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. Germany is a federal republic with 16 member states called Bundesländer. Holstein is the southern portion of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany's northernmost state. Holstein has coasts on the North Sea on the west and on the Baltic Sea on the east; in the west it includes the land between the Elbe and Eider Rivers. This page includes the lighthouses of Holstein along the north bank of the Elbe and on the North Sea coast south of the Eider. From 1815 to 1864 the Duchy of Holstein was a member of the German Confederation, but it was ruled by the King of Denmark, who also held the title Duke of Holstein. Prussia conquered and annexed Holstein in the Second Schleswig War in 1864. 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). Most of the lights on this page are in the jurisdiction of 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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Pinneberg District Lighthouses
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![]() Pagensand Nord Light, Pagensand, August 2017 photo copyright Capt. Peter Mosselberger; used by permission |
Steinburg District Lighthouses
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Dithmarschen District Lighthouses
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: North: North Frisia | Southeast: Hamburg Area | South: Cuxhaven and Stade
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Posted March 30, 2005. Checked and revised April 5, 2025. Lighthouses: 33. Site copyright 2025 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.