Seesen is a town and municipality in the district of Goslar, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the northwestern edge of the Harz mountain range, approx. 20 km west of Goslar.

History

The Saxon settlement of Sehusa was first mentioned in a 974 deed issued by Emperor Otto II and Chancellor Willigis, from 1235 on it belonged to the Welf dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg who had a castle erected. In 1428 Seesen received town privileges by Duke Otto II the One-Eyed of Brunswick-Göttingen. On 17 July 1810 in Seesen, Israel Jacobson dedicated the first synagogue to use some German in its liturgy and to employ an organ and a choir during prayer; that dedication date is celebrated in Reform Judaism worldwide as the founding of the denomination. In 1836 Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later named Henry E. Steinway) built his first grand piano in his kitchen in Seesen; the instrument is today on display at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Politics

Seats in the municipal assembly (Stadtrat) as of 2006 elections:

Twin towns – sister cities

Seesen is twinned with:

Notable people