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. East Frisia (Ost-Friesland in German) includes the German coastal region between the Dutch border and the Weser estuary, including the Ems Estuary, the East Frisian Islands, and the Jade Bight. This page lists lighthouses of those areas. Lighthouses on the Weser in the area considered to be part of East Frisia are described on the Bremen and the Weser page. The Federal Republic is a federation of sixteen states (Länder) and the states are divided into districts (Kreise). The lights on this page are all in the state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony). Prior to the unificatiuon of Germany most of East Frisia was governed from 1815 to 1866 by the Kingdom of Hanover while the Jade Bight area was part of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. 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. In Frisian fjoertoer ("fire tower") is a lighthouse, eilân is an island, rif is a reef, kaap is a cape, baai is a bay, and haven is a harbor. Lighthouses in Germany are operated by the regional harbor authority, called the WSA (Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsamt). This page includes the jurisdiction of WSA Ems-Nordsee and part of the jurisdiction of WSA Weser-Jade-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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Leer District Lighthouses
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![]() Feuerschiff FS-1, October 2009 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by SteKrueBe |
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![]() Feuerschiff Borkumriff IV, Borkum Google Maps photo by Ralf Pupkes |
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![]() Feuerschiff Deutsche Bucht(Amrunbank), Borkum, April 2023 Google Maps photo by Alex S. |
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Aurich District Lighthouses
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![]() Memmert Light, Juist, January 2023 Instagram photo by guenterdehne |
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Friesland District and Wilhelmshaven Lighthouses
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![]() Mellumplate Light, Jadebusen, June 2023 Instagram photo by pankm4n |
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Western Wesermarsch District Lighthouses
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Inland Lighthouse
Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: Northeast: Bremerhaven | Southeast: Bremen and the Weser | West: Northeastern Netherlands
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key
Posted February 26, 2005. Checked and revised February 27, 2025. Lighthouses: 45; lightships: 3. Site copyright 2025 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.