The Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland in German) occupies a central location in northern Europe with two coastlines, one facing northwest on the North Sea and the other facing northeast on the Baltic Sea. The country's history is long and complex. The large number of historically independent German regions came together in 1871 to form the German Empire. The Empire became a republic after World War I (1914-18). After World War II (1939-45) Germany was divided into two countries, the German Federal Republic in the west, usually called West Germany, and the Communist-led German Democratic Republic in the east, usually called East Germany. After the Communist government collapsed the Federal Republic reunified the nation in October 1990. The Federal Republic is a federation of sixteen states (Länder) and the states are divided into districts (Kreise). This page describes lighthouses of the Elbmündung (the approach to the River Elbe) and the south side of the lower Elbe in the Cuxhaven and Stade Districts of the state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen); this is the northernmost extension of the state. Also included is the historic Elbmündung lighthouse of Neuwerk, shown at right; it is under the juristiction of the city-state of Hamburg. Lighthouses on the north side of the lower Elbe are described on the North Frisia page and those higher on the Elbe are described on the Hamburg Area page. Interest in lighthouses is strong in Germany and most of the towers are in good condition. A federal law provides blanket protection to historic lighthouses. There is concern, however, that many of the lights may be deactivated in the coming years as navigators depend less and less on them. In German a lighthouse is a Leuchtturm ("light tower"), plural Leuchttürme. The front light of a range is the Unterfeuer and the rear light is the Oberfeuer. There are many modern range lighthouses and most of these towers are crowned by a topmark: a large, distinctive structure that serves to mark the range clearly in the daytime. Some topmarks are conical, others are funnel-shaped, and some consist of one or more gallery-like rings around the tower. In German Insel is an island, Riff is a reef, Kap is a cape, Bucht is a bay, Fluss is a river, Mündung is a river mouth or estuary, and Hafen is a harbor. The word Straße ("street") is also used for a waterway or strait. Lighthouses in Germany are operated by the regional harbor authority, called the WSA (Wasserstraßen- und Schiffahrtsamt). All the lights on this page are maintained by WSA Elbe-Nordsee. The WSA's are linked to and regulated by a federal agency, the Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes (WSV). ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. DE numbers are the German light list (Leuchtfeuerverzeichnis) numbers as noted on Erich Hartmann's website. Admiralty numbers are from volume B of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from NGA Publication 114. |
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Elbmündung Offshore (Neuwerk Area) Lighthouses
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![]() Gelbsand Oberfeuer (left) and Unterfeuer, Elbmündung, 2010 WSA Elbe-Nordsee photo (no longer online) |
Cuxhaven District Lighthouses
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Stade District Lighthouses
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: North: West Holstein | East: Hamburg Area | South: Bremerhaven Area
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key
Posted March 30, 2005. Checked and revised March 22, 2025. Lighthouses: 41; lightships: 1. Site copyright 2025 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.