Wilhelmsburg

Wilhelmsburg is a quarter of Hamburg, Germany, within the borough of Hamburg-Mitte. It stands on several islands between the Northern and Southern branches of the Elbe river. The quarter includes Steinwerder, Veddel and Kleiner Grasbrook, with the latter almost entirely made up of port facilities. In 2020, Wilhelmsburg had a population of 53,064. The quarter covers an area of 35.3 square kilometres. It borders Spadenland and Ochsenwerder to the east, Neuland and Harburg to the south, and Moorburg and Altenwerder to the west. Wilhelmsburg has a history dating back to 1642, when George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, acquired three islets and connected them by dams. The island was named in his honour. In 1925, it became a city district and merged with Harburg two years later. During World War II, Wilhelmsburg was heavily bombed as part of Operation Gomorrah. A subcamp to the Neuengamme concentration camp existed here. The North Sea flood of 1962 caused widespread damage. Visitors find a mix of residential areas, port infrastructure and green spaces. The Wilhelmsburger Krankenhaus Groß Sand hospital serves the community with 257 beds. The quarter is connected to Hamburg’s rapid transit system via Wilhelmsburg station. The annual Dockville music and art festival has taken place here since 2007. Bridges link Wilhelmsburg to the city centre and Harburg. The Kattwyk Bridge, the world’s largest vertical lift bridge, connects to the southwest.