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{{short description|Town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany}}
{{Infobox German place  
|name = Ludwigslust
|image_photo = SchlossLudwigslust.jpg
|image_caption = [[Ludwigslust Palace]]
|type                = Stadt
|image_coa             = Wappen Ludwigslust.svg
|coordinates        = {{coord|53|19|28|N|11|29|50|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan           = Ludwigslust in LUP.svg
|plantext =
|state         = Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
|district         = Ludwigslust-Parchim
|elevation               = 35
|area             = 78.63
|postal_code                = 19288
|area_code            = 03874
|licence                = LWL
|Gemeindeschlüssel  = 13 0 76 090
|divisions         = 7 Ortsteile
|website            = [http://www.stadtludwigslust.de stadtludwigslust.de]
|mayor      = Reinhard Mach
|party            = parteilos
}}
'''Ludwigslust''' ({{IPA|de|luːtvɪçsˈlʊst|-|De-Ludwigslust.ogg}}) is a central castle town of [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]], [[Germany]], 40&nbsp;km south of [[Schwerin]]. Since 2011 it has been part of the [[Ludwigslust-Parchim]] district.

Ludwigslust is part of the [[Hamburg Metropolitan Region]]. The former royal residential town is known for its rich heritage, especially the famed [[Ludwigslust Palace]], known as ''Versailles of the North''.

==History==
[[Image:Ludwigsluster Kanal.jpg|thumb|left|Ludwigslust]]
In 1724 [[Christian Ludwig II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin|Prince Ludwig]], the son of [[Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow|Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg]], decided to build a hunting lodge near a small hamlet called Klenow. Later, after his succession to the Dukedom, this became his favourite residence and he named it accordingly ''Ludwigslust'' ("Ludwig's pleasure/desire"). In 1765 Ludwigslust became the capital of the duchy in place of Schwerin. The town was enlarged by a residential palace (the '''castle'''). This situation continued until 1837, when Grand Duke [[Paul Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin|Paul Friedrich]] returned the capital status to Schwerin.

The [[Wöbbelin concentration camp]]&mdash;sometimes referred to as ''Ludwigslust concentration camp''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/cclist.html#neuengamme |title=Concentration Camp Listing |access-date=2008-10-12 |publisher=jewishvirtuallibrary.org }}</ref>&mdash;was established by the [[Schutzstaffel|SS]] near the city of Ludwigslust in 1945.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Staff |title=Verzeichnis der Konzentrationslager und ihrer Außenkommandos gemäß § 42 Abs. 2 BEG |publisher=[[Federal Ministry of Justice (Germany)|Bundesministerium der Justiz]] |date=1967-02-23 |access-date=2008-10-12 |url=http://bundesrecht.juris.de/begdv_6/anlage_6.html |quote=1591 Wöbbelin, Kreis Ludwigslust, Bez. Schwerin, 12.2.1945 bis 2.5.1945 Neuengamme |language=de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423004151/http://bundesrecht.juris.de/begdv_6/anlage_6.html |archive-date=2009-04-23 }}</ref>  At the end of World War II, as the [[Line of contact]] between Soviet and other Allied forces formed, Ludwigslust was captured by British troops initially, then handed over to American troops.  After several months the US troops departed and allowed Soviet troops to enter under the Yalta agreement designating the occupation of Mecklenburg to be administered by the Soviets. 
[[Image:Citizens of Ludwigslust, Germany, inspect a nearby concentration camp.jpg|thumb|left|Citizens of Ludwigslust, Germany, inspect a nearby concentration camp under orders of the 82nd Airborne Division]]

==Sights==
* [[Schloss Ludwigslust]], a [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] residential palace built in 1772–1776, according to plans by [[Johann Joachim Busch]]. It is called the "Little Versailles of Mecklenburg". The palace is in the middle of the palace garden (Schlosspark), a vast park (120 ha.) in the English style, with canals, fountains and artificial cascades.
* The ''Stadtkirche'' (Municipal- / City-Church), built in 1765–1770 in [[Neoclassicism|Neoclassical]] style with [[Baroque]] sway. Its classical design, with a [[portico]] resting on six [[Doric order|doric]] columns, gives the church an appearance similar to a Greek temple.

==Transport==

*[[Ludwigslust railway station]] is served by [[Intercity Express|ICE]], [[Eurocity|EC]], [[Intercity (Deutsche Bahn)|IC]] and [[Regional-Express|RE]] services.

==Twin towns — sister cities==
{{Main|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}

Ludwigslust is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:
*{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Ahrensburg]], Germany
*{{flagicon|United States}} [[Muscatine, Iowa|Muscatine]], United States
*{{flagicon|Russia}} [[Kamskoye Ustye]], Russia

== Sport ==
The Ludwigslust Motodrom and Speedwaystadion is a motorsport and [[motorcycle speedway]] venue located approximately 3 kilometres west of the town.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mc-ludwigslust.de/ |title=Speedway Motorcycle Tracks | website=MC Ludwigslust |access-date=13 February 2024}}</ref> The stadium has hosted important events, including a qualifying round of the [[Speedway World Championship]] in 1992 and 1993.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dlprezes.pl.tl/SPEEDWAY--_--Indywidualne-mistrzostwa-%26%23346%3Bwiata-----------k1-World-Speedway-Championship-k2-.htm |title=World Championship |website=Metal Speedway |access-date=13 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/ |title=World Championship  | website=Speedway.org |access-date=13 February 2024}}</ref> The team MC Ludwigslust won the bronze medal in the 1988 [[German Team Speedway Championship|East Germany championships]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/dmnrd.php |title=German Team Championship |website=Historia Sportu Zuzlowego |access-date=22 March 2024}}</ref>

==Notable people==
[[File:Dr. Manfred Osten Mai 2016.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Manfred Osten]], 2016]]
[[File:1784 Charlotte.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Duchess Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]], 1784]]
[[File:1800 Paul Friedrich.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Paul Frederick, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]], 1800]]

* [[Franz Passow]] (1786–1833), a German classical scholar and [[lexicographer]].<ref>{{Cite NIE |wstitle= Passow, Franz |volume= XV | page= |short=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Passow, Franz Ludwig Carl Friedrich |last= |first= |author-link= |volume= 20 |page=890 |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Ludwig von Lützow (politician)|Ludwig von Lützow]] (1793–1872), Mecklenburg statesman and politician
* [[Theodor Hahn]] (1824–1883), a German [[hydrotherapist]], [[naturopath]] and [[vegetarianism]] activist.
* [[Ludwig Beissner]] (1843–1927),  a German [[horticulturalist]] and [[dendrologist]] 
* [[Johannes Gillhoff]] (1861–1930), teacher, folklorist and writer (born in Glaisin)
* [[Charles Allix Lavington Yate]] (1872–1914), English British Army officer and [[Victoria Cross]] recipient of World War I, was born in Ludwigslust, his mother's home town.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.localhistory.madeley.org.uk/major_yate.html |title=Madeley's VC - Major C.A.L. Yate |accessdate=2008-04-15 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070919210703/http://www.localhistory.madeley.org.uk/major_yate.html |archivedate=19 September 2007 }}</ref>
* [[Annelies Burmeister]] (1928–1988), [[contralto]] and actress.
* [[Manfred Osten]] (born 1938), poet, author, lawyer, former diplomat and cultural historian.
* [[Bernd Spier]] (born 1944), crooner, [[schlager]] singer and record producer.
* [[Christoph Biemann]] (born 1952), author, director and children's TV presenter 
* [[Helmut Holter]] (born 1953), local politician

=== Artists ===

*[[Franz Benque]] (1841–1921), photographer
*[[Pauline Soltau]] (1833–1902), portrait painter and violinist
* [[Rudolph Suhrlandt]] (1781–1862), portrait painter and [[lithographer]]

=== Aristocracy ===
* [[Frederick Louis, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] (1778–1819), Hereditary Prince of Mecklenburg, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, member of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
* [[Duchess Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] (1784–1840), duchess of Mecklenburg; Crown Princess of Denmark
* [[Paul Frederick, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] (1800–1842), Grand Duke of Mecklenburg from 1837 to 1842.
* [[Frederick Francis II]] (1823–1883), a Prussian officer and [[Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] from 1842 to 1883.
* [[Frederick Francis III]] (1851–1897), the penultimate [[Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] from 1883 to 1897
* [[Duke Paul Frederick of Mecklenburg]] (1852–1923), Duke of Mecklenburg, General of the Cavalry
* [[Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] (1854–1920), [[List of grand duchesses of Russia|Grand Duchess of Russia]] 
* [[Duke Christian Louis of Mecklenburg]] (1912–1996), nobleman, head of the house Mecklenburg

=== Sport ===
* [[Paul Rudolf von Bilguer]] (1815–1840), a German chess master and [[Chess theory|chess theoretician]].
* [[Brigitte Kiesler]] (1924–2013), gymnast; competed in seven events at the [[1952 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Andreas Zülow]] (born 1965), lightweight boxer; gold medallist at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]]  
* [[Birgit Jerschabek]] (born 1969), long-distance runner
* [[Bastian Reinhardt]] (born 1975), footballer, played over 280 games

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.stadtludwigslust.de/ official site (town)]
* [http://www.ludwigslust.de official site (county)]
* [http://www.berlin1969.com/stories-geschichte/the-embracing-forest/ The Embracing Forest] An American visits Ludwigslust and vicinity in 2005 and finds more history than he expected.

{{Commons category}}

{{Towns and municipalities in Ludwigslust-Parchim (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in the 18th century]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Mecklenburg]]
[[Category:Ludwigslust-Parchim]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1765]]