Lindau | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Bavaria |
| Adm. region | Swabia |
| Capital | Lindau |
| Government | |
| • District admin. | Elmar Stegmann (CSU) |
| Area | |
• Total | 323 km2 (125 sq mi) |
| Population (31 December 2024)[1] | |
• Total | 82,411 |
| • Density | 255/km2 (661/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Vehicle registration | LI |
| Website | landkreis-lindau.de |
Lindau is aLandkreis (district) inSwabia,Bavaria,Germany; its capital is the city ofLindau. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the district ofOberallgäu,Austria (federal state ofVorarlberg),Lake Constance and the state ofBaden-Württemberg (districts ofBodensee andRavensburg).
The city of Lindau became a Free Imperial City in the 13th century; it was directly subordinate to theemperor. The rural areas around Lindau were the property of monasteries or tiny counties, that rose and fell in the region. WhenNapoleon gained influence in the area, all these entities were dissolved in theGerman Mediatisation and Lindau fell to Bavaria.
The district of Lindau was established in 1938. After theSecond World War it became — like theRhenish Palatinate — part of the French zone of occupation to create a land bridge between the French zones in Germany and Austria, while the rest of Bavaria was under American occupation. The district was administered jointly withWürttemberg-Hohenzollern, but belonged neither to Bavaria or Württemberg and had a special territorial position. Throughout its special status, the district was administered by Bregenz native Anton Zwisler (1888-1977).[2]
The district was represented by three delegates in the Advisory State Assembly (Beratende Landesversammlung) and later Landtag of Württemberg-Hohenzollern. On September 25, 1948, the city of Lindau was spun off from the district and became a district-free city.
Lindau earned a lot of pet names during the period, namely "Second Principality of Liechtenstein" (Zweites Fürstentum Liechtenstein), "Paradise" (Paradies), "Germany's Grease Spot" (Deutschlands Fettfleck) and "Monte Carlo on Lake Constance" (Monte Carlo am Bodensee). The latter name came from the casino, which opened in Lindau in 1950, the others were used to refer to Lindau's self-sufficiency, as the district was allowed to keep all taxes and custom duties for itself. Also, while in some other parts of Germany, people suffered from hunger, Lindau had a surplus of fruit, milk and meat for export and a brisk construction activity.[3]
With the signing of the Austrian State Treaty restoring Austrian independence and the withdrawal of Allied forces, Lindau's bridging function for France, and thus the need for special position, became obsolete,[4] so on September 1, 1955 the district was reincorporated into Bavaria, with a negotiated transition period until March 27, 1956, when a ceremony was held at Lindau's Old Town Hall attended by Zwisler and then-Bavarian Minister-President Wilhelm Hoegner. The city of Lindau, which had been anurban district, became a part of the rural district in 1972.
In the southwest the district bordersLake Constance, more precisely its eastern part known asObersee. To the north the countryside rises to the hills of the westernAllgäu mountains.
The coat of arms displays:
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Towns and municipalities inLindau (district) | ||
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