stadtbezirk

{{short description|Administrative unit of German cities}}

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A {{Lang|de|Stadtbezirk}} ({{IPA|de|ˈʃtatbəˌtsɪʁk|-|De-Stadtbezirk.ogg}}; also called Ortsbezirk in Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate) is an administrative division in Germany, which is part of a larger city. It is translated as "borough".{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/styleguide_english_dgt_country_compendium_en.pdf|title=Country Compendium. A companion to the English Style Guide|publisher= European Commission|date=October 2021|pages=58–59}} In Germany, {{Lang|de|Stadtbezirke}} usually only exist in a metropolis with more than 150,000 inhabitants. For example, Wattenscheid, which was a town in its own right until 1974, is now a {{Lang|de|Stadtbezirk}} within the city of Bochum in the Ruhr area of North Rhine-Westphalia. In Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate, the term Ortsbezirk is also used for districts of smaller cities.

A {{Lang|de|Stadtbezirk}} may consist of several smaller parts: Stadtteile or Ortsteile. While in some cities {{Lang|de|Stadtbezirke}} are only used for statistical purposes, many other {{Lang|de|Stadtbezirke}} have elected representatives. The tasks and responsibilities of the {{Lang|de|Stadtbezirke}} are laid down in the municipal codes (Gemeindeordnungen) of the federal states. The details, compositions etc. of the {{Lang|de|Stadtbezirke}} and their representatives are laid down in the municipal by-law (Hauptsatzung) of the city.