Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a large, mostly rural, state in the north of the former East Germany. It is about the size of Hesse, but a population of only 1.8 million gives it by far the lowest population density of any German state. It has large unspoiled natural areas with 20% of the state occupied by forests.

The Baltic harbors were traditionally of economic and cultural importance and are the focus of this chapter. These cities mostly reached their zenith during the late Middle Ages as part of the Hanseatic League. A typical architectural feature, constantly repeated in each of these cities, is the use of brick as primary construction material. The monumental brick Gothic churches and occasional secular buildings are a true highlight of any visit to this region.

The state is a watersports haven. In addition to the 340-km (200-mile) Baltic coast, it has 1,800 lakes, many rivers and is particularly popular with domestic tourists, especially young families. The seaside resorts have mostly white, soft sand beaches and generally calm, shallow seas. Rugen island, Germany's largest, claims the highest number of annual sunshine hours in Germany. However, the swimming season is short and even in the middle of summer the water will not be confused with the tropics or Mediterranean.

Most domestic tourists spend a week or more at a beach resort, usually in vacation homes, and visit the large towns on daytrips. However, as it is unlikely that the average international visitor will select the German Baltic coast for a beach vacation, this chapter is arranged according to the larger towns rather than the coastal resorts. The chapter starts with Stralsund in the northeast and moves westward along the coast to Rostock, the largest city in the state, then Wismar, before turning slightly inland to Schwerin, the state capital.

* History

Human settlements in Mecklenburg and Vorpommern date back to the Stone Age. However, written history starts in the 10th century, when the area was mostly populated by Slavic people. Saxon traders had successful commercial dealings deep into the territory, but missionaries had little initial success. During the 11th century, Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa decided to Christianize the area and a campaign led by Saxon Duke Heinrich I der Lowe (the Lion) conquered most of the area. Schwerin was founded in 1160 as the first German town east of the Elbe.

Due to the German custom of dividing territory among male sons, the area in subsequent centuries was repeatedly split and rejoined. Several cities became Free Imperial Cities and the foremost at the time formed the Hanseatic League in 1281. Although the League is most famous for monopolizing trade, it also fought some wars and in 1367 forced the Danish Kingdom out of the Eastern Baltic region.

The wealth and the power of the Hanseatic League lasted for three centuries and was finally broken during the Thirty Years' War. Mecklenburg and Pomerania accepted the Lutheran Reformation early on and fought against the imperial troops. At the Peace ofWestphalia (1648), Sweden gained control of Wismar and most of Vorpommern. During the Nordic War (1700-20), Prussia gained parts of Vorpommern and, after the Napoleonic Wars, took control of all previous Swedish territories. Mecklenburg remained independent until it became part of the German Empire in 1871.

During World War II, the port cities suffered from air raids. Shortly after the war the population in the area doubled due to refugees and German people transported from Pomerania and other areas that were lost mainly to Poland. (Vorpommern is usually translated as Western Pomerania, but literally means Before Pomerania, as distinct from Pomerania itself, which was long Prussian but now part of Poland.)

In the Communist era, Rostock was the gateway to East Germany for the rest of the world and the harbor was expanded. Shipping became the major industry and, following the Wende, massive unemployment resulted as bloated Socialist institutions could not compete with Western industries. Fifteen years after joining the Federal Republic of Germany, the area still has unemployment levels well over 20%. Tourism has taken over as the main industry and, as in most former East German states, the population is declining due to a declining birthrate and people leaving to seek employment.

* Transportation

By Rail: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has good railway connections although high-speed trains to the rest of Germany usually require transfers in Hamburg or Berlin--each is two hours from Rostock by an hourly train.

The northern towns, described in this chapter, have at least hourly rail connections. Schwerin to Wismar takes 40 minutes, Wismar to Rostock, Schwerin to Rostock, and Stralsund to Rostock, each takes an hour, mostly on local Regional Express trains.

By Road: Since the Wende, major Autobahns are being constructed in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and new stretches are opened to traffic regularly. However, many segments are still incomplete, leading to severe bottlenecks at places--driving the 25 km (15 miles) from Lubeck to where the A20 starts, for example, can take well over an hour.

The A20 connects the towns in the northern part of the state. The stretches between Wismar and Rostock are complete, with an extension to Stralsund due for completion later this decade. The excellent A24 connects Hamburg and Berlin and has completed highway connections to Schwerin (A241) and Rostock (A19).

Most of the pleasures and beauty of the state are off the highways on country lanes. Although the roads are generally in good condition, traveling in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern by road tends to be slow, as most roads pass through small villages rather than around them. In addition, many country roads are allees (tree-lined boulevards) where overtaking is difficult and often impossible for long stretches. Speed restrictions are often in place and strictly enforced--all those trees provide excellent hiding places for speed cameras. It is sensible to drive with lights switched on, even on a sunny day.

CYCLING

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is rather flat and easy cycling territory. A popular cycling route is the Ostseekusten-Radweg (Baltic Coast Cycling Route) along the coast from Lubeck to Stralsund. It can easily be done in a week with stages ranging from 35 to 60 km (21-36 miles) per day. Many tourism offices arrange packages that include accommodation and luggage transfers.

By Air: The largest airport in the state is Rostock-Laage, Parkstrasse 105, 18299 Weitendorf, [telephone] (038454)31-323, www.rostockflughafen.de. It is served mainly by charter flights, but has some flights by Cirrus Airlines (www.cirrus-world.de) to Munich. It is 35 km (21 miles) south of Rostock and best reached by private transport. A limited bus service is available. Taxis cost around 35 [euro] from the airport to Rostock station. For most travelers, coming into Hamburg or Berlin is more feasible.

By Boat: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has excellent car ferry connections to Scandinavia and the Baltic states. Scandlines vessels ([telephone] 0381-543-5309, www.scandlines. de) depart mostly from Rostock, although some also sail from Sassnitz-Neu Mukran on Rugen Island.

Between seven and nine ships sail daily on the two-hour route from Rostock to Gedser in Denmark. Three ships per day do the Rostock to Trelleborg, Sweden route in just under six hours. Five departures per day sail from Sassnitz to Trelleborg in under four hours. A twice-weekly ferry sails from Rostock to Liepaja in Letland, taking about 24 hours.

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In the summer season, ferry services are available from Sassnitz on Rugen to Ronne on Bornholm (Denmark). The journey is just under four hours.

* Information Sources

Tourismusverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Platz der Freundschaft 1, 18059 Rostock, [telephone] 0381-403-0500, www.auf-nach-mv.de, is responsible for the entire state. They can make reservations for accommodation, events, and all kinds of package deals.

The Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival This Festspiele (Festival) annually arranges about 100 concerts at some 60 venues in the state. The emphasis is on classical music. Tickets and schedules are available from Festspiele MV, Graf-Schack-Allee 11, 19053 Schwerin, [telephone] 0385-591-8585, www.festspiele-mv.de.

* Stralsund

Of all the large towns in Mecklenburg-Vormpommern, Stralsund is arguably the most interesting and most beautiful. It has several brick Gothic buildings, which bear testimony to the wealth and power this town once enjoyed as a leading member of the Hanseatic League. Its strategic position, surrounded by water on all sides, made it the envy of many rivals, but also allowed it to beat off all comers while the Hanseatic League was operational. Nowadays, the water enhances the beauty of the town and allows for many water-related activities.

Stralsund received town rights in 1234 and in 1293 joined Lubeck, Wismar, Rostock, and Greifswald in forming the Hanseatic League. The town experienced three centuries of prosperity, with its greatest moment also that of the Hanseatic League--the Peace of Stralsund in 1370 by which the Danish Kingdom was forced to give up all rights in the eastern Baltic areas.

During the Thirty Years' War, Stralsund was unsuccessfully besieged by the Imperial armies led by Wallenstein and, in the Peace of Westphalia, it was awarded to Sweden. It became Prussian in 1815. During the Communist era, the town gained importance due to the loss of competing harbors such as Stettin to Poland.

Despite neglect during Communist rule, it managed to preserve many historic buildings and, since the Wende, massive efforts have been made to restore buildings of historical value. Although Stralsund's old town was added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list in 2002, the general state of repair of many areas is still a far cry from the pristine condition of former West German cities such as Lubeck.

Information Sources

Tourist Office: Tourist information is available from Stralsund Information, Alter Markt 9, 18439 Stralsund, [telephone] 03831-24-690, www.stralsund.de.

Transportation

Stralsund's old town is best discovered on foot. Buses are available from the main train station to the old town although the distance can easily be covered in 10 minutes on foot.

Sightseeing

Stralsund's old town is compact and can easily be explored on foot. Agood place to start is at the Alter Markt and then move along to Neuer Markt. From here stroll to the harbor via the Heilgeistkirche if interested.

Alter Markt

The large Alter Markt (Old Market Square) is dominated by the Rathaus and the Nikolaikirche. The early 13th-century Rathaus (Town Hall), [telephone] 03831-2520, is a brick Gothic masterpiece. The brick facade facing the market square was added around 1400 and is adorned by the shields of the foremost Hanseatic members. The Renaissance staircase was added in 1579. Behind the arcades that served as market hall is a lovely 17th-century gallery, now with a protective glass roof.

Closely integrated with the Rathaus is the Nikolaikirche (St Nicholas Church), Alter Markt, [telephone] 03831-297-19 9, the oldest church in Stralsund. It was erected between 1270 and 1360 following the example of the Marienkirche in Lubeck. Following a fire in 1662, the 104-m (310-foot) south tower received a Baroque roof, while that of the north tower remained flat. The brick Gothic church has no transept and the side aisles are low, in…