Hitzacker is a town in the Lüchow-Dannenberg district of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Elbe, approx. 8 km north of Dannenberg, and 45 km east of Lüneburg. The 2007 population of Hitzacker was 4,982, and its postal code is 29456. The mayor is Holger Mertins. The town is located on the German Timber-Frame Road and is part of the Samtgemeinde ("collective municipality") of Elbtalaue. The famous library now in Wolfenbüttel was founded here by Augustus the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (who died in 1666) and was moved to its present location in 1643. Geography Location Hitzacker is situated at the confluence of the River Jeetzel with the Elbe. Whilst the so-called Elbe Heights (Elbhöhen, also Klötzie), at the southeastern foot of which Hitzacker lies, belong to the natural region of the Lüneburg Heath (c.f. the Drawehn), the lowland areas of the old town belong to the Elbe valley water meadows (Elbtalaue). Its height varies from at the Jeetzel confluence to on the hill of Weinberg in the Klötzie. Further down the Elbe, the hill of Kniepenberg near Drethem attains and offers a panoramic view over the Elbe valley depression. Town divisions Since the municipal reform of 1972, the borough of Hitzacker has consisted of the town itself and the 11 villages listed below. Bahrendorf Grabau Harlingen Hitzacker Kähmen Nienwedel Pussade Seerau Tießau Tiesmesland Wietzetze Wussegel Other settlements in the borough are: Dötzingen, manor Hagen, manor Leitstade Marwedel Meudelfitz, manor Meudelfitz, settlement Posade, forest house (Forsthaus) Sarchem Schmessau Schmardau Before 1972, Pussade and Posade Forsthaus belonged to the municipality of Harlingen, Dötzingen Manor, Hagen Manor, Marwedel, Meudelfitz Manor, Meudelfitz and Sarchem to the town of Hitzacker and Leitstade to Wietzetze. The manors of Dötzingen, Hagen and Marwedel are located today within the town of Hitzacker. History Man had already settled by around 3000 B.C. at the lake of Hitzackersee and the region has been continuously settled for over three thousand years. On the Weinberg next to the present old town (Altstadt) Slavs built a castle in the eighth century. As a result, Hitzacker became an important trading centre even before its receiving town rights. Its actual foundation as a town took place in 1258, whereupon the castle lost its significance and was allowed to fall into ruins. A manuscript referring to Hitzacker dating to 20 January 1376 states the following: "The dukes, Wenceslas and Albert of Saxony