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| Pomerania and Danzig |
Along areas of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, between the estuaries of the Oder and Vistula
Rivers, lies the historical region of Pomerania, once all part of old Prussia and settled by Germanic
tribes between 1200 and 1000B.C. Except for the easternmost districts, which were in ancient times
Polish and where a Polish-speaking, mostly Catholic minority remained, Pomerania was German and
Protestant for almost all of modern history.
Rivers, lies the historical region of Pomerania, once all part of old Prussia and settled by Germanic
tribes between 1200 and 1000B.C. Except for the easternmost districts, which were in ancient times
Polish and where a Polish-speaking, mostly Catholic minority remained, Pomerania was German and
Protestant for almost all of modern history.
The historical capital of the Prussian
province of Pomerania, which stretched
almost to Danzig, was the stately and
intellectual city of Stettin. Until 1637,
Stettin, a fortress as early as the 12th
century, was the residence of the dukes
of Pomerania and an important member
of the Hanseatic League. At the Peace of
Westphalia in 1648, it passed to Sweden,
but was ceded to Prussia in 1720.
province of Pomerania, which stretched
almost to Danzig, was the stately and
intellectual city of Stettin. Until 1637,
Stettin, a fortress as early as the 12th
century, was the residence of the dukes
of Pomerania and an important member
of the Hanseatic League. At the Peace of
Westphalia in 1648, it passed to Sweden,
but was ceded to Prussia in 1720.
The town of Rostock was once part of the Hanseatic League as well, and in the 14th century was a
very important port town with 12,000 inhabitants. It had the oldest university in northern Europe.
very important port town with 12,000 inhabitants. It had the oldest university in northern Europe.
The town of Swinemünde lies on Usedom, the second largest German Baltic Sea island, the largest
being Rügen. The river Swina ran to the Prussian Baltic coast between two small fishing villages,
East and West Swina, and when the river was dredged and widened for larger ships at the beginning
of the 17th century, Swinemünde was founded on the site of old West Swina. Friedrich the Great
granted the town its privileges in 1765, and it served as the outer port of Stettin. The quaint town,
with its "Dutch" style houses, grew up with a fishing and shipping industry, and its fortified entrance
to the harbor was protected by two long breakwaters with the lighthouse on tiny Wolin Island
protecting sailors of old. In 1897, the Kaiserfahrt canal was opened, with the waterway deepened
between the Stettin harbor and the Baltic, and Swinemünde no longer had much strategic importance
and it became a tourist resort town.
being Rügen. The river Swina ran to the Prussian Baltic coast between two small fishing villages,
East and West Swina, and when the river was dredged and widened for larger ships at the beginning
of the 17th century, Swinemünde was founded on the site of old West Swina. Friedrich the Great
granted the town its privileges in 1765, and it served as the outer port of Stettin. The quaint town,
with its "Dutch" style houses, grew up with a fishing and shipping industry, and its fortified entrance
to the harbor was protected by two long breakwaters with the lighthouse on tiny Wolin Island
protecting sailors of old. In 1897, the Kaiserfahrt canal was opened, with the waterway deepened
between the Stettin harbor and the Baltic, and Swinemünde no longer had much strategic importance
and it became a tourist resort town.
Kolberg, another small city in Pomerania, was on the right bank of the Persante, which flows to the
Baltic. A statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III graced its marketplace and many of its buildings dated from
the 14th century. German Kolberg was one of the oldest places of Pomerania, having been granted
city rights in 1255. In 1284, it became a member of the Hanseatic League. The Swedes captured the
town in 1631 during the Thirty Years War, then it passed by the treaty of Westphalia to Friedrich
Wilhelm I, elector of Brandenburg, who fortified it. During the Seven Years War, it was a center of
activity, and in 1758 and 1760, the Russians laid siege to it, finally capturing it in 1762. Later
restored to Brandenburg, it was attacked by the French in 1806 and 1807, but was saved by the long
resistance of its inhabitants under the heroism of Joachirn Christian Nettelbeck, 1738-1824. It then
faded in its glory, but it became a fashionable resort area.
Baltic. A statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III graced its marketplace and many of its buildings dated from
the 14th century. German Kolberg was one of the oldest places of Pomerania, having been granted
city rights in 1255. In 1284, it became a member of the Hanseatic League. The Swedes captured the
town in 1631 during the Thirty Years War, then it passed by the treaty of Westphalia to Friedrich
Wilhelm I, elector of Brandenburg, who fortified it. During the Seven Years War, it was a center of
activity, and in 1758 and 1760, the Russians laid siege to it, finally capturing it in 1762. Later
restored to Brandenburg, it was attacked by the French in 1806 and 1807, but was saved by the long
resistance of its inhabitants under the heroism of Joachirn Christian Nettelbeck, 1738-1824. It then
faded in its glory, but it became a fashionable resort area.
The oldest seal showed only St. Mary and read Sigillu antique civitatis Gdasz. On a seal known
since 1299, the town is called Danzikh, and the seal shows a Kogge, the typical ship of the Hanseatic
League. Again a later seal, from the middle of the 14th century, shows St. Catherine, standing over a
tyrant. It became one of the four major towns of the Hanseatic League. With increasing passage
through the Sound separating Sweden and Denmark in the late 14th century, Scottish trade with the
eastern Baltic, especially Königsberg and Danzig, grew rapidly. Evidence proves that timbers in
Scottish buildings originated from this area at this time. In 1455, Danzig shed the Teutonic Order and
was formally ceded to the Polish king along with the whole of West Prussia at the peace of Thorn.
However, it was still allowed free city rights, and it governed a large territory of over thirty villages.
since 1299, the town is called Danzikh, and the seal shows a Kogge, the typical ship of the Hanseatic
League. Again a later seal, from the middle of the 14th century, shows St. Catherine, standing over a
tyrant. It became one of the four major towns of the Hanseatic League. With increasing passage
through the Sound separating Sweden and Denmark in the late 14th century, Scottish trade with the
eastern Baltic, especially Königsberg and Danzig, grew rapidly. Evidence proves that timbers in
Scottish buildings originated from this area at this time. In 1455, Danzig shed the Teutonic Order and
was formally ceded to the Polish king along with the whole of West Prussia at the peace of Thorn.
However, it was still allowed free city rights, and it governed a large territory of over thirty villages.
There were 3150 master craftsmen in Danzig in a population of some 50,000 by the turn of the 16th
century, most of whom were German, and old shipping records demonstrate that by then a wide
variety of goods were being traded with Danzig. It was in then that the settlement of New Scotland
appeared in Danzig, with many Scottish emigrants in the Danzig Bürgerbuch.
century, most of whom were German, and old shipping records demonstrate that by then a wide
variety of goods were being traded with Danzig. It was in then that the settlement of New Scotland
appeared in Danzig, with many Scottish emigrants in the Danzig Bürgerbuch.
Danzig was an autonomous city during most of the 16th century and, as the power of the Hansa as
well as of various Teutonic orders waned, Danzig still prospered, mostly from its massive grain trade.
With the counter-reformation, King Sigismund of Poland tried to reduce the power of the protestant
city council by imposing the Statuta Karnkowiana upon the city, but it was largely ignored until
Stephan Bathory succeeded Sigismund. Danzig's City Council refused to pay homage to the Polish
throne until the city's old autonomy was recognised, and Bathory laid siege to the city in 1577. The
siege was strongly resisted and, in a negotiated settlement, the city paid 200,000 Gulden to the Polish
crown so that the autonomy of the city was allowed to continue.
well as of various Teutonic orders waned, Danzig still prospered, mostly from its massive grain trade.
With the counter-reformation, King Sigismund of Poland tried to reduce the power of the protestant
city council by imposing the Statuta Karnkowiana upon the city, but it was largely ignored until
Stephan Bathory succeeded Sigismund. Danzig's City Council refused to pay homage to the Polish
throne until the city's old autonomy was recognised, and Bathory laid siege to the city in 1577. The
siege was strongly resisted and, in a negotiated settlement, the city paid 200,000 Gulden to the Polish
crown so that the autonomy of the city was allowed to continue.
It suffered severely through various wars of the 17th and 18th centuries, and in 1734 it was besieged
and taken by the Rrussians and Saxons. At the first partition of Poland, in 1772, Danzig was
separated from Poland again and then came into the possession of Prussia in 1793, and the city was
repaired, improved and heavily invested in. In 1807, during the French and Prussian War, it was
bombarded and captured by the French, and Marshal Lefebvre took the title of Duke of Danzig.
and taken by the Rrussians and Saxons. At the first partition of Poland, in 1772, Danzig was
separated from Poland again and then came into the possession of Prussia in 1793, and the city was
repaired, improved and heavily invested in. In 1807, during the French and Prussian War, it was
bombarded and captured by the French, and Marshal Lefebvre took the title of Duke of Danzig.
At Tilsit, Napoleon restored it to its ancient territory and declared it a free town, but under the
protection of France, Prussia and Saxony. With a corrupt French governor in place, Danzig's trade
was soon ruined. It was given back to Prussia in 1814, and Prussia repaired and improved the city.
After the creation of a unified Germany, it became part of the German Reich.
protection of France, Prussia and Saxony. With a corrupt French governor in place, Danzig's trade
was soon ruined. It was given back to Prussia in 1814, and Prussia repaired and improved the city.
After the creation of a unified Germany, it became part of the German Reich.
During the Middle Ages, the Old Prussian
settlement of Truso was located near the
site of German Elbing. Elbing, thirty five
miles east of Danzig, was founded by
German tradesmen in the 13th century
and the Teutonic Knights who conquered
the region and populated it with more
Germans. After the defeat of the Teutonic
Knights, the city successively passed
under the control of Poland, the Kingdom
of Prussia, and Germany.
settlement of Truso was located near the
site of German Elbing. Elbing, thirty five
miles east of Danzig, was founded by
German tradesmen in the 13th century
and the Teutonic Knights who conquered
the region and populated it with more
Germans. After the defeat of the Teutonic
Knights, the city successively passed
under the control of Poland, the Kingdom
of Prussia, and Germany.
Elbing was a German-speaking German settlement with a German majority for more than 700 years.
The origins of Danzig are still uncertain,
but it was an important town by the 10th
century. At different times it was held by
Pomerania, Brandenburg, Poland and
Denmark, but after falling under the rule
of the Teutonic knights in 1308 it thrived
and prospered. It received German city
rights in 1343, but the oldest town seal
dates from the 13th century and indicates
that the town may have received city rights
even before 1308.
but it was an important town by the 10th
century. At different times it was held by
Pomerania, Brandenburg, Poland and
Denmark, but after falling under the rule
of the Teutonic knights in 1308 it thrived
and prospered. It received German city
rights in 1343, but the oldest town seal
dates from the 13th century and indicates
that the town may have received city rights
even before 1308.
Pomerania remained part of Germany after WWI, with "minor adjustments" made on the Polish border, and from 1919 to
1939, it was divided among Germany, Poland and the "Free City of Danzig" which the victorious Allies of World War
One had recreated so that it could become a Polish military transit depot. World War Two shattered the whole area.
Most of Pomerania was severed from its cultural German roots, and its majority German population either murdered or
expelled, with almost all evidence of its German history erased. Cities such as Danzig and Elbing were bombed and
burned by the Red Army and reinvented by Stalinist propaganda as "eternally Polish cities".
1939, it was divided among Germany, Poland and the "Free City of Danzig" which the victorious Allies of World War
One had recreated so that it could become a Polish military transit depot. World War Two shattered the whole area.
Most of Pomerania was severed from its cultural German roots, and its majority German population either murdered or
expelled, with almost all evidence of its German history erased. Cities such as Danzig and Elbing were bombed and
burned by the Red Army and reinvented by Stalinist propaganda as "eternally Polish cities".
| Some other Pomeranian Towns |