Ludwigslust () is a central castle town of

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; ), also known by its Anglicisation, anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, is a Federated state, state in the north-east of Germany. Of the country's States of Germany, sixteen states, Mecklenburg-Vorpom ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, 40 km south of

Schwerin Schwerin (; Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch dialect, Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch Low German: ''Swerin''; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Zwierzyn''; Latin: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Germ ...

. Since 2011 it has been part of the

Ludwigslust-Parchim Ludwigslust-Parchim is a district in the west of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The district seat is Parchim, a branch office of the administration is located in Ludwigslust. After Mecklenburgische Seenplatte, it is the second-biggest distri ...

district. Ludwigslust is part of the

Hamburg Metropolitan Region The Hamburg Metropolitan Region () is a metropolitan region centred around the city of Hamburg in northern Germany, consisting of eight districts () in the federal state of Lower Saxony, six districts () in the state of Schleswig-Holstein and two ...

. The former royal residential town is known for its rich heritage, especially the famed

Ludwigslust Palace Ludwigslust Palace () is a stately home or ''schloss'' in the town of Ludwigslust, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, northern Germany. It was built as a hunting lodge and rebuilt as a retreat from the ducal capital, Schwerin, then became from 1765 to 1837 t ...

, known as ''Versailles of the North''.

History

In 1724

Prince Ludwig A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The fema ...

, the son of Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg, decided to build a hunting lodge near a small hamlet called Klenow. Later, after his succession to the Dukedom, this became his favourite residence and he named it accordingly ''Ludwigslust'' ("Ludwig's pleasure/desire"). In 1765 Ludwigslust became the capital of the duchy in place of Schwerin. The town was enlarged by a residential palace (the castle). This situation continued until 1837, when Grand Duke Paul Friedrich returned the capital status to Schwerin. The Wöbbelin concentration camp—sometimes referred to as ''Ludwigslust concentration camp''—was established by the SS near the city of Ludwigslust in 1945. At the end of World War II, as the Line of contact between Soviet and other Allied forces formed, Ludwigslust was captured by British troops initially, then handed over to American troops. After several months the US troops departed and allowed Soviet troops to enter under the Yalta agreement designating the occupation of Mecklenburg to be administered by the Soviets.

Sights

Schloss Ludwigslust Ludwigslust Palace () is a stately home or ''schloss'' in the town of Ludwigslust, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, northern Germany. It was built as a hunting lodge and rebuilt as a retreat from the ducal capital, Schwerin, then became from 1765 to 1837 t ...

, a

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

residential palace built in 1772–1776, according to plans by

Johann Joachim Busch Johann, typically a male given name, is the German form of ''Iohannes'', which is the Latin form of the Greek name ''Iōánnēs'' (), itself derived from Hebrew name '' Yochanan'' () in turn from its extended form (), meaning "Yahweh is Gracious" ...

. It is called the "Little Versailles of Mecklenburg". The palace is in the middle of the palace garden (Schlosspark), a vast park (120 ha.) in the English style, with canals, fountains and artificial cascades. * The ''Stadtkirche'' (Municipal- / City-Church), built in 1765–1770 in Neoclassical style with

sway. Its classical design, with a

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...

resting on six doric columns, gives the church an appearance similar to a Greek temple.

Transport

Ludwigslust railway station Ludwigslust () is a central castle town of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, 40 km south of Schwerin. Since 2011 it has been part of the Ludwigslust-Parchim district. Ludwigslust is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. The former royal re ...

is served by

ICE Ice is water that is frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 ° C, 32 ° F, or 273.15 K. It occurs naturally on Earth, on other planets, in Oort cloud objects, and as interstellar ice. As a naturally oc ...

, EC, IC and RE services.

Twin towns — sister cities

Ludwigslust is twinned with: *

Ahrensburg Ahrensburg () is a town in the district of Stormarn, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is located northeast of Hamburg and is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. Its population is around 31,000. ''Schloss Ahrensburg'', the town's symbol, is ...

, Germany * Muscatine, United States *

Kamskoye Ustye Kamskoye Ustye (; ) is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) and the administrative center of Kamsko-Ustyinsky District in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, located on the Kuybyshev Reservoir, near the confluence of the Volga and Kama Riv ...

, Russia

Sport

The Ludwigslust Motodrom and Speedwaystadion is a motorsport and

motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...

venue located approximately 3 kilometres west of the town. The stadium has hosted important events, including a qualifying round of the

Speedway World Championship The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest-ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world, run under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). The first official championsh ...

in 1992 and 1993. The team MC Ludwigslust won the bronze medal in the 1988 East Germany championships.

Notable people

Franz Passow Franz Ludwig Carl Friedrich Passow (20 September 1786 – 11 March 1833) was a German classical scholar and lexicographer. Biography He was born at Ludwigslust in the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In 1807 he was appointed to the professorship o ...

(1786–1833), a German classical scholar and

lexicographer Lexicography is the study of lexicons and the art of compiling dictionaries. It is divided into two separate academic disciplines: * Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionary, dictionaries. * The ...

. * Ludwig von Lützow (1793–1872), Mecklenburg statesman and politician *

Theodor Hahn Theodor Hahn (19 May 1824 – 3 March 1883) was a German hydrotherapist, naturopath, writer, and vegetarianism activist. Biography Theodor Hahn was born at Ludwigslust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He was influenced by the hydrothera ...

(1824–1883), a German

hydrotherapist Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy and also called water cure, is a branch of alternative medicine (particularly naturopathy), occupational therapy, and Physical therapy, physiotherapy, that involves the use of water for pain relief and ...

naturopath Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as naturopaths. Difficult ...

and

vegetarianism Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

activist. *

Ludwig Beissner Ludwig Beissner (6 July 1843 – 21 December 1927) was a German horticulturalist and dendrologist born in Ludwigslust, Mecklenburg-Schwerin. From 1887 to 1913, Beissner was inspector of the botanical gardens of Bonn. He was an author of a popula ...

(1843–1927), a German

horticulturalist Horticulture (from ) is the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Horticulture is commonly associated with the more professional and technical aspects of plant cultivation on a smaller and mo ...

and dendrologist *

Johannes Gillhoff Johannes Heinrich Carl Christian Gillhoff (May 24, 1861 – January 16, 1930) was a German teacher and author. Early life and teaching Gillhof was born in Glaisin in Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He followed in his father's profession as a teacher. ...

(1861–1930), teacher, folklorist and writer (born in Glaisin) *

Charles Allix Lavington Yate Major Charles Allix Lavington Yate, VC (14 March 1872 – 20 September 1914) was an English British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be ...

(1872–1914), English British Army officer and

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

recipient of World War I, was born in Ludwigslust, his mother's home town. *

Annelies Burmeister Annelies Burmeister (25 November 1928 in Ludwigslust – 16 June 1988 in Berlin) was a German contralto and actress. Burmeister studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Weimar. She was a member of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin and made sever ...

(1928–1988),

contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...

and actress. *

Manfred Osten Manfred Osten (born 19 January 1938 in Ludwigslust) is a German poet, author, lawyer, former diplomat and cultural historian. Biography He was born in Ludwigslust in the region of Mecklenburg, which became part of the German Democratic Republic ...

(born 1938), poet, author, lawyer, former diplomat and cultural historian. *

Bernd Spier Bernd Spier (6 April 1944 – 30 December 2017) was a German schlager singer and record producer. He later was a real estate broker. Biography Spier was born in Ludwigslust, Mecklenburg and is the son of Robby Spier, who was the conductor o ...

(born 1944), crooner, schlager singer and record producer. *

Christoph Biemann Christoph Biemann (born 6 August 1952) is a German writer, director and producer and one of the presenters of the award-winning children's television show, ''Die Sendung mit der Maus''. Also known as ''Die Maus'' ("The Mouse"), it has been on the a ...

(born 1952), author, director and children's TV presenter * Helmut Holter (born 1953), local politician

Artists

Franz Benque Franz Benque (12 March 1841 – 30 March 1921), known in Brazil as Francisco Benque, was a German photographer. Biography Son of a professor, Benque was born in Ludwigslust, nowadays, a city located in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district in Meckle ...

(1841–1921), photographer * Pauline Soltau (1833–1902), portrait painter and violinist *

Rudolph Suhrlandt Rudolph Friedrich Carl Suhrlandt (19 December 1781, in Ludwigslust – 2 February 1862, in Schwerin) was a German portrait painter and lithography, lithographer. Biography His father, Johann Heinrich Suhrlandt, was a court painter for Grand Du ...

(1781–1862), portrait painter and

lithographer Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German ...

Aristocracy

Frederick Louis, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (13 June 1778 – 29 November 1819) was a hereditary prince of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, one of the constituent states of the German Confederation. He was the son of Frederick Francis I, ...

(1778–1819), Hereditary Prince of Mecklenburg, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, member of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin *

Duchess Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Duchess Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (4 December 1784 – 13 July 1840), was the first wife of Christian VIII from 1806 until 1810, before he became King of Norway and later King of Denmark. She was a daughter of Frederick Francis ...

(1784–1840), duchess of Mecklenburg; Crown Princess of Denmark *

Paul Frederick, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Paul Friedrich (15 September 1800 – 7 March 1842) ruled as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1837 to 1842. Early life Paul Friedrich was born in Ludwigslust on 15 September 1800. He was the son of Friedrich Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke ...

(1800–1842), Grand Duke of Mecklenburg from 1837 to 1842. *

Frederick Francis II Frederick Francis II ( German: ''Friedrich Franz II;'' 28 February 1823 – 15 April 1883) was a Prussian officer and Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 7 March 1842 until 15 April 1883. Biography He was born in Schloss Ludwigslust, the ...

(1823–1883), a Prussian officer and

Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin This list of dukes and grand dukes of Mecklenburg dates from the origins of the Germany, 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, Mecklen ...

from 1842 to 1883. *

Frederick Francis III Frederick Francis III (; 19 March 1851 – 10 April 1897) was the penultimate Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Biography He was born in Schloss Ludwigslust as the son of Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and his first wi ...

(1851–1897), the penultimate

from 1883 to 1897 *

Duke Paul Frederick of Mecklenburg Duke Paul Frederick of Mecklenburg (; 19 September 1852 – 17 May 1923) was a member of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and general of the Mecklenburg cavalry. Life Duke Paul Frederick was born in Ludwigslust Castle as the second eldes ...

(1852–1923), Duke of Mecklenburg, General of the Cavalry *

Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, later Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, Grand Duchess Vladimir "Miechen" of Russia ( Russian: Мари́я Па́вловна; 14 May Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New Styl ...

(1854–1920), Grand Duchess of Russia * Duke Christian Louis of Mecklenburg (1912–1996), nobleman, head of the house Mecklenburg

Sport

Paul Rudolf von Bilguer Paul Rudolf (or Rudolph) von Bilguer (21 September 1815 – 16 September 1840) was a German chess master and chess theoretician from Ludwigslust in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Bilguer, who was a lieutenant in the Prussian arm ...

(1815–1840), a German chess master and chess theoretician. * Brigitte Kiesler (1924–2013), gymnast; competed in seven events at the

1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics (, ), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad (, ) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952, were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. After Japan declared in ...

Andreas Zülow Andreas Zülow (born 23 October 1965) is a retired amateur boxer from East Germany who won a Olympic medalists in boxing, Lightweight gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. He also won the silver medal at the 1989 World Amateur Boxing Cham ...

(born 1965), lightweight boxer; gold medallist at the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and officially branded as Seoul 1988 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. 159 nations were represe ...

Birgit Jerschabek Birgit Jerschabek-Keipke (born 17 May 1969) is a retired (East) German long-distance runner. She was born in Ludwigslust. As a junior, she won the 10,000 metres at the 1987 European Junior Championships and finished sixth at the 1988 World Jun ...

(born 1969), long-distance runner *

Bastian Reinhardt Bastian Reinhardt (born 19 November 1975) is a German former footballer and current assistant manager of VfB Lübeck. Career Reinhardt began his career 1983 with Empor Grabow/Grabower FC and joined 1. FC Magdeburg in 1992. He left Magdeburg afte ...

(born 1975), footballer, played over 280 games

References

External links

official site (town)

official site (county)

The Embracing Forest
An American visits Ludwigslust and vicinity in 2005 and finds more history than he expected. {{Authority control Populated places established in the 18th century Cities and towns in Mecklenburg Ludwigslust-Parchim Populated places established in 1765