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Stralsund (;
Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
: ''Strålsund''), officially the
Hanseatic The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
City of Stralsund (
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
: ''Hansestadt Stralsund''), is the fifth-largest city in the northeastern German federal state of
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; ), 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 population; it covers an are ...
after
Rostock Rostock (; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Roztoc''), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (), is the largest city in the German States of Germany, state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the sta ...
,
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 ...
,
Neubrandenburg Neubrandenburg (, Low German ''Niegenbramborg'', both lit. ''New Brandenburg an der Havel, Brandenburg'') is a city in the southeast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is located on the shore of a lake called Tollensesee and forms the urban c ...
and
Greifswald Greifswald (), officially the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald (, Low German: ''Griepswoold'') is the fourth-largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania after Rostock, Schwerin and Neubrandenburg. In 2021 it surpa ...
, and the second-largest city in the
Pomerania Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...
n part of the state. It is located on the southern
coast A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
of the
Strelasund The Strelasund or Strela Sound is a sound (geography), sound of the Baltic Sea which separates Rügen from the Germany, German mainland. It is crossed by a bridge called the Strelasund Crossing from Stralsund. It runs northwest to southeast from a ...
, a
sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the br ...
of the
Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
separating the island of
Rügen Rügen (; Rani: ''Rȯjana'', ''Rāna''; , ) is Germany's largest island. It is located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea and belongs to the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The "gateway" to Rügen island is the Hanseatic ci ...
from the Pomeranian
mainland Mainland is defined as "relating to or forming the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it egardless of status under territorial jurisdiction by an entity" The term is often politically, economically and/or demogr ...
.'' Britannica Online Encyclopedia'', "Stralsund" (city), 2007, webpage
EB-Stralsund
The
Strelasund Crossing Strelasund Crossing is the two links to the German island of Rügen (''Rugia'') over the Strelasund to the West Pomeranian mainland near Stralsund: the Rügen Bridge or Rugia Bridge () and the Rugia Causeway (). Ferry services between Stralsun ...
with its two bridges and several ferry services connects Stralsund with Rügen, the largest island of Germany and Pomerania. The
Western Pomerania Historical Western Pomerania, also called Cispomerania, Fore Pomerania, Front Pomerania or Hither Pomerania (; ), is the western extremity of the historic region of Pomerania, located mostly in north-eastern Germany, with a small portion in no ...
n city is the seat of the
Vorpommern-Rügen Vorpommern-Rügen is a Districts of Germany, district in the north of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the Baltic Sea and the districts Vorpommern-Greifswald, Mecklenburgische Seenplatte (district), M ...
district and, together with
Greifswald Greifswald (), officially the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald (, Low German: ''Griepswoold'') is the fourth-largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania after Rostock, Schwerin and Neubrandenburg. In 2021 it surpa ...
, Stralsund forms one of four high-level urban centres of the region. The city's name as well as that of the Strelasund are compounds of the
Slavic Slavic, Slav or Slavonic may refer to: Peoples * Slavic peoples, an ethno-linguistic group living in Europe and Asia ** East Slavic peoples, eastern group of Slavic peoples ** South Slavic peoples, southern group of Slavic peoples ** West Slav ...
( Polabian) ''stral'' and ''strela'' (
arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
; Polish: , Czech: ) and the Germanic ''sund'', a
strait A strait is a water body connecting two seas or water basins. The surface water is, for the most part, at the same elevation on both sides and flows through the strait in both directions, even though the topography generally constricts the ...
or
sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the br ...
. The
canting arms Canting arms are heraldry, heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name (or, less often, some attribute or function) in a visual pun or rebus. The expression derives from the latin ''cantare'' (to sing). French heralds used the term (), ...
of the city make reference to that etymology as well as to Stralsund's
Hanseatic The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
past in featuring a silver
cross pattée A cross pattée or cross patty (, ), also known as a cross formée or cross formy, or even a Templar cross, is a type of Christian cross with arms that are narrow at the centre and often flared in a curve or straight line shape to be broader at th ...
(a Hanseatic Cross) above a silver arrow. Stralsund was granted city rights in 1234 and is thus the oldest city in Pomerania. It was one of the most prosperous members of the medieval
Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
. In 1628, during the
Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...
, the city came under
Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
rule and remained so until the upheavals of the
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
. It was the capital of
Swedish Pomerania Swedish Pomerania (; ) was a dominions of Sweden, dominion under the Sweden, Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815 on what is now the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish-Swedish War, Polish War and the Thirty Years' War ...
(
New Western Pomerania New Western Pomerania or New Hither Pomerania ( or ''Neu-Vorpommern'') was the part of Western Pomerania that passed to Prussia from Sweden under the terms of the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The territory of New Western Pomerania corresponded to ...
) from 1720 to 1815. From 1815 to 1945, Stralsund was part of
Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
. Stralsund's old town is part of the
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
"Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar" alongside the old town of
Wismar Wismar (; ), officially the Hanseatic City of Wismar () is, with around 43,000 inhabitants, the sixth-largest city of the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and the fourth-largest city of Mecklenburg after Rostock, Schwerin and ...
in
Mecklenburg Mecklenburg (; ) 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, Schwerin, Neubrandenburg, Wismar and Güstrow. ...
because of its outstanding
Brick Gothic Brick Gothic (, , ) is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Baltic region, Northeast and Central Europe especially in the regions in and around the Baltic Sea, which do not have resources of standing rock (though Glacial erratic, ...
buildings and its importance during the time of the
Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
and when the city belonged to Sweden.< St Mary's Church has been the tallest church in the world from 1549 to 1569 and from 1573 to 1647. The city's other two large churches are St Nicholas' and St James'. Stralsund is the seat of the
German Oceanographic Museum The German Oceanographic Museum (), also called the Museum for Oceanography and Fisheries, Aquarium (), in the Hanseatic town of Stralsund, is a museum in which maritime and oceanographic exhibitions are displayed. It is the most visited museu ...
(') with its satellites Ozeaneum (in Stralsund), Nautineum (on Dänholm Island), and Natureum (on the Fischland-Darß-Zingst Peninsula). The main industries of Stralsund are
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other Watercraft, floating vessels. In modern times, it normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation th ...
, fishing,
mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines and mechanism (engineering), mechanisms that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and engineering mathematics, mathematics principl ...
, and, to an increasing degree,
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
,
life sciences This list of life sciences comprises the branches of science that involve the scientific study of life – such as microorganisms, plants, and animals including human beings. This science is one of the two major branches of natural science, ...
, services and
high tech High technology (high tech or high-tech), also known as advanced technology (advanced tech) or exotechnology, is technology that is at the state of the art, cutting edge: the highest form of technology available. It can be defined as either the ...
industries, especially
information technology Information technology (IT) is a set of related fields within information and communications technology (ICT), that encompass computer systems, software, programming languages, data processing, data and information processing, and storage. Inf ...
and
biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...
.


Geography


Location

The city of Stralsund is located in northeastern
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 ...
in the region of
Western Pomerania Historical Western Pomerania, also called Cispomerania, Fore Pomerania, Front Pomerania or Hither Pomerania (; ), is the western extremity of the historic region of Pomerania, located mostly in north-eastern Germany, with a small portion in no ...
in the state 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 ...
. Stralsund is located south west of
Rügen Rügen (; Rani: ''Rȯjana'', ''Rāna''; , ) is Germany's largest island. It is located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea and belongs to the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The "gateway" to Rügen island is the Hanseatic ci ...
. It is separated by a small body of water named the Strelasund, which stretches out to the Baltic Sea.


Climate

Its
annual precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, rain and snow mixed ("sleet" in Commonwealth ...
is 656 mm (25.8 inches) and comparatively low, falling within the lowest third of all precipitation values in
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 ...
. The driest month is February; the most precipitation falls in July. The precipitation varies relatively moderately throughout the year. Only 40% of weather stations in Germany exhibit lower seasonal variation.


Landscape

The city lies on the sound of
Strelasund The Strelasund or Strela Sound is a sound (geography), sound of the Baltic Sea which separates Rügen from the Germany, German mainland. It is crossed by a bridge called the Strelasund Crossing from Stralsund. It runs northwest to southeast from a ...
, a
strait A strait is a water body connecting two seas or water basins. The surface water is, for the most part, at the same elevation on both sides and flows through the strait in both directions, even though the topography generally constricts the ...
of the
Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
. Its geographic proximity to the island of
Rügen Rügen (; Rani: ''Rȯjana'', ''Rāna''; , ) is Germany's largest island. It is located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea and belongs to the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The "gateway" to Rügen island is the Hanseatic ci ...
, whose only fixed link to the mainland, the
Strelasund Crossing Strelasund Crossing is the two links to the German island of Rügen (''Rugia'') over the Strelasund to the West Pomeranian mainland near Stralsund: the Rügen Bridge or Rugia Bridge () and the Rugia Causeway (). Ferry services between Stralsun ...
, runs between Stralsund and the village of
Altefähr Altefähr is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Transport * Altefähr railway station is served by local services between Rostock, Stralsund Stralsund (; Swedish language, Swedish: ''Strålsun ...
, has given Stralsund the sobriquet "Gateway to the Island of Rügen" (''Tor zur Insel Rügen''). Stralsund is located close to the
Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park The Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park
at www.naturefund.de. Ac ...
. Stralsund's city borough includes municipal forest and three municipal ponds (the ''Knieperteich, Frankenteich'' and ''Moorteich''. The three ponds and the Strelasund lend the Old Town, the original settlement site and historic centre of the city, a protected island ambience. The highest point of the city is the ''Galgenberg'' ("Gallows Hill") on its western approaches.


Subdivisions

The city's territory covers an area of , which makes Stralsund, with its nearly 58,000 inhabitants one of the most densely populated cities in
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; ), 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 population; it covers an are ...
(1,480 inhabitants per km2). The borough of the Hanseatic city of Stralsund is divided into as follows: The city also possesses estates in the local area as well as on the islands of
Rügen Rügen (; Rani: ''Rȯjana'', ''Rāna''; , ) is Germany's largest island. It is located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea and belongs to the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The "gateway" to Rügen island is the Hanseatic ci ...
,
Hiddensee Hiddensee () is a Auto-free zone, car-free island in the Baltic Sea, located west of Germany's largest island, Rügen, on the Germany, German coast. The island has about 1,000 inhabitants. It was a holiday destination for East Germany, East Germ ...
and Ummanz.


Neighbouring municipalities

Larger cities in the nearby area are
Greifswald Greifswald (), officially the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald (, Low German: ''Griepswoold'') is the fourth-largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania after Rostock, Schwerin and Neubrandenburg. In 2021 it surpa ...
and
Rostock Rostock (; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Roztoc''), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (), is the largest city in the German States of Germany, state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the sta ...
. In the local area around Stralsund there are also the towns of Barth and
Ribnitz-Damgarten Ribnitz-Damgarten () is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated on Lake Ribnitz (''Ribnitzer See''). Ribnitz-Damgarten is in the west of the district Vorpommern-Rügen. The border between the historical regions of Mecklenburg and ...
. Many of the smaller villages in the vicinity, like
Prohn Prohn is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 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 nor ...
or Negast, have grown sharply after 1990 as a result of the influx of those living or working in Stralsund.


History

In the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
the Stralsund area formed part of the West Slavic
Principality of Rügen The Principality of Rügen was a Medieval Denmark, Danish principality, formerly a duchy, consisting of the island of Rügen and the adjacent mainland from 1168 until 1325. It was governed by a local dynasty of princes of the ''Wizlawiden'' (''Hou ...
. At that time the
Dänholm Dänholm (literally ''Danes' Isle'') is a small island on the German coast of the Baltic Sea. It is situated in the Strelasund just east of Stralsund. Both bridges linking Rügen with the mainland, Rügendamm and Rügenbrücke, run across it. ...
isle and fishing village, both at the site of the latter city, were called ''Strale'' or ''Stralow'', Polabian for "arrow" (this meaning underlies the city's coat of arms, which shows an arrow). The full Polabian name can be rendered in
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...
as . The village also had a ferry to the island of Rügen. In 1168, following the
siege of Arkona The siege of Arkona was a short eight-day siege between the Danish and Pommeranian forces under Valdemar I and the Wendish forces of the temple-fortress of Arkona. It resulted in a decisive victory for the Danish forces, after which the rest of ...
, the Principality of Rügen became part of
Kingdom of Denmark The Danish Realm, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply Denmark, is a sovereign state consisting of a collection of constituent territories united by the Constitution of Denmark, Constitutional Act, which applies to the entire territor ...
. In the course of
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
Ostsiedlung (, ) is the term for the Early Middle Ages, early medieval and High Middle Ages, high medieval migration of Germanic peoples and Germanisation of the areas populated by Slavs, Slavic, Balts, Baltic and Uralic languages, Uralic peoples; the ...
, many German settlers, gentry and merchants were invited to settle in the principality, and they eventually populated the ''Strale'' settlement. Merchants from other countries as well as locals were attracted to the area and made up one third of the settlement's population. The Danish navy used the isle as well. When the settlement had grown to town size, prince Wizlaw I of Rügen granted
Lübeck law The Lübeck law () was the family of codified municipal law developed at Lübeck, which became a free imperial city in 1226 and is located in present-day Schleswig-Holstein. It was the second most prevalent form of municipal law in medieval and e ...
to "our town Stralow" in 1234, although a significant settlement had existed long before the formal founding. In 1240, when the prince gave additional land to the town, he called it ''Stralesund''. The success of the settlement challenged the powerful
Free City of Lübeck Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, the ability to act or change without constraint or restriction * Emancipate, attaining civil and political rights or equality * Free (gratis), Free (''gratis''), free of charge * Gratis versus libre, the di ...
, which burnt Stralsund down in 1249. Afterwards the town was rebuilt with a massive
town 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 such as curtain walls with to ...
having 11 town gates and 30 watchtowers. The ''Neustadt'', a town-like suburb, had merged with Stralsund by 1361. ''Schadegard'', a nearby twin city to Stralsund also founded by Wizlaw I, though not granted German law, served as the principal stronghold and enclosed a fort. It was given up and torn down by 1269 under pressure from the Stralsund ''
Bürger Bürger or Buerger is a surname. Notable people with the name include: * Gottfried August Bürger, German poet * Heinrich Bürger, German physicist and biologist * Heinrich Otto Wilhelm Bürger, German zoologist * Karl-Heinz Bürger, German S ...
''. In 1293 Stralsund became a member of the
Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
. A total of 300
ships A ship is a large vessel that travels the world's oceans and other navigable waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished from boats, ...
flying the flag of Stralsund cruised the
Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
in the 14th century. In 1325 the
Principality of Rügen The Principality of Rügen was a Medieval Denmark, Danish principality, formerly a duchy, consisting of the island of Rügen and the adjacent mainland from 1168 until 1325. It was governed by a local dynasty of princes of the ''Wizlawiden'' (''Hou ...
became part of the
Duchy of Pomerania The Duchy of Pomerania (; ; Latin: ''Ducatus Pomeraniae'') was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania (''Griffins''). The country existed in the Middle Ages between years 1121–11 ...
, Stralsund however maintained a considerable independence. In the 17th century opposing forces in the
Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...
fought over Stralsund. In the
Battle of Stralsund (1628) The siege of Stralsund was a siege laid on Stralsund by Albrecht von Wallenstein's Imperial Army during the Thirty Years' War, from 13 May 1628 to 4 August 1628. Stralsund was aided by Denmark and Sweden, with considerable Scottish participat ...
, the Imperial (Catholic) forces commanded by
Albrecht von Wallenstein Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein, Duke of Friedland (; 24 September 1583 – 25 February 1634), also von Waldstein (), was a Bohemian military leader and statesman who fought on the Catholic side during the Thirty Years' War (1618–16 ...
besieged the city after the council refused to accept the
Capitulation of Franzburg The capitulation of Franzburg () was a treaty providing for the Capitulation (treaty), capitulation of the Duchy of Pomerania to the forces of the Holy Roman Empire during the Thirty Years' War.Langer (2003), p. 402 It was signed on 10 November Old ...
of November 1627. Stralsund resisted with Danish and
Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
support. The Swedish garrison in Stralsund was the first on German soil in history. With the
Treaty of Stettin (1630) The Treaty of Stettin ( or ''Fördraget i Stettin'') or Alliance of Stettin () was the legal framework for the occupation of the Duchy of Pomerania by the Swedish Empire during the Thirty Years' War. Concluded on 25 August Old Style and New Styl ...
, the city became one of two major Swedish forts in the
Duchy of Pomerania The Duchy of Pomerania (; ; Latin: ''Ducatus Pomeraniae'') was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania (''Griffins''). The country existed in the Middle Ages between years 1121–11 ...
, alongside
Stettin Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the German border, it is a major seaport, the largest city of northwestern Poland, and se ...
(now
Szczecin Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the Poland-Germany border, German border, it is a major port, seaport, the la ...
, Poland). After the war, the
Peace of Westphalia The Peace of Westphalia (, ) is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster. They ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and brought peace to the Holy Roman Empire ...
(1648) and the
Treaty of Stettin (1653) The Treaty of Stettin () of 4 May 1653Heitz (1995), p.232 settled a dispute between Brandenburg and Sweden, who both claimed succession in the Duchy of Pomerania after the extinction of the local House of Pomerania during the Thirty Years' War. ...
made Stralsund part of
Swedish Pomerania Swedish Pomerania (; ) was a dominions of Sweden, dominion under the Sweden, Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815 on what is now the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish-Swedish War, Polish War and the Thirty Years' War ...
. Lost to
Brandenburg Brandenburg, officially the State of Brandenburg, is a States of Germany, state in northeastern Germany. Brandenburg borders Poland and the states of Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It is the List of Ger ...
in the
Battle of Stralsund (1678) The siege of Stralsund was an armed engagement between the Electorate of Brandenburg and the Swedish Empire from 20 September to 15 October 1678, during the Scanian War.Grabinsky (2006), p.12 After two days of bombardment on 10 and 11 October ...
, it reverted to Sweden in the
Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1679) The Treaty or Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye of 19 June (OS) or 29 June (NS) 1679 was a peace treaty between France and the Electorate of Brandenburg.Asmus (2003), p.211 It restored to France's ally Sweden her dominions Bremen-Verden and Swedi ...
. In the
Great Northern War In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...
in 1715
Charles XII Charles XII, sometimes Carl XII () or Carolus Rex (17 June 1682 – 30 November 1718 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.), was King of Sweden from 1697 to 1718. He belonged to the House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, a branch line of the House of ...
led the defence of Stralsund for a year against the united European armies. Stralsund remained under Swedish control until the Battle of Stralsund (1807), when
Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
's army occupied it. Seized by
Ferdinand von Schill Major Ferdinand Baptista von Schill (6 January 1776 – 31 May 1809) was a Prussian Army officer who revolted unsuccessfully against France's domination of Prussia in May 1809. Schill's rebellion ended at the Battle of Stralsund, a battle which ...
's
freikorps (, "Free Corps" or "Volunteer Corps") were irregular German and other European paramilitary volunteer units that existed from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. They effectively fought as mercenaries or private military companies, rega ...
in 1809, it subsequently reverted to French control, with Schill killed in action. With the
Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...
(1815), Stralsund became a part of the
Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
n Province of Pomerania and the seat of a government region resembling the former
Swedish Pomerania Swedish Pomerania (; ) was a dominions of Sweden, dominion under the Sweden, Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815 on what is now the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish-Swedish War, Polish War and the Thirty Years' War ...
. Following the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
Stralsund suffered the same sort of political unrest and unemployment that afflicted much of Germany. In May 1919 Stralsund workers clashed with police, and martial law was declared. In the early 1920s the Independent Social Democratic Party (USPD) became the strongest party in Stralsund, but its political fortunes waned rapidly, and in September 1922 it reunited with the
Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties Form ...
(SPD). The ''Stralsunder Zeitung'' was published as a local newspaper in Stralsund. In the national parliamentary election of May 1924, the conservative
German National People's Party The German National People's Party (, DNVP) was a national-conservative and German monarchy, monarchist political party in Germany during the Weimar Republic. Before the rise of the Nazi Party, it was the major nationalist party in Weimar German ...
(DNVP) polled 8,547 votes in Stralsund, the SPD 3,534, the Communists 1,825 and the
German People's Party The German People's Party (German: , DVP) was a conservative-liberal political party during the Weimar Republic that was the successor to the National Liberal Party of the German Empire. Along with the left-liberal German Democratic Party (DDP), ...
(DVP) of Foreign Minister
Gustav Stresemann Gustav Ernst Stresemann (; 10 May 1878 – 3 October 1929) was a German statesman during the Weimar Republic who served as Chancellor of Germany#First German Republic (Weimar Republic, 1919–1933), chancellor of Germany from August to November 1 ...
1,417. However, in keeping with national trends,
Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
's
National Socialists Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
made rapid gains in the late 1920s, and by the time of the last free national election in July 1932 the Nazis polled twice as many votes in Stralsund as the SPD. During the Nazi period (1933–1945), Stralsund's military installations expanded, and a naval training base opened on the nearby island of
Dänholm Dänholm (literally ''Danes' Isle'') is a small island on the German coast of the Baltic Sea. It is situated in the Strelasund just east of Stralsund. Both bridges linking Rügen with the mainland, Rügendamm and Rügenbrücke, run across it. ...
. In
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
the city was subjected to repeated Allied bombing. Attacks by the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1944 killed some 800 Stralsunders and destroyed an estimated 8,000 dwellings. The 354th Rifle Division of the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
occupied Stralsund on April 28, 1945 – 10 days before the end of the war in Europe. Approximately half its population had fled. During the period of the
German Democratic Republic East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
(GDR), Stralsund saw the construction of numerous ''Plattenbau'' prefabricated apartment blocks. Its economic life centered on the now state-owned shipyard, which largely focussed on building ships for the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
. After
German reunification German reunification () was the process of re-establishing Germany as a single sovereign state, which began on 9 November 1989 and culminated on 3 October 1990 with the dissolution of the East Germany, German Democratic Republic and the int ...
in 1990, the city's historic old town was thoroughly restored, and Communist-era apartment blocks were renovated and upgraded. In 2002 the old towns of Stralsund and
Wismar Wismar (; ), officially the Hanseatic City of Wismar () is, with around 43,000 inhabitants, the sixth-largest city of the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and the fourth-largest city of Mecklenburg after Rostock, Schwerin and ...
, some 120 km to the west, were listed as
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
s. Stralsund's shipyard was privatized, and thereafter specialized in constructing container ships.


Culture and sights


Main sights

* The historic Stralsund old town island is a
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
. It features many valuable remnants of the Hanseatic time,
Brick Gothic Brick Gothic (, , ) is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Baltic region, Northeast and Central Europe especially in the regions in and around the Baltic Sea, which do not have resources of standing rock (though Glacial erratic, ...
,
renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
,
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 ...
,
historicist Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying the process or history by which they came about. The term is widely used in philosophy, ant ...
and
Jugendstil (; "Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German and Austrian cou ...
buildings. * The heart of the old town is the Alter Markt Square ("Old Market"), with the Gothic city hall (13th century). Behind the city hall soars the imposing St. Nicholas' Church, built in 1270–1360. The square is surrounded by houses from different periods, including the Gothic ''Wulflamhaus'' (a 14th-century patrician house, today a restaurant), and the Baroque ''Commandantenhus'' of 1751, the old headquarters of the Swedish military commander. * Saint James' Church, built in mid-14th century. It was destroyed several times, e.g. by
Wallenstein Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein, Duke of Friedland (; 24 September 1583 – 25 February 1634), also von Waldstein (), was a Bohemian military leader and statesman who fought on the Catholic side during the Thirty Years' War (1618–16 ...
and in
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. * St. Mary's church, Stralsund, Saint Mary's Church, built in 1383–1473 in Gothic style, is the largest church in Stralsund, and from 1625 to 1647 it was the List of tallest buildings and structures in the world#History, world's tallest structure. Its octagonal tower (104 meters high) offers a panorama view of Stralsund and the neighboring islands of
Rügen Rügen (; Rani: ''Rȯjana'', ''Rāna''; , ) is Germany's largest island. It is located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea and belongs to the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The "gateway" to Rügen island is the Hanseatic ci ...
and
Hiddensee Hiddensee () is a Auto-free zone, car-free island in the Baltic Sea, located west of Germany's largest island, Rügen, on the Germany, German coast. The island has about 1,000 inhabitants. It was a holiday destination for East Germany, East Germ ...
. * St. John's Abbey (Franciscan monastery built in 1254) is one of the oldest buildings in the city. * Stralsund is the port of registry for the former German Reichsmarine Navy Sail Training ship ''Gorch Fock (1933), "Gorch Fock" 1''. It is now a floating museum. * The Monastery of Saint Catherine, mainly built in the 15th century, houses two museums today: Stralsund's ''Museum of Cultural History'' (known for e.g. the ''Hiddensee treasure, Gold Jewellery of Hiddensee''), and the
German Oceanographic Museum The German Oceanographic Museum (), also called the Museum for Oceanography and Fisheries, Aquarium (), in the Hanseatic town of Stralsund, is a museum in which maritime and oceanographic exhibitions are displayed. It is the most visited museu ...
, Germany's largest aquarium and oceanographic collection. The ancient refectory of the monastery is one of the most spectacular Gothic interiors in Germany. * Besides the mentioned
German Oceanographic Museum The German Oceanographic Museum (), also called the Museum for Oceanography and Fisheries, Aquarium (), in the Hanseatic town of Stralsund, is a museum in which maritime and oceanographic exhibitions are displayed. It is the most visited museu ...
at the Katharinenkloster, Stralsund has other museums dedicated to marine life, including the popular Ozeaneum that was voted ''European Museum of the Year Award, European Museum of the Year'' in 2010. There is also a nautical centre, the Nautineum, on
Dänholm Dänholm (literally ''Danes' Isle'') is a small island on the German coast of the Baltic Sea. It is situated in the Strelasund just east of Stralsund. Both bridges linking Rügen with the mainland, Rügendamm and Rügenbrücke, run across it. ...
island and the ''Marinemuseum Dänholm'', showcasing the military history of the German Navy, especially the interwar Reichsmarine. It also hosts one of the last remaining GDR Volksmarine (People's Navy) torpedo boats.


Buildings and monuments

;Old Town (''Altstadt'') The centre of Stralsund has a wealth of historic buildings. Since 1990, large parts of the historic old town have been renovated with private and public capital, and with the support of foundations. As a result of the contempt for historic buildings in German Democratic Republic, East Germany many houses were threatened by ruin. The Old Town in particular offers a rich variety of historic buildings, with many former merchants' houses, churches, streets and squares. Of more than 800 listed buildings in Stralsund, more than 500 are designated as individual monuments in the Old Town. In twenty years, from the ''Wende'' (turning point) in 1990 to November 2010, 588 of the more than 1,000 old buildings were completely refurbished, including 363 individual monuments. Because of its historical and architectural significance, in 2002 Stralsund's old town together with the old town of
Wismar Wismar (; ), officially the Hanseatic City of Wismar () is, with around 43,000 inhabitants, the sixth-largest city of the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and the fourth-largest city of Mecklenburg after Rostock, Schwerin and ...
were added to entitled the List of World Heritage Sites in Germany, UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list as the "Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar". ;Alter Markt Square On the Alter Markt Square there is the main landmark of Stralsund: the
Brick Gothic Brick Gothic (, , ) is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Baltic region, Northeast and Central Europe especially in the regions in and around the Baltic Sea, which do not have resources of standing rock (though Glacial erratic, ...
city hall from
Hanseatic The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
times. This building from 1278 features a remarkable "show façade" that serves the sole purpose of displaying wealth of the city. Citizens can walk through the city hall and its :File:Fotothek df ps 0005696 Rathäuser ^ Durchfahrten - Durchgänge.jpg, gallery. It also features one of Europe's largest Gothic :File:0110_Stralsund_13.09.2010.jpg, cellar vaults. The ensemble of buildings on the Alter Markt Square includes the St. Nicholas Church, the Artushof, the Wulflamhaus, the Commandantenhus, the Gewerkschaftshaus and a new apartment complex. ;Old Town houses The historic houses with their distinctive gables, often renovated at a high financial cost, dominate the scene in the streets of the Old Town. The former Swedish Government Palace is now home to the city construction department. The Museum of Cultural History Museum in ''Mönchstrasse'', in one of the most important surviving original houses of the
Hanseatic The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
era, was refurbished with funds from the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz, German Foundation for Monument Conservation It offers a guide to understanding the city's history over seven centuries. ;Churches Three large medieval
Brick Gothic Brick Gothic (, , ) is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Baltic region, Northeast and Central Europe especially in the regions in and around the Baltic Sea, which do not have resources of standing rock (though Glacial erratic, ...
buildings – St. Mary's Church, Stralsund, St. Mary's Church, St. Nicholas Church, Stralsund, St. Nicholas Church and St. James Church, point to the medieval significance of Stralsund. Today St. James' is used purely as a cultural venue, its parish being served now by the Church of the Holy Spirit, which also dates from the 14th century. Two other churches on the Alter Markt Square and the Neuer Markt are still used for church services. The tower of St. Mary's on the Neuer Markt offers a panoramic view over Stralsund and the island of Rügen. ;Monasteries St. John's Abbey, a Franciscan monastery from 1254, now houses the Stralsund City Archives. Regular cultural events also take place here, such as open-air theatre productions. The Gothic abbey of St. Anne and St. Bridget in ''Schillstrasse'' was established around 1560 from the merger of the abbey of ''St. Anne'' (1480) and the double abbey of ''Mariakron'' (1421). The Abbey of St. Jürgen on ''Mönchstrasse'' was mentioned in 1278 for the first time. It served in the 14th century as an old people's home. In 1743 a new building, the ''Kleines St. Jürgen Kloster'', was built at ''Kniepertor'' and the site was extended in 1754 to create old people's flats and in 1841 for widow's apartments. First mentioned in 1256, the ''Heilgeistkloster'' is now the Hospital of the Holy Spirit. ;Port Ferries to
Hiddensee Hiddensee () is a Auto-free zone, car-free island in the Baltic Sea, located west of Germany's largest island, Rügen, on the Germany, German coast. The island has about 1,000 inhabitants. It was a holiday destination for East Germany, East Germ ...
and
Altefähr Altefähr is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Transport * Altefähr railway station is served by local services between Rostock, Stralsund Stralsund (; Swedish language, Swedish: ''Strålsun ...
, as well as harbor tour boats, dock at the port. In the summer months the port is a berthing places for river cruisers. There are several yacht harbors and marinas near the Old Town. Hundreds of yachts and boats tie up along the north mole in summer. Architecturally the pilot station and the harbor warehouse (''Hafenspeicher''), as well as the silhouette of the Old Town, form a unique tableau of different historical eras. The barque and former sailor's training ship, ''Gorch Fock (1933), Gorch Fock'' is another tourist attraction at the harbor.


Education

The Fachhochschule Stralsund is a ''University of Applied Sciences'' with a modern campus, north of the old town at the
Strelasund The Strelasund or Strela Sound is a sound (geography), sound of the Baltic Sea which separates Rügen from the Germany, German mainland. It is crossed by a bridge called the Strelasund Crossing from Stralsund. It runs northwest to southeast from a ...
. It has around 2,500 students and is among the College and university rankings#Germany, best ranked public universities in Germany in various fields, especially in economics. Other university departments are Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology. The FH Stralsund also offers international study programs, such as ''Hospitality management studies, Leisure and Tourism Management'' and ''International business, Baltic Management Studies'' (international business management).


Transport

Stralsund is linked to the Bundesautobahn 20, A20 motorway (towards Berlin and Hamburg), via the Bundesstraße 96, B96n dual-carriageway. Other major roads include the B105 (beginning in the city centre and continuing to
Rostock Rostock (; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Roztoc''), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (), is the largest city in the German States of Germany, state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the sta ...
) and the Bundesstraße 96, B96 (major road to
Rügen Rügen (; Rani: ''Rȯjana'', ''Rāna''; , ) is Germany's largest island. It is located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea and belongs to the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The "gateway" to Rügen island is the Hanseatic ci ...
) and the B194 to the town of Grimmen. Stralsund Hauptbahnhof is on the Prussian Northern Railway, line to Berlin, Rostock–Stralsund railway, Rostock, Angermünde-Stralsund railway, Pasewalk and Stralsund–Sassnitz railway, Bergen. When travelling by air, passengers usually do so via Rostock–Laage Airport with connecting flights from Munich. A small airport, Stralsund Barth Airport, also serves the city locally. City buses are run by SWS (Stadtwerke Stralsund).


Governance

The current mayor of Stralsund is Alexander Badrow (CDU) since 2008. The most recent mayoral election was held on 8 May 2022, and the results were as follows: ! colspan=2, Candidate ! Party ! Votes ! % , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Alexander Badrow , align=left, Christian Democratic Union of Germany, Christian Democratic Union , 13,785 , 67.3 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Melanie Rocksien-Riad , align=left, Alliance 90/The Greens, Greens/Social Democratic Party of Germany, SPD , 4,860 , 23.7 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Marc Quintana Schmidt , align=left, The Left (Germany), The Left , 1,843 , 9.0 , - ! colspan=3, Valid votes ! 20,488 ! 99.1 , - ! colspan=3, Invalid votes ! 182 ! 0.9 , - ! colspan=3, Total ! 20,670 ! 100.0 , - ! colspan=3, Electorate/voter turnout ! 48,869 ! 42.3 , - , colspan=5, Source
City of Stralsund
The most recent city council election was held on 9 June 2024, and the results were as follows: ! colspan=2, Party ! Votes ! % ! +/- ! Seats ! +/- , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Christian Democratic Union of Germany, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) , 19,890 , 25.5 , 5.5 , 11 , 2 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Alternative for Germany (AfD) , 16,642 , 21.4 , 8.4 , 9 , 3 , - , , align=left, Citizens for Stralsund (BfS) , 14,052 , 18.0 , 0.4 , 8 , 0 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne) , 7,023 , 9.0 , 6.0 , 4 , 2 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, The Left (Germany), The Left (Die Linke) , 6,892 , 8.8 , 4.7 , 4 , 2 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left,
Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties Form ...
(SPD) , 6,032 , 7.7 , 1.6 , 3 , 1 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Free Democratic Party (Germany), Free Democratic Party (FDP) , 2,265 , 2.9 , 0.7 , 1 , 1 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Die PARTEI , 2,214 , 2.8 , 0.8 , 1 , 0 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, Pirate Party Germany, Pirate Party (Piraten) , 871 , 1.1 , 0.2 , 1 , 1 , - , , align=left, Voter Group Adomeit , 618 , 0.8 , 1.8 , 1 , 0 , - , bgcolor=, , align=left, National Democratic Party of Germany, The Homeland (HEIMAT) , 394 , 0.5 , 0.4 , 0 , 0 , - , , align=left, Other , 1,011 , 1.3 , 0.2 , 0 , 0 , - ! colspan=2, Valid votes ! 77,904 ! 100.0 ! ! ! , - ! colspan=2, Invalid ballots ! 1,355 ! 1.7 ! ! ! , - ! colspan=2, Total ballots ! 27,235 ! 100.0 ! ! 43 ! ±0 , - ! colspan=2, Electorate/voter turnout ! 48,192 ! 56.5 ! 6.8 ! ! , - , colspan=7, Source
City of Stralsund


Twin towns – sister cities

Stralsund is Sister city, twinned with: * Huangshan City, Huangshan, China * Kiel, Germany * Malmö Municipality, Malmö, Sweden * Pori, Finland * Stargard, Poland * Svendborg Municipality, Svendborg, Denmark * Trelleborg Municipality, Trelleborg, Sweden * Ventspils, Latvia


Sport


Association football

FC Pommern Stralsund were a football team that existed from 1994 to 2018. They were the successor to ASG Vorwärts Stralsund.


Motorcycle speedway

The Paul Greifzu Stadium (Stralsund), Paul Greifzu Stadium built in 1957, off the Barther Straße, hosts the speedway team MC Nordstern Stralsund e.V. The team based at the stadium won the German Team Speedway Championship in 2015 and 2022.


Notable people


Public service and commerce

*Thomas Kantzow (c.1505–1542), chronicler of the
Duchy of Pomerania The Duchy of Pomerania (; ; Latin: ''Ducatus Pomeraniae'') was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania (''Griffins''). The country existed in the Middle Ages between years 1121–11 ...
*Bartholomäus Sastrow (1520–1603), official, notary and mayor of Stralsund *Nicodemus Tessin the Elder (1615–1681), Swedish architect *Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld (1651–1722), Swedish Field marshal *Philip Johan von Strahlenberg (1676–1747), Swedish officer and geographer *Count Johan August Meijerfeldt the Younger (1725–1800), a Swedish field marshal. *Ernst Moritz Arndt (1769–1860), nationalist author, poet, fighter against serfdom. *
Ferdinand von Schill Major Ferdinand Baptista von Schill (6 January 1776 – 31 May 1809) was a Prussian Army officer who revolted unsuccessfully against France's domination of Prussia in May 1809. Schill's rebellion ended at the Battle of Stralsund, a battle which ...
(1776–1809), leader of a revolt against French domination. *Carl Georg Schwing (1778–1858), jurist and mayor of Stralsund *Georg Friedrich Schömann (1793–1879), classical scholar. *Arnold Ruge (1802–1880), philosopher and political writer. *Adolf Heinrich von Arnim-Boitzenburg (1803–1868), Prime minister of Prussia *Hermann von Mallinckrodt (1821–1874), parliamentarian from the Province of Westphalia *Eduard von Jachmann (1822–1887), vice admiral of the Prussian Navy *Erich Haupt (1841–1910), Lutheran theologian. *Leonhard Tietz (1849–1914), merchant, opened his first department store in Stralsund in 1879 *Georg Wertheim (1857–1939), merchant, founded the Wertheim (department store), Wertheim chain of department stores *Johannes Kromayer (1859–1934), classical historian *Wolfram Setz (1941–2023), historian, editor and translator *Angela Merkel (born 1954), politician; her office is still located on the main shopping street *Dietmar Bartsch (born 1958), politician, member of the Bundestag


Science

*Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1742–1786), Swedish Pomeranian / German pharmaceutical chemist. *Christian Ehrenfried Weigel (1748–1831), scientist *Hermann Burmeister (1807–1892), German-Argentine zoologist, entomologist and botanist *William Lindley (1808–1900), engineer, designed water and sewerage systems *Wilhelm Ferdinand Erichson (1809–1848), medical doctor and entomologist *Otto Gottlieb Mohnike (1814–1887), physician and naturalist *Gustav Karl Wilhelm Hermann Karsten (1817–1908), botanist and geologist *Ernst Kromayer (1862–1933), dermatologist and inventor *Karl Grünberg (otologist), Karl Grunberg (1875–1932), otologist


The Arts

* Hermann Raupach (1728–1778), composer * Paul Struck (1776–1820), composer * Joachim Nicolas Eggert (1779–1813), Swedish composer and musical director * Joachim Daniel Andreas Müller (1812–1857), Swedish gardener and writer * Heinrich Kruse (1815–1902), dramatist, publicist and playwright * Friedrich Spielhagen (1829–1911), novelist, literary theorist and translator. * Hermann Carl Hempel (1848–1921), landscape painter * Hans-Heinz Dräger (1909–1963), German-American musicologist * Harry Kupfer (1935–2019), opera director, worked at the Stralsund Theatre 1958–1962 * Nadja Uhl (born 1972), actress


Sport

*Olaf von Schilling (born 1943), swimmer *Helmut Losch (1947–2005), weightlifter, bronze medallist at the 1976 Summer Olympics *Jürgen Heuser (born 1953), weightlifter, silver medallist at the 1980 Summer Olympics *Monika Kallies (born 1956), rower, gold medallist at the 1976 Summer Olympics *Silke Möller (born 1964), athlete, team bronze medallist at the 1988 Summer Olympics *Carsten Embach (born 1968), bobsledder, team gold medallist at the 2002 Winter Olympics *Ulrike Maisch (born 1977), long-distance runner *Eric Koreng (born 1981), beach volleyball player *Ariel Hukporti (born 2002), basketball player


Gallery

Stralsund Marienkirche 2006.jpg, St. Mary's Church File:DSC02952.jpeg - Stralsund (49126856527).jpg, Stralsund Stralsund St Nikolai.jpg, St. Nicolas Church Gründungsurkunde der Stadt Stralsund.jpg, Founding document from 1234


See also

*Stralsunder Highflier


References


Further reference

*'' Britannica Online Encyclopedia'', "Stralsund" (city), 2007, webpage
EB-Stralsund
*


Literature

* Gustav Kratz: ''Die Städte der Provinz Pommern – Abriss ihrer Geschichte, zumeist nach Urkunden''. Berlin 1865,
Volltext
* Auerbach, Horst: ''Festung und Marinegarnison Stralsund''. Hinstorff-Verlag, Rostock 1999, . * Detlev Brunner: ''Stralsund – Eine Stadt im Systemwandel vom Ende des Kaiserreichs bis in die 1960er Jahre. Veröffentlichungen zur SBZ-/DDR-Forschung im Institut für Zeitgeschichte''. München 2010, .

* Hansestadt Stralsund, Untere Denkmalschutzbehörde (ed.): ''Denkmalplan Stralsund. Recherchen und Analysen für die Pflege des Welterbes''. Thomas Helms Verlag, Schwerin 2013. .


External links


The "Stralsund Expedition" of 1715, depicted in Thomas Carlyle's "History Of Friedrich II of Prussia"
{{Authority control Stralsund, Members of the Hanseatic League Port cities and towns in Germany Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea Marinas in Germany Landmarks in Germany World Heritage Sites in Germany Populated coastal places in Germany (Baltic Sea)