Rostock (), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (german: link=no, Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock), is the largest city in the German

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

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 ...

and lies in the

Mecklenburg Mecklenburg (; nds, label= Low German, Mękel(n)borg ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schweri ...

ian part of the state, close to the border with

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 ...

. With around 208,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city on the German Baltic coast after

Kiel Kiel () is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 246,243 (2021). Kiel lies approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the southeast of the Jutland ...

and

Lübeck Lübeck (; Low German also ), officially the Hanseatic City of Lübeck (german: Hansestadt Lübeck), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 217,000 inhabitants, Lübeck is the second-largest city on the German Baltic coast and in the state ...

, the eighth-largest city in the area of former

East Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...

, as well as the 39th-largest city of Germany. Rostock was the largest coastal and most important port city in East Germany. Rostock stands on the estuary of the River Warnow into the Bay of Mecklenburg of the Baltic Sea. The city stretches for about along the river. The river flows into the sea in the very north of the city, between the boroughs of

Warnemünde (, literally ''Mouth of the Warnow'') is a seaside resort and a district of the city of Rostock in Mecklenburg, Germany. It is located on the Baltic Sea and, as the name implies, at the estuary of the river Warnow. is one of the world's busi ...

and Hohe Düne. The city center lies further upstream, in the very south of the city. Most of Rostock's inhabitants live on the western side of the Warnow; the area east of the river is dominated by the port, industrial estates, and the forested

Rostock Heath Rostock Heath (german: Rostocker Heide) is a wood and heathland region northeast of the German city of Rostock. It has a total area of about 6000 hectares and, since 1252, has been owned by the Hanseatic city of Rostock. As a result of its o ...

. The city's coastline east and west of the river mouth is relatively undeveloped, with long sandy beaches prevailing. The name of the city is of Slavic origin. Rostock is the economic center of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the state's only

regiopolis In Germany, a regiopolis is a city outside the core of a metropolitan area, that serves as an independent driving force for development within a larger region. The concept is used to develop midsized urban regions within regional, national and g ...

(a city outside the core of a metropolitan area). The port of Rostock is the fourth largest port in Germany after the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea, epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the ...

ports of

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

, Bremen/

Bremerhaven Bremerhaven (, , Low German: ''Bremerhoben'') is a city at the seaport of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms a semi-enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the Riv ...

, and

Wilhelmshaven Wilhelmshaven (, ''Wilhelm's Harbour''; Northern Low Saxon: ''Willemshaven'') is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea, and has a population of 76,089. Wilhelmsh ...

, and the largest port on the German Baltic coast. The ferry routes between Rostock to

Gedser Gedser is a town at the southern tip of the Danish island of Falster in the Guldborgsund Municipality in Sjælland region. It is the southernmost town in Denmark, and also the southernmost point of Scandinavia and the Nordic countries. The town ...

in Denmark and to Trelleborg in Southern Sweden are among the busiest between Germany and

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...

. Rostock–Laage Airport lies in a rural region southeast of the city. The city is home to the oldest university in the Baltic region and one of the oldest universities in the world, the University of Rostock, founded in 1419. The university's hospital, ''Universitätsmedizin Rostock'', is one of two university hospitals in the state, along with ''Universitätsmedizin Greifswald'' of the

University of Greifswald The University of Greifswald (; german: Universität Greifswald), formerly also known as “Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University of Greifswald“, is a public research university located in Greifswald, Germany, in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pom ...

Western Pomerania 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, Weste ...

History

Early history

In the 11th century

Polabian Slavs Polabian Slavs ( dsb, Połobske słowjany, pl, Słowianie połabscy, cz, Polabští slované) is a collective term applied to a number of Lechitic ( West Slavic) tribes who lived scattered along the Elbe river in what is today eastern Germ ...

founded a settlement at the Warnow river called ''Roztoc'' (*''ras-tokŭ'', Slavic for "fork of a river"); the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town on fire in 1161. Afterwards the place was settled by German traders. Initially there were three separate cities: * ''Altstadt'' (Old Town) around the ''Alter Markt'' (Old Market), which had St. Petri (St. Peter's Church), * ''Mittelstadt'' (Middle Town) around the ''Neuer Markt'' (New Market), with St. Marien ( St. Mary's Church) and Rostocker Stadtbestätigung 1213

* ''Neustadt'' (New Town) around the ''Hopfenmarkt'' (Hop Market, now University Square), with St. Jakobi (St. James's Church, demolished after World War II). In 1218, Rostock was granted Lübeck law city rights by Heinrich Borwin, prince of Mecklenburg.

Hanseatic League

During the

first partition of Mecklenburg During its history, the state of Mecklenburg has been repeatedly partitioned into various successor states ( lordships, duchies, grand duchies). Modern historians distinguish three main Partitions of Mecklenburg: First partition of Mecklenburg ...

following the death of Henry Borwin II of Mecklenburg in 1226, Rostock became the seat of the Lordship of Rostock, which survived for almost a century. In 1251, the city became a member of the Hanseatic League. In the 14th century it was a powerful seaport town with 12,000 inhabitants and the largest city in

. Ships for cruising the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and ...

were constructed in Rostock. The formerly independent fishing village of

at the Baltic Sea became a part of Rostock in 1323, to secure the city's access to the sea. In 1419, the University of Rostock was founded, the oldest university in continental northern Europe and the

area.

15th to 18th centuries

At the end of the 15th century, the dukes of

succeeded in enforcing their rule over the town of Rostock, which had until then been only nominally subject to their rule and essentially independent. They took advantage of a riot known as ''Domfehde'', a failed uprising of the

impoverished Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little

income

population. Subsequent quarrels with the dukes and persistent plundering led ultimately to a loss of the city's economic and political power. Plan von Rostock gez 1780-1790 J

In 1565 there were further clashes with Schwerin that had far-reaching consequences. Among other things, the nobility introduced a beer

excise file:Lincoln Beer Stamp 1871.JPG, upright=1.2, 1871 U.S. Revenue stamp for 1/6 barrel of beer. Brewers would receive the stamp sheets, cut them into individual stamps, cancel them, and paste them over the Bunghole, bung of the beer barrel so when ...

that favoured the dukes. John Albert I advanced on the city with 500 horsemen, after Rostock had refused to take the formal oath of allegiance, and had the city wall razed (slighted) to have a fortress built. The conflict did not end until the first Rostock Inheritance Agreement of 21 September 1573, in which the state princes were guaranteed hereditary rule over the city for centuries and recognizing them as the supreme judicial authority; this bound Rostock for a long time. The citizens razed (or slighted) the fortress the following spring. From 1575 to 1577 the city walls were rebuilt, as was the ''Lagebusch'' tower and the ''Stein'' Gate, in the Dutch Renaissance style. The inscription ''sit intra te concordia et publica felicitas'' ("You enter a state of harmony and happiness"), can still be read on the gate, and refers directly to the conflict with the Duke. In 1584 the Second Rostock Inheritance Agreement was enforced, which resulted in a further loss of former city tax privileges. At the same time, these inheritance contracts put paid to Rostock's ambition of achieving

imperial immediacy Imperial immediacy (german: Reichsfreiheit or ') was a privileged constitutional and political status rooted in German feudal law under which the Imperial estates of the Holy Roman Empire such as Imperial cities, prince-bishoprics and secular pri ...

, as

had done in 1226. The strategic location of Rostock provoked the envy of its rivals. Danes and Swedes occupied the city twice, first during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle ...

(1618–48) and again from 1700 to 1721. Later in the early 19th century, the French, under

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

, occupied the town for about a decade until 1813. In nearby

- Ratekau,

Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt (; 21 December 1742 – 12 September 1819), ''Graf'' (count), later elevated to ''Fürst'' (sovereign prince) von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian '' Generalfeldmarschall'' (field marshal). He earne ...

, who was born in Rostock and who was one of few generals to fight on after defeat at the Battle of Jena, surrendered to the French in 1806. This was only after furious street fighting in the

Battle of Lübeck The Battle of Lübeck took place on 6 November 1806 in Lübeck, Germany between soldiers of the Kingdom of Prussia led by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, who were retreating from defeat at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt, and troops of the ...

, in which he led some of the

cavalry charge A charge is an offensive maneuver in battle in which combatants advance towards their enemy at their best speed in an attempt to engage in a decisive close combat. The charge is the dominant shock attack and has been the key tactic and decis ...

s himself. By the time of the surrender, the exhausted

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

ns had neither food nor ammunition.

19th century

In the first half of the 19th century, Rostock regained much of its economic importance, due at first to the wheat trade, then, from the 1850s, to industry, especially its shipyards. The first propeller-driven steamers in Germany were constructed here. The city grew in area and population, with new quarters developing in the south and west of the ancient borders of the city. Two notable developments were added to house the increasing population at around 1900: * ''Steintor-Vorstadt'' in the south, stretching from the old city wall to the facilities of the new ''Lloydbahnhof'' (Lloyd Railway Station, now Rostock Hauptbahnhof), was designed as a living quarter. It consisted mostly of large single houses, once inhabited by wealthy citizens. * ''Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadt'' in the west, was designed to house the working population as well as to provide smaller and larger industrial facilities, such as the Mahn & Ohlerich's Brewery (now Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock). The main shipyard, ''Neptun'', was nearby at the shore of the river.

20th century

In the 20th century, important aircraft manufacturing facilities were situated in the city, such as the Arado Flugzeugwerke in

and the Heinkel Works with facilities at various places, including their secondary ''Heinkel-Süd'' facility in Schwechat, Austria, as the original Heinkel firm's Rostock facilities had been renamed ''Heinkel-Nord''. The world's first airworthy jet plane prototype made its test flights at their facilities in what used to be named the ''Rostock''- neighborhood (today's ''Rostock''- ''Schmarl'' community, along the west bank of the Unterwarnow estuary). In the early 1930s the Nazi Party began to gain among Rostock's voters, many of whom had suffered economic hardship during the 1920s. In

elections An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative ...

in the summer 1932, when the Nazis achieved 37.3 percent, their greatest national showing in a free election, they polled 40.3 percent in Rostock. A year later, after the Nazi seizure of power and the suppression of other political parties, the Rostock city council (''Stadtrat'') was composed entirely of Nazis. During ''

Kristallnacht () or the Night of Broken Glass, also called the November pogrom(s) (german: Novemberpogrome, ), was a pogrom against Jews carried out by the Nazi Party's (SA) paramilitary and (SS) paramilitary forces along with some participation fro ...

'' on 10 November 1938, the synagogue in Rostock's Augustenstrasse was destroyed by arson and dozens of Jews were beaten and imprisoned. Feverish rearmament by the Nazi regime boosted Rostock's industrial importance in the late 1930s, and employment soared at the Heinkel and Arado factories, and at the Neptunwerft shipyard. The city's population grew from 100,000 in 1935 to 121,192 in 1939. 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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, Rostock was subjected to repeated and increasingly heavy bombing attacks, especially by the British

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

. Targets included the Heinkel and Arado plants and the shipyard, but churches and other historic structures in the city centre were also heavily damaged, among them the 14th-century Nikolaikirche (St Nicholas Church) and Jakobikirche (St Jacob's Church). The ruins of the latter were torn down in 1960. The city was eventually captured by the Soviet

2nd Belorussian Front The 2nd Belorussian Front ( Russian: Второй Белорусский фронт, alternative spellings are 2nd Byelorussian Front) was a military formation, of Army group size, of the Soviet Army during the Second World War. Soviet army g ...

on 2 May 1945 during the Stettin-Rostock offensive operation. After the war, Rostock – now in 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 ...

– became East Germany's largest seaport. The state expanded the national shipyards in the district of

. The city's population, boosted in part by resettled ethnic German refugees who had been expelled from territories in the east, increased in the GDR years to a peak of 260,000. Following the reunification of Germany in 1990, Rostock lost its privileged position as the No. 1 port of the GDR, and the city's population declined to about 200,000. However, after 2006, the population increased again. Today, Rostock and Warnemünde are significant tourist destinations on the Baltic Sea. Since the late 20th century migrants have come to Germany from Turkey and Africa seeking work. In response to high rates of joblessness and increased levels of crime, some Germans took part in the Rostock-Lichtenhagen riots which occurred from 22 to 24 August 1992. Lisch-Rostock Beginenberg.jpg, Depiction of Rostock in 1845 Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1985-0306-032, Rostock, zerstörte Krämerstrasse.jpg, Rostock bomb damage, 1942 Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H28029, Rostock, Marktplatz mit Rathaus.jpg, City hall, Market Square after war Rostock Panorama Nikolaikirche nach Norden 2011-03-08.jpg, Rostock in 2011 Rostock asv2018-05 img47 Steintor.jpg, The 16th-century ''Steintor'' city gate Rostock Marienkirche 2011-03-08.jpg, St. Mary's Church (''Marienkirche''), 2011

Politics

Districts

Symbols

Rostock has had three different coats of arms, known as the ''Signum'', the ''Secretum'' and the ''Sigillum''. The Signum, which can be traced back to 1367, was developed last and is to this day the coat of arms of the city. The Signum depicts a golden griffin on a blue background, with bars of silver and red, the colours of the Hanseatic League, below. It can be seen not only on flags and houses, and at bus stops, but also on bridges, gullies, fences, ships and restaurants.

Administration

Since the 13th century, the governing body of the city has been the city council (''Rat''), first consisting of ten, later of 24 elected

aldermen An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members the ...

(''Ratsherren''). The chairman of the city council was the city mayor. In the 19th century there were three mayors. Since 1925, the head of the city has borne the title of Lord Mayor. Having been elected by the city council for centuries, since 2002 this position is now elected directly by the citizens of Rostock, following a reform. If a candidate does not achieve an absolute majority in the first round, the two candidates with the most votes stand in a second round. 2019 Rostock mayoral election (2nd round)

2019 Rostock mayoral election (2nd round)

The current Lord Mayor of Rostock is Chris von Wrycz Rekowski, who became mayor in 2022 after

independent politician An independent or non-partisan politician is a politician not affiliated with any political party or bureaucratic association. There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent. Some politicians have political views th ...

Claus Ruhe Madsen resigned to join the second Günther cabinet. Madsen was elected in the 2019 local elections with the support of the CDU and FDP. As Danish citizen, he became the first person of foreign nationality to serve as mayor of a major German city. The most recent mayoral election was held on 26 May 2019, with a runoff held on 16 June, and the results were as follows: ! rowspan=2 colspan=2, Candidate ! rowspan=2, Party ! colspan=2, First round ! colspan=2, Second round , - ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Claus Ruhe Madsen , align=left,

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

( CDU/ FDP) , 35,046 , 34.6 , 43,341 , 57.1 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Steffen Bockhahn , align=left, The Left , 19,177 , 18.9 , 32,617 , 42.9 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Chris von Wrycz Rekowski , align=left, Social Democratic Party , 13,433 , 13.2 , - , , align=left, Dirk Zierau , align=left, Independent Citizens for Rostock , 11,958 , 11.8 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Uwe Flachsmeyer , align=left, Alliance 90/The Greens , 10,378 , 10.2 , - , , align=left, Sybille Bachmann , align=left, Rostock Alliance , 6,240 , 6.2 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Tom Reimer , align=left,

, 2,475 , 2.4 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Edgar Schulze , align=left,

, 1,598 , 1.6 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Matthias Bräuer , align=left,

, 1,118 , 1.1 , - ! colspan=3, Valid votes ! 101,423 ! 99.0 ! 75,958 ! 99.4 , - ! colspan=3, Invalid votes ! 1,067 ! 1.0 ! 455 ! 0.6 , - ! colspan=3, Total ! 102,490 ! 100.0 ! 76,413 ! 100.0 , - ! colspan=3, Electorate/voter turnout ! 173,650 ! 59.0 ! 173,187 ! 44.1 , - , colspan=7, Source: City of Rostock
1st round
2019 Rostock City Council election - Wahlbezirke

2019 Rostock City Council election - Wahlbezirke

2019 Rostock City Council election - Results

The city parliament (''Bürgerschaft'') represents the citizens. Representative are elected for five years. The number of representatives is currently 53. The city parliament is presided by the ''Präsident der Bürgerschaft'', who heads and prepares the sessions and, together with the Lord Mayor, represents the city. The most recent city council election was held on 26 May 2019, and the results were as follows: ! colspan=2, Party ! Votes ! % ! +/- ! Seats ! +/- , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, The Left (Die Linke) , 58,405 , 19.9 , 6.5 , 11 , 3 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) , 55,616 , 19.0 , 7.5 , 10 , 4 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) , 42,422 , 14.5 , 6.0 , 8 , 3 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Social Democratic Party (SPD) , 42,269 , 14.4 , 2.5 , 8 , 1 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Alternative for Germany (AfD) , 28,294 , 9.6 , 5.2 , 5 , 3 , - , , align=left, Independent Citizens for Rostock (UFR) , 21,483 , 7.3 , 0.8 , 4 , ±0 , - , , align=left, Rostock Alliance (RB) , 12,086 , 4.1 , 0.5 , 2 , 1 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Free Democratic Party (FDP) , 9,645 , 3.3 , 0.8 , 2 , 1 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left,

Die PARTEI (''Party for Labour, Rule of Law, Animal Protection, Promotion of Elites and Grassroots Democratic Initiative''), or Die PARTEI (''The PARTY''), is a German political party. It was founded in 2004 by the editors of the German satirical magazi ...

(PARTEI) , 7,373 , 2.5 , New , 1 , New , - , bgcolor=, , align=left,

Free Voters Free Voters (german: Freie Wähler, FW or FWG) in Germany may belong to an association of people which participates in an election without having the status of a registered political party. Usually it involves a locally organized group of voters ...

(FW) , 3,790 , 1.3 , New , 1 , New , - , , align=left, New Start 09 (A'09) , 2,897 , 1.0 , 0.5 , 1 , ±0 , - , colspan=7 bgcolor=lightgrey, , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, The Grays – Gray Panthers (Graue) , 1,869 , 0.6 , 0.1 , 0 , 1 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left,

Pirate Party Germany The Pirate Party Germany (german: Piratenpartei Deutschland), commonly known as Pirates (), is a political party in Germany founded in September 2006 at c-base. It states general agreement with the Swedish Piratpartiet as a party of the informa ...

(Piraten) , 1,714 , 0.6 , New , 0 , New , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, National Democratic Party (NPD) , 1,633 , 0.6 , 1.2 , 0 , 1 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Independents , 3,779 , 1.3 , , 0 , ±0 , - ! colspan=2, Valid votes ! 293,275 ! 98.6 ! ! ! , - ! colspan=2, Invalid votes ! 4,179 ! 1.4 ! ! ! , - ! colspan=2, Total ! 102,304 ! 100.0 ! ! 53 ! ±0 , - ! colspan=2, Electorate/voter turnout ! 173,650 ! 58.9 ! 18.4 ! ! , - , colspan=7, Source
City of Rostock
Regiopole Rostock Verflechtungen

Regiopolis Rostock

Rostock is the first city region that defines itself not only as a city in its boundaries, but as a

, with a supra-regional sphere of influence. A regiopolis can be compared to a

metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big ci ...

, but on a smaller scale. This is a sign for the inter-regional cooperation and economic dynamics that can be found in the Rostock area. A taskforce with different actors such as the hanseatic city of Rostock, the administrative district of Rostock, the ''Regional Planning Association Middle Mecklenburg/Rostock'' and the local business organisations are working on the promotion and advancement of the concept.

Geography

Geographic location

Rostock is located nearly centrally on

coast. The city is crossed by the

Warnow The Warnow () is a river in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany. It flows into the Baltic Sea near the town of Rostock, in its borough Warnemünde. The source of the Warnow is in Grebbin, a small village north of Parchim, at the wes ...

. The seaside part of Rostock, Rostock-

, is about to the north of the historic city centre. The west and the southeast are the most densely populated parts of town. The overseas port is to the east of Rostock. Rostock stretches from the

to the south and from east to west.

Climate

Rostock has an oceanic climate (

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

: ''Cfb'') with strong influence of the

, more similar with

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

and far southern Sweden than to the rest of Germany. The

station is located on the open sea and thus has a stronger maritime influence and slightly smaller variations than the downtown that is further inland.

Main sights

Rostock

One of the most picturesque places in Rostock is the ''Neuer Markt'' (New Market Square), with the Town Hall – that was originally built in the 13th century in Brick Gothic style, but extensively transformed in the 18th century, with the addition of a Baroque façade and a banqueting hall. The square also preserved six original, carefully restored gable houses from the 15th and 16th centuries. The other historical houses in Hanseatic style that once bordered the square were destroyed in an Allied air-raid in 1942, and rebuilt in a simplified manner. The 15th-century ''Kerkhofhaus'' (at Große Wasserstraße, behind the Town Hall) is considered the best-preserved brick Gothic house in Rostock. St. Mary's Church ''Marienkirche'', on Ziegenmarkt, is an imposing Brick Gothic church. Built in the 13th century, it was enlarged and modified at the end of the 14th century into the present cross-shaped basilica. The huge tower was not completed until the end of the 18th century. Inside there is an

astronomical clock An astronomical clock, horologium, or orloj is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets. Definition ...

erected in 1472 by Hans Düringer. Rostock Kröpeliner Straße

The main pedestrian precinct is ''Kröpeliner Straße'', which runs east from the Neuer Markt to the 14th-century ''Kröpeliner Tor'', a former town gate. The main buildings of

Rostock University The University of Rostock (german: link=no, Universität Rostock) is a public university located in Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Founded in 1419, it is the third-oldest university in Germany. It is the oldest university in contin ...

lie at Universitätsplatz, near the middle of the street, in front of the lively fountain of ''zest for life (Brunnen der Lebensfreude)'', known colloquially as Pornobrunn (fountain of pornography), for its nude sculptures. The ''Kloster St Katharinen'' (Convent of St. Catherine), is an old

Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...

founded in 1243, and extended several times during the 14th and 15th centuries. Now used as the seat of the Academy of Music and Theatre (HMT-Rostock). The Brick Gothic ''Nikolaikirche'' (St. Nicholas Church), which is the oldest church in Rostock, was built in the mid-13th century. Heavily damaged during

and subsequently restored, the building is now used as an exhibition centre and concert hall, due to its outstanding acoustics. Some parts of the medieval

city wall A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...

, with four city gates, have survived to the present day.

Warnemünde

is the seaside part of Rostock and a major attraction of the city. Locals and tourists alike enjoy the maritime flair of old houses, a large beach, a lighthouse and the old fisherman's port.

Economy

The economy is mainly characterised by maritime industries (especially

shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befo ...

), high-tech industries ( IT,

biotechnology Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used ...

/ life sciences, medical engineering), the University of Rostock,

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...

and the service sector. Major companies include: ;Maritime Industry *

Caterpillar Inc. Caterpillar Inc. (stock symbol CAT) is an American ''Fortune'' 500 corporation and the world's largest construction-equipment manufacturer. In 2018, Caterpillar was ranked number 65 on the ''Fortune'' 500 list and number 238 on the Global ''Fo ...

, manufacturer of diesel engines for ships * Deutsche Seereederei Rostock, transport, cruises, property and tourism holding * F. Laeisz * Neptun Werft, shipyard belonging to Meyer Neptun Group * Nordic Yards Warnemünde, shipyard * Schiffselektronik Rostock * Tamsen Maritim shipyard ;Other engineering * Nordex SE, a major producer of

wind turbine A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. Hundreds of thousands of large turbines, in installations known as wind farms, now generate over 650 gigawatts of power, with 60 GW added each yea ...

s *

Suzlon Suzlon Energy Limited (NSE:SUZLONEQ, BSE:532667) is an Indian multinational wind turbine manufacturer based in Pune, India. It was formerly ranked by MAKE as the world's fifth largest wind turbine supplier.Source: MAKE Report: Global Wind Turb ...

, world's 5th largest wind turbine manufacturer *

Liebherr Liebherr is a German-Swiss multinational equipment manufacturer based in Bulle, Switzerland, with its main production facilities and origins in Germany. Liebherr consists of over 130 companies organized into 11 divisions: earthmoving, mining, ...

, manufacturer of cranes ;Tourism industry *

AIDA Cruises AIDA Cruises is a German cruise line founded in the early 1960s and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc since 2003. Based in Rostock, Germany, AIDA Cruises caters primarily to the German-speaking market; as seag ...

, German company for cruises *

Scandlines Scandlines is a ferry company that operates the Rødby– Puttgarden and Gedser– Rostock ferry routes between Denmark and Germany. Scandlines owns 7 ferries, 6 of which are hybrid ferries, making Scandlines the owner of the world's largest ...

, German-Danish ferry operator (by ''Scandferries Holding'') ;Others * Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock, German brewery belonging to the Oetker-Gruppe * Rostock University Hospital (''Universitätsmedizin'') *

Yara International Yara International ASA is a Norwegian chemical company. It produces, distributes, and sells nitrogen-based mineral fertilizers and related industrial products. Its product line also includes phosphate and potash-based mineral fertilizers, as well ...

, supplier of plant nutrients

Education

Rostock is home to one of the oldest universities in the world. Founded in 1419, the University of Rostock is the third oldest university in Germany in continuous operation, and one of the oldest universities of the world. It also maintains a

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

, the Botanischer Garten Universität Rostock. The Academy of Music and Theatre (''Hochschule für Musik und Theater'') offers graduate degrees in artistic fields. Founded in 1994, the institution combined ''Ernst Busch'', the former drama school, and the outpost school of the Hanns Eisler Music School Berlin. Today, the combined school is a member of the Association of Baltic Academies of Music (ABAM), a union of 17 music conservatories at the Baltic Sea and Israel. Unique in Europe is the postgraduate degree in piano duo performance. The school possesses a large opera stage (Katharinensaal) and two chamber music halls. There are concerts every day throughout the year. Rostock also hosts the

Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) is located in Rostock, Germany. It was founded in 1996 by James Vaupel and moved into new buildings in Rostock in 2002. It is one of approximately 80 institutes of the Max Planck Society. ...

and the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis, as well as two branches of Fraunhofer Institutes, one for Computer Graphics and one for Large Structures in Production Technology.

Culture

Theatre

The municipal theatre is the Volkstheater Rostock where the Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock plays.

Events

The city is home to the annual Hanse Sail festival, during which many large sailing ships and museum vessels are brought out to sea, drawing over 1.5 million visitors. An annual jazz festival, ''Ostsee-Jazz'' ("Baltic Sea Jazz"), takes place in June.

Cinemas

The Lichtspieltheater Wundervoll is the art house cinema of Rostock. It opened in 1993 and offers a daily programme in two venues, the Metropol and the Frieda 23 with three cinemas. At Frieda 23 is the Institut für neue Medien (IFNM), Rostock's Institute for New Media, which includes a media workshop. Both Liwu and IFNM are active members of the ''Landesverband Filmkommunikation Mecklenburg-Vorpommern''. Special screenings for schools, educational programmes and special programmes are offered as well. It is the central venue for Rostock's Film Festival, the Festival im Stadthafen (FISH), the German Federal Festival for Young German Film.

Museums and zoo

* Rostock Art Gallery (''Kunsthalle Rostock'') * Museum of Cultural History (''Kulturhistorisches Museum'') * Stasi Museum (''Dokumentations- und Gedenkstätte der Bundesbeauftragten für die Unterlagen des Staatssicherheitsdienstes der ehemaligen Deutschen Demokratischen Republik'') * Warnemünde Local History Museum (''Heimatmuseum Warnemünde'') * Shipbuilding and Shipping Museum (''Schiffbau- und Schifffahrtsmuseum'') * Rostock Zoo * Walter Kempowski Archive * Max-Samuel-Haus, Rostock Jewish Heritage Centre

Food and drink

Rostock manufactures its own local beer, called Rostocker Pilsner, manufactured at the Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock GmbH (Rostock Hanseatic Brewery Ltd.). The beer is well known throughout the city and is also sold in cities nearby. To celebrate Rostock's 800th birthday, a special light beer called Heller Freude was brewed to commemorate the occasion.

Sport

Transport

Car

Rostock can be reached by motorway (''

Autobahn The (; German plural ) is the federal controlled-access highway system in Germany. The official German term is (abbreviated ''BAB''), which translates as 'federal motorway'. The literal meaning of the word is 'Federal Auto(mobile) Track' ...

'') A 1 from

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

via

on A 20 and by

A 19 A19, A-19, etc. may refer to: * A19, one of the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings codes for the English Opening * ''A19'', a 2002 album by the Battlefield Band * "A19", a song by Maxïmo Park from the '' Missing Songs'' album * A19 light bulb, a co ...

from

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

and A 20 from Stettin in Poland.

Public transport

'' Rostock Hauptbahnhof'' offers fast rail connections to

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

and

and from there to almost any other European city. Rostock is served by the Rostock tramway network, with six tram lines that serve the inner city as well as the suburbs. The city is also served by an extensive bus fleet, as well as a handful of ferries that cross the Warnow.

Ferry/ship

Rostock is Germany's largest Baltic port. Rostock is also home to a large ferry port. It is a main base for ferry operators

and

TT-Line TT-Line GmbH is a shipping company based in Lübeck, Germany, which has been providing ferry service between Travemünde in Schleswig-Holstein and Trelleborg in southern Sweden since 1962. Since 1992, it has also operated a service from Rostock ...

, which both connect Rostock with major Scandinavian destinations. Furthermore, Rostock receives the highest number of cruise tourists in Germany every year. Ferries leave for *

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the capital, primate, and most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of Uusimaa in southern Finland, and has a population of . The city ...

, Finland *

, Denmark * Trelleborg, Sweden *

Nynäshamn Nynäshamn is a locality and the seat of Nynäshamn Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 13,510 inhabitants in 2010. While interest in the area as a potentially useful port grew from the mid 19th Century, it was only with the opening of the ...

, Sweden *

Visby Visby () is an urban area in Sweden and the seat of Gotland Municipality in Gotland County on the island of Gotland with 24,330 inhabitants . Visby is also the episcopal see for the Diocese of Visby. The Hanseatic city of Visby is arguably th ...

, Sweden

Air

The Rostock–Laage Airport offers connections to major German and international destinations; regular flights to e.g.

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...

are offered. The nearest larger international airports are in

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

and

. There are also a number of airfields for smaller aircraft, such as Purkshof.

Twin towns - sister cities

Rostock is twinned with: * Szczecin, Poland (1957) *

Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...

, Finland (1959) * Dunkirk, France (1960) * Riga, Latvia (1961) * Antwerp, Belgium (1963) * Aarhus, Denmark (1964) * Gothenburg, Sweden (1965) *

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula o ...

, Norway (1965) * Rijeka, Croatia (1966) * Varna, Bulgaria (1966) * Bremen, Germany (1987) * Dalian, China (1988) * Raleigh, United States (2001) * Guldborgsund, Denmark (2014)

Notable people

Portret van Simon Paulli, RP-P-1878-A-961

; Before 19th century * Henry Borwin I (–1227), Lord of Mecklenburg *

Tycho Brahe Tycho Brahe ( ; born Tyge Ottesen Brahe; generally called Tycho (14 December 154624 October 1601) was a Danish astronomer, known for his comprehensive astronomical observations, generally considered to be the most accurate of his time. He was ...

(1546–1601), Danish astronomer. *

Simon Paulli Simon Paulli (6 April 1603 – 25 April 1680), was a Danish physician and naturalist. He was a professor of anatomy, surgery and botany at the University of Copenhagen. The genus '' Paullinia'' is named after him.

(1603–1680), Danish physician and naturalist * Franz Aepinus (1724–1802), German-Russian natural philosopher. * Johann Heinrich Bartholomäus Walter (1734–1802), Baltic-German architect, working in Tartu *

(1742–1819), Prussian field marshal. * Matthias Christian Sprengel (1746–1803), geographer and historian *

Christian Martin Frähn Christian Martin Joachim (von) Frähn (4 June 1782 – 16 August 1851), German and Russian numismatist and historian, was born at Rostock, Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Frähn began his Oriental studies under Tychsen at the university of Rostock, a ...

(1782–1851), German-Russian numismatist and historian. ; 19th century *

John Brinckman John Brinckman, originally Johann Friedrich Brinckmann (3 July 1814, Rostock - 20 September 1870, Güstrow) was a German author of humorous works in Plattdeutsch. Biography He was the second of nine children born to Caspar Christoph Michael ...

(1814–1870), poet and short story writer *

Moritz Wiggers Moritz Karl Georg Wiggers (October 17, 1816 – July 30, 1894), German politician, started out as a lawyer and a notary in his home town of Rostock. The Revolution of 1848 prompted him to enter public life as a representative to the Mecklenburg ...

(1816–1894), politician, lawyer and notary * Paul Tischbein (1820–1874), illustrator and painter primarily of landscapes * Ferdinand von Mueller (1825–1896), German-Australian physician, geographer and botanist. *

Johann Georg Noel Dragendorff Johann Georg Noel Dragendorff (August 8, 1836 – April 7, 1898) was a German pharmacist and chemist born in Rostock. Education He earned his doctorate in philosophy from the University of Rostock in 1861, and following graduation worked for t ...

(1836–1898), pharmacist and chemist *

Adolf Wilbrandt Adolf von Wilbrandt (24 August 183710 June 1911) was a German novelist and dramatist. History Wilbrandt was born in Rostock. His father was a professor at the University of Rostock. He received early education in his native town, and then enter ...

(1837–1911), a German novelist and dramatist. * Rudolph Sohm (1841–1917), jurist, Church historian and theologian * Hermann von Maltzan (1843–1891), malacologist known for his work in the field of conchology *

Albrecht Kossel Ludwig Karl Martin Leonhard Albrecht Kossel (; 16 September 1853 – 5 July 1927) was a German biochemist and pioneer in the study of genetics. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1910 for his work in determining the ch ...

(1853–1927), biochemist and pioneer in genetics, recipient of 1910

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, accord ...

for determining the chemical composition of nucleic acids * Mathilde Mann (1859–1925), prominent German translator and editor * Paul Walden (1863–1957), Latvian-German chemist * Edvard Munch (1863–1944), Norwegian painter.https://www.rostock.de/erlebnisse/munch-haus.html *

Gustav Mie Gustav Adolf Feodor Wilhelm Ludwig Mie (; 29 September 1868 – 13 February 1957) was a German physicist. Life Mie was born in Rostock, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany in 1868. From 1886 he studied mathematics and physics at the University of ...

(1868–1957), physicist, worked on electromagnetic waves * Carl Brockelmann (1868–1956), Semiticist and orientalist *

Heinrich Tessenow Heinrich Tessenow (7 April 1876 – 1 November 1950) was a German architect, professor, and urban planner active in the Weimar era. Biography Tessenow is considered together with Hans Poelzig, Bruno Taut, Peter Behrens, Fritz Höger, Ernst ...

(1876–1950), architect, professor and urban planner * Paul Wallat (1879–1964), landscape artist, draftsman and sculptor * Hans Paasche (1881–1920), politician and pacifist * Margarete Scheel (1881–1969), artist, specializing in sculpture and ceramics *

Ernst Heinkel Dr. Ernst Heinkel (24 January 1888 – 30 January 1958) was a German aircraft designer, manufacturer, '' Wehrwirtschaftsführer'' in Nazi Germany, and member of the Nazi party. His company Heinkel Flugzeugwerke produced the Heinkel He 178, th ...

(1888–1958), aviation pioneer * Karl Leo Heinrich Lehmann (1894–1960), American art historian, archaeologist and professor * Arthur R. von Hippel (1898–2003), German-American materials scientist and physicist ; 20th century * Walter Hallstein (1901–1982), diplomat and politician, wrote the Hallstein Doctrine * Erika Fuchs (1906–2005), translator * Marianne Hoppe (1909–2002), actress *

Hans von Ohain Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain (14 December 191113 March 1998) was a German physicist, engineer, and the designer of the first operational jet engine. Together with Frank Whittle he is called the "father of the jet engine". His first test unit ran ...

(1911–1998), physicist and engineer * Duchess Woizlawa Feodora of Mecklenburg (1918–2019), member of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin * Berndt von Staden (1919–2014), diplomat, Ambassador to the United States 1973–1979 * Peter Borgelt (1927–1994), actor * Walter Kempowski (1929–2007), writer * Peter Schulz (1930–2013), politician (SPD) and first Mayor of Hamburg 1971–1974 *

Egbert Brieskorn Egbert Valentin Brieskorn (7 July 1936, in Rostock – 11 July 2013, in Bonn) was a German mathematician who introduced Brieskorn spheres and the Brieskorn–Grothendieck resolution. Education Brieskorn was born in 1936 as the son of a mill cons ...

(1936–2013), mathematician who introduced Brieskorn spheres * Klaus Kilimann (born 1938), physicist, politician (SPD) and Mayor of Rostock 1990–1993 *

Joachim Gauck Joachim Wilhelm Gauck (; born 24 January 1940) is a German politician and civil rights activist who served as President of Germany from 2012 to 2017. A former Lutheran pastor, he came to prominence as an anti-communist civil rights activist in E ...

(born 1940), politician, civil rights activist and President of Germany 2012–2017 *

Sibylle Günter Sibylle Günter (born 20 April 1964) is a German theoretical physicist researching tokamak plasmas. Since February 2011, she has headed the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics. In October 2015, she was elected a member of the Academia Europa ...

(born 1964), theoretical physicist * Heinz Eggert (born 1946), theologian and CDU politician * Franziska Knuppe (born 1974), fashion model * Hinnerk Schönemann (born 1974), actor *

Marteria Marten Laciny (born 4 December 1982), better known by his stage name Marteria, is a German rapper. He has met with success in Germany (his 2012 collaboration with Yasha and Miss Platnum, "Lila Wolken", reached Number 1 in the German music chart ...

(born 1982), hip hop artist ; Sport * Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe (1888–1949), tennis and field hockey player *

Jan Ullrich Jan Ullrich (; born 2 December 1973) is a German former professional road bicycle racer. Ullrich won gold and silver medals in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Sydney. He won the 1999 Vuelta a España and the HEW Cyclassics in fro ...

(born 1973), cyclist,

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...

winner and Olympic medalist *

Britta Kamrau Britta Kamrau-Corestein (born 6 April 1979 in Rostock) is a German long-distance swimmer. She is a former European champion at the 5 km, 10 km and 25 km open water distances and former world champion at the 25&n ...

(born 1979), long-distance swimmer *

André Greipel André Greipel (born 16 July 1982) is a German former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 2002 and 2021. Since his retirement, Greipel now works as a directeur sportif for UCI Continental team . Born in Rostock, Eas ...

(born 1982), road bicycle racer * Paul Martens (born 1983), road bicycle racer * Stephan Krüger (born 1988), rower

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

*
Official tourism siteEuropean Route of Brick Gothic: Rostock
* {{Authority control Cities and towns in Mecklenburg Denmark–Germany border crossings Members of the Hanseatic League Port cities and towns in Germany Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea Populated coastal places in Germany (Baltic Sea) 1218 establishments in Europe Populated places established in the 11th century Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Holocaust locations in Germany