Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
After this guide, you will know where Schleswig-Holstein is, which city is its capital, which colours its flag has, how the state is governed and where to find information about politics.
Schleswig-Holstein and its capital
Schleswig-Holstein is one of the 16 federal states (Bundesland) of Germany. It is the northernmost state. It lies between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
The city that is the state capital (Landeshauptstadt) is where the state government has its seat. The capital of Schleswig-Holstein is Kiel.
On a map of Germany, Schleswig-Holstein is the state at the top, in the north, on the border with Denmark.
Flag and coat of arms
Each state has its own state flag (Landesflagge) and its own coat of arms (Wappen). The state uses them to show its own identity.
The flag of Schleswig-Holstein has the colours blue, white and red (blau-weiß-rot). In the exam you must recognise the correct coat of arms among four pictures.
Districts, municipalities and local elections
A state is divided into districts (Landkreis). Schleswig-Holstein has several districts. One of them is Nordfriesland, on the North Sea coast in the north-west of the state.
In local elections (Kommunalwahl) in Schleswig-Holstein, people aged 16 and over may vote. The state sets this age in its own law, so it can be different in other states.
How the state is governed
Each state has its own state parliament (Landtag). The voters of the state elect the Landtag, and it is elected for five years.
The head of the state government in Schleswig-Holstein is called the minister-president (Ministerpräsidentin/Ministerpräsident). In some other states the title is different.
The state government has ministers for each area, for example the interior minister (Innenministerin/Innenminister), the finance minister (Finanzministerin/Finanzminister) and the justice minister (Justizministerin/Justizminister).
You can find information about politics from the state commissioner (Landesbeauftragte) for political education.