CUXHAVEN

city, Lower Saxony Land (state), northwestern Germany, port at the mouth of the Elbe (estuary). Conquered by Hamburg in 1394, it remained the foreport of that city (83 mi east-southeast) until it passed to Hanover province in 1937. It was chartered in 1907. Frequently bombed in World War II, it was captured by the Allies in May 1945. Historic buildings include the 14th-century Ritzebttel Castle containing a regional museum, and a 14th-century lighthouse, the oldest on the German coast, on the island of Neuwerk. Cuxhaven is one of the largest fishing ports of Germany and the headquarters of its fish-processing industry; shipping and shipbuilding are important. It is also a North Sea beach resort, a health spa, and a base for sailing expeditions to the Frisian Islands. Pop. (1989 est.) 55,249.