Editing Thuringia

{{Short description|State in Germany}}
{{other uses}}
{{redirect|Thüringen|other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| official_name                   = Free State of Thuringia
| native_name                     = <small>{{native name|de|Freistaat Thüringen}}<br/></small>
| native_name_lang                = de
| settlement_type                 = [[States of Germany|State]]
| image_skyline                   = 
| imagesize                       = 270px
| image_caption                   = 
| image_flag                      = Flag of Thuringia.svg
| flag_size                       = 120px
| image_shield                    = Coat of arms of Thuringia.svg
| shield_size                     = 75px
| anthem                          = 
| image_map                       = Locator map Thuringia in Germany.svg
| map_caption                     = 
| coordinates                     = {{coord|50|51|40|N|11|3|7|E|display=inline}}
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = [[Germany]]
| seat_type                       = Capital
| seat                            = [[Erfurt]]
| governing_body                  = [[Landtag of Thuringia]]
| leader_party                    = {{Polparty|Germany|CDU}}
| leader_title                    = [[Minister president (Germany)|Minister-President]]
| leader_name                     = [[Mario Voigt]]
| leader_title1                   = Governing parties
| leader_name1                    = {{Polparty|Germany|CDU}} / {{Polparty|Germany|[[Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance|BSW]]}} / {{Polparty|Germany|SPD}}
| leader_title2                   = [[Bundesrat of Germany|Bundesrat votes]]
| leader_name2                    = 4 (of 69)
| leader_title3           = [[Bundestag|Bundestag seats]]
| leader_name3            = [[Results of the 2021 German federal election#Thuringia|19 (of 736)]]
| total_type                      = Total
| area_footnotes                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 16171
| elevation_m                     = 
| population_footnotes            = <ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://statistik.thueringen.de/datenbank/TabAnzeige.asp?GGglied=1&GGTabelle=gem&tabelle=gg000102&startpage=99&csv=&richtung=&sortiere=&vorspalte=1&SZDT=&anzahlH=-1&fontgr=12&mkro=&AnzeigeAuswahl=&XLS=&auswahlNr=&felder=0&felder=1&felder=2&zeit=2020%7C%7Cs1&anzahlZellen=2199|title = Upps}}</ref>
| population_total                = 2,120,237
| population_as_of                = 2020-12-31
| population_density_km2          = auto
| population_urban                = 
| population_metro                = 
| population_demonym              = Thuringian
| demographics_type1 = GDP
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Bruttoinlandsprodukt, Bruttowertschöpfung {{!}} Statistikportal.de |url=http://www.statistikportal.de/de/vgrdl/ergebnisse-laenderebene/bruttoinlandsprodukt-bruttowertschoepfung |access-date=31 July 2023 |website=Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder {{!}} Gemeinsames Statistikportal |language=de}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1 = Total
| demographics1_info1 = €71.430 billion (2022)
| demographics1_title2 = Per capita
| demographics1_info2 = €33,656 (2022)
| timezone1                       = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1                     = +1
| timezone1_DST                   = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST                 = +2
| postal_code_type                = 
| postal_code                     = 
| area_code_type                  = 
| area_code                       = 
| registration_plate              = 
| iso_code                        = DE-TH
| code1_name                      = [[First level NUTS of the European Union#Germany|NUTS Region]]
| code1_info                      = DEG
| blank2_name_sec2                = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2018)
| blank2_info_sec2                = 0.928<ref name="GlobalDataLab">{{Cite web|url=https://hdi.globaldatalab.org/areadata/shdi/|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=13 September 2018}}</ref><br/>{{color|green|very high}} · [[List of German states by Human Development Index|12th of 16]]
| website                         = [https://thueringen.de/ thueringen.de]
| footnotes                       = 
| name                            = 
}}
{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=right|zoom=5|type=line|stroke-width=3|frame-lat=51.1|frame-long=10.5|frame-width=280|frame-height=300}}

'''Thuringia''',{{efn|{{IPAc-en|lang|θ|ə|ˈ|r|ɪ|n|dʒ|i|ə}}; {{langx|de|Thüringen}} {{IPA|de|ˈtyːʁɪŋən||De-Thüringen.ogg}}}} officially the '''Free State of Thuringia''',{{efn|{{lang|de|Freistaat Thüringen}} {{IPA|de|ˈfʁaɪʃtaːt ˈtyːʁɪŋən|}}}} is one of [[Germany|Germany's]] 16 [[States of Germany|states]]. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area.<!--
areas:  408 Bremen, 755 Hamburg, 892 Berlin; 2569 Saarland, 
     15763 Schleswig-Holstein, 16171 Thüringeen, 18416 Sachsen
     19847 Rheinland-Pfalz, 20445 Sachsen-Anhalt, 21100 Hessen,
     24174 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 29479 Brandenburg,
     34084 Nordrhein-Westphalen, 35752 Baden-Wurttemberg,
     47624 Niedersachsen, 70549 Bayern,
pop.: 665000 Bremen, 1045555 Saarland,
    1697800 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 1750194 Hamburg,
    2319000 Thüringen, 2451000 Saxony-Anhalt,
    2551000 Brandenburg, 2832912 Schleswig-Holstein, 3402312 Berlin
    4054081 Rheinland-Pfalz, 4261896 Sachsen, 6078000 Hessen,
    7996942 Lower Saxony, 10736000 Baden-Wurttemberg
   12482000 Bayern, 18039847 Nordrhein-Westphalen.
--><ref>{{Cite web|title=Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik|url=https://statistik.thueringen.de/datenbank/TabAnzeige.asp?GGglied=1&GGTabelle=gem&tabelle=gg000102&startpage=99&csv=&richtung=&sortiere=&vorspalte=1&SZDT=&anzahlH=-1&fontgr=12&mkro=&AnzeigeAuswahl=&XLS=&auswahlNr=&felder=0&felder=1&felder=2&zeit=2020%7C%7Cs1&anzahlZellen=2199%7D%7D|access-date=21 July 2021|website=statistik.thueringen.de}}</ref>

[[Erfurt]] is the capital and largest city. Other cities include [[Jena]], [[Gera]] and [[Weimar]]. Thuringia is bordered by [[Bavaria]], [[Hesse]], [[Lower Saxony]], [[Saxony]], and [[Saxony-Anhalt]]. It has been known as "the green heart of Germany" ({{lang|de|das grüne Herz Deutschlands}}) from the late 19th century due to its broad, dense forest.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=63kWAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Das+gr%C3%BCne+Herz+Deutschlands%22 |title=A. Trinius (1898) |date=30 July 2009 |access-date=21 February 2014 |last1=Verein Fur Naturkunde |first1=Kassel }}</ref> Most of Thuringia is in the [[Saale]] [[drainage basin]], a [[bank (geography)|left-bank tributary]] of the [[Elbe]].

Thuringia is home to the [[Rennsteig]], Germany's best-known [[hiking|hiking trail]]. Its winter resort of [[Oberhof, Germany|Oberhof]] makes it a well-equipped [[winter sports]] destination &ndash; half of Germany's 136 [[Winter Olympics|Winter Olympic]] gold medals had been won by Thuringian athletes as of 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leg-thueringen.de/index.php?id=1982&L=1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080222113531/http://www.leg-thueringen.de/index.php?id=1982&L=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 February 2008 |title = Thüringen - Training Grounds for Olympic Athletes}}</ref> Thuringia was favoured by or was the birthplace of three key intellectuals and leaders in the arts: [[Johann Sebastian Bach]], [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]], and [[Friedrich Schiller]]. The state has the [[University of Jena]], the [[Technische Universität Ilmenau|Ilmenau University of Technology]], the [[University of Erfurt]], [[Bauhaus-Universität Weimar|Bauhaus University of Weimar]] and the [[Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences]].

The [[Franks|Frankish]] [[Duchy of Thuringia]] was established around 631 AD by [[King Dagobert I]]. The modern state was established in 1920 by the [[List of states of the Weimar Republic|Weimar Republic]] through a merger of the [[Ernestine duchies]], save for [[Saxe-Coburg]]. After [[World War II]], Thuringia came under the [[Soviet Military Administration in Germany|Soviet occupation zone]] in [[Allied-occupied Germany]], and its borders were reformed, to become [[Geographic contiguity|contiguous]]. Thuringia became part of the [[East Germany|German Democratic Republic]] in 1949, but was dissolved in 1952 during [[Administrative divisions of East Germany|administrative reforms]], and divided into the Districts of [[Bezirk Erfurt|Erfurt]], [[Bezirk Suhl|Suhl]] and [[Bezirk Gera|Gera]]. Thuringia was re-established in 1990 following [[German reunification]], slightly re-drawn, and became one of the [[New states of Germany|new states]] of the Federal Republic of Germany.

== Etymology and symbols ==
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2025}}
[[File:Vollwappen Wettiner Landgraf Albrecht 1265.png|thumb|left|upright|[[Coat of arms of Thuringia#Landgraves of Thuringia|Coat of arms of the landgraves of Thuringia]] (1265)]]

The name ''Thuringia'' or ''Thüringen'' derives from the Germanic tribe [[Thuringii]], who emerged during the [[Migration Period]]. Their origin is largely unknown. An older theory claims that they were successors of the [[Hermunduri]], but later research rejected the idea. Other historians argue that the Thuringians were allies of the [[Huns]], came to central Europe together with them, and lived before in what is [[Galicia (Eastern Europe)|Galicia]] today. [[Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus]] first mentioned the Thuringii around 400; during that period, the Thuringii were famous for their excellent horses.

The Thuringian Realm existed until after 531.  The [[Duchy of Thuringia|Landgraviate of Thuringia]] was the largest state in the region, persisting between 1131 and 1247. Afterwards the state known as Thuringia ceased to exist; nevertheless the term commonly described the region between the [[Harz]] mountains in the north, the [[White Elster]] river in the east, the [[Franconian Forest]] in the south and the [[Werra]] river in the west. After the [[Treaty of Leipzig]], Thuringia had its own dynasty again, the Ernestine [[House of Wettin|Wettins]]. Their various lands formed the Free State of Thuringia, founded in 1920, together with some other small principalities. The [[Prussia]]n territories around [[Erfurt]], [[Mühlhausen]] and [[Nordhausen, Thuringia|Nordhausen]] joined Thuringia in 1945.

The [[coat of arms of Thuringia]] shows the lion of the Ludowingian Landgraves of 12th-century origin. The eight stars around it represent the eight former states which formed Thuringia. The [[flag of Thuringia]] is a white-red bicolor, derived from the white and red stripes of the Ludowingian lion. The [[Coat of arms of Hesse|coat of arms]] and [[flag of Hesse]] are quite similar to the Thuringian ones, since they are also derived from the Ludowingian symbols.

Symbols of Thuringia in popular culture are the ''[[Thuringian sausage|Bratwurst]]'' and the [[Thuringian Forest|Forest]], because a large amount of the territory is forested.

==History==
{{For|the earlier history of the region|Thuringii|Duchy of Thuringia}}
Named after the [[Thuringii]] [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] tribe who occupied it around AD 300, Thuringia came under [[Franks|Frankish]] domination in the 6th century.

Thuringia became a [[landgraviate]] in 1130 AD. After the extinction of the reigning [[List of rulers of Thuringia#Ludowinger|Ludowingian]] line of counts and landgraves in 1247 and the [[War of the Thuringian Succession]] (1247–1264), the western half became independent under the name of "[[Hesse]]", never to become a part of Thuringia again. Most of the remaining Thuringia came under the rule of the [[House of Wettin|Wettin dynasty]] of the nearby [[Margraviate of Meissen]], the nucleus of the later [[Electorate of Saxony|Electorate]] and [[Kingdom of Saxony]]. With the division of the house of Wettin in 1485, Thuringia went to the senior [[Ernestine and Albertine Wettins|Ernestine]] branch of the family, which subsequently subdivided the area into a number of smaller states, according to the Saxon tradition of dividing inheritance amongst male heirs. These were the "[[Ernestine duchies|Saxon duchies]]", consisting, among others, of the states of [[Saxe-Weimar]], [[Saxe-Eisenach]], [[Saxe-Jena]], [[Saxe-Meiningen]], [[Saxe-Altenburg]], [[Saxe-Coburg]], and [[Saxe-Gotha]].

Thuringia generally accepted the [[Protestant Reformation]], and [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]] was suppressed as early as 1520;{{Citation needed|date=November 2014}} priests who remained loyal to it were driven away and churches and monasteries were largely destroyed, especially during the [[German Peasants' War]] of 1525. In [[Mühlhausen]] and elsewhere, the [[Anabaptists]] found many adherents. [[Thomas Müntzer]], a leader of some non-peaceful groups of this sect, was active in this city. Within the borders of modern Thuringia the Roman Catholic faith only survived in the [[Eichsfeld]] district, which was ruled by the [[Archbishopric of Mainz|Archbishop of Mainz]], and to a small degree in [[Erfurt]] and its immediate vicinity.

===Early modern period===
The modern German [[Flag of Germany|black-red-gold tricolour flag's]] first appearance anywhere in a German-ethnicity [[sovereign state]], within what today comprises Germany, [[Flag of Germany#Principality of Reuss-Greiz|occurred in 1778]] as the state flag of the [[Principality of Reuss-Greiz]], a defunct principality in the modern state's borders.

[[File:Thuringische staaten1890.jpg|thumb|250px|Map of the Thuringian States in 1890]]
Some reordering of the Thuringian states occurred during the [[German Mediatisation]] from 1795 to 1814, and the territory was included within the Napoleonic [[Confederation of the Rhine]] organized in 1806. The 1815 [[Congress of Vienna]] confirmed these changes and the Thuringian states' inclusion in the [[German Confederation]]; the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] also acquired some Thuringian territory and administered it within the [[Province of Saxony]]. The Thuringian duchies which became part of the [[German Empire]] in 1871 during the Prussian-led [[unification of Germany]] were [[Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach]], [[Saxe-Meiningen]], [[Saxe-Altenburg]], [[Saxe-Coburg-Gotha]], [[Schwarzburg-Sondershausen]], [[Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt]] and the two principalities of [[Reuss Elder Line]] and [[Reuss Younger Line]].

===Free State of Thuringia===
{{see also|State of Thuringia (1920–1952)}}
In 1920, after [[World War I]], these small states merged into one state, called the Free State of Thuringia (''Freistaat Thüringen''); only [[Saxe-Coburg]] voted to join [[Bavaria]] instead. [[Weimar]] became the new capital. The [[Coat of arms of Thuringia#State of Thuringia (1920 - 1933)|coat of arms of this new state]] was simpler than those of its predecessors. The ''[[Landtag]]'' of the newly established state first convened in 1920 in Weimar. Its deputies were elected for three years according to [[proportional representation]], with a minimum voting age of 21. Between 1920 and 1932, under the [[Weimar Republic]], [[Thuringian Landtag elections in the Weimar Republic|six ''Landtag'' elections]] were held.

Thuringia was one of the states where the [[Nazi Party]] first gained real political power during the Weimar Republic. [[Wilhelm Frick]] was appointed [[Minister of the Interior]] in the state [[coalition government]] after the [[Nazi Party]] won six deputies to the Thuringian ''Landtag'' in the December 1929 election. In this position, he removed from the Thuringian police force anyone he suspected of being a republican and replaced them with men who were favourable towards the Nazis. He also ensured that, whenever an important position came up within Thuringia, a Nazi was given that post. Following the [[Nazi seizure of power]] in Berlin, the ''Landtag'' was formally abolished as a result of the "[[Law on the Reconstruction of the Reich]]" of 30 January 1934, which replaced the German [[federal system]] with a [[unitary state]]. Thuringia was the location of the [[Buchenwald concentration camp]] with multiple subcamps.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aussenlager-buchenwald.de/|title=Buchenwald war überall|website=aussenlager-buchenwald.de|access-date=27 June 2024|language=de}}</ref>
 
After being controlled briefly by the US following the end of the [[Second World War]], from July 1945 the state of Thuringia came under the [[Soviet occupation zone]] and was expanded to include parts of Prussian Saxony, such as the areas around [[Erfurt]], [[Mühlhausen]], and [[Nordhausen, Thuringia|Nordhausen]]. Erfurt became the new capital of Thuringia. [[Ostheim]], an exclave of ''[[Landkreis]]'' Eisenach, was ceded to Bavaria.

In 1952, the [[German Democratic Republic]] dissolved its states, and created districts ({{lang|de|[[Administrative division of the German Democratic Republic|Bezirke]]}}) instead. The three districts that shared the former territory of Thuringia were Erfurt, [[Gera]] and [[Suhl]]. [[Altenburg]] Kreis was part of [[Leipzig]] Bezirk.

The present State of Thuringia was recreated with slightly altered borders during [[German reunification]] in 1990.

==Geography==
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2025}}
=== Topography ===
From the northwest going clockwise; Thuringia borders on the German states of [[Lower Saxony]], [[Saxony-Anhalt]], [[Saxony]], [[Bavaria]] and [[Hesse]].
[[File:Meuselbach Viehberg.JPG|thumb|right|[[Meuselbach-Schwarzmühle]] at the [[Thuringian Highland]]]]
The landscapes of Thuringia are quite diverse. The far north is occupied by the [[Harz]] mountains, followed by the [[Goldene Aue]], a fertile floodplain around [[Nordhausen, Thuringia|Nordhausen]] with the [[Helme (river)|Helme]] as most important river. The north-west includes the [[Eichsfeld]], a hilly and sometimes forested region, where the [[Leine]] river emanates. The central and northern part of Thuringia is defined by the {{cvt|3000|km2}} wide [[Thuringian Basin]], a very fertile and flat area around the [[Unstrut]] river and completely surrounded by the following hill chains (clockwise from the north-west): [[Dün]], [[Hainleite]], [[Windleite]], [[Kyffhäuser]], [[Hohe Schrecke]], [[Schmücke]], [[Finne (hills)|Finne]], [[Ettersberg]], [[Steigerwald (Erfurt)|Steigerwald]], [[Thuringian Forest]], [[Hörselberge]] and [[Hainich]]. Within the Basin the smaller hill chains [[Fahner Höhe (hills)|Fahner Höhe]] and [[Heilinger Höhen]]. South of the Thuringian Basin is the state's largest mountain range, marked by the [[Thuringian Forest]] in the north-west, the [[Thuringian Highland]] in the middle and the [[Franconian Forest]] in the south-east. Most of this range is forested and the [[Großer Beerberg]] (983 m) is Thuringia's highest mountain. To the south-west, the Forest is followed up by [[Werra]] river valley, dividing it from the [[Rhön Mountains]] in the west and the [[Grabfeld]] plain in the south. Eastern Thuringia, commonly described as the area east of [[Saale]] and [[Loquitz]] valley, is marked by a hilly landscape, rising slowly from the flat north to the mountainous south. The Saale in the west and the White Elster in the east are the two big rivers running from south to north and forming densely settled valleys in this area. Between them lies the flat and forested [[Thuringian Holzland|Holzland]] in the north, the flat and fertile [[Orlasenke]] in the middle and the [[Vogtland]], a hilly but in most parts non-forested region in the south. The far eastern region (east of White Elster) is the [[Osterland]] or [[Altenburger Land]] along [[Pleiße]] river, a flat, fertile and densely settled agricultural area.

There are two large rivers in Thuringia.  The [[Saale]], a tributary of the [[Elbe]], with its tributaries the [[Unstrut]], [[Ilm (Thuringia)|Ilm]] and White Elster, drains the most part of Thuringia.  The [[Werra]] – the headwater of the [[Weser]] – drains the south-west and west of the state. Furthermore, some small areas on the southern border are drained by tributaries of the [[Main (river)|Main]], itself a tributary of the [[Rhine]]. There are no large natural lakes in Thuringia, but it does have some of Germany's biggest dams, including the [[Bleiloch Dam]] and the [[Hohenwarte Dam]] on the River Saale, as well as the [[Leibis-Lichte Dam]] and the [[Goldisthal Pumped Storage Station]] in the Thuringian Highlands. Thuringia is Germany's only state with no connection to navigable waterways.

The [[Centroid|geographic centre]] of the [[Germany|Federal Republic]] is in Thuringia, within the municipality of [[Vogtei, Thuringia|Vogtei]] next to [[Mühlhausen]]. The centre of Thuringia is eight kilometres south of the capital's [[Erfurt Cathedral|Cathedral]], in the municipality of [[Rockhausen]].

=== Climate ===
Thuringia's climate is [[Temperate climate|temperate]] with humid westerly winds predominating. Increasingly as one moves from the north-west to the south-east, the climate shows continental features: winters can be cold for long periods, and summers can become warm. Dry periods are often recorded, especially within the Thuringian Basin, leeward to mountains in all directions. It is Germany's driest area, with annual precipitation of only 400 to 500&nbsp;mm.

[[Artern]], in the north-east, is warm and dry, with a mean annual temperature of 8.5&nbsp;°C and mean precipitation of 450&nbsp;mm; contrast this with wet, cool [[Oberhof, Germany|Oberhof]], in the Thuringian Forest, where temperature averages only 4.4&nbsp;°C and mean annual precipitation reaches 1300&nbsp;mm.

{{Erfurt-Weimar weatherbox}}

=== Nature and environment ===
[[File:Ruppberg Sonnenaufgang.jpg|thumb|right|[[Thuringian Forest]] in winter]]
[[File:WAK SEEB INSELSBG.jpg|thumb|right|[[Großer Inselsberg]]]]
Due to many centuries of intensive settlement, most of the area is shaped by human influence. The original natural vegetation of Thuringia is forest with [[Fagus sylvatica|beech]] as its predominant species, as can still be found in the [[Hainich]] mountains today. In the uplands, a mixture of beech and [[Picea abies|spruce]] would be natural. However, most of the plains have been cleared and are in intensive agricultural use while most of the forests are planted with spruce and [[Scots pine|pine]]. Since 1990, Thuringia's forests have been managed aiming for a more natural and tough vegetation more resilient to climate change as well as diseases and vermin. In comparison to the forest, agriculture is still quite conventional and dominated by large structures and monocultures. Problems here are caused especially by increasingly prolonged dry periods during the summer months.

Environmental damage in Thuringia has been reduced to a large extent after 1990. The condition of forests, rivers and air was improved by modernizing factories, houses (decline of coal heating) and cars, and contaminated areas such as the former [[Uranium]] surface mines around [[Ronneburg, Thuringia|Ronneburg]] have been remediated. Today's environmental problems are the salination of the [[Werra]] river, caused by discharges of [[K+S]] salt mines around [[Unterbreizbach]] and overfertilisation in agriculture, damaging the soil and small rivers.

Environment and nature protection has been of growing importance and attention since 1990. Large areas, especially within the forested mountains, are protected as natural reserves, including Thuringia's first national park within the [[Hainich National Park|Hainich]] mountains, founded in 1997, the [[Rhön Biosphere Reserve]], the [[Thuringian Forest Nature Park]] and the [[South Harz Nature Park]].

== Demographics ==

=== Demographic history ===
During the Middle Ages, Thuringia was at the border between [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] and [[Slavs|Slavic]] territories, marked by the [[Saale]] river. The main Slavic tribe in what is now Thuringia were the [[Sorbs (tribe)|Sorbs proper]], who [[Sorbs|unified]] all tribes in what is now southern half of Eastern Germany. The [[Ostsiedlung]] movement led to the assimilation of [[Slavic people]] between the 11th and the 13th century under German rule. The population growth increased during the 18th century and stayed high until [[World War I]], before it slowed within the 20th century and changed to a decline since 1990. Since the beginning of Urbanisation around 1840, the Thuringian cities have higher growth rates resp. smaller rates of decline than rural areas (many villages lost half of their population since 1950, whereas the biggest cities ([[Erfurt]] and [[Jena]]) kept growing).
{{historical populations
|cols = 2
| 1834 | 1,172,375
| 1864 | 1,435,115
| 1890 | 1,737,544
| 1910 | 2,160,692
| 1950 | 2,932,242
| 1960 | 2,737,865
| 1970 | 2,759,084
| 1980 | 2,730,368
| 1988 | 2,723,268
|2001| 2,411,387
|2011|2,188,589|2022|2,110,396| source = {{ill|Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik|de}}<ref name="auto" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Census Database|url=https://ergebnisse.zensus2022.de/datenbank/online/?locale=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Census results: Census 2022|url=https://www.zensus2022.de/EN/Census_results/_inhalt.html}}</ref>
}}

The 1981 census projected that Thuringia's population would reach 2,221,222 by 2011. The population counted in the 2011 census was 2,181,603, which is about 1.78% less.
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+ Significant foreign resident populations <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis//online?operation=table&code=12521-0021&bypass=true&levelindex=0&levelid=1716497121275#abreadcrumb|date=24 May 2024|title=Largest groups of foreign residents by 31 December 2023}} German Statistical Office. 
</ref>
|-
! Nationality || Population (31 December 2022) || Population (31 December 2023) 
|-
| {{flag|Ukraine}} || 32,150 || 34,180
|-
| {{flag|Syria}} || 16,435 || 22,055
|-
| {{flag|Poland}} || 14,255 || 14,780
|-
| {{flag|Romania}} || 13,475 || 14,195
|-
| {{flag|Afghanistan}} || 6,250 || 10,950
|-
| {{flag|Russia}} || 4,340 || 5,305
|-
| {{flag|Turkey}} || 4,130 || 5,260
|-
| {{flag|Bulgaria}} || 5,320 || 5,240
|-
| {{flag|Iraq}} || - || 4,715
|-
| {{flag|Vietnam}} || 7,385 || 4,040
|-
|}

=== Current population ===
The current population is 2,120,237 (31 December 2020) with an annual rate of decrease of about 0.5%, which varies widely between the local regions. In 2012, 905,000 Thuringians lived in a municipality with more than 20,000 inhabitants, this is an [[urbanization]] rate of 42% which continues to rise.

In July 2013, there were 41,000 non-Germans by citizenship living in Thuringia (1.9% of the population − among the smallest proportions of any state in Germany). Nevertheless, the number rose from 33,000 in July 2011, an increase of 24% in only two years. About 4% of the population are migrants (including persons that already received German citizenship). The biggest groups of foreigners by citizenship are (as of 2012): [[Russians in Germany|Russians]] (3,100), [[Poles in Germany|Poles]] (3,000), [[Turks in Germany|Turks]] (2,100) and [[Ukrainians in Germany|Ukrainians]] (2,000). The number of foreigners varies between regions: the college towns [[Erfurt]], [[Jena]], [[Weimar]] and [[Ilmenau]] have the highest rates, whereas there are almost no migrants living in the most rural smaller municipalities.

The Thuringian population has a significant [[human sex ratio|sex ratio]] gap, caused by the emigration of young women, especially in rural areas. Overall, there are 115 to 120 men per 100 women in the 25–40 age group ("family founders") which has negative consequences for the birth ratio. Furthermore, the population is getting older and older with some rural municipalities recording more than 30% of over-65s (pensioners). This is a problem for the regional labour market, as there are twice as many people leaving as entering the job market annually.

=== Natural and spatial tendencies ===
The [[birth rate]] was about 1.8 children per women in the 1970s and 1980s, shrinking to 0.8 in 1994 during the economic crisis after the reunification and rose again to more than 1.4 children in 2010, which is a higher level than in West Germany. Nevertheless, there are only 17,000 births compared to 27,000 deaths per year, so that the annual natural change of the Thuringian population is about −0.45%. In 2015 there were 17,934 births, the highest number since 1990.

Migration plays an important role in Thuringia. The internal migration shows a strong tendency from rural areas towards the big cities. From 2008 to 2012, there was a net migration from Thuringia to [[Erfurt]] of +6,700 persons (33 per 1000 inhabitants), +1,800 to [[Gera]] (19 per 1000), +1,400 to [[Jena]] (14 per 1000), +1,400 to [[Eisenach]] (33 per 1000) and +1,300 to [[Weimar]] (21 per 1000). Between Thuringia and the other German states, the balance is negative: In 2012, Thuringia lost 6,500 persons to other federal states, the most to [[Bavaria]], [[Saxony]], [[Hesse]] and [[Berlin]]. Only with [[Saxony-Anhalt]] and [[Brandenburg]] the balance is positive. The international migration is fluctuating heavily. In 2009, the balance was +700, in 2010 +1,800, in 2011 +2,700 and in 2012 +4,800. The most important countries of origin of the Thuringia migrants from 2008 to 2012 were [[Poland]] (+1,700), [[Romania]] (+1,200), [[Afghanistan]] (+1,100) and [[Serbia]]/[[Montenegro]]/[[Kosovo]] (+1,000), whereas the balance was negative with [[Switzerland]] (−2,800) and [[Austria]] (−900).

=== Cities, towns and villages ===
{{See also|List of towns and municipalities in Thuringia|List of cities in Thuringia by population}}
Of the approximately 850 municipalities of Thuringia, 126 are classed as towns (within a district) or cities (forming their own urban district).  Most of the towns are small with a population of less than 10,000; only the ten biggest ones have a population greater than 30,000. The first towns emerged during the 12th century, whereas the latest ones received town status only in the 20th century. Today, all municipalities within districts are equal in law, whether they are towns or villages.  Independent cities (i.e. urban districts) have greater powers (the same as any district) than towns within a district.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#e0e0e0;"
!Rank
!City
!District
!Pop. 31 December 2020<ref name="auto"/>
!Change*
!CoA
!Image
|-
|align=center|1
|[[Erfurt]]
|independent
|align=right|213,692
|align=right|+0.68
|[[File:Wappen Erfurt.svg|100px]]
|[[File:Church complex in Erfurt.jpg|200px|Erfurt: St. Severus' Church and Cathedral]]
|-
|align=center|2
|[[Jena]]
|independent
|align=right|110,731
|align=right|+0.47
|[[File:Wappen Jena.svg|100px]]
|[[File:Zentrum Jenas im Tal 2008-05-24.JPG|200px|Jena: City centre and Carl Zeiss' high-rises]]
|-
|align=center|3
|[[Gera]]
|independent
|align=right|92,126
|align=right|−0.55
|[[File:Wappen Gera.svg|100px]]
|[[File:Blick vom Rathausturm über Gera.jpg|200px|Gera: Untermhaus district, St. Mary's Church and White Elster river]]
|-
|align=center|4
|[[Weimar]]
|independent
|align=right|65,098
|align=right|+0.35
|[[File:DEU Weimar COA.svg|100px]]
|[[File:Weimar - Blick zu Herderkirche & Stadtschloss.jpg|200px|Weimar: City centre]]
|-
|align=center|5
|[[Gotha]]
|[[Gotha (district)|Gotha]]
|align=right|45,273
|align=right|−0.05
|[[File:DEU Gotha COA.svg|100px]]
|[[File:Schloss-Friedenstein01.JPG|200px|Gotha: Friedenstein Castle]]
|-
|align=center|6
|[[Nordhausen, Thuringia|Nordhausen]]
|[[Nordhausen (district)|Nordhausen]]
|align=right|40,969
|align=right|−0.35 
|[[File:Wappen der Stadt Nordhausen.svg|100px]]
|[[File:Nordhausen - inner city by Vincent Eisfeld.jpg|200px|Nordhausen: City centre]]
|-
|align=center|7
|[[Eisenach]]
|[[Wartburgkreis]]
|align=right|41,970
|align=right|−0.12
|[[File:Wappen Eisenach.svg|100px]]
|[[File:Eisenach von Göpelskuppel.jpg|200px|Eisenach: Wartburg castle]]
|-
|align=center|8
|[[Suhl]]
|independent
|align=right|36,395
|align=right|−1.68
|[[File:DEU Suhl COA.svg|100px]]
|[[File:Suhl0030.JPG|200px|Suhl: City centre]]
|-
|align=center|9
|[[Mühlhausen]]
|[[Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis]]
|align=right|35,799
|align=right|−0.38
|[[File:WappenMuehlhausenThueringen.svg|100px]]
|[[File:Vor dem Frauentor Mühlhausen.JPG|200px|Mühlhausen: City wall at Frauentor gate]]
|-
|align=center|10
|[[Altenburg]]
|[[Altenburger Land]]
|align=right|31,101
|align=right|−1.27
|[[File:Wappen Altenburg.svg|100px]]
|[[File:Altenburg Frauenfels.jpg|200px|Altenburg: City centre with the Red Spires]]
|}

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Average annual change in percent within the last three years (13 December 2009 to 31 December 2012), adjusted from incorporations and the 2011 Census results.

=== Religion ===
{{bar box
|title=Religion in Thuringia - 2018
|left1=religion
|right1=percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Irreligion|None]] or other|SlateGray|71.6}}
{{bar percent|[[Protestant Church in Germany|EKD Protestants]]|DodgerBlue|20.8}}
{{bar percent|[[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholics]]|DarkOrchid|7.6}}
}}
Since the [[Protestant Reformation]], the most prominent Christian denomination in Thuringia has been [[Lutheranism]]. During the [[GDR]] period, church membership was discouraged and has continued shrinking since the reunification in 1990. Today over two thirds of the population is non-religious. The [[Protestant Church in Germany]] has had the largest number of members in the state, adhered to by 20.8% of the population in 2018. Members of the [[Catholic Church]] formed 7.6% of the population, while 71.6% of Thuringians were non-religious or adhere to other faiths.<ref>[https://www.ekd.de/ekd_de/ds_doc/Ber_Kirchenmitglieder_2018.pdf Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland – Kirchemitgliederzahlen Stand 31. Dezember 2018] EKD, January 2020</ref> The highest Protestant concentrations are in the small villages of southern and western Thuringia, whereas the bigger cities are even more non-religious (up to 88% in [[Gera]]). Catholic regions are [[Eichsfeld]] in the northwest and parts of the [[Rhön Mountains]] around [[Geisa]] in the southwest. Protestant church membership is shrinking rapidly, whereas the Catholic Church is somewhat more stable because of Catholic migration from Poland, Southern Europe and West Germany.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}} Other religions play no significant role in Thuringia. There are only a few thousand Muslims (largely migrants) and about 750 Jews (mostly migrants from Russia) living in Thuringia. Furthermore, there are some Orthodox communities of Eastern European migrants and some traditional Protestant [[Free church]]es in Thuringia without any societal influence.

The Protestant parishes of Thuringia belong to the [[Evangelical Church in Central Germany]] or to the [[Evangelical Church of Hesse Electorate-Waldeck]] ([[Schmalkalden]] region). Catholic dioceses are [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Erfurt|Erfurt]] (most of Thuringia), [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Dresden-Meissen|Dresden-Meissen]] (eastern parts) and [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Fulda|Fulda]] (Rhön around [[Geisa]] in the very west).

<gallery>
File:Evangelisch Thüringen.png|EKD Protestant membership in 2011 (municipalities)
File:Katholisch Thüringen.png|Catholic membership in 2011 (municipalities)
</gallery>

==Politics==
===National===
Thuringia is a stronghold for the far right [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD), the party emerged as the largest in Thuringia in the [[2021 German federal election|2021 national elections]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-far-right-populist-afd-no-gains-small-losses/a-59330183|title=Germany's far-right populist AfD: No gains, small losses|agency=Deutsche Welle|date=27 September 2021|accessdate=31 October 2021}}</ref> In 2017 the party got 22.7%, in 2021 they got 24.0%, and in 2025 they surged to 38.6%.

===State===
Thuringia is notable for being the first and only state in Germany where the communist party that ruled former [[East Germany]] until 1989, [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke), and the new [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD) have seen their first-ever first place finish in a state election. Die Linke in [[2019 Thuringian state election|2019]], and the AfD in [[2024 Thuringian state election|2024]].

====List of minister-presidents of Thuringia====
{{main|List of minister-presidents of Thuringia}}

====September 2024 state election====
{{See also|2024 Thuringian state election}}
The [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD) became the largest party with 33% of the vote (and 36% of the seats), its best ever performance and the first time it placed first in a state election in Germany. The incumbent governing coalition suffered dramatic losses; the Left had split up, with new [[Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht|Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW)]] becoming the more popular part, while the remaining Left lost more than half of its support and fell to fourth place on 13%. The 130+ year old SPD, which since late 2021 rules Germany under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, recorded its worst result in any postwar state election, barely passing the [[electoral threshold]] of 5%. The other two parties of the [[traffic light coalition]] in Berlin, [[Alliance 90/The Greens|Greens]] and the [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP), did not pass the threshold and lost all of their seats, which contributed to the break-up of that coalition on November 6th. The [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU) recorded small gains and came second with 24%. The newly-founded [[Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht|Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance BSW]] debuted in third place at 16%.<ref name="DW">{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/far-right-afd-we-have-a-clear-mandate-to-govern/a-70105904|title=Germany's far-right AfD: 'We have a clear mandate to govern'|date=1 September 2024|website=[[Deutsche Welle]]|access-date=1 September 2024|archive-date=1 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901221728/https://www.dw.com/en/far-right-afd-we-have-a-clear-mandate-to-govern/a-70105904|url-status=live}}</ref>

The AfD in Thuringia became the first [[Far-right politics in Germany (1945–present)|far-right]] party in Germany since World War II to win a state election.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-far-right-elections-victory-afd-cdu-olaf-scholz/ | title=German far right wins first major election since World War II | date=September 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/1/germanys-far-right-party-likely-to-make-gains-in-eastern-region-elections |title=Far-right AfD wins eastern state in Germany's regional election |access-date=2 September 2024 |archive-date=1 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901224334/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/1/germanys-far-right-party-likely-to-make-gains-in-eastern-region-elections |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/09/01/germany-far-right-afd-elections/]</ref> However, they were left out of the governing coalition, which is made up of the CDU, the BSW and the SPD, with the Left offering "constructive opposition" (basically they offer some input on the coalition's agenda and provide necessary votes).<ref name="a296">{{cite web | title=Thüringen: Brombeer-Koalition macht Linken Angebot | website=ZDFheute | date=2024-12-10 | url=https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/deutschland/thueringen-koalition-linke-einbindung-100.html | language=de | access-date=2025-02-19}}</ref>
{{Election results
|image=[[File:2024 Thuringian Landtag.svg]]
|firstround=Party-list
|secondround=Constituency
|party1=[[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
|party2=[[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
|party3=[[Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht]] (BSW)
|party4=[[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke)
|party5=[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
|party6=[[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
|party7=[[Free Voters]] (FW)
|party8=[[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
|party9=[[Action Party for Animal Welfare]] (APfT)
|party10=[[Values Union]] (WU)
|party11=[[Family Party of Germany|Family Party]] (Familie)
|party12=[[Bündnis Deutschland]] (BD)
|party13=[[Pirate Party Germany]] (Piraten)
|party14=[[Ecological Democratic Party]] (ÖDP)
|party15=[[Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany]] (MLPD)
|votes1=396704
|source=[https://wahlen.thueringen.de/datenbank/wahl1/wahl.asp?wahlart=LW&wJahr=2024&zeigeErg=Land Results]
|electorate=1655343
|electorate2=1655343
|invalid=10354
|invalid2=29704
|votes2=285141
|votes3=190448
|votes4=157641
|votes5=73088
|votes6=38289
|votes7=15371
|votes8=13582
|votes9=12113
|votes10=6780
|votes11=5722
|votes12=5508
|votes13=3718
|votes14=2389
|votes15=1342
|seats1=3
|seats2=12
|seats3=15
|seats4=8
|seats5=6
|seats7=0
|seats8=0
|seats6=0
|seats9=0
|seats10=0
|seats11=0
|seats12=0
|seats13=0
|seats14=0
|seats15=0
|votes1_2=408011
|votes2_2=397927
|votes3_2=28478
|votes4_2=180207
|votes5_2=92510
|votes6_2=19092
|votes7_2=33405
|votes8_2=18706
|votes10_2=4192
|votes13_2=449
|votes14_2=2196
|votes15_2=617
|seats1_2=29
|seats2_2=11
|seats3_2=0
|seats4_2=4
|seats5_2=0
|seats6_2=0
|seats7_2=0
|seats8_2=0
|seats10_2=0
|seats13_2=0
|seats14_2=0
|seats15_2=0
|party16=Other
|votes16_2=2696
|seats16_2=0
|totseats1=32
|totseats2=23
|totseats3=15
|totseats4=12
|totseats5=6
|totseats7=0
|totseats8=0
|totseats9=0
|totseats10=0
|totseats11=0
|totseats12=0
|totseats13=0
|totseats14=0
|totseats15=0
|seats16=0
|totseats6=0
|totseats16=0
|sc1=+10
|sc2=+2
|sc3=+15
|sc4=–17
|sc5=–2
|sc6=–5
|sc8=–5
|total_sc=–2}}

=== Local government ===
Thuringia is divided into 17 districts (''Landkreise''):

{{Div col|colwidth=16em}}
* [[Altenburger Land]]
* [[Eichsfeld (district)|Eichsfeld]]
* [[Gotha (district)|Gotha]]
* [[Greiz (district)|Greiz]]
* [[Hildburghausen (district)|Hildburghausen]]
* [[Ilm-Kreis]]
* [[Kyffhäuserkreis]]
* [[Nordhausen (district)|Nordhausen]]
* [[Saale-Holzland-Kreis]]
* [[Saale-Orla-Kreis]]
* [[Saalfeld-Rudolstadt]]
* [[Schmalkalden-Meiningen]]
* [[Sömmerda (district)|Sömmerda]]
* [[Sonneberg (district)|Sonneberg]]
* [[Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis]]
* [[Wartburgkreis]]
* [[Weimarer Land]]
{{div col end}}

[[File:Thuringia, administrative divisions 2024 - de - colored.svg|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=Map of Thuringia showing the boundaries of the districts|Districts of Thuringia]]

Furthermore, there are five urban districts:

* [[Erfurt]] (EF)
* [[Gera]] (G)
* [[Jena]] (J)
* [[Suhl]] (SHL)
* [[Weimar]] (WE)

{{clear}}

== Economy ==
[[File:Zentrum Jenas 2008-05-24.JPG|thumb|right|The [[Jen Tower]] is a symbol of East Germany's economy. According to the 2019 study by Forschungsinstitut Prognos, [[Jena]] is one of the most dynamic regions in Germany. It ranks at number 29 of all 401 German regions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lvz.de/mitteldeutschland/zukunftsatlas-leipzig-ist-dynamischste-region-deutschlands-XGWYHQGJD7WFK5SW7SYMHG6F4I.html|title=Zukunftsatlas: Leipzig ist dynamischste Region Deutschlands|website=www.lvz.de|date=5 July 2019 }}</ref>]]
[[File:OPEL Eisenach Gesamtansicht 2009.jpg|thumb|right|[[Opel Eisenach]] manufacturing]]
[[File:TEAG Hauptsitz 2015.jpg|thumb|right|TEAG Thüringer Energie AG in Erfurt, the largest electric utility company in Thuringia]]
Thuringia's economy is marked by the economic transition that happened after the German reunification and led to the closure of most of the factories within the Land. The unemployment rate reached a peak in 2005. Since that year, the economy has seen an upturn and the general economic situation has improved.

=== Agriculture and forestry ===
Agriculture and forestry have declined in importance over the decades. Nevertheless, they are more important than in most other areas of Germany, especially within rural regions. 54% of Thuringia's territory is in agricultural use. The fertile basins such as the large [[Thuringian Basin]] or the smaller [[Goldene Aue]], [[Orlasenke]] and [[Osterland]] are in intensive use for growing cereals, vegetables, fruits and energy crops. Important products are apples, strawberries, cherries and plums in the fruit sector, cabbage, potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes (grown in greenhouses), onions, cucumbers and asparagus in the vegetable sector, as well as maize, rapeseed, wheat, barley and sugar beets in the crop sector.

Meat production and processing is also an important activity, with swine, cattle, chickens and turkeys in focus. Furthermore, there are many milk and cheese producers, as well as laying hens. Trout and carp are traditionally bred in aquaculture in many villages.

Most agricultural enterprises are large cooperatives, founded as [[Landwirtschaftliche Produktionsgenossenschaft]] during the GDR period, and meat producers are part of multinational companies. Traditional private peasant agriculture is an exception, as is organic farming.

Thuringia's only wine-growing district is around [[Bad Sulza]] north of [[Weimar]] and [[Jena]] along the [[Ilm (Thuringia)|Ilm]] and [[Saale]] valley. Its production is marketed as [[Saale-Unstrut]] wines.

Forestry plays an important role in Thuringia because 32% of the Thuringian territory is forested. The most common trees are spruce, pine and beech. There are many wood and pulp-paper factories near the forested areas.

=== Industry and mining ===
Like most other regions of central and southern Germany, Thuringia has a significant industrial sector reaching back to the mid-19th-century industrialisation. The economic transition after the German reunification in 1990 led to the closure of most large-scale factories and companies, leaving small and medium-sized ones to dominate the manufacturing sector. Well-known industrial centres are [[Jena]] (a world centre for optical instruments with companies like [[Carl Zeiss AG|Carl Zeiss]], [[Schott AG|Schott]] and [[Jenoptik]]) and [[Eisenach]], where [[BMW]] started its car production in the 1920s and an [[Opel]] factory is based today. The most important industrial branches today are engineering and metalworking, vehicle production and food industries. Especially the small and mid-sized towns in central and southwestern Thuringia (e.g. [[Arnstadt]], [[Schmalkalden]] and [[Ohrdruf, Thuringia|Ohrdruf]]) are highly industrialised, whereas there are fewer industrial companies in the northern and eastern parts of the Land. Traditional industries like production of glass, porcelain and toys collapsed during the economic crises between 1930 and 1990.

Mining was important in Thuringia since the later Middle Ages, especially within the mining towns of the [[Thuringian Forest]] such as [[Schmalkalden]], [[Suhl]] and [[Ilmenau]]. Following the industrial revolution, the old iron, copper and silver mines declined because the competition from imported metal was too strong. On the other hand, the late 19th century brought new types of mines to Thuringia: the [[lignite]] surface mining around [[Meuselwitz]] near [[Altenburg]] in the east of the Land started in the 1870s, and two [[potash]] mining districts were established around 1900. These are the ''Südharzrevier'' in the north of the state, between [[Bischofferode]] in the west and [[Roßleben]] in the east with [[Sondershausen]] at its centre, and the ''Werrarevier'' on the Hessian border around [[Vacha, Germany|Vacha]] and [[Bad Salzungen]] in the west. Together, they accounted for a significant part of the world's potash production in the mid-20th century. After the reunification, the ''Südharzrevier'' was abandoned, whereas [[K+S]] took over the mines in the ''Werrarevier''. Between 1950 and 1990, [[uranium]] mining was also important to cover the Soviet Union's need for this metal. The centre was [[Ronneburg, Thuringia|Ronneburg]] near [[Gera]] in eastern Thuringia and the operating company [[Wismut (mining company)|Wismut]] was under direct Soviet control.

=== General economic parameters ===
The GDP of Thuringia is below the national average, in line with the other former East German Lands. Until 2004, Thuringia was one of the weakest regions within the [[European Union]]. The accession of several new countries, the crisis in southern Europe and the sustained economic growth in Germany since 2005 has brought the Thuringian GDP close to the EU average since then. The high economic subsidies granted by the federal government and the EU after 1990 are being reduced gradually and will end around 2020.

The unemployment rate reached its peak of 17.1% in 2005. Since then, it has decreased to 5.3% in 2019, which is only slightly above the national average. The decrease is caused on the one hand by the emergence of new jobs and on the other by a marked decrease in the working-age population, caused by emigration and low birth rates for decades. The wages in Thuringia are low compared to rich bordering Lands like [[Hesse]] and [[Bavaria]]. Therefore, many Thuringians are working in other German Lands and even in [[Austria]] and [[Switzerland]] as weekly commuters. Nevertheless, the demographic transition in Thuringia leads to a lack of workers in some sectors. External immigration into Thuringia has been encouraged by the government since about 2010 to counter this problem.

The economic progress is quite different between the regions of Thuringia. The big cities along the [[Bundesautobahn 4|A4 motorway]] such as [[Erfurt]], [[Jena]] and [[Eisenach]] and their surroundings are booming, whereas nearly all the rural regions, especially in the north and east, have little economic impetus and employment, which is a big issue in regional planning. Young people in these areas often have to commute long distances, and many emigrate soon after finishing school.

The unemployment rate stood at 5.9% in 2023 and was higher than the German average.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/2524/umfrage/entwicklung-der-arbeitslosenquote-in-thueringen-seit-1999/|title=Arbeitslosenquote* in Thüringen von 2001 bis 2019|website=Statista|language=de|access-date=2 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Arbeitslosenquote nach Bundesländern 2023 |url=https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/2192/umfrage/durchschnittliche-arbeitslosenquote-nach-bundeslaendern/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=Statista |language=de}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!Year<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 November 2018 |title=Federal Statistical Office Germany - GENESIS-Online |url=https://www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis/online/data;sid=8605C2647C4C92D731CC1EC4BAC5AF53.GO_1_3?operation=ergebnistabelleUmfang&levelindex=3&levelid=1542098063701&downloadname=13211-0007 |access-date=13 November 2018 |website=www-genesis.destatis.de |language=en |archive-date=13 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113170119/https://www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis/online/data;sid=8605C2647C4C92D731CC1EC4BAC5AF53.GO_1_3?operation=ergebnistabelleUmfang&levelindex=3&levelid=1542098063701&downloadname=13211-0007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":0" />
!2000
!2001
!2002
!2003
!2004
!2005
!2006
!2007
!2008
!2009
!2010
!2011
!2012
!2013
!2014
!2015
!2016
!2017
!2018
!2019
!2020
!2021
!2022
!2023
|-
|Unemployment rate in %
|15.4
|15.3
|15.9
|16.7
|16.7
|17.1
|15.6
|13.1
|11.2
|11.4
|9.8
|8.8
|8.5
|8.2
|7.8
|7.4
|6.7
|6.1
|5.5
|5.3
|6.0
|5.6
|5.3
|5.9
|}

=== Tourism ===
Tourism is an important branch of the economy. Thuringia has a number of well known destinations: [[Wartburg|Wartburg castle]] (UNESCO World Heritage Site), [[Weimar|Classical Weimar]] (UNESCO World Heritage Site), [[Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau|Bauhaus Weimar]] (UNESCO World Heritage Site), [[Thuringian Forest]], [[Oberhof, Germany|Oberhof]] or [[Rennsteig]] (ridge walk). City tourism with the centers of Erfurt, Weimar, Jena, Eisenach and Mühlhausen is experiencing dynamic growth. A total of around 9.2 million overnight stays were booked in 2016, compared to 8.3 million ten years earlier. Around 6% of the bookings were made by foreign guests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://statistik.thueringen.de/datenbank/TabAnzeige.asp?tabelle=GE000802%7C%7CAnk%FCnfte,+%DCbernachtungen+und+Aufenthaltsdauer+der+G%E4ste+in+Beherbergungsst%E4tten+nach+ausgew%E4hlten+Gemeinden+(ohne+Camping)|title = Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Wartburg Eisenach DSCN3512.jpg|[[Wartburg]]
File:Goethe Schiller Weimar.jpg|[[Goethe–Schiller Monument]] in [[Weimar]]
File:Falkenstein Thüringen.jpg|[[Thuringian Forest]]
File:Schanzenanlage im Kanzlersgrund bei Oberhof.jpg|[[Oberhof, Germany|Oberhof]]
File:Erfurter Dom von Oben 08.jpg|[[Erfurt]] skyline
File:Kraemerbruecke und Aegidienkirche Erfurt 2017.jpg|[[Krämerbrücke]] in [[Erfurt]]
File:Muehlhausen Marienkirche.jpg|Oldtown of [[Mühlhausen]]
File:Schloss Friedenstein Gotha 2.JPG|[[Friedenstein Palace]], [[Gotha]]
</gallery>

== Infrastructure ==

=== Transport ===
[[File:Die A4 bei Lobeda-West mit der Saaletalbrücke.JPG|thumb|right|[[Bundesautobahn 4]] near Jena]]
[[File:Thuringia Erfurt Hbf asv2020-07 img1.jpg|thumb|right|[[Erfurt Hauptbahnhof|Erfurt Central Station]] is an important junction on the German rail network.]]
[[File:J24 014 Hp Anger, ET 623.jpg|thumb|right|[[Erfurt Stadtbahn]] at Anger (city centre)]]
As Germany's most central state, Thuringia is an important hub of transit traffic. The transportation infrastructure was in very poor condition after the [[GDR]] period. Since 1990, many billions of Euros have been invested to improve the condition of roads and railways within Thuringia.

During the 1930s, the first two [[Autobahn|motorways]] were built across the Land, the [[Bundesautobahn 4|A4 motorway]] as an important east–west connection in central Germany and the main link between [[Berlin]] and south-west Germany, and the [[Bundesautobahn 9|A9 motorway]] as the main north–south route in eastern Germany, connecting Berlin with [[Munich]]. The A4 runs from [[Frankfurt]] in [[Hesse]] via [[Eisenach]], [[Gotha]], [[Erfurt]], [[Weimar]], [[Jena]] and [[Gera]] to [[Dresden]] in [[Saxony]], connecting Thuringia's most important cities. At [[Hermsdorf, Thuringia|Hermsdorf]] junction it is connected with the A9. Both highways were widened from four to six lanes (three each way) after 1990, including some extensive re-routing in the Eisenach and Jena areas. Furthermore, three new motorways were built during the 1990s and 2000s. The [[Bundesautobahn 71|A71]] crosses the Land in southwest–northeast direction, connecting [[Würzburg]] in [[Bavaria]] via [[Meiningen]], [[Suhl]], [[Ilmenau]], [[Arnstadt]], Erfurt and [[Sömmerda]] with [[Sangerhausen]] and [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]] in [[Saxony-Anhalt]]. The crossing of the [[Thuringian Forest]] by the A71 has been one of Germany's most expensive motorway segments with various tunnels (including Germany's longest road tunnel, the [[Rennsteig Tunnel]]) and large bridges. The [[Bundesautobahn 73|A73]] starts at the A71 south of Erfurt in Suhl and runs south towards [[Nuremberg]] in Bavaria. The [[Bundesautobahn 38|A38]] is another west–east connection in the north of Thuringia running from [[Göttingen]] in [[Lower Saxony]] via [[Heilbad Heiligenstadt|Heiligenstadt]] and [[Nordhausen, Thuringia|Nordhausen]] to [[Leipzig]] in Saxony. Furthermore, there is a dense network of [[Bundesstraße|federal highways]] complementing the motorway network. The upgrading of federal highways is prioritised in the federal trunk road programme 2015 (''Bundesverkehrswegeplan'' 2015). Envisaged projects include upgrades of the [[Bundesstraße 247|B247]] from Gotha to [[Leinefelde]] to improve [[Mühlhausen]]'s connection to the national road network, the [[Bundesstraße 19|B19]] from Eisenach to Meiningen to improve access to [[Bad Salzungen]] and [[Schmalkalden]], and the [[Bundesstraße 88|B88]] and [[Bundesstraße 281|B281]] for strengthening the [[Saalfeld]]/[[Rudolstadt]] region.

The first railways in Thuringia had been built in the 1840s and the network of main lines was finished around 1880. By 1920, many branch lines had been built, giving Thuringia one of the densest rail networks in the world before World War II with about 2,500&nbsp;km of track. Between 1950 and 2000 most of the branch lines were abandoned, reducing Thuringia's network by half compared to 1940. On the other hand, most of the main lines were refurbished after 1990, resulting in improved speed of travel. The most important railway lines at present are the [[Thuringian Railway]], connecting [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]] and [[Leipzig]] via [[Weimar]], [[Erfurt]], [[Gotha]] and [[Eisenach]] with [[Frankfurt]] and [[Kassel]] and the [[Saal Railway]] from Halle/Leipzig via [[Jena]] and [[Saalfeld]] to [[Nuremberg]]. The former has an hourly [[Intercity-Express|ICE]]/[[Intercity (Deutsche Bahn)|IC]] service from [[Dresden]] to Frankfurt while the latter is served hourly by ICE trains from [[Berlin]] to [[Munich]]. In 2017, a new high speed line will be opened, diverting long-distance services from these mid-19th century lines. Both ICE routes will then use the [[Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle high-speed railway]], and the Berlin-Munich route will continue via the [[Nuremberg–Erfurt high-speed railway]]. Only the segment west of Erfurt of the Frankfurt-Dresden line will continue to be used by ICE trains after 2017, with an increased line speed of 200&nbsp;km/h (currently 160&nbsp;km/h). [[Erfurt Hauptbahnhof|Erfurt's central station]], which was completely rebuilt for this purpose in the 2000s (decade), will be the new connection between both ICE lines. The most important regional railway lines in Thuringia are the [[Neudietendorf–Ritschenhausen railway]] from Erfurt to [[Würzburg]] and [[Meiningen]], the [[Weimar–Gera railway]] from Erfurt to [[Chemnitz]], the [[Sangerhausen–Erfurt railway]] from Erfurt to [[Magdeburg]], the [[Gotha–Leinefelde railway]] from Erfurt to [[Göttingen]], the [[Halle–Kassel railway]] from Halle via [[Nordhausen, Thuringia|Nordhausen]] to Kassel and the [[Leipzig–Hof railway]] from Leipzig via [[Altenburg]] to [[Zwickau]] and [[Hof, Bavaria|Hof]]. Most regional and local lines have hourly service, but some run only every other hour.

A few small airports are in Thuringia. In public transport is [[Erfurt–Weimar Airport]], used for charter flights to the Mediterranean and other holiday destinations. In private flights, [[Leipzig–Altenburg Airport]] is a further key airport.

International hub airports are [[Frankfurt Airport]], [[Berlin Brandenburg Airport]] and [[Munich Airport]] in adjacent states.

Thuringia is the only state without barge or ship waterways; its rivers are too small to be navigable to them.

=== Energy and water supply ===
The traditional energy supply of Thuringia is [[lignite]], mined in the bordering Leipzig region. Since 2000, the importance of environmentally unfriendly lignite combustion has declined in favour of renewable energies, which reached an amount of 40% (in 2013), and more clean gas combustion, often carried out as [[cogeneration]] in the municipal power stations. The most important forms of renewable energies are [[wind power]] and [[biomass]], followed by [[solar energy]] and [[hydroelectricity]]. Furthermore, Thuringia hosts two big [[Pumped-storage hydroelectricity|pumped storage stations]]: the [[Goldisthal Pumped Storage Station]] and the [[Hohenwarte Dam]].

The water supply is granted by the big dams, like the [[Leibis-Lichte Dam]], within the [[Thuringian Forest]] and the [[Thuringian Highland]], making a drinking water exporter of Thuringia.

=== Health ===
Health care provision in Thuringia improved after 1990, as did the level of general health. Life expectancy rose, nevertheless it is still a bit lower than the German average. This is caused by a relatively unhealthy lifestyle of the Thuringians, especially in high consumption of grains, industrial seed oils, refined carbohydrates and alcohol, which led to significant higher rates of obesity compared to the German average.

Health care in Thuringia is currently undergoing a concentration process. Many smaller hospitals in the rural towns are closing, whereas the bigger ones in centres like [[Jena]] and [[Erfurt]] get enlarged. Overall, there is an oversupply of hospital beds, caused by rationalisation processes in the German health care system, so that many smaller hospitals generate losses. On the other hand, there is a lack of family doctors, especially in rural regions with increased need of health care provision because of overageing.

== Education ==
In Germany, the educational system is part of the sovereignty of the Länder; therefore each Land has its own school and college system.

=== School system ===
{{See also|Education in Germany}}

The Thuringian school system was developed after the reunification in 1990, combining some elements of the former [[GDR]] school system with the [[Bavaria]]n school system. Most German school rankings attest that Thuringia has one of the most successful education systems in Germany, resulting in high-quality outcomes.

Early-years education is quite common in Thuringia. Since the 1950s, nearly all children have been using the service, whereas early-years education is less developed in western Germany. Its inventor [[Friedrich Fröbel]] lived in Thuringia and founded the world's first [[Kindergarten]]s there in the 19th century. The Thuringian primary school takes four years and most primary schools are all-day schools offering optional extracurricular activities in the afternoon. At the age of ten, pupils are separated according to aptitude and proceed to either the [[Gymnasium (Germany)|Gymnasium]] or the {{ill|Regelschule|de}}. The former leads to the [[Abitur]] exam after a further eight years and prepares for higher education, while the latter has a more vocational focus and finishes with exams after five or six years, comparable to the [[Hauptschule]] and [[Realschule]] found elsewhere in Germany.

Thuringia is home to a K-12 international school in the city of Weimar, Thuringia International School (ThIS). The school was established in the year 2000 and is accredited by the Council of International Schools and authorised to offer the International Baccalaureate PYP, MYP and DP. Students who graduate from the school are able to gain admission to colleges and universities around the world.

== Universities ==
[[File:Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Hauptgebäude, Jena.jpg|thumb|right|[[Friedrich Schiller University Jena]] is the largest university in Thuringia and one of the best in Germany.]]
The German higher education system comprises two forms of academic institutions: [[university|universities]] and polytechnics ({{lang|de|[[Fachhochschule]]}}). The [[University of Jena]] is the biggest amongst Thuringia's four universities and offers nearly every discipline. It was founded in 1558, and today has 21,000 students. The second-largest is the [[Technische Universität Ilmenau]] with 7,000 students, founded in 1894, which offers many technical disciplines such as engineering and mathematics. The [[University of Erfurt]], founded in 1392, has 5,000 students today and an emphasis on humanities and teacher training. The [[Bauhaus University, Weimar|Bauhaus University Weimar]] with 4,000 students is Thuringia's smallest university, specialising in creative subjects such as architecture and arts. It was founded in 1860 and came to prominence as Germany's leading art school during the inter-war period, the [[Bauhaus]].

The polytechnics of Thuringia are based in [[Fachhochschule Erfurt|Erfurt]] (4,500 students), [[Ernst-Abbe-Fachhochschule Jena|Jena]] (5,000 students), [[Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences|Nordhausen]] (2,500 students) and [[Fachhochschule Schmalkalden|Schmalkalden]] (3,000 students). In addition, there is a civil service college in [[Thüringer Fachhochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung|Gotha]] with 500 students, the [[Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Weimar|College of Music "Franz Liszt"]] in Weimar (800 students) as well as two private colleges, the [[Adam-Ries-Fachhochschule]] in Erfurt (500 students) and the SRH College for nursing and allied medical subjects (''[[SRH Fachhochschule für Gesundheit Gera]]'') in Gera (500 students). The most recent institution of higher education in Thuringia is the [[Duale Hochschule Gera-Eisenach]] (1400 students), a cooperative state college founded in 2016 through a merger of the colleges (''Berufsakademie'') in Gera and Eisenach.

=== Research ===
Thuringia's leading research centre is [[Jena]], followed by [[Ilmenau]]. Both focus on technology, in particular life sciences and optics at Jena and information technology at Ilmenau. [[Erfurt]] is a centre of Germany's horticultural research, whereas [[Weimar]] and [[Gotha]] with their various archives and libraries are centres of historic and cultural research. Most of the research in Thuringia is publicly funded basic research due to the lack of large companies able to invest significant amounts in applied research, with the notable exception of the optics sector at [[Jena]].

== Personalities ==

{{unordered list
| [[Georg Böhm]] (1661–1733), composer and organist of the Baroque period, born in [[Hohenkirchen, Thuringia|Hohenkirchen]]
| [[Johann Sebastian Bach]] (1685–1750), composer and musician of the Baroque period, born in [[Eisenach]]
| [[Franz Liszt]] (1811–1886), Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, teacher and Franciscan tertiary, lived in Weimar
| [[Richard Wagner]] (1813–1883), composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor, sojourns in Weimar and [[Eisenach]]
| [[Richard Strauss]] (1864–1949), composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, director of the Weimar Court Orchestra ({{lang|de|Hofkapellmeister}})
<gallery>
Image:Johann Sebastian Bach.jpg|[[Johann Sebastian Bach]]
Image:FLiszt.jpg|[[Franz Liszt]]
Image:RichardWagner.jpg|[[Richard Wagner]]
</gallery>
| [[Martin Luther]] (1483–1546), friar (Observant Augustinian), Catholic priest, professor of theology and seminal figure of the 16th-century movement in Christianity known later as the Protestant Reformation, educated in [[Lutherhaus Eisenach|Eisenach]], translation of the New Testament from Greek into German at [[Wartburg|Wartburg castle]]
| [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]] (1749–1832), writer and statesman, went to live in Weimar
| [[Friedrich von Schiller]] (1759–1805), poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright; professor of history at the University of Jena before relocating to Weimar<gallery>
Image:Wartburg-Lutherstube.02.JPG|Chamber of [[Martin Luther]] at [[Wartburg|Wartburg castle]]
Image:Goethe (Stieler 1828).jpg|[[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]] 
Image:Friedrich Schiller by Ludovike Simanowiz.jpg|[[Friedrich Schiller]]
</gallery>
| [[Meister Eckhart]] O.P. ({{circa|1260|1328}}), theologian, philosopher and mystic, born near [[Gotha]]
| [[Lucas Cranach the Elder]] (1472–1553), Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving, lived his last years in Weimar
| [[Johann Gottfried von Herder]] (1744–1803), philosopher, theologian, poet, and literary critic, introduces the {{lang|de|[[Zeitgeist]]}} in {{lang|de|Kritische Wälder}} (1769), served as General Superintendent in Weimar
| [[Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland]] (1762–1836), physician, most eminent practical physician of his time in Germany, born in Langensalza
| [[Napoleon|Napoléon Bonaparte]] (1769–1821), French military and political leader, twin [[battle of Jena-Auerstedt]], 14 October 1806, met [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]] at the governor's palace in [[Erfurt]] in the presence of [[Talleyrand]], 2 October 1808 ({{lang|fr|"Vous êtes un homme. Quel âge avez-vous ? – Soixante ans. – Vous êtes bien conservé. Vous avez écrit des tragédies ?"}}) ({{lang|fr|"Voilà un homme"}})
| [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel]] (1770–1831), philosopher, author of [[the Phenomenology of Spirit]], extraordinary Professor at [[University of Jena]]
| [[Carl Zeiss]] (1816–1888), maker of optical instruments commonly known for the company he founded, [[Carl Zeiss AG|Carl Zeiss Jena]], born in Weimar
| [[Karl Marx]] (1818–1883), philosopher, economist, social scientist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist, PhD awarded by [[University of Jena]]
| [[August Schleicher]] (1821–1868), linguist, he attempted to reconstruct the Proto-Indo-European language
| [[Johannes Brahms]] (1833–1897), composer and pianist, frequent sojourns at [[Meiningen]]
| [[Ernst Haeckel]] (1834–1919), biologist, naturalist, philosopher, physician, professor, and artist, discovered, described, and named thousands of new species, mapped a genealogical tree relating all life forms, coined many terms in biology, including anthropogeny, ecology, phylum, phylogeny, and stem cell, professor at [[University of Jena]]<gallery>
Image:Ernst Haeckel.jpg| [[Ernst Haeckel]]
Image:Max Weber 1894.jpg| [[Max Weber]]
Image:Carl Zeiss from Auerbach 1907.png| [[Carl Zeiss]]
Image:Friedrich Otto Schott.jpg| [[Otto Schott]]
</gallery>
| [[Ernst Abbe]] (1840–1905), physicist, optical scientist, entrepreneur, and social reformer, laid the foundations of modern optics, co-owner of [[Carl Zeiss AG|Carl Zeiss Jena]], born in [[Eisenach]]
| [[Friedrich Nietzsche|Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche]] (1844–1900), philologist, philosopher, cultural critic, poet and composer, lived his last years in Weimar
| [[Gottlob Frege]] (1848–1925), mathematician, logician, and philosopher, professor at [[University of Jena]]
| [[Otto Schott]] (1851–1935), chemist, glass technologist, and the inventor of borosilicate glass, founder of [[Schott AG|Jenaer Glaswerk Schott & Genossen]]
| [[Rudolf Steiner]] (1861–1925), Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist, worked to establish various practical endeavors, including Waldorf education, biodynamic agriculture, and anthroposophical medicine, invited to work as an editor at the Goethe Matenadaran in Weimar
| [[Henry Van de Velde|Henry van de Velde]] (1863–1957), Belgian painter, architect and interior designer, established the [[Weimar Saxon-Grand Ducal Art School]], the predecessor of the [[Bauhaus]]
| [[Max Weber]] (1864–1920), sociologist, philosopher, and political economist, often cited as among the three founding creators of sociology, born in [[Erfurt]]
| [[Richard Strauss]] (1864–1949), leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, director of the Weimar Court Orchestra ({{lang|de|Hofkapellmeister}}) 1889–94
| [[Vassily Kandinsky]] (1866–1944), influential Russian painter and art theorist, credited with painting the first purely abstract works, [[Bauhaus]] master, Weimar
| [[Lyonel Feininger]] (1871–1956), German-American painter and leading exponent of Expressionism, also worked as a caricaturist and comic strip artist, [[Bauhaus]] master, Weimar
| [[Léon Blum]] (1872–1950), French politician, three times Prime Minister of France, imprisoned in [[Buchenwald]]
| [[Paul Klee]] (1879–1940), Swiss German painter; his highly individual style was influenced by movements in art that included expressionism, cubism, and surrealism, [[Bauhaus]] master, Weimar
| [[Walter Gropius]] (1883–1969), architect, widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture, founder of the [[Bauhaus]], Weimar
| [[Ludwig Mies van der Rohe]] (1886–1969), German-American architect, widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture, joined the [[Bauhaus]], Weimar
| [[Jean Arp]] (1886–1966), German-French, or Alsatian, sculptor, painter, poet and abstract artist, studied at the [[Weimar Saxon-Grand Ducal Art School]], the predecessor of the [[Bauhaus]]
| [[Otto Dix]] (1891–1969), painter and printmaker, noted for his ruthless and harshly realistic depictions of Weimar society and the brutality of war, born in Untermhaus (today [[Gera]])
| [[Cuno Hoffmeister]] (1892–1968), German [[astronomer]], observer and discoverer of [[variable star]]s, [[comet]]s and [[minor planets]], founder of [[Sonneberg Observatory]].
| [[Werner Braune]] (1909–1951), Nazi SS officer, executed for war crimes
| [[Uziel Gal]] (1923–2002), Israeli gun designer, best remembered as the designer and namesake of the Uzi submachine gun, born in Weimar
| [[Jorge Semprún]] (1923–2011), Spanish writer and politician, deported to [[Buchenwald]], realization of {{lang|fr|italic=no|"Mère blafarde, tendre sœur"}} for the {{lang|de|italic=yes|Kunstfest}} art festival, Weimar, summer 1995
| [[Herbert Kroemer]] (1928-2024), German-American physicist, co-laureate of the Nobel Prize in Physics 2000
| [[Marcel Kittel]] (born 1988 in [[Arnstadt]]), professional cyclist
| [[Michael Roth (cyberneticist)|Michael Roth]] (1936–2019), engineer
}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
*[https://thueringen.de/ Official government site]
*[https://www.thueringen-entdecken.de/en/home Tourism]
*[http://www.thueringen-regional.de/ Official Directory] {{in lang|de}}
*Thuringian flags at 
*#{{cite web|url=http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/de-th.html |title=Thuringia (Germany) |publisher=Fotw.vexillum.com |access-date=22 May 2010}}
*#{{cite web|author=Marcus Schmöger |url=http://www.flaggenkunde.de/deutscheflaggen/de-th.htm |title=Thüringen |publisher=Flaggenkunde.de |access-date=22 May 2010}}
*{{Osmrelation-inline|62366}}

{{States of the Federal Republic of Germany}}
{{Germany districts Thuringia}}
{{States of the Weimar Republic}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Thuringia| ]]
[[Category:States of the Weimar Republic]]
[[Category:NUTS 2 statistical regions of the European Union]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1920]]
[[Category:1952 disestablishments in East Germany]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1990]]
[[Category:States of Germany]]
[[Category:Former republics]]