Große Kreisstadt

Große Kreisstadt (English: "major district town" or "major county town") is a term in the municipal law (Gemeindeordnung) of several German states. In some federal states the term is used as a special legal status for a district–affiliated town—as distinct from an independent city—with additional competences in comparison with other municipalities of the district. The title is based on sovereign conferment by the state government.

Administration rules

The term is officially used and quoted. In different German federal states (Bundesländer) there are different laws and administration rules about when exactly a town can obtain the status but they do not differ very much. The mayor of a Große Kreisstadt usually bears the title of an Oberbürgermeister ("Chief Burgomaster").

At the moment reforms are discussed in some states. It is not a main goal of these reforms to make the rules more similar, in opposite, the district towns are thought to be important to keep the existing diversity of regions. In Germany federal states have very similar administration rules, so they are not always comparable to U.S. states for example.