Ländergrenzen

Ländergrenzen are the internal borders between the federal states (Länder) within a federal country. In Germany, the term refers to the boundaries that separate the 16 Bundesländer from one another. These borders are primarily legal and administrative in nature: their course is defined in the constitutional law of the Länder and in border treaties and acts at the federation level. Changes to them typically require inter-state agreements and amendments to constitutions, reflecting the constitutional nature of German federalism.

Function and governance: Ländergrenzen delineate the competences and administration of the states, including police, education, culture, and taxation to varying extents. They determine jurisdiction for state-level authorities and influence regional planning and public services. In practice, since Germany participates in the Schengen Area, routine border checks at internal borders are largely absent, although border controls can be temporarily reintroduced for security reasons or during exceptional circumstances, and cross-border cooperation is common.

History and patterns: The present borders largely reflect postwar territorial reforms and state reorganizations in the 1950s–1970s, plus earlier integrations such as the formation of Baden-Württemberg in the 1950s. Some borders follow natural features like rivers or mountain ranges, but most are defined by legal boundaries and administrative lines. Across Länder, there is ongoing cooperation to coordinate infrastructures, commuting, and regional development.

Significance: Ländergrenzen shape governance, identity, and inter-state relations within the federation, influencing elections, funding, and public services. They are complemented by supranational borders at the national level and international agreements within the European Union.

See also: Federal states of Germany, Federalism, Boundary treaty, Administrative law.