*'''02 St. Jürgen''' (~ 40,000 inhabitants)
** Hüxtertor / Mühlentor / Gärtnergasse, Strecknitz / Rothebek, Blankensee, Wulfsdorf, Beidendorf, Krummesse, Kronsforde, Niederbüssau, Vorrade, Schiereichenkoppel, Oberbüssau
''Sankt Jürgen'' is one of three historic suburbs of Lübeck (alongside ''St. Lorenz'' and ''St. Gertrud''). It is located south of the city centre and the biggest of all city parts.
*'''03 Moisling''' (~ 10,000 inhabitants)
** Niendorf / Moorgarten, Reecke, Old-Moisling / Genin
''Moisling'' is situated in the far south-west. Its history dates back to the 17th century.
*'''04 Buntekuh''' (~ 10,000 inhabitants)
''Buntekuh'' lies in the west of Lübeck. A big part consists of commercial zones such as the ''Citti-Park'', Lübeck's biggest mall.
*'''05 St. Lorenz-South''' (~ 12,000 inhabitants)
''Sankt Lorenz-Süd'' is located right in the south-west of the city centre and has the highest population density. The main train and bus station lie in its northern part.
*'''06 St. Lorenz-North''' (~ 40,000 inhabitants)
** Holstentor-North, Falkenfeld / Vorwerk / Teerhof, Großsteinrade / Schönböcken, Dornbreite / Krempelsdorf
''Sankt Lorenz-Nord'' is situated in the north-west of Lübeck. It is split from its southern part by the railways.
*'''07 St. Gertrud''' (~ 40,000 inhabitants)
** Burgtor / Stadtpark, Marli / Brandenbaum, Eichholz, Karlshof / Israelsdorf / Gothmund
''Sankt Gertrud'' is located in the east of the city centre. This part is mainly characterized by its nature. Many parks, the rivers ''Wakenitz'' and ''Trave'' and the forest ''Lauerholz'' make up a big part of its area.
*'''08 Schlutup''' (~ 6,000 inhabitants)
''Schlutup'' lies in the far east of Lübeck. Due to forest ''Lauerholz'' in its west and river ''Trave'' in the north, Schlutup is relatively isolated from the other city parts.
*'''09 Kücknitz''' (~ 20,000 inhabitants)
** Dänischburg / [[Siems]] / Rangenberg / Wallberg, [[Lübeck-Herrenwyk|Herrenwyk]], Alt-Kücknitz / Dummersdorf / Roter Hahn, Poeppendorf
North of river Trave lies ''Kücknitz''. It is the old main industrial area of Lübeck.
*'''10 Travemünde''' (~ 15,000 inhabitants)
** Ivendorf, Alt-Travemünde / Rönnau, Priwall, Teutendorf, Brodten
''Travemünde'' is located in far northeastern Lübeck at the [[Baltic Sea]]. With its long beach and coast line, Travemünde is the second biggest tourist destination.

==International relations==
===Twin towns – sister cities===
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}

Lübeck is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref name=twins>{{cite web |title=Partnerstädte und Freunde|url=https://www.luebeck.de/de/rathaus/partnerschaften/partnerstaedte.html|website=luebeck.de|publisher=Lübeck|language=de|access-date=2024-03-02}}</ref>

* {{Flagicon|FIN}} [[Kotka]], Finland (1969)
* {{Flagicon|GER}} [[Wismar]], Germany (1987)
* {{Flagicon|FRA}} [[La Rochelle]], France (1988)
* {{Flagicon|LTU}} [[Klaipėda]], Lithuania (1990)
* {{Flagicon|SWE}} [[Visby]], Sweden (1999)

===Friendly cities===
Lübeck also has friendly relations with:<ref name=twins/>

* {{Flagicon|ITA}} [[Venice]], Italy (1979)
* {{Flagicon|JPN}} [[Kawasaki, Kanagawa|Kawasaki]], Japan (1992)
* {{Flagicon|NOR}} [[Bergen]], Norway (1996)
* {{Flagicon|CHN}} [[Shaoxing]], China (2003)

==Transport==
[[File:Flughafen Lübeck.jpg|thumb|[[Lübeck Airport]]]]

Lübeck is connected to three main motorways ([[Autobahn]]en). The A1 Motorway is heading north to the Island of [[Fehmarn]] and [[Copenhagen]] (Denmark) and south to [[Hamburg]], [[Bremen]] and [[Cologne]]. The A20 Motorway heads east towards [[Wismar]], [[Rostock]] and [[Szczecin]] (Poland) and west to [[Bad Segeberg]] and to the North Sea. The A226 Motorway starts in central Lübeck and is heading to the north-east and the Seaport-City of [[Travemünde]].

Lübeck is served by multiple railway stations. The principal one is [[Lübeck Hauptbahnhof]], with about 31,000 passengers per day, is the busiest station in Schleswig-Holstein. The station is mostly served by regional rail services to Hamburg, Lüneburg, [[Kiel]], the Island of Fehmarn and Szczecin (Poland). There are some long-distance trains to Munich, Frankfurt-am-Main and Cologne. During the summer holidays, there are many extra rail services. Until the end of 2019, Lübeck was a stop on the ''[[Vogelfluglinie]]'' train line from Hamburg to Copenhagen (Denmark).

Public transport by bus is organised by the Lübeck City-Traffic-Company ([[Lübecker Stadtverkehr]]). There are 40 bus lines serving the city and the area around Lübeck, in addition to regional bus services.

The district of [[Travemünde]] is on the Baltic Sea and has the city's main port. The Scandinavienkai (the quay of Scandinavia) is the departure point for ferry routes to [[Malmö]] and [[Trelleborg]] (Sweden); [[Liepāja]] (Latvia); [[Helsinki]] (Finland) and [[Saint Petersburg]] (Russia). It is the second-biggest German port on the Baltic Sea.

[[Lübeck Airport]] is located in the south of Lübeck in the town of Blankensee. It has limited international airlines' services. The nearest major airport is [[Hamburg Airport]], located {{convert|74|km|0|abbr=on}} to the south west of Lübeck.

==Notable people==
{{Further|Category:People from Lübeck}}

=== Religion ===
[[File:Ephraim Carlebach.jpg|thumb|upright|Ephraim Carlebach, 1936]]

* [[Laurentius Surius]] (1522–1578), Carthusian monk<ref>{{Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=Laurentius_Surius |volume= 14 |short=x}}</ref> and [[Hagiography|hagiographer]]
* [[August Hermann Francke]] (1663–1727), pedagogue,<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Francke,_August_Hermann |volume=11 |short=x}}</ref> theologian, founded the [[Francke Foundations]]
* [[Johann Lorenz von Mosheim]] (1693–1755), Lutheran<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Mosheim,_Johann_Lorenz_von |volume=18 |short=x}}</ref> church historian
* [[Lübeck Martyrs]] Three Roman Catholic priests and one Evangelical Lutheran clergyman were executed by beheading on 10 November 1943 less than 3 minutes apart from each other at Hamburg's Holstenglacis Prison (1943)
* [[Ephraim Carlebach]] (1879–1936), rabbi and founder of the Higher Israelite School in Leipzig
* [[Joseph Carlebach]] (1883–1942), rabbi, victim of the Holocaust
* [[Felix Carlebach]] (1911–2008), rabbi

===Politics===
[[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F057884-0009, Willy Brandt.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Willy Brandt]], 1980]]

* [[Werner Huno]] (died 1291 in Lübeck), merchant and councilor of the Hanseatic city of Lübeck
* [[Johann Wittenborg]] (1321–1363), Mayor of Lübeck, lost the [[Battle of Helsingborg (1362)|Battle of Helsingborg]]
* [[Jürgen Wullenwever]] (c.1492–1537), [[burgomaster]] of Lübeck from 1533 to 1535
* [[George Wulweber]], 16th-century Protestant who was tortured on the rack
* [[Friedrich Krüger (diplomat)|Friedrich Krüger]] (1819–1896), diplomat for the Hanseatic cities of Lübeck, Hamburg and Bremen
* [[John Rugee]] (1827–1894), politician in [[Wisconsin]], USA
* [[Gustav Radbruch]] (1878–1949), legal scholar and politician
* [[Hermann Lüdemann]] (1880–1959), [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]] politician
* [[Otto-Heinrich Drechsler]] (1895–1945), Mayor of Lübeck 1933 to 1937, set up the [[Riga ghetto]]
* [[Haim Cohn]] (1911–2002), Israeli jurist and politician
* [[Willy Brandt]] (1913–1992), [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]] politician,<ref>[http://www.brandt21forum.info/Bio_Brandt.htm Centre for Global Negotiations, Biography of Willy Brandt] retrieved 21 March 2018</ref> [[Chancellor of Germany|German chancellor]]
* [[Helga Kleiner]] (born 1935), CDU politician
* [[Björn Engholm]] (born 1939), SPD politician
* [[Robert Habeck]] (born 1969), writer and politician of the [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] 
* [[Birgitt Ory]] (born 1964), diplomat
* [[Beatrix von Storch]] (born 1971), [[Alternative for Germany|AfD]] politician, former [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]]

===Art===
[[File:Friedrich Overbeck 011.jpg|thumb|upright|J. F. Overbeck, self portrait with family, 1820]]

* [[Benjamin Block]] (1631–1690), German-Hungarian Baroque<ref>[https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/9089 Benjamin von Block, RKD, NL] retrieved 23 March 2018</ref> painter
* Sir [[Godfrey Kneller]] (1646–1723), court painter<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Kneller,_Sir_Godfrey |volume=15 |short=x}}</ref> of several British monarchs
* [[Catharina Elisabeth Heinecken]] (1683–1757), artist and alchemist
* [[Carl Heinrich von Heineken]] (1707–1791), art historian
* [[Friedrich Overbeck]] (1789–1869), painter<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Overbeck,_Johann_Friedrich |volume=20 |short=x}}</ref> and head of the [[Nazarene movement|Nazarenes]]
* [[Johann Wilhelm Cordes]] (1824–1869), landscape painter
* [[Gotthardt Kuehl]] (1850–1915), painter
* [[Maria Slavona]] (1865–1931), impressionist painter, sister of Cornelia Schorer
* [[Erich Ponto]] (1884–1957), actor
* [[Walter D. Asmus]] (born 1941), theatre director
* [[Justus von Dohnányi]] (born 1960), actor
* [[Jonas Nay]] (born 1990), actor

===Music===
[[File:Dieterich Buxtehude.png|thumb|upright|Dieterich Buxtehude]]

* [[Franz Tunder]] (1614–1667), organist and composer
* [[Thomas Baltzar]] (c. 1631–1663), violinist<ref>{{cite DNB|wstitle=Baltzar,_Thomas |volume=03|short=x}}</ref> and composer.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Baltzar, Thomas |volume= 3 | page = 291 |short= 1}}</ref>
* [[Rüdiger Bohn]] (born 1960), conductor and professor
* [[Dieterich Buxtehude]] (c.1637–1707), composer and organist
* [[Andreas Kneller]] (1649–1724), composer and organist
* [[Friedrich Ludwig Æmilius Kunzen]] (1761–1817), composer
* [[Anja Thauer]] (1945–1973), cellist

===Science===
[[File:WP Robert Christian Ave-Lallemant.jpg|thumb|upright|Robert Christian Ave-Lallemant, 1851]]

* [[Joachim Jungius]] (1587–1657), mathematician, physicist, and philosopher
* [[Heinrich Meibom (doctor)|Heinrich Meibom]] (1638–1700), medical expert, discovered the [[Meibomian gland]]
* [[Hermann von Fehling]] (1811–1885), chemist<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Fehling,_Hermann_von |volume=10|page=236 |short=x}}</ref>
* [[Robert Christian Avé-Lallemant]] (1812–1884), physician and research traveler
* [[Ernst Curtius]] (1814–1896), classical archaeologist<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Curtius,_Ernst |pages=652-653|volume=07 |short=x}}</ref> and historian
* [[Georg Curtius]] (1820–1885), philologist<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Curtius,_Ernst|volume=07 |pages=652-653; see para 2|quote=His brother, Georg Curtius (1820–1885), philologist,  |short=x}}</ref>
* [[Friedrich Matthias Claudius]] (1822–1869), anatomist
* [[James Behrens]] (1824–1898), entomologist.<ref>{{Cite Appletons'|wstitle= Behrens, James |volume = I |page= 222 |short= 1}}</ref>
* [[Friedrich Matz]] (1843–1874), archaeologist
* [[Friedrich Wilhelm Gustav Bruhn]] (1853–1927), invented the [[taximeter]]
* [[Cornelia Schorer]] (1863–1939), one of Germany's first female physicians
* [[Heinrich Lüders]] (1869–1943), orientalist and [[indologist]]
* [[Justus Mühlenpfordt]] (1911–2000), nuclear physicist
* [[Wolfgang Luthe]] (1922–1985), physician, psychotherapist and [[autogenic training]] pioneer

===Writing===
[[File:Heinrich Thomas Mann.jpg|thumb|upright|Heinrich (left) and Thomas Mann, 1902]]

* [[Arnold of Lübeck]] (died 1211-1214), author of contemporary chronicles
* [[Erasmus Finx]] (1627–1694), polyhistorian, author and church writer
* [[Christian Adolph Overbeck]] (1755–1821), mayor and poet
* [[Johann Bernhard Vermehren]] (1777–1803), romanticist and lecturer
* [[Emanuel Geibel]] (1815–1884), poet<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Geibel,_Emanuel |volume=11 |short=x}}</ref>
* [[Gustav Falke]] (1853–1916), author
* [[Heinrich Mann]] (1871–1950), novelist
* [[Thomas Mann]] (1875–1955), novelist, [[Nobel Prize for Literature]] in 1929
* [[Friedrich Ranke]] (1882–1950), a German medievalist, philologist, folklorist and writer
* [[Jörg Wontorra]] (born 1948), sport journalist
* [[Nicolai Riedel]] (born 1952), philologist, author and an editor

=== Sport ===
* [[Sandra Völker]] (born 1974), swimmer, won three medals at the [[1996 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Marie-Louise Dräger]] (born 1981), five-time world champion lightweight sculler
* [[Tobias Kamke]] (born 1986), professional tennis player
* [[Maximilian Munski]] (born 1988), rower, silver medallist at the [[2016 Summer Olympics]]

=== Other ===
[[File:HeinekenFritzsch1726.jpg|thumb|upright|C. F. Heineken, 1726]]

* [[Adam Brand (explorer)|Adam Brand]] (c. 1692–1746), merchant and researcher
* [[Christian Friedrich Heinecken]] (1721–1725), "the infant scholar of Lübeck", a child prodigy<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Heinecken,_Christian_Heinrich |volume=13 |short=x}}</ref>
* [[Kurd von Schlözer]] (1822–1894), diplomat and historian
* [[Hermann von der Hude]] (1830–1908), architect
* [[Hermann Blohm]] (1848–1930), shipbuilder and company founder
* [[Hermann Pister]] (1885–1948), Nazi SS commandant of [[Buchenwald Concentration Camp]]
* [[Hermann Görtz]] (1890–1947), [[Espionage|spy]] for Nazi Germany in [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
* [[Walter Ewers]] (1892–1918), [[flying ace]] of WWI
* [[Hans Blumenberg]] (1920–1996), philosopher
* [[Jörg Ziercke]] (born 1947), chief commissioner of the [[Federal Criminal Police Office (Germany)|Federal Criminal Police Office]] 2004–2014

==See also==
* [[Bombing of Lübeck in World War II]]
* [[Cap Arcona]]
* [[Lübeck Airport]]
* [[Lübeck Hauptbahnhof]]
* [[Lübeck law]]
* [[Lübeck Nordic Film Days]]
* ''[[Lübecker Nachrichten]]''—Lübeck's only newspaper
* [[Oberschule zum Dom]]
* [[Ports of the Baltic Sea]]
* [[Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival]]
* [[VfB Lübeck]], football and sports club

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{reflist}}
{{NoteFoot}}

=== General and cited references ===
{{See also|Timeline of Lübeck#Bibliography|l1=Bibliography of the history of Lübeck}}
* {{cite book |first=Ian Duncan |last=Colvin |title=The Germans in England 1066–1598 |publisher=Forgotten Books |date=9 July 2012 |asin=B008QQ2ZGC}}
* {{cite book|first=David|last= Nicolle|title=Forces of the Hanseatic League|publisher= Osprey Publishing|date=20 April 2014|isbn=978-1782007791}}
* {{cite book|first=Helen|last= Zimmern|title= Hansa Towns|publisher=Adamant Media Corporation|date=30 November 2005|isbn=1402184832}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|voy=Lübeck}}
* {{Official website|http://www.luebeck.de}}
* [http://www.luebeck-tourism.de Official tourism site]
* ''[[The Jewish Encyclopedia]]'': [https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10165-lubeck "Lübeck"] by Gotthard Deutsch (1906).
* [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/272 Hanseatic City of Lübeck: UNESCO Official Website]
* [http://www.panorama-cities.net/luebeck/luebeck_germany.html Panoramas of Lübeck]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110509065809/http://www.lovebridge-luebeck.de/ Lovebridge Lübeck]
* {{Cite Americana|wstitle=Lübeck|display=Lübeck }}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Lübeck |volume= 17 |last1= Pauli |first1= Reinhold |author1-link= Reinhold Pauli |last2= Ashworth |first2= Philip Arthur  |author2-link= Philip Arthur Ashworth| pages = 85&ndash;87 |short= 1}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Lübeck
|North     = 
|Northeast = ''[[Baltic Sea]]''
|East      = [[Wismar]], [[Rostock]]
|Southeast = [[Schwerin]]
|South     = 
|Southwest = [[Hamburg]]
|West      = 
|Northwest = [[Neumünster]], [[Kiel]]
}}
{{Cities in Germany}}
{{Hanseatic League}}
{{World Heritage Sites in Germany}}
{{Germany districts Schleswig-Holstein}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lubeck}}
[[Category:Lübeck| ]]
[[Category:1140s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:1143 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:Cities in Schleswig-Holstein]]
[[Category:Hanseatic Cities]]
[[Category:Landmarks in Germany]]
[[Category:Members of the Hanseatic League]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Germany (Baltic Sea)]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Germany]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Germany]]
[[Category:Urban districts of Schleswig-Holstein]]