Editing Saarbrücken

{{Short description|Capital of Saarland, Germany}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox German place
|type = City
|German_name = <small>''Sabrigge'' ([[Rhenish Franconian]])</small> <small>{{native name|fr|Sarrebruck}}</small>
| image_skyline            = {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| perrow = 1/2/3/2/1
| total_width = 290
| align = center
| caption_align = center
| image1             = Saarland_Rathaus_Saarbrücken_01.jpg
| caption1           = Rathaus St. Johann (city hall)
| image2             = Berliner Promenade.jpg
| caption2           = Berliner Promenade
| image3             = TotaleMuseum2.jpg
| caption3           = [[Saarbrücken Castle]]
| image4             = Campus der Universitaet des Saarlandes.jpg
| caption4           = [[Universität des Saarlandes]]
| image5             = Ludwigskirche Saarbruecken.JPG
| caption5           = [[Ludwigskirche|Louis' Church]]
| image6             = Saarbrücken (1814997497).jpg
| caption6           = [[Saarland State Theatre]]
| image7             = 20200427 Alte Brücke Saarbrücken 01.jpg
| caption7           = [[Bundesautobahn 620|A 620]] along the [[Saar (river)|Saar]]
| image8             = Saarbahn johanniskirche.jpg
| caption8           = [[Saarbahn]]
| image9             = Sankt Johann, Saarbrücken, Germany - panoramio (55).jpg
| caption9           = }}
|image_coa = DEU Saarbruecken COA.svg
|image_flag=Flag of Saarbrücken.svg|coordinates = {{coord|49|14|N|7|0|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = Saarbrücken in SB.svg
|state = Saarland
|district = [[Saarbrücken (district)|Saarbrücken]]
|elevation = 230.1
|area = 167.52
|pop_urban = 329593<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saarland.de/dokumente/thema_statistik/FB_300617_nZ.pdf|website=Saarland.de|title=Fläche, Bevölkerung in den Gemeinden am 30.06.2017 nach Geschlecht, Einwohner je km 2 und Anteil an der Gesamtbevölkerung (Basis Zensus 2011)}}</ref> 
|pop_metro = 700000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saarmoselle.org/rubrique.php?id_rubrique=1709#top|title=Euro District Saar-Moselle|website=saarmoselle.org}}</ref>
|postal_code = 66001–66133
|area_code = 0681, 06893, 06897, 06898, 06805
|licence = SB
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 10 0 41 100
|divisions = 20
|website = {{URL|https://www.saarbruecken.de/en|saarbruecken.de}}
|mayor = [[Uwe Conradt]]<ref>[https://www.saarland.de/stat/DE/_downloads/aktuelleTabellen/Wahlen/Direktwahlen/Gew%C3%A4hlte_B%C3%BCrgermeister_und_Landr%C3%A4te_im_Saarland.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=11 Gewählte Ober-/Bürgermeister*innen, Landrät*innen und Regionalverbandsdirektor*in im Saarland], Statistisches Amt des Saarlandes, 27 March 2022.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2019&ndash;29
|party = CDU
}}
[[File:2018-06-28 Saarland karte (V1.11).png|thumb|290px|Location of Saarbrücken within the Saarland]]

'''Saarbrücken''' ({{IPA|de|zaːɐ̯ˈbʁʏkn̩|-|De-Saarbrücken3.ogg}}; [[Rhenish Franconian]]: ''Sabrigge'' {{IPA|de|zaːˈbʁɪɡə||generic=yes}}; {{langx|fr|link=no|Sarrebruck}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saarbruecken.de/fr|title=Start {{!}} Landeshauptstadt Saarbrücken|language=fr,de|work=Saarbruecken.de}}</ref> {{IPA|fr|saʁbʁyk|}}; {{langx|lb|Saarbrécken}} {{IPA|lb|zaːˈbʀekən||Lb-Saarbrécken.ogg}}; {{langx|la|Saravipons}}; {{lit|[[Saar (river)|Saar]] Bridges}}) is the capital and largest [[List of cities and towns in Germany|city]] of the state of [[Saarland]], Germany. Saarbrücken has 181,959 inhabitants and is Saarland's administrative, commercial and cultural centre. It is located on the [[Saar River]] (a tributary of the [[Moselle]]), directly borders the French department of [[Moselle (department)|Moselle]], and is Germany's second-westernmost state capital after [[Düsseldorf]].

The modern city of Saarbrücken was created in 1909 by the merger of the three cities of '''Saarbrücken''' (now called ''Alt-Saarbrücken''), '''[[Sankt Johann (Saarbrücken)|St. Johann a. d. Saar]]''', and '''[[Malstatt-Burbach]]'''. It was the industrial and transport centre of the Saar coal basin. Products included iron and steel, sugar, beer, pottery, optical instruments, machinery, and construction materials.

Historic landmarks in the city include the stone bridge across the [[Saar (river)|Saar]] (1546), the Gothic church of St.&nbsp;Arnual, the 18th-century [[Saarbrücken Castle]], and the old part of the town, the ''Sankt Johanner Markt'' (Market of St.&nbsp;Johann).

Saarbrücken has an international airport (''[[Flughafen Saarbrücken]]'') in the borough of Saarbrücken-Ensheim. The main campus of the [[University of the Saarland]] (''Universität des Saarlandes'') is located within the city forest of Saarbrücken-St. Johann, while the university hospital (''Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes'') can be found in [[Homburg, Saarland|Homburg]]. The public broadcaster of the Saarland, [[Saarländischer Rundfunk]] (''Saarlandian Broadcasting''), has its seat on the Halberg Mountain in Saarbrücken-Brebach-Fechingen, and its transmission mast (''Sendemast Halberg'') can be seen from afar.

In the 20th century, Saarbrücken was twice separated from Germany: from 1920 to 1935 as capital of the [[Saar (League of Nations)|Territory of the Saar Basin]] and from 1947 to 1956 as capital of the [[Saar (protectorate)|Saar Protectorate]].

==Etymology==
In modern German, ''Saarbrücken'' literally translates to ''Saar bridges'' (''Brücken'' is the plural of ''[[wiktionary:Brücke|Brücke]]''), and indeed there are about a dozen bridges across the Saar river. However, the name actually predates the oldest bridge in the historic centre of Saarbrücken, the ''Alte Brücke'', by at least 500 years.

The name ''Saar'' stems from the [[Celtic languages|Celtic]] word ''sara'' (''streaming water''), and the [[Latin|Roman]] name of the river, ''Saravus''.<ref name="DrNeumann">{{cite web | title = Saarbrücken hat nichts mit Brücken zu tun? | url = http://heimatforschung.rodena.de/index.php5?id=Saarbruecken |author= Dr. Andreas Neumann | language = de | access-date = 22 July 2012}}</ref>

There are two hypotheses about the origin of the second part of the name Saar''brücken''. Most popular states that the historical name of the town, ''Sarabrucca'', derived from the [[Celtic languages|Celtic]] word ''[[wiktionary:briga|briga]]'' (''hill'', or ''rock'', ''big stone''<ref name="DrNeumann"/>), which became ''[[wiktionary:Brocken|Brocken]]'' (which means ''rock'' or ''boulder'') in [[High German]]. The castle of ''Sarabrucca'' was located on a large rock by the name of ''Saarbrocken'' overlooking the river Saar.<ref name="memotransfront">{{cite book 
| last1 = Krebs
| first1 = Gerhild
| last2 = Hudemann
| first2 = Rainer
|author3=Marcus Hahn
| year = 2009
| chapter = Brücken an der mittleren Saar und ihren Nebenflüssen [Bridges in the middle Saar and its tributaries]
| chapter-url = http://www.memotransfront.uni-saarland.de/bruecken.shtml
| title =  Stätten grenzüberschreitender Erinnerung – Spuren der Vernetzung des Saar-Lor-Lux-Raumes im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert. 
|trans-title=Places of transnational memory – traces of crosslinking of the Saar-Lor-Lux area in the 19th and 20th centuries
| edition = 3rd
| publisher = Johannes Großmann
| publication-place = Saarbrücken
| language = de
| url = http://www.memotransfront.uni-saarland.de/
| access-date = 22 July 2012
}}</ref> Another opinion holds that the historical name of the town, ''Sarabrucca'', derived from the [[Old High German]] word ''Brucca'' {{in lang|de}}, meaning ''bridge'', or more precisely a [[corduroy road]], which was also used in fords. Next to the castle, there was a ford allowing land-traffic to cross the Saar.<ref name="Stadtluft8_9">{{Citation
| last = Sander
| first = Eckart
| title = Stadtluft macht frei
| chapter = Meine Geburt war das erste meiner Mißgeschicke
| publisher = [[Saarbrücken (district)|Stadtverband Saarbrücken, Pressereferat]]
| year = 1999
| language = de
| pages =8–9
| isbn =3-923405-10-3
}}</ref>

==History==

===Roman Empire===
[[File:20110418Roemerkastell Saarbruecken10.jpg|thumb|left|Ruins of the [[Castra|Roman camp]] ''Römerkastell'']]
In the last centuries BC, the [[Mediomatrici]] settled in the Saarbrücken area.<ref name="LHSSB">{{cite web | title = Chronik von Saarbrücken | publisher = Landeshauptstadt Saarbrücken | url = http://www.saarbruecken.de/de/tourismus/infos_und_reiseplanung/sehenswertes/sehenswuerdigkeiten/die_geschichte_saarbrueckens | language = de | access-date = 18 July 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111206180842/http://www.saarbruecken.de/de/tourismus/infos_und_reiseplanung/sehenswertes/sehenswuerdigkeiten/die_geschichte_saarbrueckens | archive-date = 6 December 2011 }}</ref> When Julius Caesar conquered Gaul in the first century BC, the area was incorporated into the [[Roman Empire]]. 
[[File:Saarbrücken Halberg Mithrashöhle.JPG|thumb|right|The [[mithraeum|Mithras shrine]] at ''Halberg'' hill]]
From the first century AD to the fifth century,<ref name="kastell">{{cite web | title = Das Römerkastell in Saarbrücken | publisher = Interessengemeinschaft Warndt und Rosseltalbahn (IGWRB) e. V. | url = http://warndt.freizeit-saar.eu/pop_poi_details.php?id=1258&lang=de | language = de | access-date = 4 April 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130213055100/http://warndt.freizeit-saar.eu/pop_poi_details.php?id=1258&lang=de | archive-date = 13 February 2013 }}</ref> there was the [[Gallo-Roman culture|Gallo-Roman]] settlement called ''vicus Saravus'' west of Saarbrücken's ''Halberg'' hill,<ref name="Saarlandbilder">{{cite web | url = http://www.saarlandbilder.net/orte/saarbruecken/roemerkastell/kastell.html | title = Röerkastell in Saarbrücken | date    = 20 January 2009 | work = Saarlandbilder | language=de | publisher  = Andreas Rockstein | access-date = 22 July 2012}}</ref> on the [[Roman road|roads]] from [[Metz#Ancient history|Metz]] to [[Worms, Germany#Celts and Romans|Worms]] and from [[History of Trier#Roman Empire|Trier]] to [[Argentoratum|Strasbourg]].<ref name="Stadtluft8_9"/> Since the first or second century AD,<ref name="Stadtluft8_9"/> a wooden bridge, later upgraded to stone,<ref name="memotransfront"/> connected ''vicus Saravus'' with the south-western bank of the Saar, today's St&nbsp;Arnual, where at least one [[Roman villa]] was located.<ref name="Arnual">{{cite web | title = Ausgrabungen im Kreuzgangbereich des ehem. Stiftes St. Arnual, Saarbrücken 1996–2004 | author = Jan Selmer |year = 2005 | url = http://www.zeitensprung.de/arnpub07.html | language = de | access-date = 22 July 2012}}</ref> In the third century AD, a [[mithraeum|Mithras shrine]] was built in a cave in ''Halberg'' hill, on the eastern bank of the Saar river, next to today's old "Osthafen" harbor,<ref name="mithras">{{cite web | title = Mithras-Heiligtum Saarbrücken | publisher = Tourismus Zentrale Saarland GmbH | url = http://www.tourismus.saarland.de/de/mithras-heiligtum-saarbruecken-saarland | language = de | access-date = 4 April 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150428183732/http://www.tourismus.saarland.de/de/mithras-heiligtum-saarbruecken-saarland | archive-date = 28 April 2015 }}</ref> and a small [[Castra|Roman camp]] was constructed at the foot of Halberg hill<ref name="Saarlandbilder"/> next to the river.<ref name="kastell"/>

Toward the end of the fourth century, the [[Alemanni]] destroyed the castra and ''vicus Saravus'', removing permanent human presence from the Saarbrücken area for almost a century.<ref name="Stadtluft8_9"/>

===Middle Ages to 18th century===
{{See also|Saarbrücken Castle#History|label 1=History of Saarbrücken Castle}}
The Saar area came under the control of the [[Franks]] towards the end of the fifth century. In the sixth century, the [[Merovingian dynasty|Merovingians]] gave the village ''Merkingen'', which had formed on the ruins of the villa on the south-western end of the (in those times still usable) Roman bridge, to the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Metz|Bishopric of Metz]]. Between 601 and 609, Bishop Arnual founded a community of clerics, a ''[[Stift#Stift as a collegiate body or building|Stift]]'', there. Centuries later the ''Stift'', and in 1046 ''Merkingen'', took on his name, giving birth to ''St&nbsp;Arnual''.<ref name="Stadtluft8_9"/>

The oldest documentary reference to Saarbrücken is a deed of donation from 999, which documents that [[Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Otto III]] gave the "castellum Sarabrucca" (Saarbrücken castle) to the Bishops of Metz. The Bishops gave the area to the [[Count]]s of ''[[County of Saargau|Saargau]]'' as a [[Fee (feudal tenure)|fief]].<ref name="Stadtluft8_9"/> By 1120, the county of Saarbrücken had been formed and a small settlement around the castle developed. In 1168, [[Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Barbarossa]] ordered the [[slighting]] of Saarbrücken because of a [[feud]] with Count Simon I. The damage cannot have been grave, as the castle continued to exist.<ref name="GdS">{{cite book 
|last1=Behringer 
|first1=Wolfgang 
|last2=Clemens 
|first2=Gabriele 
|chapter = Hochmittelalterlicher Landesausbau
|title=Geschichte des Saarlandes 
|trans-title=History of the Saarland 
|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FeGD1POy1BkC&pg=PA21 
|date=20 July 2011 
|publisher=C.H.Beck 
|location=München
|language=de 
|isbn=978-3-406-62520-6 
|page=21
|access-date = 22 July 2012}}</ref>
 
In 1321/1322<ref name="memotransfront"/> Count Johann I of [[County of Saarbrücken-Commercy|Saarbrücken-Commercy]] gave city status to the settlement of Saarbrücken and the fishing village of St&nbsp;Johann on the opposite bank of the Saar, introducing a joint administration and emancipating the inhabitants from [[serfdom]].<ref name="LHSSB"/>

From 1381 to 1793 the counts of [[County of Nassau-Saarbrücken|Nassau-Saarbrücken]] were the main local rulers. In 1549, [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Charles V]] prompted the construction of the ''Alte Brücke'' (old bridge) connecting Saarbrücken and St&nbsp;Johann. At the beginning of the 17th century, [[Louis II, Count of Nassau-Weilburg|Count Ludwig II]] ordered the construction of a new Renaissance-style castle on the site of the old castle, and founded Saarbrücken's oldest [[Gymnasium (Germany)|secondary school]], the ''Ludwigsgymnasium''. During the [[Thirty Years' War]], the population of Saarbrücken was reduced to just 70 by 1637, down from 4500 in 1628. During the [[Franco-Dutch War]], [[Louis XIV of France|King Louis XIV]]'s troops burned down Saarbrücken in 1677, almost completely destroying the city such that just 8 houses remained standing.<ref name="LHSSB"/> The area was incorporated into France for the first time in the 1680s. In 1697 France was forced to relinquish the Saar province, but from 1793 to 1815 regained control of the region.

During the reign of [[William Henry, Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken|Prince William Henry]] from 1741 to 1768, the coal mines were nationalized and his policies created a [[Proto-industrialization|proto-industrialized]] economy, laying the foundation for [[Saarland#Economy|Saarland]]'s later highly industrialized economy. Saarbrücken was booming, and Prince William Henry spent on building and on infrastructure like the ''Saarkran'' river [[Treadwheel crane|crane]] (1761), far beyond his financial means. However, the famous [[Baroque architecture|baroque]] architect [[Friedrich Joachim Stengel]] created not only the ''Saarkran'', but many iconic buildings that still shape Saarbrücken's face today, like the ''Friedenskirche'' (Peace Church), which was finished in 1745, the ''Old City Hall'' (1750), the catholic ''St.&nbsp;John's'' ''[[Minor basilica|Basilica]]'' (1754), and the famous ''[[Ludwigskirche]]'' (1775), Saarbrücken's landmark.<ref name="LHSSB"/>

===19th century===
[[File:Die Gartenlaube (1871) b 753.jpg|thumb|left|''Lulustein'' in 1871, commemorating [[Napoléon, Prince Imperial|Prince Louis Bonaparte]]'s first cannon shot]]
In 1793, Saarbrücken was captured by [[French Revolution]]ary troops and in the treaties of [[Treaty of Campo Formio|Campo Formio]] and [[Treaty of Lunéville|Lunéville]], the county of Saarbrücken was ceded to France.<ref name="LHSSB"/>

After 1815 Saarbrücken became part of the [[Prussia]]n [[Rhine Province]]. The office of the mayor of Saarbrücken administered the urban municipalities Saarbrücken and St&nbsp;Johann, and the rural municipalities [[Malstatt-Burbach|''Malstatt'', ''Burbach'']], ''Brebach'', and ''Rußhütte''. The [[Saar-Warndt coal mining basin|coal and iron resources of the region]] were developed: in 1852, a railway connecting the [[Palatine Ludwig Railway Company|Palatine Ludwig Railway]] with the [[Chemins de fer de l'Est|French Eastern Railway]] was constructed, the Burbach ironworks started production in 1856, beginning in 1860 the Saar up to [[Ensdorf, Saarland|Ensdorf]] was channeled, and Saarbrücken was connected to the [[List of canals in France|French canal network]].<ref name="LHSSB"/>

At the start of the [[Franco-Prussian War#Occupation of Saarbrücken|Franco-Prussian War]], Saarbrücken was the first target of the French invasion force which drove off the Prussian vanguard and occupied Alt-Saarbrücken on 2 August 1870. Oral tradition has it that 14-year-old French Prince [[Napoléon, Prince Imperial|Napoléon Eugène Louis Bonaparte]] fired his first cannon in this battle, an event commemorated by the ''Lulustein'' memorial in Alt-Saarbrücken. On 4 August 1870 the French left Saarbrücken, driven away towards Metz in the [[Battle of Spicheren]] on 6 August 1870. Saarbrücken would remain the only German territory occupied by French forces during the conflict.

===20th century===
In 1909 the cities of Saarbrücken, St Johann and Malstatt-Burbach merged and formed the major city of Saarbrücken with a population of over 100,000.

During [[World War I]], factories and railways in Saarbrücken were bombed by British forces. The [[Royal Naval Air Service]] raided Saarbrücken with 11&nbsp;[[Airco DH.4|DH4s]] on 17 October 1917, and a week later with 9&nbsp;[[Handley Page Type O|HP11s]].<ref>{{cite web | url=//www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/bc_devel1.html | work=RAF History – Bomber Command 60th Anniversary | title=Development of the Strategic Bomber | access-date=30 April 2013 | date=13 March 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501105123/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/bc_devel1.html | archive-date=1 May 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Royal Air Force]] raided Saarbrücken's railway station with 5&nbsp;[[Airco DH.9|DH9s]] on 31 July 1918, on which occasion one DH9 crashed near the town centre.<ref>{{cite web | url=//www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/h99.html | work=RAF History – Bomber Command 60th Anniversary | title=No. 99 Squadron | access-date=30 April 2013 | date=13 March 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301044315/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/h99.html | archive-date=1 March 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

Saarbrücken became capital of the [[Saar (League of Nations)|Saar territory]] established in 1920. Under the [[Treaty of Versailles]] (1919), the [[Saar-Warndt coal mining basin|Saar coal mines]] were made the exclusive property of France for a period of 15 years as compensation for the destruction of French mines during the [[First World War]]. The treaty also provided for a [[plebiscite]], at the end of the 15-year period, to determine the territory's future status, and in 1935 more than 90% of the electorate voted for reunification with Germany, while only 0.8% voted for unification with France. The remainder wanted to rejoin Germany but not while the Nazis were in power. This "status quo" group voted for maintenance of the League of Nations' administration. In 1935, the Saar territory rejoined Germany and formed a district under the name Saarland.

====World War II====
Saarbrücken was heavily [[Strategic bombing during World War II|bombed]] in [[World War II]].<ref name="luftangriffe">{{cite web | url=http://www.flugzeugabstuerze-saarland.de/html/luftangriffe.html | work=The results of the air war 1939–1945 in the Saarland | title=air raids | access-date=1 May 2013 | date=27 July 2012 | author=Klaus Zimmer}}</ref>
In total 1,234 people (1.1 percent of the population) in Saarbrücken were killed in bombing raids from 1942 to 1945.<ref>After the Battle Magazine, Issue 170, November 2015, page 34</ref> 11,000 homes were destroyed and 75 percent of the city left in ruins. Today more than a third of the city consists of buildings from before 1945.<ref>https://zensus2011.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Publikationen/Aufsaetze_Archiv/2015_12_NI_GWZ_endgueltig.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4</ref>

The British [[RAF Bomber Command|Royal Air Force]] (RAF) raided Saarbrücken at least 10 times. Often employing [[Area bombing directive|area bombing]], the RAF used a total of at least 1,495 planes to attack Saarbrücken, killing a minimum of 635 people and heavily damaging more than 8,400 buildings, of which more than 7,700 were completely destroyed, thus [[dehousing]] more than 50,000 people.<ref name="luftangriffe"/> The first major raid on Saarbrücken was undertaken by 291&nbsp;aircraft of the RAF on 29 July 1942, targeting industrial facilities. Losing nine&nbsp;aircraft, the bombers destroyed almost 400&nbsp;buildings, damaging more than 300 others, and killed more than 150 people.<ref name=diary>{{cite web | title=Campaign Diary | work=RAF History – Bomber Command 60th Anniversary | url=//www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/diary.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610145646/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/diary.html | archive-date=10 June 2007 | access-date=30 April 2013 | date=13 March 2006 | publisher=UK Crown | url-status=dead }}<br />'''1942''': 
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070611032112/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/jul42.html July],
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070611030306/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/aug42.html August],
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070610105237/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/sep42.html September],<br />
'''1944''':
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070611030447/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/apr44.html April], 
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070611023020/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/jun44.html June], 
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070611031257/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/jul44.html July],
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070611024544/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/oct44.html October],<br />
'''1945''':
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070611024304/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/jan45.html January]</ref> On 28 August 1942, 113 RAF planes raided Saarbrücken doing comparatively little damage due to widely scattered bombing.<ref name="diary"/> After the RAF mistakenly bombed [[Saarlouis]] instead of Saarbrücken on 1 September 1942, it raided Saarbrücken with 118&nbsp;planes on 19 September 1942, causing comparatively little damage as the bombing scattered to the west of Saarbrücken due to ground haze.<ref name="diary"/> There were small raids with 28&nbsp;[[de Havilland Mosquito|Mosquitos]]<ref name="diary"/> on 30 April 1944, with 33&nbsp;Mosquitos<ref name="diary"/> on 29 June 1944, and with just 2&nbsp;Mosquitos<ref name="diary"/> on 26 July 1944. At the request of the American Third Army, the RAF massively raided Saarbrücken on 5 October 1944, to destroy supply lines, especially the railway. The 531&nbsp;[[Avro Lancaster|Lancasters]] and 20&nbsp;Mosquitos achieved these goals, but lost 3&nbsp;Lancasters and destroyed large parts of Malstatt and nearly all of Alt-Saarbrücken.<ref name="diary"/> From 13 to 14 January, the RAF raided Saarbrücken three times, targeting the railway yard. The attacks with 158, 274, and 134 planes, respectively, were very effective.<ref name="diary"/>

The [[Eighth Air Force|8th US Air Force]] raided Saarbrücken at least 16 times, from 4 October 1943, to 9 November 1944. Targeting mostly the marshalling yards, a total of at least 2,387 planes of the 8th&nbsp;USAF killed a minimum of 543 people and heavily damaged more than 4,400 buildings, of which more than 700 were completely destroyed, thus depriving more than 2,300 people of shelter.<ref name="luftangriffe"/> [[Donald J. Gott]] and [[William E. Metzger, Jr.]] were posthumously awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] for their actions during the bombing run on 9 November 1944.

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1979-020-24, Westwall, eingebautes MG.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Machine-gun emplacement of a bunker. Saarbrücken, 1940.]]
[[File:M24 Chaffee at Spicheren pic01.JPG|thumb|left|[[M24 Chaffee|M24]], donated by veterans of the 70th US Infantry, facing ruins of fortifications at Spicheren Heights]]
On the ground, Saarbrücken was defended by the [[347th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|347th Infantry Division]] commanded by [[Wolf-Günther Trierenberg]] in 1945.<ref>After the Battle Magazine, Issue 170, November 2015, page 36</ref> The [[70th Infantry Division (United States)|US 70th Infantry Division]] was tasked with punching through the [[Siegfried Line]] and taking Saarbrücken. As the fortifications were unusually strong, it first had to take the Siegfried Line fortifications on the French heights near [[Spicheren]] overlooking Saarbrücken. This ''Spichern-Stellung'' had been constructed in 1940 after the French had fallen back on the [[Maginot Line]] during the [[Phoney War]]. The 276th Infantry Regiment attacked [[Forbach]] on 19 February 1945, and a fierce battle ensued, halting the American advance at the rail-road tracks cutting through Forbach on 22 February 1945.<ref name="70th">{{cite web | url=//www.trailblazersww2.org/Docs/division_history.pdf | work=taken from "The 50th Anniversary program book of the 70th Division (Training)" | title=Abbreviated History of the 70th Infantry Division | access-date=10 May 2013 | date=10 November 2004 | author=70th Regional Readiness Command }}</ref> The 274th and 275th Infantry Regiments took Spicheren on 20 February 1945.<ref name="70th"/> When the 274th Infantry Regiment captured the Spicheren Heights<ref name="70th"/> on 23 February 1945, after a heavy battle on the previous day, the Germans counter-attacked for days, but by 27 February 1945, the heights were fully under American control.<ref>{{cite web | url=//www.trailblazersww2.org/units_274_spicheren_heights_battle.htm | work=taken from "Trailblazer" magazine, Fall 1997, pp. 10–12 | title=The Battle for Spicheren Heights | access-date=10 May 2013 | date=1 February 2013 | author=Charlie Pence }}</ref> A renewed attack on 3 March 1945, allowed units of the 70th Infantry Division to enter [[Stiring-Wendel]] and the remainder of Forbach. By 5 March 1945, all of Forbach and major parts of Stiring-Wendel had been taken. However, fighting for Stiring-Wendel, especially for the ''Simon'' mine, continued for days.<ref name="70th"/> After the German defenders of Stiring-Wendel fell back to Saarbrücken on 12 and 13 March 1945,<ref name="274th">{{cite web | url=//www.trailblazersww2.org/units_274_documents_aarmar45.htm | work=Narrative Report of Operations | title=Period from 1 Mar 1945 to 31 Mar 1945 | access-date=10 May 2013 | author=Headquarters 274th Infantry – APO 461 US Army }}</ref> the 70th Infantry Division still faced a strong segment of the Siegfried Line, which had been reinforced<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.saartanisch.de/Linsenspalter/html/hockerlinie_st__arnual.html | work=Operation Linsenspalter- Der Westwall im Saarland | title=Die Höckerlinie in St. Arnual | access-date=10 May 2013 |date=15 May 2005|language = de}}</ref> around Saarbrücken as late as 1940. After having the German troops south of the Saar fall back across the Saar at night, the German defenders of Saarbrücken retreated early on 20 March 1945. The 70th Infantry Division flanked Saarbrücken by crossing the Saar north-west of Saarbrücken. The 274th Infantry Regiment entered Saarbrücken on 20 March 1945, fully occupying it the following day, thus ending the war for Saarbrücken.<ref name="274th"/>

====After World War II====
In 1945, Saarbrücken temporarily became part of the [[Allied Occupation Zones in Germany|French Zone of Occupation]]. In 1947, France created the nominally politically independent [[Saar (protectorate)|Saar Protectorate]] and merged it economically with France to exploit the area's vast coal reserves. Saarbrücken became capital of the new Saar state. A [[Saar Statute referendum, 1955|referendum in 1955]] came out with over two-thirds of the voters rejecting an independent Saar state. The area rejoined the [[Federal Republic of Germany]] on 1 January 1957, sometimes called ''Kleine Wiedervereinigung'' (little reunification). Economic reintegration would, however, take many more years. Saarbrücken became capital of the ''[[States of Germany|Bundesland]]'' (federal state) Saarland. After the administrative reform of 1974, the city had a population of more than 200,000.
[[File:20111230Saarkran Saarbruecken07.jpg|thumb|right|''Saarkran'', reconstructed next to William-Henry-Bridge in 1991]]
From 1990 to 1993, students and an arts professor from the town first secretly, then officially, created [[Platz des Unsichtbaren Mahnmals|an invisible memorial to Jewish cemeteries]]. It is located on the fore-court of the Saarbrücken Castle.

On 9 March 1999 at 4:40&nbsp;am, there was a bomb attack on the controversial [[Wehrmachtsausstellung]] exhibition next to Saarbrücken Castle, resulting in minor damage to the [[Folk high school#Germany and Austria|Volkshochschule]] building housing the exhibition and the adjoining ''[[Saarland Museum#Museum in the Palace Church|Schlosskirche]]'' church; this attack did not cause any injuries.<ref name="BerlinerZeitung">{{cite web | title = Sprengstoffanschlag auf Wehrmachtsausstellung  | work = [[Berliner Zeitung]] | url = http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/archiv/polizei-vermutet-rechtsextremistischen-hintergrund---kritik-an-cdu-anzeigenaktion-sprengstoffanschlag-auf-wehrmachtsausstellung,10810590,9607502.html |author=Karl-Otto Sattler |date=10 March 1999| language = de | access-date = 20 July 2012}}</ref>

==Geography==

===Climate===
Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round.  The [[Köppen Climate Classification]] subtype for this climate is "[[Köppen climate classification#Group C: Temperate/mesothermal climates|Cfb]]" (Marine West Coast Climate/[[Oceanic climate]]).<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=80701&cityname=Saarbrucken%2C+Saarland%2C+Germany&units= Climate Summary for Saarbrücken from Weatherbase.com]</ref>

{{Weather box	
| location = Saarbrücken (1991–2020 normals, extremes since 1935)	
| metric first = Y	
| single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 14.5
|Feb record high C = 20.5
|Mar record high C = 24.0
|Apr record high C = 27.7
|May record high C = 31.2
|Jun record high C = 35.2
|Jul record high C = 37.7
|Aug record high C = 37.1
|Sep record high C = 32.2
|Oct record high C = 26.5
|Nov record high C = 21.2
|Dec record high C = 17.1
|year record high C = 37.7
|Jan high C = 4.0
|Feb high C = 5.7
|Mar high C = 10.3
|Apr high C = 14.9
|May high C = 18.7
|Jun high C = 22.1
|Jul high C = 24.2
|Aug high C = 24.0
|Sep high C = 19.5
|Oct high C = 14.1
|Nov high C = 8.2
|Dec high C = 4.7
| year high C =	14.2
|Jan mean C = 1.5
|Feb mean C = 2.3
|Mar mean C = 5.8
|Apr mean C = 9.7
|May mean C = 13.5
|Jun mean C = 16.8
|Jul mean C = 18.7
|Aug mean C = 18.3
|Sep mean C = 14.2
|Oct mean C = 10.0
|Nov mean C = 5.4
|Dec mean C = 2.4
|year mean C =	9.9
|Jan low C = -1.0
|Feb low C = -0.8
|Mar low C = 1.8
|Apr low C = 4.7
|May low C = 8.3
|Jun low C = 11.5
|Jul low C = 13.4
|Aug low C = 13.2
|Sep low C = 9.6
|Oct low C = 6.4
|Nov low C = 2.7
|Dec low C = 0.0
|year low C = 5.8
|Jan record low C = -17.2
|Feb record low C = -20.8
|Mar record low C = -14.9
|Apr record low C = -6.0
|May record low C = -2.3
|Jun record low C = 0.0
|Jul record low C = 3.7
|Aug record low C = 3.9
|Sep record low C = -0.5
|Oct record low C = -6.1
|Nov record low C = -11.7
|Dec record low C = -18.7
|year record low C = -20.8
|precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation mm = 76.2
|Feb precipitation mm = 65.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 65.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 50.0
|May precipitation mm = 73.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 63.5
|Jul precipitation mm = 75.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 71.1
|Sep precipitation mm = 66.5
|Oct precipitation mm = 74.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 80.7
|Dec precipitation mm = 99.9
|year precipitation mm = 861.0
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 17.3
|Feb precipitation days = 15.7
|Mar precipitation days = 14.6
|Apr precipitation days = 12.6
|May precipitation days = 14.2
|Jun precipitation days = 13.1
|Jul precipitation days = 13.9
|Aug precipitation days = 13.5
|Sep precipitation days = 12.6
|Oct precipitation days = 15.6
|Nov precipitation days = 17.8
|Dec precipitation days = 19.1
|year precipitation days = 179.9
|Jan sun = 53.5
|Feb sun = 80.9
|Mar sun = 137.0
|Apr sun = 190.5
|May sun = 214.3
|Jun sun = 230.8
|Jul sun = 244.2
|Aug sun = 225.9
|Sep sun = 171.0
|Oct sun = 106.0
|Nov sun = 52.8
|Dec sun = 42.1
|year sun = 1748.9
|Jan humidity = 87.5
|Feb humidity = 82.2
|Mar humidity = 74.9
|Apr humidity = 68.6
|May humidity = 71.4
|Jun humidity = 71.1
|Jul humidity = 69.9
|Aug humidity = 71.9
|Sep humidity = 78.3
|Oct humidity = 84.9
|Nov humidity = 89.1
|Dec humidity = 89.5
|unit snow days = 1.0 cm
|Jan snow days = 6.8
|Feb snow days = 5.0
|Mar snow days = 1.7
|Apr snow days = 0.1
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0
|Nov snow days = 1.6
|Dec snow days = 5.0
|year snow days = 	
| source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name=WMO>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231012173513/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Saarbruecken-Ensheim_10708.csv
| archive-date = 12 October 2023
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Saarbruecken-Ensheim_10708.csv
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020
| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = 12 October 2023}}</ref>
| source 2 = Infoclimat<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie/normales-records/1991-2020/saarbrucken-ensheim-sarrebruck/valeurs/10708.html
| title = Normales et records climatologiques 1991-2020 à Saarbrücken/Ensheim (Sarrebruck)
| publisher = Infoclimat
| language = fr
| access-date = 19 October 2023}}</ref>
}}

===Region===
Some of the closest cities are [[Trier]], [[Luxembourg City|Luxembourg]], [[Nancy, France|Nancy]], [[Metz]], [[Kaiserslautern]], [[Karlsruhe]] and [[Mannheim]]. Saarbrücken is connected by the city's public transport network to the town of [[Sarreguemines]] in France, and to the neighboring town of [[Völklingen]], where the old steel works were the first industrial monument to be declared a [[World Heritage Site]] by UNESCO in 1994 – the [[Völklinger Hütte]].

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations|1871|7680|1895|17082|1910|105089|1919|110623|1927|125020|1935|129085|1946|89709|1951|111450|1961|131732|1970|128251|1975|205366|1980|193554|1985|186229|1990|191694|2000|183257|2011|175853|2022|179296|footnote=Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.}}

Saarbrücken has a population of about 180,000. In 1957, when [[Saar Protectorate]] and Saarbrücken transformed to [[Saarland]] and became a part of [[West Germany]], it had a population of about 125,000. In 1960s many [[Italians|Italian]] guest workers came to Saarbrücken, since then Italians are the largest number of foreigners in Saarbrücken. The 2nd largest foreign groups are the [[French people]] due to its former part of France and the fact that Saarbrücken is located on the French border. Saarbrücken reached its highest number of population in 1975 when it had about 205,000 people. With population of about 180,000 people today Saarbrücken is the 2nd smallest German state capital after [[Schwerin]].

{|class="wikitable" style="float:right;"
|+Largest groups of foreign residents<ref>{{cite web|last1=Waespi-Oeß|first1=Rainer|title=Die Bevölkerung Saarbrückens im Jahr 2013|url=http://www.saarbruecken.de/media/download-532af076063d7|publisher=Amt für Entwicklungsplanung, Statistik und Wahlen|access-date=1 September 2015}}</ref>
|-
! Country of birth ||Population (2022)
|-
|{{flag|Italy}} || 4,051
|-
|{{flag|France}} || 2,492
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}} || 2,345
|-
|{{flag|Ukraine}} || 2,138
|-
|{{flag|Romania}} || 1,755
|-
|{{flag|Syria}} || 1,524
|-
|{{flag|Croatia}} || 1,346
|-
|{{flag|Poland}} || 1,230
|-
|{{flag|Greece}} || 1,176
|-
|{{flag|Bulgaria}} || 1,083
|-
|{{flag|Spain}} || 1,000
|-
|}

==Politics==
===Mayor===
[[File:2019 Saarbrücken mayoral election (2nd round).svg|thumb|300px|Results of the second round of the 2019 mayoral election]]
The current mayor of Saarbrücken is Uwe Conradt of the [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) since 2019. The most recent mayoral election was held on 26 May 2019, with a runoff held on 9 June, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Candidate
! rowspan=2| Party
! colspan=2| First round
! colspan=2| Second round
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Charlotte Britz
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]
| '''27,070'''
| '''36.8'''
| 22,429
| 49.7
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Uwe Conradt
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]
| 21,342
| 29.0
| '''22,703'''
| '''50.3'''
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| Barbara Meyer-Gluche
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]]
| 10,578
| 14.4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| Markus Lein
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]
| 5,075
| 6.9
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| Lale Hadjimohamadvali
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]]
| 3,316
| 4.5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| Gerald Kallenborn
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]]
| 2,975
| 4.0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}| 
| align=left| Michael Franke
| align=left| [[Die PARTEI]]
| 2,715
| 3.7
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|National Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Otfried Best
| align=left| [[National Democratic Party of Germany|National Democratic Party]]
| 469
| 0.6
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 73,540
! 98.7
! 45,132
! 98.8
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 1,001
! 1.3
! 570
! 1.2
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 74,541
! 100.0
! 45,702
! 100.0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 136,949
! 54.4
! 137,071
! 33.3
|-
| colspan=7| Source: City of Saarbrücken ([https://www.saarbruecken.de/media/download-5cebac54841a7 1st round], [https://www.saarbruecken.de/media/download-5cfe16c2f0f26 2nd round])
|}

===City council===
[[File:2019 Saarbrücken City Council election.svg|thumb|300px|Winning party by precinct in the 2019 city council election]]
The city council governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 26 May 2019, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! colspan=2| Party
! Votes
! %
! +/-
! Seats
! +/-
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
| 19,085
| 26.0
| {{decrease}} 3.3
| 18
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
| 18,462
| 25.2
| {{decrease}} 5.2
| 17
| {{decrease}} 3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
| 14,616
| 19.9
| {{increase}} 9.1
| 13
| {{increase}} 6
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke)
| 7,065
| 9.6
| {{decrease}} 2.3
| 6
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
| 5,079
| 6.9
| {{increase}} 2.2
| 4
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
| 3,855
| 5.3
| {{increase}} 1.2
| 3
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}| 
| align=left| [[Die PARTEI]] (PARTEI)
| 2,550
| 3.5
| New
| 2
| New
|-
| colspan=7 bgcolor=lightgrey| 
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Pirate Party Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Pirate Party Germany]] (Piraten)
| 1,052
| 1.4
| {{decrease}} 2.1
| 0
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Voters}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Voters]] (FW)
| 726
| 1.0
| {{decrease}} 1.1
| 0
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| Saarland for All (SfA)
| 457
| 0.6
| {{decrease}} 0.4
| 0
| ±0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|National Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[National Democratic Party of Germany|National Democratic Party]] (NPD)
| 369
| 0.5
| {{decrease}} 1.5
| 0
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! colspan=2| Valid votes
! 73,316
! 98.3
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=2| Invalid votes
! 1,235
! 1.7
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=2| Total
! 74,551
! 100.0
! 
! 63
! ±0
|-
! colspan=2| Electorate/voter turnout
! 136,949
! 54.4
! {{increase}} 11.4
! 
! 
|-
| colspan=7| Source: [https://www.saarbruecken.de/media/download-5cebacc33209b City of Saarbrücken]
|}

==Infrastructure==
The city is served by [[Saarbrücken Airport]] (SCN), and since June 2007 [[InterCityExpress|ICE]] high speed train services along the [[LGV Est]] line provide high speed connections to Paris from [[Saarbrücken Hauptbahnhof]]. Saarbrücken's [[Saarbahn]] (modelled on the [[Karlsruhe model]] [[light rail]]) crosses the French–German border, connecting to the French city of [[Sarreguemines]].

===Science and education===

Saarbrücken is also the home of the main campus of [[Saarland University]] (''Universität des Saarlandes''). There are several research institutes and centres on or near the campus, including:
* the [[Max Planck Institute for Informatics]],
* the [[Max Planck Institute for Software Systems]],
* the [[Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres|Helmholtz]] Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS),<ref>{{cite web | title = Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research : About HIPS  | url=http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/organisation/locations/hips_saarbruecken/ | access-date = 25 June 2013}}</ref>
* the [[Fraunhofer Society|Fraunhofer]] Institute for Non-destructive Testing,
* the [[German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence]],
* the centre for [[Bioinformatics]],
* the [[Europa-Institut]],
* the [[Korea Institute of Science and Technology#KIST Europe|Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe]] Research Society,
* the [[Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Scientific Community#D - Mathematics, Natural Sciences .26 Engineering|Leibniz Institute]] for New Materials (INM), and
* the [[Intel]] Visual Computing Institute,<ref>{{cite web | title = Intel Visual Computing Institute: Bridging Real and Virtual Worlds  | url=http://www.intel-vci.uni-saarland.de/en.html | access-date = 25 June 2013}}</ref>
* the CISPA [[Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres|Helmholtz]] Centre for Information Security,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cispa.saarland/about/ |title=About CISPA |access-date=4 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.helmholtz.de/en/about_us/helmholtz_centers/centers_a_z/zentrum/detailansicht/helmholtz-center-for-information-security-cispa/ |title=Helmholtz Centers |access-date=4 April 2020}}</ref>
* the Society for Environmentally Compatible Process Technology,
* the ''Institut für Angewandte Informationsforschung'' for applied linguistics,
* several institutes focusing on transfer of technology between academia and companies, and the ''Science Park Saar'' startup incubator.

The Saarland University also has a ''Centre Juridique Franco-Allemand'', offering a French and a German law degree program.

The [[Botanischer Garten der Universität des Saarlandes]] (a [[botanical garden]]) was closed in 2016 due to budget cuts.

The main campus of the Saarland University also houses the office of the [[Dagstuhl|Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik]] computer science research and meeting centre.

Furthermore, Saarbrücken houses the administration of the [[Franco-German University]] (''Deutsch-Französische Hochschule''), a French-German cooperation of 180 institutions of tertiary education mainly from France and Germany but also from Bulgaria, Canada, Spain, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Great Britain, Russia and Switzerland, which offers bi-national French-German degree programs and doctorates as well as tri-national degree programs.

Saarbrücken houses several other institutions of tertiary education as well:
* the [[Fachhochschule|University of Applied Sciences]] ''Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes'',
* the [[Art school|University of Arts]] ''Hochschule der Bildenden Künste Saar'',
* the [[Music school|University of Music]] ''Hochschule für Musik Saar'', and
* the private [[Fachhochschule]] for [[health promotion]] and [[physical fitness]] ''Deutsche Hochschule für Prävention und Gesundheitsmanagement''
* the [[Höhere Berufsfachschule für Wirtschaftsinformatik]] (HBFS-WI) providing higher vocational education and awarding the degree "Staatlich geprüfte(r) Wirtschaftsinformatiker(in)" (English: "state-examined business business informatics/software engineer")

Saarbrücken also houses a [[Folk high school#Germany and Austria#Germany and Austria|Volkshochschule]].

With the end of coal mining in the Saar region, Saarbrücken's [[Fachhochschule]] for mining, the ''Fachhochschule für Bergbau Saar'', was closed at the beginning of the 21st century. The [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Trier]]'s ''Katholische Hochschule für Soziale Arbeit'', a Fachhochschule for social work, was closed in 2008 for cost cutting reasons. The Saarland's Fachhochschule for administrative personnel working for the government, the ''Fachhochschule für Verwaltung des Saarlandes'', was moved from Saarbrücken to ''Göttelborn'' in 2012.

Saarbrücken houses several institutions of primary and secondary education. Notable is the Saarland's oldest [[Gymnasium (Germany)|grammar school]], the ''Ludwigsgymnasium'', which was founded in 1604 as a [[latin school]]. The building of Saarbrücken's bi-lingual French-German ''[[Deutsch-Französisches Gymnasium]]'', founded in 1961 and operating as a [[laboratory school]] under the [[Élysée Treaty]], also houses the ''École française de Sarrebruck et Dilling'', a French primary school which offers bi-lingual German elements. Together with several [[Kindergarten]]s offering bi-lingual French-German education, Saarbrücken thus offers a full bi-lingual French-German formal education.

==Sport==
[[File:Ludwigsparkstadion, Blick von der Osttribüne (Juli 2021).JPG|thumb|[[Ludwigsparkstadion]]]]
The city is home to several different teams, most notable of which is association football team based at the [[Ludwigsparkstadion]], [[1. FC Saarbrücken]], which also has a [[1. FC Saarbrücken II|reserve team]] and a [[1. FC Saarbrücken (women)|women's section]]. In the past a [[Bundesliga|top-flight]] team, twice the country's vice-champions,5-time DFB Pokal Semi-finalists and was a participant in [[UEFA Champions League]], the club draws supporters from across the [[Saarland|region]].

Lower league [[SV Saar 05 Saarbrücken]] is the other football team in the city.

The [[Saarland Hurricanes]] are one of the top [[American football]] teams in the country, with its junior team winning the [[German Junior Bowl]] in 2013.

Various sporting events are held at the [[Saarlandhalle]], most notable of which was the [[badminton]] [[Bitburger Open Grand Prix Gold]], part of the [[BWF Grand Prix Gold and Grand Prix]] tournaments, held in [[2013 Bitburger Open Grand Prix Gold|2013]] and [[2012 Bitburger Open Grand Prix Gold|2012]].

==International relations==
[[File:Tbilisser-platz-saarbruecken.jpg|thumb|255px|right|Tbilisser Platz, Saarbrücken named after [[Tbilisi]], Georgia]]
Saarbrücken is a fellow member of the QuattroPole union of cities, along with [[Luxembourg City|Luxembourg]], [[Metz]], and [[Trier]] (formed by cities from three neighbouring countries: Germany, Luxembourg and France).

===Twin towns – sister cities===
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Saarbrücken is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Saarbrückens Städtepartnerschaften|url=https://www.saarbruecken.de/rathaus/saarbrueckens_staedtepartnerschaften|website=saarbruecken.de|publisher=Saarbrücken|language=de|access-date=2021-03-17}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Nantes]], France (1965)
*{{flagicon|GEO}} [[Tbilisi]], Georgia (1975)
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Cottbus]], Germany (1987)
*{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Kovel]], Ukraine (2023)

Borough of Altenkessel is twinned with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Le comité de jumelage de Coucy-le-Château reprend du service|url=https://www.aisnenouvelle.fr/id118875/article/2020-08-03/le-comite-de-jumelage-de-coucy-le-chateau-reprend-du-service|website=aisnenouvelle.fr|publisher=L'Aisne Nouvelle|language=fr|date=2020-08-03|access-date=2021-03-17}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique]], France

Borough of Dudweiler is twinned with:<ref name=twins>{{cite web |title=Was uns verbindet|url=https://www.saarbruecken.de/rathaus/saarbrueckens_staedtepartnerschaften/was_uns_verbindet|website=saarbruecken.de|publisher=Saarbrücken|language=de|access-date=2021-03-17}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Saint-Avold]], France

Borough of Klarenthal is twinned with:<ref name=twins/>
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Schœneck]], France

===Friendly cities===
Saarbrücken has friendly relations with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Partnerschaft mit Diriamba e.V.|url=https://www.saarbruecken.de/rathaus/saarbrueckens_staedtepartnerschaften/partnerschaft_mit_diriamba_verein|website=saarbruecken.de|publisher=Saarbrücken|language=de|access-date=2021-03-17}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|NIC}} [[Diriamba]], Nicaragua

Borough of Dudweiler has friendly relations with:<ref name=twins/>
*{{flagicon|GER}} Duttweiler, a borough of [[Neustadt an der Weinstraße]], Germany

==Notable people==
=== Arts ===
[[File:Wolfgang Staudte 907-1747 (1).jpg|140px|thumb|Wolfgang Staudte, 1955]]
*[[Frédéric Back]] (1924–2013), Canadian artist and film director of short animated films <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0045610/   IMDb Database] retrieved 19 April 2021</ref>
*[[Egbert Baqué]] (born 1952), gallerist, author and translator
*[[Margot Benary-Isbert]] (1889–1979), author
*Andreas Bettinger (born 1980), German [[black metal]]ist, also known for his influence on [[dungeon synth]].
*[[Ingrid Caven]] (born 1938), actress
*[[Sandra Cretu]] (born 1962), singer
*[[Nicole (German singer)|Nicole]] (born 1964), singer
*[[Max Ophüls]] (1902–1957), film director <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0649097/   IMDb Database] retrieved 19 April 2021</ref>
*[[Edmond Pottier]] (1855–1934), French art historian and archaeologist
*[[Carl Röchling]] (1855–1920), painter and illustrator
*[[Wolfgang Staudte]] (1906–1984), film director <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823906/   IMDb Database] retrieved 19 April 2021</ref>
*[[Otto Steinert]] (1915–1978), photographer
*[[Manfred Trenz]] (born 1965), game designer
*[[Saskia Vester]] (born 1959), actress and author <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0895348/   IMDb Database] retrieved 19 April 2021</ref>
*[[Markus Zahnhausen]] (born 1965), recorder player

[[File:KAS-Altmeier, Peter-Bild-6902-1 (cropped).jpg|140px|thumb|Peter Altmeier, 1963]]

=== Public service ===
*[[Peter Altmeier]] (1899–1977), politician (Centre, CDU)
*[[Michel Antoine]] (1925–2015), French historian
*[[Rudolf Arthur Pfeiffer]] (1931–2012), German geneticist. He discovered the Pfeiffer syndrome in 1964.
*[[Walther Poppelreuter]] (1886–1939), neurologist and psychiatrist
*[[Alfred Sturm]] (1888–1962), lieutenant general in World War II
*[[Rudolf Schmeer]] (1905–1966), politician (NSDAP) and civil servant
*[[Walter Schellenberg]] (1910–1952), senior SS officer
*[[Gerhard Schröder (CDU)|Gerhard Schröder]] (1910–1989), politician (CDU)
*[[Frederic Vester]] (1925–2003), [[biochemist]]
*[[Hans Wagner (general)|Hans Wagner]] (1896–1967), lieutenant general in World War II

=== Sport ===
[[File:Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 2012-03-16 (cropped).JPG|140px|thumb|Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, 2012]]
*[[Christian Hohenadel]] (born 1976), racing driver
*[[Jonas Hector]] (born 1990), footballer
*[[Adolf Kertész]] (1892–1920), Hungarian footballer, settled in Saarbrücken
*[[Werner Klein]] (born 1950), racing driver and entrepreneur
*[[Claudia Kohde-Kilsch]] (born 1963), tennis player and politician
*[[Lisa Klein (cyclist)|Lisa Klein]] (born 1996), cyclist
*[[Gerd Peehs]] (born 1942), footballer

===Honorary citizens===
*[[Tzvi Avni]] (born 1927), Israeli composer<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saarbruecken.de/de/rathaus/stadtverwaltung/preise_und_ehrungen/tzvi_avni_saarbruecker_ehrenbuerger|title=Tzvi Avni Saarbrücker Ehrenbürger |access-date=29 September 2012 |publisher=Landeshauptstadt Saarbrücken|language=de}}</ref>
* [[:de:Max Braun (Politiker)|Max Braun, (German Wiki)]] (1892–1945), politician and journalist, renown for his fight against [[Nazism]], especially over the [[Saar status referendum, 1935|Saar status]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saarbruecken.de/de/rathaus/stadtverwaltung/preise_und_ehrungen/neuer_ehrenbuerger_max_braun|title=Neuer Ehrenbürger Max Braun |access-date=30 August 2018 |publisher=Landeshauptstadt Saarbrücken|language=de}}</ref>
*[[Willi Graf]] (1918–1943), member of the [[White Rose]] [[German resistance to Nazism|resistance]] group

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed>
File:20110818Stiftskirche St Arnual02.jpg|''Stiftskirche St. Arnual''
File:Saarbrücken Schlosskirche (1890058076).jpg|''Schlosskirche St. Nikolaus''
File:Friedenskirche03.jpg|''Friedenskirche'', seen from ''[[Ludwigskirche#Ludwigsplatz|Ludwigsplatz]]''
File:SaarbrückenStJohann1.jpg|St. John's Basilica
File:Saarbruecken-alte-brucke2.jpg|''Alte Brücke'' (Old Bridge)
File:Saarbrücken Staatstheater b.jpg|''[[Theater Saarbrücken|Staatstheater]]'' (State Theatre)
File:St. Michael mit Rotenbergtreppe, Saarbrücken, 2008.jpg|St. Michael
File:Saarbahn johanniskirche.jpg|''Saarbahn'' tramway
File:Saarbrücken HPF.jpg|Central station
File:Flughafen Saarbruecken 001.jpg|[[Saarbrücken Airport]]
File:Saarbrücken Hafenstraße.jpg|Harbour Road
File:Saarbrücken-Bürgerpark.jpg|''Bürgerpark''
File:Universität des Saarlandes, Saarbrücken, 2005.jpg|Campus of [[Saarland University]]
File:20130829St Johanner Markt.jpg|''St. Johanner Markt''
</gallery>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Germany}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
{{Commons category|Saarbrücken}}
* [https://www.saarbruecken.de/en Official website]
* [http://www.flughafen-saarbruecken.de/index.php?id=1&L=1 Saarbrücken-Ensheim Airport]
* [http://www.flughafen-saarbruecken.de/ Saarbrücken-Ensheim Airport] {{in lang|de}}

{{Capitals of the states of the Federal Republic of Germany}}
{{List of European capitals by region}}
{{Cities in Germany}}
{{Cities and towns in Saarbrücken (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saarbrucken}}
[[Category:Saarbrücken| ]]<!--please leave the empty space as standard-->
[[Category:German state capitals]]
[[Category:Towns in Saarland]]
[[Category:Saarbrücken (district)]]
[[Category:Districts of the Rhine Province]]