Infobox Former Subdivision
conventional_long_name = Brandenburg
common_name = Brandenburg
subdivision = Province
nation = Prussia

---

image_map_caption = Brandenburg (red}, within the Kingdom of Prussia, within the German Empire
national_anthem=Brandenburglied
capital = Potsdam (1815- 1827)
Berlin (1827-1843)
Potsdam (1843-1918)
Charlottenburg (1918-1946)
stat_area1= 38275
stat_year1 = 1939
stat_pop1 = 3023443
p1= Margravate of Brandenburg
image_p1 =
s1 = Berlin
flag_s1 = Flag of Berlin.svg
s2 = Brandenburg
flag_s2 = Flag of Brandenburg.svg
s3 = Poznań Voivodeship
flag_s3 = POL Poznań flag.svg
year_start = 1816
year_end = 1946
event1 = Greater Berlin Act
date_event1 = 1 October 1920
pol_subdiv = Potsdam Frankfurt

The Province of Brandenburg ( _de. Provinz Brandenburg) was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946. Its capital was originally Potsdam, before moving to Berlin in 1827, then back to Potsdam in 1843 and finally in Berlin-Charlottenburg in 1918.

History

The province of Brandenburg was created from the majority of the territory that previously formed the Margraviate of Brandenburg, which had been under Prussian rule since the House of Hohenzollern, rulers of Brandenburg, inherited the Duchy of Prussia in 1618 (see Brandenburg-Prussia). The major territorial difference was that the province’s western border was brought eastward to the Elbe River, with the Altmark region (west of the Elbe) going to the newly-formed Province of Saxony. The Neumark region east of the Oder River was retained by Brandenburg, as was Lower Lusatia.

On 1 April 1881 Berlin became a city district (Stadtkreis Berlin) separate from Brandenburg. The Greater Berlin Act of 1920 expanded the borders of Berlin, incorporating numerous surrounding districts and towns from Brandenburg to form Greater Berlin ( _de. Groß-Berlin). On 21 March 1939 while part of Nazi Germany, the Province of Brandenburg was renamed Mark Brandenburg.

In 1946, after World War II, the section of Brandenburg east of the Oder-Neisse line was ceded to Poland to form the Poznań Voivodeship. The remaining territory became part of the Soviet occupation zone and became part of East Germany in 1949. Following German reunification in 1990, Brandenburg was re-established as a state of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Administration

The province of Brandenburg was divided into two Regierungsbezirke, Frankfurt and Potsdam.

Regierungsbezirk Frankfurt

Urban districts (Stadtkreise)

# Cottbus (from 1886)
# Forst (Lausitz) (from 1897)
# Frankfurt an der Oder (from 1826)
# Guben (from 1884)
# Landsberg (Warthe) (from 1892)

Rural districts (Landkreise)

# Calau
# Cottbus
# Crossen (Oder)
# Guben
# Königsberg Nm.
# Landsberg (Warthe)
# Lebus
# Luckau
# Lübben (Spreewald)
# Meseritz
# Oststernberg
# Schwerin (Warthe)
# Soldin
# Sorau (Lausitz)
# Spremberg (Lausitz)
# Weststernberg
# Züllichau-Schwiebus

Regierungsbezirk Potsdam

Urban districts (Stadtkreise)

# Lichtenberg (1908-1920; from 1912: known as Berlin-Lichtenberg; after 1920: part of Groß-Berlin)
# Schöneberg (1899-1920; from 1912: known as Berlin-Schöneberg; after 1920: part of Groß-Berlin)
# Wilmersdorf (1907-1920; from 1912: known as Berlin-Wilmersdorf; after 1920: part of Groß-Berlin)
# Brandenburg (Havel) (from 1881)
# Charlottenburg (1877-1920; then a part of Groß-Berlin)
# Eberswalde (from 1911)
# Neukölln (1899-1920; then a part of Groß-Berlin)
# Potsdam (from 1809)
# Rathenow (from1925)
# Spandau (1886-1920; then a part of Groß-Berlin)
# Wittenberge (from 1922)

Rural districts (Landkreise)

# Angermünde
# Beeskow-Storkow
# Jüterbog-Luckenwalde
# Niederbarnim (mostly incorporated into Groß-Berlin in 1920)
# Oberbarnim
# Osthavelland (mostly incorporated into Groß-Berlin in 1920)
# Ostprignitz
# Prenzlau
# Ruppin
# Teltow (mostly incorporated into Groß-Berlin in 1920)
# Templin
# Westhavelland
# Westprignitz
# Zauch-Belzig

External links

* [http://www.deutsche-schutzgebiete.de/provinz_brandenburg.htm Further information (in German)]
* [http://www.gemeindeverzeichnis.de/gem1900//gem1900.htm?brandenburg/brandenburg1900.htm Population breakdown of Brandenburg province, 1910 (in German)]