Tostedt (Low German Töst) is a municipality in the district of Harburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the central administration of the collective municipality (Samtgemeinde Tostedt) which consists of 9 joint communities. Geography Geography Tostedt is located on the northwestern edge of Lüneburger Heide, 35 km southwest of Hamburg and 55 km east of Bremen. The areas highest point of 70 meters above sea level is to be found at the entrance facing Welle, its lowest point is 43 meters above sea level at the eastend of Todtglüsingen. Near Tostedt the river Este flows towards Hollenstedt, and there are the spring of the river Oste towards Sittensen, as well as the streams Dohrener Mühlenbach, Langeloher Bach and Todtglüsinger Bach. Neighboring cities and municipalities Buchholz in der Nordheide Dohren Handeloh Heidenau Kakenstorf Königsmoor Otter Welle Wistedt Municipality Approximately 10,500 residents live in Tostedt. In the district of Todtglüsingen there are another 3,200 residents. The municipality of Tostedt includes the villages Tostedt, Todtglüsingen, Langeloh, Neddernhof and Wüstenhöfen and the farmyards Dreihausen and Tiefenbruch. The place Tostedt-Land belongs partly to the municipality of Tostedt and partly to the municipality of Wistedt. History The first recording of Tostedt go back to 1105. In 1625 the jurisdiction was established in Tostedt. Even today Tostedt is the place of a local court with jurisdiction of the trade register for the entire region of the Elbe-Weser triangle. In the house of the old post office Am Sande, where the horses were changed by the stagecoaches, the French Emperor Napoleon once stayed for a stop over. The places Todtglüsingen and Tostedt were united on July 1, 1972. Politics Council The members of the council, which was elected in 2011, are: CDU 10 seats SPD 9 seats Green 5 seats FDP 1 seat Choice community Tostedt 5 seats Single candidate 1 seat Mayors The title "mayor" was introduced in 1935. Christoph Wicke (1853–1872) Joachim Kröger (1872–1898) Friedrich Sommerfeld (1899–1904) Karl Möller (13. March 1904–27. October 1919) Adolf Gerlach (27. October 1919–23. January 1931) Claus Hamann (1. February 1931–30. September 1933) Otto Mohrmann (1. October 1933–30. September 1934) Claus Hamann (1. October 1934–31. May 1945) Alexander Daum (11. June 1945–31. August 1945) Friedrich Rossmann (1. September 1945–28. September 1946) Heinrich Fricke (29. September 1946–7. December 1950) Willy Aldag (8. December 1950–15. March 1971) Paul Elbers (13. April 1971–18. November 1976) Eckart Weithoener (19. November 1976–14. January 1979) Ruth Zuther