Birk (market place)

Birk is a historical term for a lower court district, which was carved out of the usual in Denmark and in the gehörendem as a fief of the Duchy of Schleswig to Denmark division into Harden.

The Birk usually included the spatially closed area of a basic rule: The landlord appointed the chairman and the secretary of the Birkgerichts. Since the late 18th century, the Birkpatrone waived their rights court, so that the respective Birk was integrated into the competent office. In the Duchy of Schleswig, there was the division into a Birk only in the central and northern area. Has received the designation in the Schleswig-Holstein nature reserve Geltinger Birk in the eastern fishing.

In the Middle Ages Birk was also the name for commercial places such as the Danish or the Swedish Birka Hedeby.

In Norway, was a judge who worked in a Birk, the name Sorenbirkeskriver.