Glückstadt
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- The title of this article contains the character ü. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Glueckstadt.
Glückstadt, a town of Germany in Schleswig-Holstein, on the right bank of the Elbe river, at the confluence of the small river Rhin, and 28 miles NW of Altona, on the railway from Itzehoe to Elmshorn. Glückstadt is a part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region (Metropolregion Hamburg). Population in Glückstadt (2004) 12,600.
Glückstadt has a ferry service across the Elbe to Altendorf/Wischhafen.
[edit] History
Glückstadt was founded by Christian IV of Denmark in 1617, and fortified in 1620. It soon became an important trading centre, intended to compete with Hamburg, also located on the Elbe.
In 1627-28 it was besieged for fifteen weeks by the imperialists under the Count of Tilly without success. In 1814 it was blockaded by the allies and capitulated, whereupon its fortifications were demolished. In 1830 it was made a free port. It came into the possession of Prussia together with the rest of Schleswig-Holstein in 1866. Its name translates to English literally as "Luck City" or "Fortune City".
HEINRICH GRAVERT SCHMIDT, son of JACOB GRAVERT KLEINFINGER and GESCHE SCHMIDT, was the main "Schlachtermeister" (butcher) on Schleswig-Holstein, exporting processed meat to America since 1830 to 1886. This trade was continued until 1907 with the help of his son Captain FERDINAND GRAVERT BORCHERS, being involved in the nitrate ocean race from Southamerica, where his descendent Captain ALEX GRAVERT SALCEDO keeps the maritime tradition managing tankers and offshore vessels.
