Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig. After Kiel and Lübeck, it is the third largest town in Schleswig-Holstein.
In May 1945, Flensburg was the seat of the last government of Nazi Germany, the so-called Flensburg government led by Karl Dönitz, which was in power from 1 May, the announcement of Hitler's death, for one week, until German armies surrendered and the town was occupied by Allied troops. The regime was effectively dissolved on 23 May when the British Army arrested Dönitz and his ministers - the dissolution was formalized by the Berlin Declaration which was progmulated on 5 June.
The nearest larger towns are Kiel and Odense in Denmark.
Flensburg's city centre lies about 7 km from the Danish border.
In Germany, Flensburg is known for
the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt with its Verkehrssünderkartei, where details of traffic offences are stored
its beer Flensburger Pilsener, also called "Flens"
the centre of the Danish national minority in Germany
the greeting Moin Moin
the large erotic mail-order companies Beate Uhse and Orion
its handball team SG Flensburg-Handewitt