Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
Borough of Berlin in Germany
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (German: [ʃaʁˌlɔtn̩bʊʁk ˈvɪlmɐsdɔʁf] ⓘ) is the fourth borough of Berlin, formed in an administrative reform with effect from 1 January 2001, by merging the former boroughs of Charlottenburg and Wilmersdorf.
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf | |
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 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf in Berlin
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 Location of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf | |
  Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf  Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf | |
| Coordinates: 52°30′N 13°17′E | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Berlin |
| City | Berlin |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Subdivisions | 7 localities |
| Government | |
| • Borough Mayor | Kirstin Bauch (Greens) |
| Area | |
• Total | 64.72 km2 (24.99 sq mi) |
| Population (2024-12-31)[1] | |
• Total | 323,507 |
| • Density | 4,999/km2 (12,950/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 10585, 10587, 10589, 10623, 10625, 10627, 10629, 10707, 10709, 10711, 10713, 10715, 10717, 10719, 10777, 13627, 14050, 14052, 14053, 14055, 14057, 14059, 14193, 14197, 14199 |
| Dialling codes | 030 |
| Vehicle registration | B |
| Website | www |
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Overview
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf covers the western city centre of Berlin and the adjacent affluent suburbs. It borders on the Mitte borough in the east, on Tempelhof-Schöneberg in the southeast, Steglitz-Zehlendorf in the south, Spandau in the west and on Reinickendorf in the north. The district includes the inner city localities of Charlottenburg, Wilmersdorf and Halensee.
After World War II and the city's division by the Berlin Wall, the area around Kurfürstendamm and Bahnhof Zoo was the centre of former West Berlin, with the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church as its landmark. The Technische Universität Berlin, the Berlin University of the Arts (Universität der Künste), the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung), the Deutsche Oper Berlin as well as Charlottenburg Palace and the Olympic Stadium are also located in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.
Demographics
As of 31 December 2025[update], the borough had a population of 343,625.[2] Of these, 251,140 (73.1%) held German citizenship and 92,485 (26.9%) were foreign nationals. A total of 162,674 residents (47.3%) had a migration background, including 70,189 German citizens with a migration background and the 92,485 foreign nationals.[2]
The average age of the borough's population was 45.2 years, the second highest among Berlin's twelve boroughs after Steglitz-Zehlendorf (46.6 years).[2]
| Category | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 343,625 | 100% |
| Without migration background | 180,951 | 52.7% |
| With migration background | 162,674 | 47.3% |
| – German citizens with migration background | 70,189 | 20.4% |
| – Foreign nationals | 92,485 | 26.9% |
| Source: Amt für Statistik Berlin-Brandenburg, Statistischer Bericht A I 5 – hj 2/25. | ||
The largest groups of residents with a migration background by country of origin were:[2]
| Country of origin | Number | % of total population |
|---|---|---|
 Turkey | 13,824 | 4.0% |
 Ukraine | 11,756 | 3.4% |
 Poland | 10,647 | 3.1% |
 Russia | 8,911 | 2.6% |
 India | 5,845 | 1.7% |
 Iran | 5,193 | 1.5% |
 Italy | 4,758 | 1.4% |
 United States | 4,554 | 1.3% |
 Syria | 4,442 | 1.3% |
 China | 3,788 | 1.1% |
 France | 3,575 | 1.0% |
 Romania | 3,145 | 0.9% |
| Includes both foreign nationals and German citizens with migration background from the respective country. Source: Amt für Statistik Berlin-Brandenburg, Statistischer Bericht A I 5 – hj 2/25, Table 9. | ||
Subdivision
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is divided into seven localities:
| Locality |
Area (km2) |
Inhabitants 31 December 2012 |
Density (inhabitants/km2) |
| 0401 Charlottenburg |
10.6 | 121,926 | 11,502 |
| 0402 Wilmersdorf |
7.16 | 95,164 | 13,291 |
| 0403 Schmargendorf |
3.59 | 20,476 | 5,704 |
| 0404 Grunewald |
22.3 | 11,703 | 525 |
| 0405 Westend |
13.5 | 38,944 | 2,885 |
| 0406 Charlottenburg-Nord |
6.2 | 73,057 | 11,783 |
| 0407 Halensee |
1.27 | 12,759 | 10,046 |
The localities of Schmargendorf and Grunewald were part of the former Wilmersdorf borough until 2001. By resolution of 30 September 2004, the localities of Westend and Charlottenburg-Nord were created on the territory of the former Charlottenburg borough, like Halensee on the territory of the former Wilmersdorf borough.
Politics
District council
The governing body of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is the district council (Bezirksverordnetenversammlung). It has responsibility for passing laws and electing the city government, including the mayor. The district council election held on 26 September 2021 was subsequently declared invalid by the Constitutional Court of Berlin due to widespread irregularities across Berlin, and a repeat election was held on 12 February 2023.[3] In the repeat election, the CDU won the largest vote share with 30.7%, followed by Alliance 90/The Greens at 23.9% and the SPD at 19.8%; the CDU and Greens subsequently formed a Zählgemeinschaft (counting alliance), and Kirstin Bauch was confirmed as district mayor.[4] The original September 2021 results were as follows:
| Party | Lead candidate | Votes | % | +/- | Seats | +/- | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) | Kirstin Bauch | 42,720 | 24.7 |  4.9 |
15 | 3 | |
| Social Democratic Party (SPD) | Heike Schmitt-Schmelz | 38,058 | 22.0 |  3.1 |
14 | 1 | |
| Christian Democratic Union (CDU) | Judith Stückler | 37,883 | 21.9 | 0.3 |
13 | ±0 | |
| Free Democratic Party (FDP) | Stefanie Beckers | 16,987 | 9.8 | 0.5 |
6 | ±0 | |
| The Left (LINKE) | Annetta Juckel | 13,038 | 7.5 | 0.3 |
4 | ±0 | |
| Alternative for Germany (AfD) | Michael Seyfert | 8,174 | 4.7 | 5.0 |
3 | 2 | |
| Tierschutzpartei | 3,648 | 2.1 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Volt Germany | 3,245 | 1.9 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Die PARTEI | 2,681 | 1.5 |  0.0 |
0 | ±0 | ||
| dieBasis | 2,531 | 1.5 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Free Voters | 1,294 | 0.7 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Klimaliste | 813 | 0.5 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Pirate Party Germany | 589 | 0.4 | 1.2 |
0 | ±0 | ||
| The Humanists | 479 | 0.3 | New | 0 | New | ||
| We are Berlin | 430 | 0.2 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Ecological Democratic Party | 276 | 0.2 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Liberal Conservative Reformers | 136 | 0.1 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Valid votes | 173,082 | 99.2 | |||||
| Invalid votes | 1,360 | 0.8 | |||||
| Total | 174,442 | 100.0 | 55 | ±0 | |||
| Electorate/voter turnout | 246,148 | 70.9 | 7.9 |
||||
| Source: Elections Berlin | |||||||
District government
The district mayor (Bezirksbürgermeister) is elected by the Bezirksverordnetenversammlung, and positions in the district government (Bezirksamt) are apportioned based on party strength. Kirstin Bauch of the Greens was first elected mayor on 16 December 2021. Following the 2023 repeat election and the formation of a CDU-Green Zählgemeinschaft, the Bezirksamt was reconstituted in April 2023: the CDU increased its representation from two to three seats, taking the urban development portfolio from the SPD, and the deputy mayor position passed from the SPD to the CDU.[5] In May 2025, Stadtrat Detlef Wagner (CDU) was recalled by the BVV, and in June 2025, Stadtrat Arne Herz (CDU) left the Bezirksamt after being appointed State Secretary for Mobility and Transport in the Berlin Senate. Two replacement members were elected by the BVV on 17 July 2025.[5] The current composition of the district government is as follows:
| Councillor | Party | Portfolio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirstin Bauch | GRÜNE | District Mayor Finance, Staff and Economic Development | |
| Christoph Brzezinski | CDU | Deputy Mayor Urban Development, Property and IT | |
| Heike Schmitt-Schmelz | SPD | Education, Sport and Culture | |
| Oliver Schruoffeneger | GRÜNE | Order, Environment, Roads and Green Spaces | |
| Simon Hertel | CDU | Youth and Health | |
| Astrid Duda | CDU | Civil Service and Social Affairs | |
| Source: Berlin.de[5] | |||
Twin towns – sister cities
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is twinned with:[6]
Apeldoorn, Netherlands (1968)
Bad Iburg, Germany (1980)
Belváros-Lipótváros (Budapest), Hungary (1998)- Forchheim (district), Germany (1991)
Gagny, France (1992)
Gladsaxe, Denmark (1968)
Karmiel, Israel (1985)- Kulmbach (district), Germany (1991)
Lewisham, England, United Kingdom (1968)
Linz, Austria (1995)- Mannheim, Germany (1962)
- Marburg-Biedenkopf, Germany (1991)
Międzyrzecz, Poland (1993)- Minden, Germany (1968)
- Or Yehuda, Israel (1966)
Pechersk (Kyiv), Ukraine (1991)- Rheingau-Taunus (district), Germany (1991)
Split, Croatia (1970)- Sutton, England, United Kingdom (1968)
Trento, Italy (1966)- Waldeck-Frankenberg, Germany (1988)
Economy
The borough's economy largely depends on retail trade, mainly in the City West area along Kurfürstendamm, Breitscheidplatz and Tauentzienstraße, with supra-local importance. Among the shopping malls in the area are Bikini-Berlin,[7] and the Europa-Center.[8]
The Berliner Börse (Berlin Stock Exchange) is housed in the Ludwig-Erhard-Haus designed by Nicholas Grimshaw at Fasanenstraße 85 in Berlin-Charlottenburg near Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten.
The Royal Porcelain Factory in Berlin (German: Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin) (KPM) is also situated in Charlottenburg, near Berlin-Tiergarten Station.
The Messe Berlin (Exhibition Grounds/Trade Fair Center) is situated in Berlin-Westend.
The former headquarters of Air Berlin (ceased operations 2017) and Germania (ceased operations 2019) were located in Charlottenburg-Nord.
Education
There are 74 schools in the city. There are 29,446 students attending these schools, 5,261 are foreigners.[9] Of these, 12,993 study in 38 primary schools[10] while 9,617 attend the district's 14 Gymnasiums. There are also 3 Hauptschule and 6 Realschule in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.
The district also has two universities, Technische Universität Berlin[11] and Berlin University of the Arts.[12] In 2011, Technische Universität Berlin was named the 46th best university in the world in engineering and technology according to the QS World University Rankings.[13]
Higher education
Primary and secondary schools
- Comenius-Schule, a primary school, is in Wilmersdorf.[14]
- Halensee-Grundschule, a primary school, is in Halensee.[15]
- Jüdische Traditionsschule, traditionell Jewish primary and secondary school in Westend
- Heinz-Galinski-Schule Charlottenburg, Jewish primary school
- Svenska Skolan Berlin, Swedish School Berlin
- Nelson-Mandela-School, International School
- Goethe-Gymnasium, one of the most popular secondary schools in Berlin
- Peter-Ustinov-Schule, located between Messe Nord and Wilmersdorfer Straße.
- Evangelisches Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster, School of the Evangelical Church
- Schiller-Gymnasium-Berlin, located at Ernst-Reuter-Platz
Weekend education
- The Japanische Ergänzungsschule in Berlin e.V. (ベルリン日本語補習授業校 Berurin Nihongo Hoshū Jugyō Kō), a weekend Japanese supplementary school, is held at Halensee-Grundschule.[16]
- Zentrale Schule für Japanisch Berlin e.V. (共益法人ベルリン中央学園補習授業校 Kyōeki Hōjin Berurin Chūō Gakuen Hoshū Jugyō Kō), another weekend Japanese supplementary school, is held at the Comenius-Schule[17] – Established April 1997.[18]
