Hildesheim is an electoral constituency (German: Wahlkreis) represented in the Bundestag. It elects one member via first-past-the-post voting. Under the current constituency numbering system, it is designated as constituency 48. It is located in southern Lower Saxony, comprising the district of Hildesheim.
Hildesheim was created for the inaugural 1949 federal election. From 2017-2025, it has been represented by Bernd Westphal of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Since 2025 it has been represented by Daniela Rump of the SPD.
Geography Hildesheim is located in southern Lower Saxony. As of the 2021 federal election, it comprises the district of Hildesheim.
History Hildesheim was created in 1949, then known as Hildesheim-Stadt und -Land. It acquired its current name in the 1965 election. In the inaugural Bundestag election, it was Lower Saxony constituency 26 in the numbering system. From 1953 through 1961, it was number 48. From 1965 through 1998, it was number 43. In the 2002 and 2005 elections, it was number 48. In the 2009 election, it was number 49. Since the 2013 election, it has been number 48.
Originally, the constituency comprised the independent city of Hildesheim and the district of Hildesheim-Marienburg. In the 1976 election, it compromised the district of Hildesheim without the municipality of Nordstemmen. Since the 1980 election, it has comprised the entirety of the district of Hildesheim.
Election Name Borders 1949 Hildesheim-Stadt und -Land Hildesheim city Hildesheim-Marienburg district 1953 48 1957 1961 1965 43 Hildesheim 1969 1972 1976 Hildesheim (excluding Nordstemmen municipality) 1980 Hildesheim 1983 1987 1990 1994 1998 2002 48 2005 2009 49 2013 48 2017 2021 2025
Members The constituency was first held by Heinrich-Wilhelm Ruhnke of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who served from 1949 to 1953. Adolf Cillien of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won it in 1953 and served a single term. He was succeeded by fellow CDU member Theodor Oberländer, who also served a single term. Friedrich Kühn of the CDU was elected in 1961 and re-elected in 1965. Joachim Raffert regained the constituency for the SPD in 1969. In 1972, he was succeeded by Hermann Rappe. He served until 1998, when fellow SPD member Bernhard Brinkmann was elected. He served four terms as representative. In 2013, Ute Bertram of the CDU was elected. In 2017, Bernd Westphal regained the constituency for the SPD. In 2025 Westphal did not run for reelection and Daniela Rump, of the SPD, was elected.
Election Member Party % 1949 Heinrich-Wilhelm Ruhnke SPD 31.1 1953 Adolf Cillien CDU 45.7 1957 Theodor Oberländer CDU 46.2 1961 Friedrich Kühn CDU 41.0 1965 46.5 1969 Joachim Raffert SPD 48.2 1972 Hermann Rappe SPD 54.3 1976 49.3 1980 53.4 1983 48.4 1987 49.0 1990 47.4 1994 50.0 1998 Bernhard Brinkmann SPD 54.3 2002 53.5 2005 51.0 2009 39.0 2013 Ute Bertram CDU 42.3 2017 Bernd Westphal SPD 37.2 2021 38.7 2025 Daniela Rump SPD 30.7
Election results 2025 election
2021 election
2017 election
2013 election
2009 election
2005 election
References