View source for Witzhave

{{Infobox German location
|image_photo       =
|image_coa            = DEU Witzhave COA.svg
|coordinates       = {{coord|53|34|10|N|10|20|15|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = Witzhave in OD.svg
|state        = Schleswig-Holstein
|district             = Stormarn
|Amt               = Trittau
|elevation              = 24
|area            = 7.87
|postal_code               = 22969
|area_code           = 04104
|licence               = OD
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 01 0 62 086
|website           = [http://www.amt-trittau.de/ www.amt-trittau.de]
|mayor     = Jens Feldhusen
|party            =
}}

'''Witzhave''' ({{IPA|de|vɪt͡sˈhaːvə|-|De-Witzhave.ogg}}, {{Langx|nds|Witthaav}}, {{Langx|pl|Biały Dwór}})<ref>{{Cite web |date=1937 |title=Altas nazw geograficznych słowianszczyny zachodniej |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20140714154235/http://www.mapywig.org/m_documents/PL/ATLAS_NAZW_GEOGRAFICZNYCH_SLOWIANSZCZYZNY_ZACHODNIEJ_ZESZYT_IIA.pdf}}</ref> is a municipality in the district of [[Stormarn (district)|Stormarn]], in [[Schleswig-Holstein]], [[Germany]].

== Geography ==
Witzhave is a part of the [[Trittau (Amt)|Amt Trittau]] collective municipality within the district of [[Stormarn (district)|Stormarn]] and lies roughly 20 km east of [[Hamburg]]. The municipality borders the [[Sachsenwald]] to the east and has three rivers lowing through its territory - The [[Corbek]], Witzhaver Au, Hahnenbek and the [[Bille (Elbe)|Bille]]. The ''[[Bundesautobahn 24]]'' passes through the municipality.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Witzhave in Stormarn Die Gemeinde im Grünen |url=https://travestreifzug.de/Orte/Witzhave |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=travestreifzug.de |language=de-DE}}</ref> Witzhave is reachable via road or public transport through the 333 bus line of the [[Hamburger Verkehrsverbund|HVV]], connecting the municipality directly to Hamburg.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wissenswertes über Witzhave |url=http://www.witzhave.de/index.php/gemeinde/wissenswertes-ueber-witzhave |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=www.witzhave.de}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Witzhave Stone.jpg|thumb|750 year commemorative stone in the center of Witzhave]]
Evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the [[Lower Paleolithic|early stone age]]. [[Bronze Age]] burial objects were discovered during the construction of a [[Autobahn|highway]] through the municipality in 1938.  A piece of [[jewellery]] found in these discoveries, a robe clasp, is depicted on the municipal coat of arms.

The village was first mentioned in 1248 as "Witeshove", roughly meaning "Farm by the forest". It was sold by the [[counts of Holstein]] to the [[Reinbek]] monastery in 1300 which constructed a chapel in the village that would be demolished in 1609 due to poor maintenance.

Witzhave was a prominent stop in the trading route between [[Hamburg]] and [[Lübeck]] with heavy freight wagons pulled by four to six horses frequently passing through the sandy road of the village. This route was however also used to troop transport, which obligated the residents of the village to help out soldiers and their horses in providing shelter as well as supplies. Troop movements through the village were often connected to looting.

The ''[[Bundesautobahn 24]]'', running through the municipality, started construction in 1938 but was put on hold until December 1978 due to [[World War II|World War 2]] and the [[History of Germany (1945–1990)|division of Germany]]. Construction resumed in 1980 and the part of the highway crossing Witzhave was inaugurated on the 12 November 1982.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Geschichte der Gemeinde |url=http://www.witzhave.de/index.php/gemeinde/geschichte-der-gemeinde |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=www.witzhave.de}}</ref>

Witzhave came to national attention in late February 1996 when two members of the [[Far-left politics|far-left]] [[Terrorism|terrorist]] group [[Anti-Imperialist Cell]] (Antiimperialistische Zelle) were stopped and arrested on the main road leading through the village (Möllner Landstraße). Said road was subsequently closed until afternoon due to the arrested men claiming that their car was filled with explosives. The event was reported in many news outlets throughout Germany, including [[Tagesschau (German TV programme)|Tagesschau]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Klix |first=Harald |date=2023-03-28 |title=Polizei stoppt Terroristen – Ausnahmezustand in Witzhave |url=https://www.abendblatt.de/region/stormarn/ahrensburg/article238014227/Wie-die-Polizei-zwei-Terroristen-in-Witzhave-stoppt.html |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=www.abendblatt.de |language=de-DE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tatort Stormarn - Teil 5: Terroristen in Witzhave – Kreis Stormarn |url=https://www.kreis-stormarn.de/aktuelles/pressemeldungen/2023/tatort-stormarn-terroristen-in-witzhave.html |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=www.kreis-stormarn.de}}</ref>

Parts of a [[Tatort]] episode were filmed in Witzhave during 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dreh für neuen Kieler "Tatort" - Tatort - ARD {{!}} Das Erste |url=https://www.daserste.de/unterhaltung/krimi/tatort/tatort-kiel-drehstart-borowski-und-das-unschuldige-kind-von-wacken100.html |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=www.daserste.de |language=de}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
As of 2021, Witzhave had a population of 1,567, with 791 (50.5%) thereof being female, and 776 (49.5%) being male.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistikamt Nord: Meine Region - Datenanzeige für Witzhave |url=https://region.statistik-nord.de/detail/0010000000000000000/1/355/1485/ |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=region.statistik-nord.de}}</ref> The median age in Witzhave was 44.8 as of 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistikamt Nord: Meine Region - Zeitreihe für Witzhave |url=https://region.statistik-nord.de/detail_timeline/13/1102/51/1/355/1485/ |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=region.statistik-nord.de}}</ref>

=== Citizenship ===
In the 2011 census, 1,361 people (97.8%) in Witzhave possessed exclusively [[Germany|German]] citizenship. Additionally, 6 people (0.4%) possessed [[Netherlands|Dutch]] and 3 people (0.2%) [[Austria|Austrian]] citizenship. 21 people (1.5%) possessed another unaccounted citizenship.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Zensus 2011 Witzhave |url=https://www.statistischebibliothek.de/mir/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/SHHeft_derivate_00007384/010625270086_Witzhave_Bev.pdf}}</ref>

=== Religion ===
In the 2011 census, 568 people (40.8%) were members of the [[Evangelical Church in Germany]], with 75 (5.4%) belonging to the [[Catholic Church in Germany|Catholic church]]. 748 people (53.8%) were either [[Irreligion|irreligious]], belonging to another confession, or did not answer.<ref name=":2" />

The only church in the village was inaugurated in 1968, and closed in 2013. The building has since been a chapel, serving primarily as the cultural centre of the village where communal gatherings and events are held.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sextl |first=Julia |date=2015-07-30 |title=Kirche in Witzhave ist nun ein Kulturzentrum |url=https://www.abendblatt.de/region/stormarn/article205518669/Kirche-in-Witzhave-ist-nun-ein-Kulturzentrum.html |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=www.abendblatt.de |language=de-DE}}</ref> Witzhave has thus not had a church of its own from 1609 to 1968, and again since 2013.{{historical populations|1785|151|1939|269|1948|743|2015|1551|2021|1567|footnote=Source: [http://www.witzhave.de/index.php/gemeinde/geschichte-der-gemeinde Witzhave municipality]}}

== Politics ==
The current [[mayor]] of Witzhave is Jens Feldhausen (WW).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gemeindevertretung |url=http://www.witzhave.de/index.php/gemeinde/gemeindevertretung |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=www.witzhave.de}}</ref>

=== Elections ===
The most recent election in Witzhave were the [[2023 Schleswig-Holstein municipal elections]], where the WW was reelected as the strongest faction.{{election table}}
! colspan=2| Candidate
! Party
! Votes
! %
! +/-
! Seats
! +/-
|-
| bgcolor=#63B8FF| 
| align=left| Jens Feldhusen
| align=left| Wählergemeinschaft Witzhave (WW)
| 2,402
| 89.0
| {{decrease}} 0.7
| 12
| {{steady}} ±0
|-
| bgcolor=#DCDCDC| 
| align=left| Peter Linnow
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 298
| 11.0
| New
| 1
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 2,700
! 99.3
! {{decrease}} 0.5
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 19
! 0.7%
! {{steady}} ±0
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 690
! 52.4
! {{increase}} 1.0
! 
! 
|-
| colspan=8| Source: [https://www.wahlen-sh.de/grw/gemeindewahlen_gemeinde_010625270086.html Statistical Office of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein]
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://www.witzhave.de/ Official website] (in German)
* [https://feuerwehr-witzhave.de/ Witzhave fire station] (in German)
* [http://www.xn--whlergemeinschaft-witzhave-ghc.de/ Voters' Association of Witzhave] (in German)
{{Cities and towns in Stormarn (district)}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Stormarn (district)]]