Imagine a bustling Danish harbor town. That’s Altona, Hamburg. It sits on the Elbe’s right bank. Altona is the westernmost borough. It is also called Hamburg-Altona.
Founded in 1535, Altona started as a fishermen’s village. It belonged to Holstein-Pinneberg then. Danish rule began in 1640. Altona became part of Holstein-Glückstadt. King Frederik III granted municipal rights in 1664. He ruled as Duke of Holstein too.
Altona became a vital harbor for the Danish monarchy. In 1844, the railway to Kiel opened. It was called the Hamburg-Altona–Kiel railway. It was also known as Christian VIII Østersø Jernbane.
Wars reshaped Altona’s destiny. Denmark ceded Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg after conflicts. Prussia and Austria jointly administered them. Later, Holstein was under Austrian control. Schleswig and Lauenburg fell to Prussia. In 1867, Schleswig-Holstein became a Prussian province. Altona joined the German Empire in 1871. Cholera struck the same year. At least 16 people died in Altona.
Interestingly, Altona fostered a significant Jewish community. Hamburg restricted Jewish residency until 1864. Count Ernest granted residence permits to Ashkenazic Jews in 1611. Altona’s Jewish community thrived for centuries. They became a major center for Jewish life. Jewish cemeteries remain after the Nazi Holocaust. Holstein-Pinneberg offered lower taxes. It also had fewer restrictions than Hamburg.
The Weimar era brought unrest to Altona. Major labor strikes and street disorders occurred. Inflation was a huge problem. In 1923, Mayor Max Brauer paid staff partly with gas meter tokens. These tokens retained value.
Altona Bloody Sunday marked a tragic event. On July 17, 1932, 18 people died. Police killed all but two during a clash. Nazi marchers fought with Communist Party members. The Greater Hamburg Act in 1938 changed Altona. It merged Altona with Hamburg. Bruno Tesch and others faced execution by beheading in 1933.
The Federal Republic of Germany reversed Tesch’s conviction in the 1990s. They cleared his name and the others who were killed.
In 2007, district offices in Hamburg closed. Altona had local offices in Blankenese, Lurup, and Osdorf. Schanzenviertel became Sternschanze in 2008. It is now entirely within Altona.
Today, Altona is known for its Fischmarkt. It is a popular destination.
Altona’s neighborhoods are diverse. Poverty in Lurup and Osdorf contrasts with wealth in Blankenese. The Elbe River borders Altona to the south. Lower Saxony and other Hamburg boroughs lie across the river. Altona covers 77.5 square kilometers.
Altona is divided into various quarters. These include Altona-Altstadt and Altona-Nord. There is also Bahrenfeld and Ottensen. Blankenese, Iserbrook, and Sternschanze are other quarters.
Altona had 274,702 residents in 2018. Children under 18 made up 18%. Those 65 and older comprised 17.9%. Immigrants accounted for 16.2%.
Hamburg-Altona is a major railway station. It connects with regional railways and local bus lines. The A7 autobahn runs through Altona.
Many notable people were born or lived in Altona. These include Jean de Labadie and Gluckel of Hameln. Jonathan Eybeschutz and Jacob Emden also lived here. Carl Reinecke and Bernhard von Bülow were born in Altona.