Rüterberg

{{Short description|Micronation in Germany}}

{{Expand German|topic=geo|Rüterberg|date=March 2010}}

File:Flagge Rueterberg.svg

Rüterberg is a Stadtteil of Dömitz in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

The community lies in the former East Germany on a portion of the Elbe River that formed part of the border with the former West Germany. By the end of the communist era, Rüterburg was surrounded by a wall that completely cut the community off from the rest of East Germany. From 1988 to 1989, the local residents, led by Hans Rasenberger, raised the idea of creating a free town, with the powers of establishing their own laws, breaking their ties with East Germany. The "Republic" was proclaimed by an assembly of 90 citizens on 8 November 1989, just a day before the fall of the Berlin Wall. On 14 July 1991, the secretary of state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern acknowledged the right of the people of Rüterberg to use the title of Dorfrepublik (Village-Republic).[http://www.ndr.de/geschichte/grenzenlos/bleiben/rueterberg100_page-2.html "Tschüss DDR: Rüterberg wird Dorfrepublik"] by Gisela Jaschik {{in lang|de}}[http://www.flaggenkunde.de/veroeffentlichungen/10-13.htm "10 Jahre Dorfrepublik Rüterberg"] by Andreas Herzfeld {{in lang|de}}