Schwerin

For other uses, see Schwerin (disambiguation).
Schwerin


Flag
Coat of arms
Schwerin
Coordinates: 53°38′0″N 11°25′0″E / 53.63333°N 11.41667°E / 53.63333; 11.41667Coordinates: 53°38′0″N 11°25′0″E / 53.63333°N 11.41667°E / 53.63333; 11.41667
Country Germany
State Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
District Urban district
Government
 • Lord Mayor Rico Badenschier (SPD)
Area
 • Total 130.46 km2 (50.37 sq mi)
Population (2015-12-31)[1]
 • Total 96,800
 • Density 740/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 19053, 19055, 19057, 19059, 19061, 19063
Dialling codes 0385
Vehicle registration SN
Website schwerin.de
County of Schwerin
Grafschaft Schwerin
State of the Holy Roman Empire
1161–1358


Coat of arms

County of Schwerin during the time of the Hohenstaufen Emperors (circa 1250)
Capital Schwerin
Government Principality
Historical era Middle Ages
 •  Established 1161
 • Partitioned to Schwerin
    and Sch-Wittenburg		  
1279
 • Partitioned to create
    Sch-Boizenburg		  
1323
 • Inherited Tecklenburg 1328
 • Sch-Schwerin comital line
    extinct		  
1344
 •  Sch-W'burg-B'burg extinct 1349 1358
 • Comital line extinct; sold
    to Mecklenburg-Schwerin		  
1358
Preceded by 		Succeeded by
Duchy of Saxony
Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Bishopric of Schwerin
Bistum Schwerin
State of the Holy Roman Empire
1165–1648
Bishopric of Schwerin during the time of the Hohenstaufen Emperors (circa 1250)
Capital Schwerin
Government Theocracy
Historical era Middle Ages
 • Established 1062
 •  Gained territory 1165
 •  Secularised to M-Schwerin 1648
Preceded by 		Succeeded by
Duchy of Saxony
Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Schwerin ([ʃvɛˈʁiːn] or [ʃvəˈʁiːn], Mecklenburgian Swerin, Latin Suerina) is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population is 91,583 (as of December 31, 2013) and 98.000 as of July 2016.[2]

Schwerin was first mentioned in 1018 and was granted city rights in 1160, thus it is the oldest city of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It is known for its romantic Schwerin Palace, crowning an island in the Lake Schwerin. The city also has a largely intact old town, thanks to only minor damage in World War II.

Schwerin is located within the metropolitan region of Hamburg and close to that of Berlin, and to nearby regiopolises of Rostock and Lübeck.

History

Schwerin is surrounded by lakes. The largest of these lakes, the Schweriner See, has an area of 60 km2. In the midst of these lakes there was a settlement of the Slavic Obotrite (dated back to the 11th century). The area was called Zuarin (Polabian Zwierzyn), and the name Schwerin is derived from that designation. In 1160, Henry the Lion defeated the Obotrites and captured Schwerin. The town was subsequently expanded into a powerful regional centre. A castle was built on this site, and expanded to become a ducal palace. It is supposedly haunted by the small, impious ghost, called Petermännchen ("Peterman").

In 1358, Schwerin became a part of the Duchy of Mecklenburg, making it the seat of the duchy from then on. About 1500, the construction of the Schwerin Palace began, as a residence for the dukes. After the division of Mecklenburg (1621), Schwerin became the capital of the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Between 1765 and 1837, the town of Ludwigslust served as the capital, until Schwerin was reinstated.

In the mid-1800s, many residents from Schwerin moved to the United States, many to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Today Milwaukee and Schwerin are sister cities.

After 1918, and during the German Revolution, resulting in the fall of all the German monarchies, the Grand Duke abdicated. Schwerin became capital of the Free State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern thereafter.

At the end of World War II, on 2 May 1945, Schwerin was taken by U.S. troops. It was turned over to the British on 1 June 1945, and one month later, on 1 July 1945,[3] it was handed over to the Soviet forces, as the British and American forces pulled back from the line of contact to the predesignated occupation zones. Schwerin was then in the Soviet Occupation Zone which was to become the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Initially, it was the capital of the State of Mecklenburg which at that time included the western part of Pomerania (Vorpommern). After the states were dissolved in the GDR, in 1952, Schwerin served as the capital of the Schwerin district (Bezirk Schwerin).

After reunification in 1990, the former state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was recreated as one of the Bundesländer. Rostock was a serious contender for state capital but the decision went in favour of Schwerin.

Sister Cities

Transport

City buses and trams are run by NVS (Nahverkehr Schwerin).[4]

Schwerin Hauptbahnhof (central station) is connected by rail to Berlin, Hamburg and Rostock.

Main sights

Museums

Sons and daughters of the town

18th century

19th century

Bernhard Schwentner

1901-1950

1951 - 2000

Katrin Sass
Panoramic view of Schwerin's historic city center.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Bevölkerungsstand der Kreise, Ämter und Gemeinden in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 31.12.2015". Statistisches Amt Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (in German). July 2016.
  2. ↑ http://www.svz.de/lokales/zeitung-fuer-die-landeshauptstadt/eine-wachsende-grossstadt-id14346686.html
  3. ↑ Some evidence calls into doubt the date on which the British withdrew to the predesignated occupation zone. Local residents claim that the British forces did not relinquish control of Schwerin until later in the year, probably November, following a brief artillery exchange across lake Schwerin between the British and the Soviets. Allegedly there were no deaths.
  4. ↑ NVS (Nahverkehr Schwerin)
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Schwerin.
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