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60-558: The concept of the visitor centre is to have an "enjoyable and interactive science-based approach" to the themes of nature and regional history. The exhibition and aquarium area is devoted to the presentation of the flora and fauna and history of the Mecklenburg Lake District . Its centrepiece is the largest aquarium for native freshwater fish in Germany, with a capacity of 100,000 litres. More than 40 aquatic species may be seen in

120-803: A Landtag replaced the Beratende Versammlung and created the constitution of 16 January 1947, for the Land Mecklenburg-Vorpommern . On 18 April 1947, the state's name was shortened to Land Mecklenburg . Mecklenburg became a constituent state (" Land ") of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) upon its formation in 1949. In 1952, the East German government abandoned the term Land in this context and redesignated its administrative territorial divisions as "districts" (German: Bezirke ). The territory of Mecklenburg and Vorpommern

180-553: A "social, pragmatic party" with decisive policy overlap with the SPD. She said that The Left had been a reliable partner to the government even while in opposition, and had assumed "state-political responsibility" during the COVID-19 pandemic . On 5 November 2021, the SPD and The Left agreed to a coalition government and plan to form a cabinet, which is to be approved by each party-congress by mid-November. The gross domestic product (GDP) of

240-572: A Low German trend. Another explanation is that the ⟨c⟩ comes from a mannerism in High German officialese of writing unnecessary letters, a so-called Letternhäufelung ( lit.   ' letter accumulation ' , as was done sometimes in English with words such as "doubt"). In the aftermath of the Second World War and German reunification in 1990, the state was constituted from

300-713: A Thousand Lakes", the Müritzeum describes itself as the "House of a Thousand Lakes". As a visitor centre, the Müritzeum provides information for visitors and tourists about the cultural and tourist attractions of the Mecklenburg Lake District and the Müritz National Park . The Müritzeum is supported by the collections of the Müritz Museum, with its 140-year history, the Natural History Collection of

360-558: A certain " Hanseatic " style also found in other parts of northern Germany (e.g. Lübeck ) as well as in countries bordering the Baltic Sea like Estonia (e.g. Tallinn ) or Latvia (e.g. Riga ). A common feature of many towns in Mecklenburg and Vorpommern are red Brick Gothic churches and houses dating back to the Middle Ages . Also stepped and tailed gables are a typical feature of

420-541: A common history and identity. The states of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz became Grand Duchies in 1815, and in 1870 they voluntarily joined the new German Empire , while retaining their own internal autonomy. After the First World War and the abdication of the German Kaiser , the monarchies of the duchies were abolished and republican governments of both Mecklenburg states were established, until

480-415: A geological collection. The library of approximately 16,000 volumes, mainly focuses on "Mecklenburgica" and scientific literature on botany, zoology, geology and natural history. The building was designed by Swedish architect Gert Wingårdh . The architect explains the building: "Two cones, slightly shifted in plan, shape the building. The circular form opens up, by sharp cuts, with the entrance cutting as

540-582: A notable tourism sector in the region. Over the centuries, Mecklenburg and Vorpommern have developed and maintained strong regional cultures. It can generally be described as North German and has similar linguistic and historic characteristics to other north German states, such as Schleswig-Holstein . People in Vorpommern, as a result of that territory being a former province of Prussia , tend to look slightly more towards Berlin and Brandenburg than people in Mecklenburg would. The cities are characterised by

600-619: A period of Swedish rule, the traditional faith in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is Protestantism , specifically Lutheranism . There are also a number of Catholics and people of other faiths. In May 2012 the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mecklenburg merged with North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church and Pomeranian Evangelical Church into the new Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany . Some parishes of

660-453: A sizeable audience by performing classical concerts in parks, churches and castles. Caspar David Friedrich , a famous romanticist painter born in Greifswald , immortalised parts of the state in several of his paintings. Today the vast majority of people speak Standard German ; a few centuries ago most people spoke Low German (German: Plattdeutsch or Niederdeutsch ), a language that

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720-448: Is a state in the north-east of Germany. Of the country's sixteen states , Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ranks 14th in population; it covers an area of 23,300 km (9,000 sq mi), making it the sixth largest German state in area; and it is 16th in population density. Schwerin is the state capital and Rostock is the largest city. Other major cities include Neubrandenburg , Stralsund , Greifswald , Wismar , and Güstrow . It

780-620: Is bounded to the north by the Baltic Sea , to the west by Schleswig-Holstein , to the southwest by Lower Saxony , to the south by Brandenburg , and to the east by the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's state capital is Schwerin . The largest city is Rostock with approximately 205,000 people, followed by Schwerin . Other major cities include Neubrandenburg , Stralsund , Greifswald , Wismar and Güstrow . Since 4 September 2011, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

840-504: Is convened. The last election of the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern took place on 26 September 2021. The SPD won a landslide plurality of almost 40% of votes, a nine percentage point increase from 2016. The opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) remained the second largest party but declined to under 17%. The CDU recorded its worst ever result in the state with 13.3%, while The Left also declined to 10%. Alliance 90/The Greens and

900-617: Is divided into six Kreise (districts): Also counting two independent urban districts: The state's Baltic Sea coast is about 2,000 km (1,200 mi) long and features several islands, most notably Germany's two biggest islands Rügen and Usedom , but also a number of smaller islands such as Hiddensee and Poel . Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's varied coastline also has many peninsulas such as Fischland-Darß-Zingst and various lagoons (also known as Bodden or Haff ). A total of 283 nature reserves, 110 landscape reserves and three of Germany's fourteen national parks are scattered all over

960-477: Is increasingly driven by the service , tourism , and high-tech sectors. The old towns , hundreds of castles and manors , resort buildings , windmills , churches, and various other cultural monuments of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have been renovated in recent years. Since 2013, net migration into the state has been positive again. Sixth-largest in area and fourteenth in overall population among Germany's sixteen Bundesländer (federal states), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

1020-491: Is pronounced [ˈmɛklənbʊʁk] , because the digraph ⟨ck⟩ marks a preceding short vowel in High German . However, Mecklenburg is within the historical Low German language area, and the ⟨c⟩ appeared in its name during the period of transition to Standard , High German usage (Low German authors wrote the name Meklenborg or Męklenborg , depicting proper Low German pronunciation, which itself

1080-594: Is situated in the central and southern part of the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania , mostly in historical region of Mecklenburg . In the south it crosses the border of the state Brandenburg . Hence it is also known as the Mecklenburg-Brandenburg Lake District . Like the Pomeranian and Masurian lake plateaux , the Mecklenburg Lake District was formed about 12,000 years ago from the glacial meltwater valleys ( urstromtäler ) and sandar of

1140-806: Is sometimes called "the land of a thousand lakes". There are several nature parks and well-known lakes with unique flora and fauna in the region, such as the Müritz , the biggest German lake lying entirely within Germany, the Plauer See , the Fleesensee , the Tollensesee , the Schmaler Luzin and the Kölpinsee . Important towns of the region are Neubrandenburg , Neustrelitz , Waren , Röbel , Teterow , Malchow , Mirow and Plau am See . The Mecklenburg Lake District

1200-570: Is still kept alive within various communities and cultural events. Like most German regions, Mecklenburg and Vorpommern have their own traditional dishes, often including fish, beef and pork. Rostock has its own type of bratwurst called Rostocker Bratwurst . A famous dish from Western Pomerania is Bismarck Herring . Rote Grütze is a popular dessert. The largest beer breweries are Mecklenburgische Brauerei Lübz ( Lübzer Pils), Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock , Darguner Brauerei and Störtebeker Braumanufaktur ( Stralsund , multiple winner of

1260-551: The Free Democratic Party (FDP) both won around 6% of votes and re-entered the Landtag after previously falling out in 2016 and 2011, respectively. The Landtag has been led by Minister President Manuela Schwesig since 2017. On 13 October 2021, Schwesig announced the SPD would enter coalition talks with The Left. She stated her motivations for reorienting the coalition as a desire for "a new departure", and described The Left as

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1320-917: The German Amber Museum in Ribnitz-Damgarten , Rostock's Abbey of the Holy Cross and Rostock Art Gallery are of national importance. The oldest museum in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is Stralsund's Cultural History Museum , the smallest is the Professor Wandschneider Sculpture Museum in Plau am See. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is home to many cultural events throughout the year. During summer, many open-air concerts and operas are open to visitors. The Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival ( Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ) attracts

1380-536: The Greifswald Nuclear Power Plant in Lubmin near Greifswald . At the time of German reunification in 1990, the eastern states were reconstituted along their postwar boundaries (with minor adjustments) as they had existed until 1952, and the historic name Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was restored. Since 1990, the state has undergone dramatic changes. What had been largely an industrial and agricultural economy

1440-602: The Hanseatic old towns, such as Stralsund , Wismar and Greifswald . The old towns are usually built around one or several market places with a church or the town hall. Often towns were founded at the Baltic Sea , one of the many lakes or a river for logistical and trade motives. Rural areas of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are often characterized by Brick Gothic village churches and agricultural heritage, like brick homesteads , thatched roof houses, windmills , manor houses and castles . The largest publicly funded theatres in

1500-622: The Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heath Nature Park . [REDACTED] Media related to Mecklenburg Lake District at Wikimedia Commons 53°16′30.000″N 12°39′47.000″E  /  53.27500000°N 12.66305556°E  / 53.27500000; 12.66305556 Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ( MV ; German: [ˌmeːklənbʊʁkˈfoːɐ̯pɔmɐn] or [ˌmɛk-] ; Low German : Mäkelborg-Vörpommern ), also known by its anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania ,

1560-726: The Potsdam Agreement , the Western allies handed over Mecklenburg to the Soviets. Mecklenburg-West Pomerania was established on 9 July 1945, by order No. 5 of Red Army Marshal Georgy Zhukov , head of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany (SMAD), as the Province of Mecklenburg and West Pomerania (zapadnoi Pomeranii) . During the war, the make-up of Mecklenburg and Vorpommern's population changed, due to wartime losses and

1620-773: The Vineta Festival on Usedom . Since 1993, the Störtebeker Festival has taken place in Ralswiek on the island of Rügen. It is Germany's most successful open-air theatre. Notable museums include, for example, the Schwerin State Museum and the Pomeranian State Museum at Greifswald. The German Oceanographic Museum with its Ozeaneum in Stralsund is the most popular museum in northern Germany. Furthermore,

1680-792: The World Beer Cup ). Besides, there are many smaller breweries and craft beer variations, such as the Mellenthin Castle Beer from Usedom Island. As of 2020, the majority (82.4%) of the citizens of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are not religious or adhere to other religions. 14.2% are members of the Protestant Church in Germany and 3.4% of the Catholic Church . Following the Reformation , led in Germany by Martin Luther , as well as

1740-401: The 25 aquaria, with almost all of Mecklenburg's native species, including rare crustacea and turtles . Thematic exhibition areas cover the underwater world, birds, forests, the region's history and the moor. The 1000-year-old oaks at Ivenack , the fieldstone church and estate villages form other topics in the exhibition. There is also an adventure garden and adventure playground. The film in

1800-587: The Mecklenburg Baltic coast during the chancellorship of Angela Merkel , who represented various constituencies of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the national legislature, the Bundestag . Due to its lengthy name, the state is often abbreviated as MV or (colloquially) shortened to MeckPomm . In English, it is usually called "Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania" or less frequently "Mecklenburg–Cispomerania." Inhabitants are called either Mecklenburger or Pomeranians ;

1860-416: The Mecklenburg Lake District is partly hilly but mostly flat, sparsely populated and mainly covered by forests, lakes and marshes. The lakes themselves are popular for recreation, boating, fishing and several water sport activities. They are a natural habitat for numerous plants and animals, including endangered species. The lakeland was already settled around 10,000 BC by huntsmen and fishermen. From 4,000 BC

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1920-449: The Nazi government merged the two states into a unified state of Mecklenburg  [ de ] , a virtually meaningless administrative decision under the centralised regime. Vorpommern , literally Fore-Pomerania, is the smaller, western part of the former Prussian Province of Pomerania ; the eastern part became part of Poland after the end of World War II . Since the Middle Ages ,

1980-667: The State Constitution states that the Landtag is the "site of political decision-making". The Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Landtag is elected democratically by the citizens of the state and sits for a 5-year legislative period. The seat of the Landtag is located at Schwerin Palace in Schwerin . The essential functions of the Landtag are to elect the Minister-President of the state; to discuss and decide on laws which have been proposed by

2040-773: The State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the Müritz Aquarium. The Müritz Museum was the precursor of the Müritzeum. In 1866, the first collection was created when Hermann von Maltzan founded as the Maltzan Natural History Museum for Mecklenburg ( Maltzan`sches Naturhistorisches Museums für Mecklenburg ) or Maltzaneum for short. At the Müritzeum, as part of the Natural History State Collection of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, are about 275,000 exhibits, especially molluscs , insects, eggs, bird specimens, antlers and

2100-626: The Theatre of Parchim , the Anklam Theatre and the Wismar Theatre . There are also many small theatres on the Baltic coast and in individual artist's villages and resorts (e.g. the popular concert pavilions at the Baltic Sea ). Since its growing importance for summer tourism, open-air theatres and festivals become more common again as well, such as the Störtebeker Festival on the island of Rügen , and

2160-650: The area relatively deserted. In the sixth century Polabian Slavs populated the area. While Mecklenburg was settled by the Obotrites , Pomerania was settled by the Veleti (later Liuticians ) and the Rani . Along the coast, Vikings and Slavs established trade posts like Reric , Ralswiek and Menzlin . In the early 12th century, Hither Pomerania passed under Polish suzerainty under Bolesław III Wrymouth , who initiated Christianization , entrusting this task to Otto of Bamberg . In

2220-544: The area was a member of the European Geoparks Network and the Global Network of National Geoparks but as at 2011 it no longer possesses that status. The designated natural regions in the Mecklenburg Lake District are the Müritz National Park , with Germany's second-largest lake, as well as the wildlife reserves of Feldberg Lake District Nature Park , Mecklenburg Switzerland and Lake Kummerow Nature Park and

2280-596: The area was ruled by the Pomeranian dukes as part of the Duchy of Pomerania , at various times under Polish, Danish and Imperial suzerainty. Fore Pomerania was under Swedish rule after the Peace of Westphalia from 1648 until 1815 as Swedish Pomerania . Fore Pomerania became a province of Prussia in 1815 and remained so until 1945. In May 1945, the armies of the Soviet Union and the Western allies met east of Schwerin . Following

2340-550: The combined form is never used. The place name Vorpommern derives from West Slavic languages . The prefix "po-" means along or at , and the base word "more" means sea , so that together "po more" means Land at the Sea . The German prefix "vor-" denotes a closer location; from the German point of view, this is the near part of Pomerania. The full name in German is pronounced [ˈmeːklənbʊʁk ˈfoːɐ̯pɔmɐn] . Sometimes, Mecklenburg

2400-471: The course of time, German monks, nobility, peasants and traders arrived to settle here. After the 12th century, the territory remained stable and relatively independent of its neighbours; one of the few German territories for which this is true. Mecklenburg first became a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire in 1348. Though later partitioned and re-partitioned within the same dynasty, Mecklenburg always shared

2460-480: The districts of Rostock , Schwerin , and Neubrandenburg . Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was re-established in 1990 following German reunification and became one of the new states of the Federal Republic of Germany. On the state's coastline on the Baltic Sea are many holiday resorts and much unspoilt nature, including the islands of Rügen , Usedom , and others, as well as the Mecklenburg Lake District , making

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2520-454: The first farming communities were established, leaving behind megalithic tombs . In the 4th and 5th centuries, the Germanic settlers of the region migrated south and were replaced from the 7th century by West Slavs (historically known as Wends ), who intermingled with the population that had stayed behind. From the 12th century, the influence of German settlers increased. For a few years

2580-476: The government, by any four members of the Landtag, or a people's initiative or petition for a referendum initiated directly by the people; and to control the state government. The executive is led by a cabinet, in turn led by a Minister-President, who is the official head of state and government. The election to determine the Minister-President is held no later than four weeks after the newly elected Landtag

2640-511: The historic region of Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania , both of which had long and rich independent histories. Human settlement in the area of modern Mecklenburg and Vorpommern began after the Ice Age , about 10,000 BC. About two thousand years ago, Germanic peoples were recorded in the area. Most of them left during the Migration Period , heading towards Spain, Italy, and France, leaving

2700-603: The influx of evacuees (mainly from the Berlin and Hamburg metropolitan areas that were subject to air raids). After the war, people who fled and were expelled from the former eastern territories of Germany east of the Oder-Neisse line settled in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (and elsewhere in Germany), increasing the population by 40%. Before the war, Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania had a population of 1,278,700, of whom many perished during

2760-435: The last ice age . The main terminal moraine of the Pomeranian stage of the Weichselian, the ridge that runs from Eberswalde-Chorin through Feldberg , Mecklenburg Switzerland to the Kühlung ridge near Kühlungsborn , borders the lakeland to the north. The lakeland can be roughly divided as follows: On Brandenburg territory the lakeland continues into the Uckermark and Rheinsberg Lake Region . The area in and around

2820-477: The late 12th century, Mecklenburg and Hither Pomerania were conquered by Henry the Lion and briefly incorporated into the Duchy of Saxony , joining the Holy Roman Empire in the 1180s. Parts of Mecklenburg and Pomerania were settled with Germans in the Ostsiedlung process, starting in the 12th century. In the late 12th century, Henry the Lion , Duke of the Saxons, conquered the Obotrites , subjugated its Nikloting dynasty, and Christianized its people. In

2880-448: The most prominent...The floating character of the building corresponds to the setting on the lake." 53°30′54″N 12°41′04″E  /  53.51500°N 12.68444°E  / 53.51500; 12.68444 Mecklenburg Lake District The Mecklenburg Lake Plateau or Mecklenburg Lakeland ( German : Mecklenburger / Mecklenburgische Seenplatte or Seenland ) is the largest coherent lake and canal region in Germany and

2940-410: The site's multi-vision cinema gives overview on the checkered history of Mecklenburg. The foundation stone of the 13 million euro and 2,000-square-metre building was laid on 14 December 2005. The first phase was completed in June 2006 and it was opened on 2 August 2007. The building is entirely covered with charred ( angekohlt ) larch wood. Just as the Mecklenburg Lake District is known as the "Land of

3000-419: The state are the Mecklenburg State Theatre , the Rostock People's Theatre , the Theatre of West Pomerania , with venues in Stralsund , Putbus and Greifswald , and the Mecklenburg State Theatre of Neustrelitz with venues in Neubrandenburg and Neustrelitz . All four theatres offer both drama and musical theatre as well as orchestral music. Other important theatres are the Ernst Barlach Theatre of Güstrow ,

3060-509: The state belong to Evangelical Church of Berlin and Brandenburg . There are also Jewish communities, in the state capital of Schwerin (including Wismar ) and in the city of Rostock . Historically, there were also synagogues in smaller towns, of which some are still preserved (like Röbel , Krakow am See and Boizenburg ). The state's Jewish organisation is part of the Central Council of Jews in Germany . Largest groups of foreign residents by 31 December 2023 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has

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3120-408: The state one of Germany's leading tourist destinations . Three of Germany's fourteen national parks , as well as several hundred nature conservation areas , are in the state. The University of Rostock , founded in 1419, and the University of Greifswald , established in 1456, are among the oldest universities in Europe. In 2007, the 33rd G8 summit took place at the Grand Hotel Heiligendamm on

3180-434: The state was 44.5 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 1.3% of German economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 25,400 euros or 84% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 83% of the EU average. The GDP per capita was the lowest of all German states. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the least densely populated and least industrial German state , being the sixth largest in area, but only

3240-428: The state. The southern part of the state is characterized by a multitude of lakes within the Mecklenburg Lakeland , the largest of which is Lake Müritz (also the largest German lake ), followed by Lake Schwerin , Plauer See and Lake Kummerow . The "land of a thousand lakes" (German: Land der tausend Seen ) is hallmarked by its unspoilt nature. Due to its clean air and idyllic setting, medical tourism has become

3300-521: The two oldest universities of the Baltic Sea region, also among the oldest of Germany and all of Europe: Also, there are further colleges / technological universities: The state's school system is centralised. There are two main types of schools, Regionalschule (for the majority of pupils) and Gymnasium (for the top 30% of each year's students, leading to the university entrance qualification " Abitur "). Besides, there are also independent schools, comprehensive schools and trade schools. Article 20 of

3360-411: The war and others moved west in the course of the Red Army's advance. In 1947, some 1,426,000 refugees from the former eastern parts of Germany were counted. Most of them settled in rural communities, but the urban population also increased, most notably in Schwerin from 65,000 (1939) to 99,518 (January 1947), in Wismar from 29,463 to 44,173, and in Greifswald from 29,488 to 43,897. Western Pomerania

3420-432: Was a syncope of Middle Low German Mekelenborg ). The introduction of the ⟨c⟩ is explained as follows: Either the ⟨c⟩ signals the stretched pronunciation of the preceding ⟨e⟩ ( Dehnungs-c ), or it signals the pronunciation of the subsequent ⟨k⟩ as an occlusive [ k ] to prevent it from falsely being rendered as a fricative [ χ ] following

3480-408: Was additionally stripped of the area around the Pomeranian regional capital Stettin/Szczecin as well as the city itself, despite its location to the west of the river Oder. On 5 June 1946, a law enacted by the Soviets constituted a provisional German administration ( Beratende Versammlung , English: "Consulting assembly" ) under Soviet supervision on 29 June 1946. After elections on 20 October 1946,

3540-405: Was divided into three districts that covered roughly the same area: Bezirk Rostock , Bezirk Schwerin and Bezirk Neubrandenburg . These were commonly known as the Nordbezirke (northern districts) under the highly centralised GDR government. The East German government developed the shipyards in the old Hanseatic ports (the largest being in Rostock and Stralsund ), and also established

3600-437: Was named after the two regions of Mecklenburg and Fore Pomerania . The state was established in 1945 after World War II through the merger of the historic regions of Mecklenburg and Prussian Western Pomerania by the Soviet military administration in Allied-occupied Germany . It became part of the German Democratic Republic in 1949, but was dissolved in 1952 during administrative reforms and its territory divided into

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