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Schwerin (; Mecklenburgian Low German: ''Swerin'';
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the
capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used fo ...
and second-largest city of the northeastern German state of
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; nds, Mäkelborg-Vörpommern), also known by its anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, is a state in the north-east of Germany. Of the country's sixteen states, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ranks 14th in po ...
as well as of the region of Mecklenburg, after
Rostock Rostock (), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (german: link=no, Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock), is the largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the state ...
. It has around 96,000 inhabitants, and is thus the least populous of all German state capitals. Schwerin is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Schwerin (''Schweriner See''), the second-largest lake of the
Mecklenburg Lake Plateau The Mecklenburg Lake Plateau or Mecklenburg Lakeland
- Federal Ministry of Economics ...
after the
Müritz The Müritz (; from Slavic "little sea") is a lake in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, northern Germany. Its area is , which makes it the second largest lake in Germany (after Lake Constance) and the largest lake located entirely within German territory ...
, and there are eleven other lakes within Schwerin's city limits. The city is surrounded by the district of Northwestern Mecklenburg to the north, and the district of
Ludwigslust-Parchim Ludwigslust-Parchim is a district in the west of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is bordered by (clockwise starting from the west) the state Schleswig-Holstein, the district Nordwestmecklenburg, the district-free city Schwerin, the distri ...
to the south. Schwerin and the two surrounding districts form the eastern outskirts of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. The name of the city is of Slavic origin, deriving from the root "zvěŕ" (''wild animal'') or "zvěŕin" ('' game reserve'', ''animal garden'', '' stud farm''). Schwerin was first mentioned in 1018 as ''Zuarina'' and was granted city rights in 1160 by Henry the Lion, thus it is the oldest city of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. As main residence of the
House of Mecklenburg The House of Mecklenburg, also known as Nikloting, is a North German dynasty of Slavic origin that ruled until 1918 in the Mecklenburg region, being among the longest-ruling families of Europe. Queen Juliana of the Netherlands (1909–2004), ...
, a dynasty with Slavic roots also known as the
Obotrites The Obotrites ( la, Obotriti, Abodritorum, Abodritos…) or Obodrites, also spelled Abodrites (german: Abodriten), were a confederation of medieval West Slavic tribes within the territory of modern Mecklenburg and Holstein in northern Germany ...
or Niklotides, Schwerin was the capital of the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1379 to 1815, of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (after the duke was elevated to the title of a grand duke) from 1815 to 1918, of the Free State of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1918 to 1934, of the State of Mecklenburg (after it was merged with the
Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz The Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (german: Freistaat Mecklenburg-Strelitz) was a state of the Weimar Republic established in 1918 following the German Revolution which had overthrown the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The state lasted ...
) from 1934 to 1952, and of the District of Schwerin from 1952 to 1990. The romantic Schwerin Palace, situated on Castle Island between Lake Schwerin and Castle Lake, known for its golden dome, the Castle Church, the throne room, and the Niklot statue, used to be the seat of the dukes and grand dukes of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and since 1990, it is the seat of the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Schwerin's silhouette is completed by the towers of Schwerin Cathedral, St Paul's Church and St Nicholas' Church. Because of only minor damage in World War II, the city has a largely intact building structure, both in the Altstadt (Old Town) and
Schelfstadt Schelfstadt is a central quarter of the city of Schwerin, capital of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state of Germany. Notable people * Karl Georg Gustav Wüstnei, 19th-century naturalist and botanist, namesake of fungus and insect species. * Ca ...
( Reed City) quarters. Major industries and employers include high technology, machine building, healthcare, government agencies, railway supply, consumer goods and tourism. Schwerin has two academic colleges, the Schwerin campus of the "Fachhochschule des Mittelstands" (''University of Applied Sciences of the
Mittelstand commonly refers to a group of stable business enterprises in Germany, Austria and Switzerland that have proved successful in enduring economic change and turbulence. The term is difficult to translate and may cause confusion for non-Germans. I ...
''), and the Schwerin campus of the "Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit" (''University of the Federal Employment Agency''). There is a regional airport in Parchim, southeast of the city, while
Hamburg Airport Hamburg Airport , known in German as ''Flughafen Hamburg'', is a major international airport in Hamburg, the second-largest city in Germany. Since November 2016 the airport has been christened after the former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt. ...
serves as the city's main airport.


History


Early years

Schwerin is enclosed by lakes. The largest of these lakes, the ''
Schweriner See Lake SchwerinObotrite (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 later 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.


Recent times

In the mid-1800s, many residents from Schwerin moved to the United States, many to
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...
. 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-Schwerin thereafter. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, Schwerin was hit by bombs in July 1940, on 7 April 1945 and 19 April 1945. At the end of World War II, on 2 May 1945, Schwerin was taken by United States troops. It was turned over to the British on 1 June 1945, and one month later, on 1 July 1945, it was handed over to the Soviet forces, as the British and American forces pulled back from the
line of contact The Line of Contact marked the farthest advance of American, British, French, and Soviet armies into German controlled territory at the end of World War II in Europe. In general a "line of contact" refers to the demarcation between two or mo ...
to the predesignated occupation zones. Schwerin was then in the Soviet Occupation Zone which was to become the
German Democratic Republic German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **G ...
(GDR). Initially, it was the capital of the State of Mecklenburg which at that time included the western part of
Pomerania Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...
(
Vorpommern Historical Western Pomerania, also called Cispomerania, Fore Pomerania, Front Pomerania or Hither Pomerania (german: Vorpommern), is the western extremity of the historic region of Pomerania forming the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, West ...
). 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 Rostock (), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (german: link=no, Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock), is the largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the state ...
was a serious contender for state capital but the decision went in favour of Schwerin.


Geography


Lakes

The 12 lakes within Schwerin's city limits and their size in km2: * Lake Schwerin (''Schweriner See'') 61,5 * Brick Lake (''Ziegelsee'') 3,0 * Lake Ostorf (''Ostorfer See'') 2,1 * New Mill Lake (''Neumühler See'') 1,7 * Lake Medeweg (''Medeweger See'') 1,0 * Lake Lankow (''Lankower See'') 0,5 * Foul Lake (''Fauler See'') 0,5 * Heaths Lake (''Heidensee'') 0,2 * Clergymen's Pond (''Pfaffenteich'') 0,1 * Castle Lake (''Burgsee'') 0,1 * Lake Grimke (''Grimkesee'') 0,04 * Big Karausche (''Große Karausche'') 0,02


Islands

*Rabbit Ait (''Kaninchenwerder'') in Lake Schwerin *Brick Ait (''Ziegelwerder'') in Lake Schwerin *Castle Island (''Schlossinsel'') between Lake Schwerin and Castle Lake *Big Murrkiten Island (''Große Murrkiteninsel'') in the Brick Lake *Small Murrkiten Island (''Kleine Murrkiteninsel'') in the Brick Lake *Big Stone (''Großer Stein'') in Lake Schwerin


Boroughs

The urban area of Schwerin is subdivided into 17 local districts, each with a local council. The districts consist of one or more boroughs. The local councilors have between 5 and 15 members depending on the number of inhabitants. They are determined by the city council for the duration of the election period of the city council after each municipal election. The local councilors are to hear important matters concerning the district and have a right of initiative. However, the final decisions are made by the city council of the city as a whole. The 17 districts and 26 boroughs: *
Schelfstadt Schelfstadt is a central quarter of the city of Schwerin, capital of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state of Germany. Notable people * Karl Georg Gustav Wüstnei, 19th-century naturalist and botanist, namesake of fungus and insect species. * Ca ...
, Werdervorstadt, Schelfwerder (1) *Altstadt (Old Town), Feldstadt, Paulsstadt, Lewenberg (2) *Großer Dreesch (formerly ''Dreesch I'') (3) *Neu Zippendorf (formerly ''Dreesch II'') (4) *Mueßer Holz (formerly ''Dreesch III'') (5) *Gartenstadt, Ostorf (formerly ''Haselholz'', ''Ostorf'') (6) *Lankow (7) *Weststadt (8) *Krebsförden (9) *Wüstmark, Göhrener Tannen (10) *Görries (11) *Friedrichsthal (12) *Neumühle, Sacktannen (13) *Warnitz (14) *Wickendorf, Medewege (15) *Zippendorf (16) *Mueß (17) There is a small enclave between the boroughs of Neumühle and Görries, belonging to the neighbouring municipality of Klein Rogahn. Schwerin clockwise borders the municipalities of Klein Trebbow (N), Seehof (Mecklenburg), Leezen (Mecklenburg) (lake border and border on Paul's Dam (''Paulsdamm'') only), Raben Steinfeld (E), Plate, Banzkow,
Lübesse Lübesse is a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim Ludwigslust-Parchim is a district in the west of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is bordered by (clockwise starting from the west) the state Schleswig-Holstein, the district Nordwes ...
(S), Holthusen, Pampow, Klein Rogahn (W), Wittenförden,
Brüsewitz Brüsewitz is a municipality in the Nordwestmecklenburg district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; nds, Mäkelborg-Vörpommern), also known by its anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, is a state in the nor ...
, and
Pingelshagen Pingelshagen is a municipality in the Nordwestmecklenburg district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; nds, Mäkelborg-Vörpommern), also known by its anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, is a state in the n ...
.


Transport

City buses and trams are run by NVS (Nahverkehr Schwerin). Schwerin Hauptbahnhof (central station) is connected by rail to Berlin,
Hamburg Hamburg (, ; nds, label=Hamburg German, Low Saxon, Hamborg ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (german: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg; nds, label=Low Saxon, Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg),. is the List of cities in Germany by popul ...
and
Rostock Rostock (), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (german: link=no, Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock), is the largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the state ...
.


Main sights

* The landmark of the city is the Schwerin Palace, located on an island in the lake of the same name (
Schweriner See Lake SchwerinDukes of Mecklenburg This list of dukes and grand dukes of Mecklenburg dates from the origins of the German princely state of Mecklenburg's royal house in the High Middle Ages to the monarchy's abolition at the end of World War I. Strictly speaking, Mecklenburg' ...
and today is the seat of the '' Landtag'' (state parliament). * Schwerin Cathedral, built in 1260–1416 in Brick Gothic style. * The ''Alter Garten'' (Old Garden) square, surrounded by buildings such as the 18th-century ''Altes Palais'' (Old Palace), the neoclassical ''
Staatliches Museum Schwerin The Staatliches Museum Schwerin (State Museum Schwerin) is an art gallery and museum in Schwerin in Germany. It was established by Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1882 its historicist Haupthaus as the ''Staatsgalerie' ...
'' (State Art Museum, built in 1877–1882), and the '' Staatstheater'' (City Theater, erected in 1886). * The city hall (18th century). *
Schelfkirche The Schelf Church of St. Nicholas (german: Schelfkirche St. Nikolai) is an Evangelical Lutheran church dedicated to Saint Nicholas in the Schelfstadt quarter of Schwerin in Germany. The church is owned and used by a congregation within the Evange ...
(Saint Nicolai Church), originally built 1238, but rebuilt in 1713 after destruction by a storm. * TV Tower Schwerin-Zippendorf.


Museums

* The Staatliches Museum Schwerin-Kunstsammlungen (State Art Museum) houses a remarkable collection of 17th-century Dutch paintings and German art from medieval and renaissance masters up to the present day. There are also a collection of Greek vases, the notable collection of Paintings of Jean-Baptiste Oudry, a collection of sculptures of Houdon, German 18th-century court paintings, and works by such modern artists as
Max Liebermann Max Liebermann (20 July 1847 – 8 February 1935) was a German painter and printmaker, and one of the leading proponents of Impressionism in Germany and continental Europe. In addition to his activity as an artist, he also assembled an important ...
, Franz Stuck, Marcel Duchamp etc. The Graphic cabinet houses rich collections of Dutch and German drawings and prints (Jan van Goyen, Dürer, Cranach, Rembrandt, Merian) and a notable collection of coloured graphics from the time of the GDR. * The State Museum of Technology (''Technische Museum''), housed in the former ''Marstall'' (Royal Stables). In 2012 the Technische Museum moved to the city of Wismar located 40 km north of Schwerin.


Crime rate

According to the official 2007 Crime Report for Germany, Schwerin was the only German city with a crime rate over 17,000 total offenses committed per 100,000 inhabitants; thus being 1st in the list of Germany's most dangerous cities. The larger cities, such as
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...
,
Frankfurt am Main Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...
, or Bremen, all have crime rates ranging from 14,000 to 16,000 total offenses committed per 100,000 people. However, Schwerin is the only city where riding a bus (or tram) without a ticket and social security fraud is counted towards the crime rate, significantly boosting the numbers.


Twin towns – sister cities

Schwerin is twinned with: * Odense, Denmark * Piła, Poland * Reggio Emilia, Italy * Tallinn, Estonia * Vaasa, Finland * Växjö, Sweden * Wuppertal, Germany


Notable people

*
Konrad Ernst Ackermann Konrad Ernst Ackermann (1 February 1710 – 13 November 1771) was a German actor. Ackermann first accompanied field marshal Burkhard Christoph von Münnich on his travels and in battles. Born in Schwerin, he first entered the stage under a c ...
(1712–1771), actor * Heike Balck (born 1970), athlete * Hermann Baranowski (1884–1940), Nazi SS concentration camp commandant * Heidrun Bluhm (born 1958), politician (The Left) * Ludwig Bölkow (1912–2003), industrialist * André Brie (born 1950), politician (The Left) * Heinrich von Bülow (1792–1846), diplomat and Prussian statesman * Heinrich Cunow (1862–1938), politician (SPD) and writer *
Franziska Ellmenreich Franziska Ellmenreich (28 January 1847 in Schwerin – 20 October 1931 in Herrsching am Ammersee) was a German stage actress. Ellmenreich is regarded as the last heroine of the German theater. Family background Ellmenreich was born into a ...
(1847–1931), actress * Walther Flemming (1843–1905), biologist and founder of cytogenetics * Heinrich Friese (1860–1948), entomologist and bee researcher * Paul Gösch (1885–1940), painter and architect, Nazi victim * Stephan Gusche (born 1990), footballer *
Wilhelm Gustloff Wilhelm Gustloff (30 January 1895 – 4 February 1936) was the founder of the Swiss NSDAP/AO (the Nazi Party organisation for German citizens living outside Germany) at Davos. He remained its leader from 1932 until he was assassinated in 1936. ...
(1895–1936), Nazi party leader * Gabriele Hinzmann (born 1947), athlete * Karl Albert von Kamptz (1769–1849), lawyer, Prussian Minister of Justice * Verena Keller (b. 1940), mezzo-soprano * Friedrich Klockmann (1858–1937), mineralogist *
Hans von Koester Hans Ludwig Raimund von Koester (29 April 1844 – 21 February 1928) was a German naval officer who served in the Prussian Navy and later in the Imperial German Navy. He retired as a Grand Admiral. Career overview Born Hans Ludwig Raimund Koe ...
(1844–1928), naval officer * Rosemarie Kother (born 1956), swimmer * Detlef Kübeck (born 1956), sprinter *
August Kundt August Adolf Eduard Eberhard Kundt (; 18 November 183921 May 1894) was a German physicist. Early life Kundt was born at Schwerin in Mecklenburg. He began his scientific studies at Leipzig, but afterwards went to Berlin University. At first he d ...
(1839–1894), physicist *
Friedrich Ludwig Schröder Friedrich Ludwig Schröder (3 November 1744 – 3 September 1816) was a German actor, manager, dramatist and prominent masonic leader. He was born in Schwerin. Shortly after his birth, his mother, Sophie Charlotte Bierreichel (1714&ndas ...
(1744–1816), actor, theatre director and playwright * Karl Lemcke (1832–1913), art historian, songwriter, rector at the University of Stuttgart * Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1879–1952), duchess * Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg (1873–1969), duke, Africa traveler, colonial politician and first President of the German Olympic Committee * Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1886–1954), duchess, last Crown Princess of the German Empire * Rudolf Metzmacher (1906–2004), cellist * Robert Müller (born 1986), footballer *
Hanka Pachale Hanka Pachale-Durante (born 12 September 1976 in Schwerin) is a German volleyball player; she played for the German Women's National Team, representing them in consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996. She represented her native country i ...
(born 1976), volleyball player *
Andrea Pollack Andrea Pollack (later Pinske; 8 May 1961 – 13 March 2019) was a butterfly swimmer from East Germany who won three Olympic gold medals. Pollack was born in 1961 in Schwerin. She was a member of SC Dynamo Berlin. She who won two gold medals a ...
(born 1961), swimmer * Oliver Riedel (born 1971), musician of band Rammstein *
Sylvia Roll Sylvia Roll (born 29 May 1973) was a German female volleyball player. She was part of the Germany women's national volleyball team. In 1996 and 1997 she became the German Volleyball Player of the Year. She competed with the national team at ...
(born 1973), volleyball player * Katrin Sass (born 1956), actress *
Bernhard Schwentner Bernhard Schwentner (28 September 1891 in Schwerin – 30 October 1944 near Brandenburg-Görden) was a German Catholic clergyman. Life Bernhard Schwentner was born in Schwerin in 1891. After finishing '' Gymnasium'', he studied in Münster begi ...
(1891–1944), Catholic priest and resistance fighter * Hans Sellschopp (1891–1978), German businessman and Nazi cultural officer * Matthias Stammann (born 1968), footballer *
Anke Westendorf Anke Westendorf (later Maukel, born 26 February 1954) is a German former volleyball player who competed for East Germany in the 1976 Summer Olympics and in the 1980 Summer Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (russian: Летние Олим ...
(born 1954), volleyball player * Gudrun Zapf-von Hesse (1918–2019), typographer and bookbinder


Gallery

Schwerin Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin Mecklenburg State Theatre Mecklenburg Staatstheater.jpg, Mecklenburg State Theatre Schloss Schwerin (Mecklenburg).jpg, Castle of Schwerin in the evening Blick über schwerin2016 15.jpg, View of the old town Шверин. Улочка.jpg,
Schelfstadt Schelfstadt is a central quarter of the city of Schwerin, capital of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state of Germany. Notable people * Karl Georg Gustav Wüstnei, 19th-century naturalist and botanist, namesake of fungus and insect species. * Ca ...
Germany schwerin aerial view ArM.jpg, Aerial view of Schwerin 13-06-22-schwerin-50mm-by-RalfR-098.jpg, Schwerin Cathedral in the city centre Schelfstadt.jpg,
Schelfstadt Schelfstadt is a central quarter of the city of Schwerin, capital of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state of Germany. Notable people * Karl Georg Gustav Wüstnei, 19th-century naturalist and botanist, namesake of fungus and insect species. * Ca ...
and its baroque
Schelf Church The Schelf Church of St. Nicholas (german: Schelfkirche St. Nikolai) is an Evangelical Lutheran church dedicated to Saint Nicholas in the Schelfstadt quarter of Schwerin in Germany. The church is owned and used by a congregation within the Evange ...
, Lake Schwerin in the back Schwerin_St_Paul.jpg, Saint Paul's Church E-Werk Schwerin (5407745529).jpg, Former power station (''E-Werk'') Schwerin_Fridericianeum.jpg, FHM, private university 13-06-20-orangerie-schwerin-033.jpg, Castle orangerie Schwerin Staatliches Museum 2009-10-20 010.jpg, State Museum and Mecklenburg State Theatre Frühling im Schlossgarten.jpg, ''Schlossgarten''


References


External links

*
Tourism portal of Schwerin
{{Authority control German state capitals Cities and towns in Mecklenburg Populated places established in the 12th century Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin