Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 2, 2026

Weener

Weener is a town in the district of Leer, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the border with the Netherlands, on the river Ems. The town's population is at 15,654, making it the largest town of the region Rheiderland. It has a railway and autobahn connection to Groningen, Netherlands, Emden and Bremen.

Last revised
Jul 2, 2026
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Weener
Town
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Flag of Weener
Flag
Coat of arms of Weener
Coat of arms
Location of Weener within Leer district
BorkumLütje HörnBundeWeenerWestoverledingenRhauderfehnLeerOstrhauderfehnDeternJemgumMoormerlandNortmoorBrinkumNeukamperfehnHoltlandFirrelSchwerinsdorfFilsumUplengenHeselLeer (district)Leer (Borkum)Lower SaxonyEmslandNetherlandsEmdenAurich (district)Wittmund (district)Friesland (district)AmmerlandCloppenburg (district)
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Location of Weener
Weener
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Weener
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Coordinates: 53°10′09″N 07°21′23″E / 53.16917°N 7.35639°E / 53.16917; 7.35639
CountryGermany
StateLower Saxony
DistrictLeer
Subdivisions9 districts
Government
 • Mayor (2021–26) Heiko Abbas1 (CDU)
Area
 • Total
81.23 km2 (31.36 sq mi)
Elevation
5 m (16 ft)
Population
 (2024-12-31)2
 • Total
15,215
 • Density187.3/km2 (485.1/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
26826
Dialling codes04951
Vehicle registrationLER
Websitewww.weener.de

Weener (German pronunciation: [ˈveːnɐ] ⓘ) is a town in the district of Leer, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the border with the Netherlands, on the river Ems. The town's population is at 15,654, making it the largest town of the region Rheiderland. It has a railway and autobahn connection to Groningen, Netherlands, Emden and Bremen.

The city was first mentioned in a monastery's records in 951.

Town

Division of the town

The town of Weener consists of 9 districts:

  • Weener
  • Kirchborgum
  • Diele
  • Vellage / Halte
  • Stapelmoor
  • Holthusen
  • Weenermoor / Möhlenwarf
  • St. Georgiwold
  • Beschotenweg

Neighbouring communities

In the district of Leer:

In the district of Emsland:

Politics

Mayor

  • 2006–2014: Wilhelm Dreesmann
  • 2014–2021: Ludwig Sonnenberg
  • 2021–incumbent: Heiko Abbas

Town Council

The composition of the town council for the 2021-2026 electoral period is:

  • SPD = 15 seats
  • CDU = 8 seats
  • UWG = 2 seats
  • Grüne = 3 seats
  • AfD = 1 seat
  • Ratsmitglied Junker = 1 seat
  • Ratsmitglied S. Hinderks = 1 seat
  • Bürgermeister Abbas = 1 seat

International relations

Weener is twinned with:

Demographics

Statistics are as of December 31 of each year:

  • 1980 – 14.115
  • 1985 – 14.245
  • 1990 – 14.320
  • 1995 – 14.831
  • 2000 – 15.338
  • 2001 – 15.406
  • 2002 – 15.534
  • 2003 – 15.625
  • 2004 – 15.666
  • 2005 – 15.602
  • 2018 – 16.276

Climate

Weener is in a temperate climate zone, influenced by the North Sea. During the summer, the temperatures are lower than those in the rest of Germany. In winter, the temperatures are higher than the other regions.

Previous residents

Recent findings published in the academic periodical Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft3 (Journal of Historical Studies) by the German historian Jürgen Matthäus, show that Jakobus Onnen, a German citizen born in the adjoining hamlet of Tichelwarf, is erroneously listed as a war victim on the memorial located at the Heimatverein Rheiderland museum in Weener4 is the perpetrator photographed5 in "The Last Jew in Vinnitsa". This massacre was most likely carried out on 28 July 1941 in Berdychiv by the Einsatzgruppe C, a mobile death squad of the Nazi SS, of which Jakobus Onnen was a member.

References

References

External links