Niederbayern (Lower Bavaria)

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Hierarchy
Regional Research > Germany, after 1989 > Bavaria > Niederbayern (Lower Bavaria)

File:Lage Regierungsbezirk Niederbayern in Bayern.png
Location of Administrative District (Regierungsbezirk) Niederbayern within the Federal State (Bundesland) Bavaria



Contents

Introduction

Niederbayern (Lower Bavaria) is one of the 7 administrative districts (Regierungsbezirk) of Bavaria (Bayern).

Coat of Arms

File:Wappen Regierungsbezirk Niederbayern Land Bayern.png
Niederbayern - Coat of arms


The Lower Bavarian coat of arms consists of two symbols: of the Bavarian white (silver) and blue lozenges (bayerische Rauten) and the red panther (Phanther or Pantier). With the panther Lower Bavaria represents the dynasty of the Grafen Ortenburg-Kraiburg (House of Spanheim), who in the 12th century were status-wise and in wealth the first amongst the old-Bavarian noble houses.


General Information

Niederbayern (Lower Bavaria) is located in the east of Bavaria. It borders on the Bavarian administrative districts Upper Bavaria and Upper Palatinate. In the southeast it borders on Austria and in the east on the Czech Republic.

Data: 2003 Area in qkm Population Inhabitants /qkm
Niederbayern (Lower Bavaria) 10,330 1,194,472 116pete
Bavaria total 70,549 12,423,386 176


(Source: Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik und Datenverarbeitung, Genesis online)

Political Structure

Lower Bavarias administrative Capital is the city of Landshut.

File:Karte Regierungsbezirk Niederbayern Land Bayern.png
Counties of Niederbayern


Counties


Independent Cities



Structure before 1972/78

In 1972/78 Bavaria had a major re-organization of the administrative system - a county-reform (Landkreisreform) and the municipality-reform (Gemeindereform). Aim was to downsize the number of existing administrative counties (Landkreise), independent cities (Kreisfreie Städte) and municipalities (Gemeinden). After these reforms a lot of formerly independent places and communities became part of another municipality (sometimes with this even became part of another county). Also some formerly existing counties were combined and the old county names ceased to exists. In some areas of Bavaria places even changed the administrative district (Regierungsbezirk) they belonged too.

Lower Bavarias past administrative structure:

Lower Bavaria since 1972 before 1972
Counties 9 22
Independent Cities   3 4
Municipalities 258  ?



Counties (before county/municipality reforms in 1972 / 78):

*Bogen (today: county Straubing-Bogen)
*Deggendorf
*Dingolfing (today: county Dingolfing-Landau)
*Eggenfelden (today: county Rottal-Inn)
*Grafenau (today: county Freyung-Grafenau)
*Griesbach (today: county Passau)
*Kelheim
*Kötzting (today: Administrative District: Upper Palatinate; county Cham)
*Landau an der Isar (today: county Dingolfing-Landau)
*Landshut
*Mainburg
*Mallersdorf
*Passau
*Pfarrkirchen (today: county Rottal-Inn)
*Regen
*Rottenburg an der Laaber
*Straubing (today: county Straubing-Bogen)
*Viechtach (today: county Regen)
*Vilsbiburg
*Vilshofen (today: county Passau)
*Wegscheid (today: county Passau)
*Wolfstein (today: county Freyung-Grafenau)


Independent Cities (before county/municipality reforms in 1972 / 78):

  • Deggendorf
  • Landshut
  • Passau
  • Straubing



Church Structure

Due to historical reasons Lower Bavarias population is dominantly catholic, there are 90 % Roman-Catholics (römisch-katholisch) and 7 % protestants (evangelisch-lutherisch), according to data from 1987. This is due to the fact that Lower Bavaria was for centuries part of the old-Bavarian wittelsbachischen territory (Altbayern) , ruled by the House of Wittelsbach that was catholic. In the past the people of this area either stayed catholic or reverted back to Catholicism after the so-called Gegenreformation (rigorous reinforcing of Catholicism, Counter-Reformation).

Evangelical-Lutheran



Evangelical-Reformed

Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche (Evangelical-Reformed Church, Homepage)
Territories and history

Roman-Catholic



Religion of Population (1987)

Religion of population (1987) Population    Roman
Catholic     		Evangelical
church (**) 		Jewish   other
Religions 		none   
total % % % % %
Bavaria (total) 10,902,643 67 24 0.05 4 5
Lower Bavaria 1,027,374 90 7 0.01 1.4 2


(**) incl. Freikirchen

(Source: Data: 1987, Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik und Datenverarbeitung, Genesis online)


History

NOTE: English version of - Lower Bavarian history - is currently NOT available. Meanwhile see summary overview:



Historical Political Structure

NOTE: English version of - Lower Bavarian historical political structure - is currently NOT available. Meanwhile see summary overview:



Historical predecessor entities on Lower Bavarian territory:
English version of - Lower Bavarian historical predecessor entities - is currently NOT available

See here:



Development of the past administrative structure of Lower Bavaria after 1806:
In 1808 within the Kingdom of Bavaria a new organizational structure was set up and regarding current day Lower Bavaria the following structure evolved, in:

  • 1808: the new Kreis called Unterdonaukreis (administrative capital: Passau) was formed
  • 1810: the second Unterdonaukreis (administrative capital: Passau), enlarged with territory from the Regenkreis (LG ä.O.: Mitterfels, Viechtach, Straubing and city of Straubing, with territory from the Salzachkreis (LG ä.O.: Eggenfelden) and with former Austrian territories (LG ä.O.: Schärding) and with parts from Hausruckviertel and Obernburg
  • 1817: Unterdonaukreis was enlarged with territory from: the Salzachkreis (LG ä.O.: Altötting, Burghausen, Simbach) and the Regenkreis (LG ä.O.: Cham, Kötzting)

After a major re-organization of the royal administration, this administrative region was renamed in:

  • 1837: to Kreis Niederbayern (now administrative capital: Landshut) and handed over to Kreis Oberpfalz und Regensburg (LG ä.O.: Cham), to Kreis Oberbayern (Altötting, Burghausen) and got from Kreis Oberbayern (LG ä.O.: Vilsbiburg, Landshut and city of Landshut) and from Kreis Oberpfalz und Regensburg (LG ä.O.: Abensberg, Kelheim, Pfaffenberg, Zaitzhofen).


The main area of this administrative region called Kreis Niederbayern is more or less identical to the Lower Bavaria, as we know it today. In the following centuries there were these changes: e.g. in 1932: administrative regions Kreis Niederbayern and Kreis Oberpfalz were combined to Kreis Niederbayern und Oberpfalz (with capital in Regensburg), from 1939-1945: the former Bohemian counties Bergreichenstein, Markt Eisenstein and Prachatitz belonged to this administrative region; in 1948: the unification of Niederbayern/Oberpfalz was reversed and lastly the now called Regierungsbezirk Niederbayern (administrative district: Lower Bavaria) was re-established; in 1972: Lower Bavarian handed over to Upper Palatinate (county Kötzting), to Upper Bavaria (county Beilngries) and received from Upper Palatinate (county Riedenburg).

see here also:



Abbreviation:
LG ä.O. = Landgericht älterer Ordnung / Landgericht ä.O. (Regional court area of the old Order)


Genealogical and Historical Societies

Genealogical Societies



Historical Societies

Historischer Verein für Niederbayern
c/o Stadtarchiv/Stadt- und Kreismuseum, Altstadt 79, 84028 Landshut


Genealogical and Historical Documents



Bibliography

Historical Literature

  • Verhandlungen des Historischen Vereines in dem Unterdonaukreise
  • Verhandlungen des Historischen Vereins für Niederbayern (1846- )




Gazetteers and Maps

Gazetteers



Maps

  • Bavaria Maps Overview of helpful Links to maps for genealogist.



Maps showing the territory development of Lower Bavaria from 1789-1819:



Maps showing the past administrative organization of Lower Bavaria, 1808 until today:


see also:


Archives and Libraries

Archives


Church Book Archives:

Bischöfliche Zentralbibliothek
St. Petersweg 11-13
93047 Regensburg
Tel. 0941-597 - 2513
Fax 0941-597 - 2521
e-Mail: some mail



Libraries


Miscellaneous

Emigration



Internet Links

Official Websites


Genealogical Websites




Miscellaneous Websites



Data from the Genealogical Place Database (GOV)

Name
  • Niederbayern
  • Lower Bavaria
Type
  • administrative district
Population
website
GOV-Kennung
map
Affiliations
Superordinate objects

Beieren, Бавария, Bayern, Bavière, Bavaria (1946 -) (federal state)

Baiern, Bavaria, Bayern (- 1946) (kingdom free state)

Subordinate objects

Name Type Period
Deggendorf rural county
Dingolfing-Landau rural county
Freyung-Grafenau rural county
Kelheim rural county
Landshut Stadt
Landshut rural county
Passau Stadt
Passau rural county
Regen rural county
Rottal-Inn rural county
Straubing kreisfreie Stadt
Straubing-Bogen rural county




Administrative Districts in the Federal State Bavaria

Mittelfranken (Middle Franconia) | Niederbayern (Lower Bavaria) | Oberbayern (Upper Bavaria) | Oberfranken (Upper Franconia) |
Oberpfalz (Upper Palatinate) | Schwaben (Swabia) | Unterfranken (Lower Franconia) |


Counties and Independent Cities in Administrative District Niederbayern (Lower Bavaria)

Landshut (City) | Passau (City) | Straubing (City)
Counties: Deggendorf | Dingolfing-Landau | Freyung-Grafenau | Kelheim | Landshut | Passau | Regen | Rottal-Inn | Straubing-Bogen |




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