Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf () 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.
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
, the borough had a population of 343,625. 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. 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. The original September 2021 results were as follows:
! colspan=2| Party
! Lead candidate
! Votes
! %
! +/-
! Seats
! +/-
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne)
| align=left| Kirstin Bauch
| 42,720
| 24.7
| 4.9
| 15
| 3
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Social Democratic Party (SPD)
| align=left| Heike Schmitt-Schmelz
| 38,058
| 22.0
| 3.1
| 14
| 1
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
| align=left| Judith Stückler
| 37,883
| 21.9
| 0.3
| 13
| ±0
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Free Democratic Party (FDP)
| align=left| Stefanie Beckers
| 16,987
| 9.8
| 0.5
| 6
| ±0
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| The Left (LINKE)
| align=left| Annetta Juckel
| 13,038
| 7.5
| 0.3
| 4
| ±0
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Alternative for Germany (AfD)
| align=left| Michael Seyfert
| 8,174
| 4.7
| 5.0
| 3
| 2
|-
| colspan=8 bgcolor=lightgrey|
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Tierschutzpartei
| align=left|
| 3,648
| 2.1
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Volt Germany
| align=left|
| 3,245
| 1.9
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Die PARTEI
| align=left|
| 2,681
| 1.5
| 0.0
| 0
| ±0
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| dieBasis
| align=left|
| 2,531
| 1.5
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Free Voters
| align=left|
| 1,294
| 0.7
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Klimaliste
| align=left|
| 813
| 0.5
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Pirate Party Germany
| align=left|
| 589
| 0.4
| 1.2
| 0
| ±0
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| The Humanists
| align=left|
| 479
| 0.3
| New
| 0
| New
|-
|
| align=left| We are Berlin
| align=left|
| 430
| 0.2
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Ecological Democratic Party
| align=left|
| 276
| 0.2
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| bgcolor=|
| align=left| Liberal Conservative Reformers
| align=left|
| 136
| 0.1
| New
| 0
| New
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 173,082
! 99.2
!
!
!
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 1,360
! 0.8
!
!
!
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 174,442
! 100.0
!
! 55
! ±0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 246,148
! 70.9
! 7.9
!
!
|-
| colspan=8| 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. 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.
- 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
thumb|[[Kurfürstendamm is one of the most famous avenues in Berlin.]]
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, and the Europa-Center.
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. Of these, 12,993 study in 38 primary schools 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 and Berlin University of the Arts. 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.
Higher education
- thumb|[[Berlin University of the Arts]] Universität der Künste (Berlin University of the Arts)
- Technische Universität Berlin
- Bbw University of Applied Sciences
- ESCP Business School
- Touro College Berlin
Primary and secondary schools
- Comenius-Schule, a primary school, is in Wilmersdorf.
- Halensee-Grundschule, a primary school, is in Halensee.
- 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.
- 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 – Established April 1997.
See also
- Berlin-Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (electoral district)
- Berlin-Spandau – Charlottenburg North (electoral district)
References
External links
- Official homepage of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
- Official homepage of Berlin