Grimmen
Encyclopedia
Grimmen (ˈɡʁɪmən) is the capital of Vorpommern-Rügen
, a district in the Bundesland
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
.
, about 30 km south of Stralsund
and 30 km west of Greifswald
. The town is connected to the Stralsund
- Neustrelitz
-Berlin
railways, and to Autobahn A 20. Adjacent to the city limits are Amt Franzburg-Richtenberg
in the West, Amt Miltzow in the North, and the Süderholz
municipality
in the Southeast.
Neighbouring municipalities, listed clockwise beginning in the North, are Wittenhagen
, Wilmshagen
, Süderholz
, Wendisch Baggendorf
, Splietsdorf
, Papenhagen
.
, when about 1250 merchants and craftsman from Lower Saxony
, Westphalia
and the Lower Rhine settled the site which then was part of the Principality of Rügen. The first document mentioning Grimmens is of 1267. In 1287, a report mentions Vogt
Berthold taking office in the town, and further mentions that Grimmen had already been granted Lübeck law
before. The actual charter is lost, thus the exact date when the town received Lübeck law remains uncertain. Accordingly, the 700th anniversary was celebrated in 1987. Since 1325, Grimmen belonged to the Duchy of Pomerania
.
During the Thirty Years' War
, the town was looted several times. After the war, Grimmen became part of Swedish Pomerania
, a dominion of the
Swedish Empire
. From 1695 to 1697, mayor Johannes Flittner cruelly pursued alleged witches; at least seven were executed. In 1797, a large fire destroyed almost the entire town. In 1800, Swedish king Gustav IV Adolph visited Grimmen and resided in the so-called king's house. Following the Congress of Vienna
in 1815, Swedish Pomerania with Grimmen became part of the Prussia
n Province of Pomerania. An administrative reform of 1816 made the town capital of a Kreis. In 1853, cholera
broke out.
At the end Second World War, Grimmen surrendered to the Red Army
without fighting in April 1945. In the 1960s, numerous new factories and agricultural enterprises were set up, resulting in prosperity and physical growth of the city. After East Germany's Communist regime collapsed following Die Wende
movement of 1989, the town's old buildings were reconstructed. After a reorganization of the Kreis
districts in 1994, Grimmen became capital of newly created Vorpommern-Rügen
.
gates are still intact:
Further sights are the city hall, built in Brick Gothic
style around the year 1400, and the water tower, built in 1933.
holds more than 250 animals of 50 different kinds. The zoo opened in 1957 and also has a large variety in plants and green areas.
Vorpommern-Rügen
Vorpommern-Rügen is a district in the north of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is bounded by the Baltic Sea and the districts Vorpommern-Greifswald, Mecklenburgische Seenplatte and Rostock...
, a district in the Bundesland
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Geography
Grimmen is located in southeastern Nordvorpommern on the banks of the river TrebelTrebel
Trebel is a municipality in the district Lüchow-Dannenberg, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
, about 30 km south of Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
and 30 km west of Greifswald
Greifswald
Greifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
. The town is connected to the Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
- Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
-Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
railways, and to Autobahn A 20. Adjacent to the city limits are Amt Franzburg-Richtenberg
Franzburg-Richtenberg
Franzburg-Richtenberg is an Amt in the district of Vorpommern-Rügen, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The seat of the Amt is in Franzburg.The Amt Franzburg-Richtenberg consists of the following municipalities:#Franzburg#Glewitz...
in the West, Amt Miltzow in the North, and the Süderholz
Süderholz
Süderholz is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It was created as a merger from several municipalities on 1 January 1999 and comprises the following villages:...
municipality
Municipalities of Germany
Municipalities are the lowest level of territorial division in Germany. This may be the fourth level of territorial division in Germany, apart from those states which include Regierungsbezirke , where municipalities then become the fifth level.-Overview:With more than 3,400,000 inhabitants, the...
in the Southeast.
Villages within Grimmen's city limits
In addition to the town of Grimmen, the following villages are also within Grimmen's city limits:- Appelshof
- Gerlachsruh
- Grellenberg
- Groß Lehmhagen
- Heidebrink
- Hohenwarth
- Hohenwieden
- Jessin
- Klein Lehmhagen
- Stoltenhagen
- Vietlipp
Neighbouring municipalities
Neighbouring municipalities, listed clockwise beginning in the North, are Wittenhagen
Wittenhagen
Wittenhagen is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
, Wilmshagen
Wilmshagen
Wilmshagen is a village and a former municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Since 7 June 2009, it is part of the Sundhagen municipality....
, Süderholz
Süderholz
Süderholz is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It was created as a merger from several municipalities on 1 January 1999 and comprises the following villages:...
, Wendisch Baggendorf
Wendisch Baggendorf
Wendisch Baggendorf is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
, Splietsdorf
Splietsdorf
Splietsdorf is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
, Papenhagen
Papenhagen
Papenhagen is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
.
History
Grimmen was founded during the OstsiedlungOstsiedlung
Ostsiedlung , also called German eastward expansion, was the medieval eastward migration and settlement of Germans from modern day western and central Germany into less-populated regions and countries of eastern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The affected area roughly stretched from Slovenia...
, when about 1250 merchants and craftsman from Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
and the Lower Rhine settled the site which then was part of the Principality of Rügen. The first document mentioning Grimmens is of 1267. In 1287, a report mentions Vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
Berthold taking office in the town, and further mentions that Grimmen had already been granted Lübeck law
Lübeck law
The Lübeck law was the constitution of a municipal form of government developed at Lübeck in Schleswig-Holstein after it was made a free city in 1226. The law provides for self-government. It replaced the personal rule of tribal monarchs descending from ancient times or the rule of the regional...
before. The actual charter is lost, thus the exact date when the town received Lübeck law remains uncertain. Accordingly, the 700th anniversary was celebrated in 1987. Since 1325, Grimmen belonged to the Duchy of Pomerania
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
.
During the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, the town was looted several times. After the war, Grimmen became part of Swedish Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania was a Dominion under the Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815, situated on what is now the Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish War and the Thirty Years' War, Sweden held extensive control over the lands on the southern Baltic coast, including Pomerania and parts...
, a dominion of the
Dominions of Sweden
The Dominions of Sweden or Svenska besittningar were territories that historically came under control of the Swedish Crown, but never became fully integrated with Sweden. This generally meant that they were ruled by Governors-General under the Swedish monarch, but within certain limits retained...
Swedish Empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
. From 1695 to 1697, mayor Johannes Flittner cruelly pursued alleged witches; at least seven were executed. In 1797, a large fire destroyed almost the entire town. In 1800, Swedish king Gustav IV Adolph visited Grimmen and resided in the so-called king's house. Following the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
in 1815, Swedish Pomerania with Grimmen became part of the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n Province of Pomerania. An administrative reform of 1816 made the town capital of a Kreis. In 1853, cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
broke out.
At the end Second World War, Grimmen surrendered to the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
without fighting in April 1945. In the 1960s, numerous new factories and agricultural enterprises were set up, resulting in prosperity and physical growth of the city. After East Germany's Communist regime collapsed following Die Wende
Die Wende
marks the complete process of the change from socialism and planned economy to market economy and capitalism in East Germany around the years 1989 and 1990. It encompasses several processes and events which later have become synonymous with the overall process...
movement of 1989, the town's old buildings were reconstructed. After a reorganization of the Kreis
Districts of Germany
The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....
districts in 1994, Grimmen became capital of newly created Vorpommern-Rügen
Vorpommern-Rügen
Vorpommern-Rügen is a district in the north of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is bounded by the Baltic Sea and the districts Vorpommern-Greifswald, Mecklenburgische Seenplatte and Rostock...
.
Demography
- 1600 - approx. 1,000 inhabitants
- 1712 - approx. 850 inhabitants
- 1809 - 1,840 inhabitants
- 1900 - 3,616 inhabitants
- 1946 - 8,298 inhabitants
- 1986 - approx. 15,000 inhabitants
- 1990 - of 14,242 inhabitants
- 1993 - 13,376 inhabitants
- 2003 - 10,892 inhabitants
- 2004 - 11,201 inhabitants
Twin cities
- ChateaulinChâteaulinChâteaulin is a commune in the Finistère department in the region of Brittany in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:...
- CzaplinekCzaplinekCzaplinek is a town in Drawsko County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,879 inhabitants ....
- Kamień PomorskiKamien PomorskiKamień Pomorski is a town in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship of northwestern Poland. The capital of Kamień County, the town had 9,129 inhabitants as of June 30, 2008.- History :...
(Cammin) - Osterholz-ScharmbeckOsterholz-ScharmbeckOsterholz-Scharmbeck is a town and the capital of the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Osterholz-Scharmbeck is situated in between the cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven.-Neighbouring places:* Bremen * Delmenhorst...
Buildings
The oldest building of the town is St. Mary's church, built in 1267. Of the old fortifications, three Brick GothicBrick Gothic
Brick Gothic is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Northern Europe, especially in Northern Germany and the regions around the Baltic Sea that do not have natural rock resources. The buildings are essentially built from bricks...
gates are still intact:
- Mühlentor ("mill gate", built ~1320)
- Stralsunder Tor ("StralsundStralsund- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
gate", built ~1320) - Greifswalder Tor ("GreifswaldGreifswaldGreifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
gate", built between 1350 and 1400).
Further sights are the city hall, built in Brick Gothic
Brick Gothic
Brick Gothic is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Northern Europe, especially in Northern Germany and the regions around the Baltic Sea that do not have natural rock resources. The buildings are essentially built from bricks...
style around the year 1400, and the water tower, built in 1933.
Zoo
Grimmen's zooZoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
holds more than 250 animals of 50 different kinds. The zoo opened in 1957 and also has a large variety in plants and green areas.
People
- Christian Friedrich Mohnike, born 1781, theologian and translator of Scandinavian literature.
- Heike Götz, born 1964, journalist