Thuringia, << thu RIHN jee uh, >> is a state in central Germany. Its official name is the Free State of Thuringia (Freistaat Thüringen). Thuringia is famous for its farmland, forests, and thermal springs and spas. The state also has a rich cultural heritage. Thuringia covers 6,244 square miles (16,172 square kilometers) and has a population of 2,188,589. The scenic Thuringian Forest covers much of the southern part of the state. Erfurt is Thuringia’s capital and largest city. Other important cities of Thuringia include Eisenach, Gera, Jena, and Weimar.
In the 1500’s, Thuringia played an important role in the Reformation, a religious movement that led to the birth of Protestantism. Martin Luther, who became the leading reformer in Germany, studied at a university and monastery in Erfurt. Later, Luther translated the Bible’s New Testament into German while at Wartburg Castle, in the Thuringian Forest.
Thuringia’s rich cultural history continued through the years. The composer Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach. The poet, novelist, and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe lived many years in Thuringia, most notably in Weimar. Playwright Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller and composer Franz Liszt also spent parts of their lives in Weimar.
Thuringia became part of the German Empire in 1871. Following Germany’s defeat in World War I (1914-1918), a national assembly met in Weimar to write a new constitution. Thuringia then became a state within the new German republic that became known as the Weimar Republic.
After Germany was defeated in World War II (1939-1945), the country was divided into zones that, in 1949, became West Germany and East Germany. In 1952, Thuringia was divided into smaller districts within East Germany. Upon German reunification in 1990, Thuringia once again became a German state.
