Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Flag	Coat of arms
Details
Location
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Administration
Country	Germany
NUTS Region	DE8
Capital	Schwerin
Largest city	Rostock
Minister-President	Harald Ringstorff (SPD)
Governing parties	SPD / CDU
Votes in Bundesrat	3 (of 69)
Basic statistics
Area	23,174 km² (8,948 sq mi)
Population	1,683,400 (09/2007)[1]
- Density	73 /km² (188 /sq mi)
Other information
GDP/ Nominal	€ 31 billion (2005)
Website	mecklenburg-vorpommern.eu

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, sometimes translated as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or Mecklenburg-West Pomerania^[2], is a state in northern Germany comprising two parts, Mecklenburg and Vorpommern and has its capital in Schwerin. Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Central European Summer Time ( CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, ( NUTS) for the French nomenclature d'unités territoriales statistiques, is a Geocode Schwerin (ʃveˈʁiːn is a City in northern Germany and the capital of the state Rostock (ˈʁɔstɔk from Polabian Roz toc, literally "to flow apart" is the largest City in the north German state A minister-president (Ministerpräsident is the Head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments who presides over the council of ministers Dr Harald Ringstorff (born September 25 1939 in Wittenburg) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party ( SPD) and Minister-president A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. The Bundesrat ("federal council" or "upper house of German parliament" is the representation of the 16 Federal States ( Bundesländer) of Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular Northern Germany is the geographic area in the north of Germany. Mecklenburg ( Low German: Mekelnborg) is a region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Western Pomerania is a translation of "Vorpommern" (also "Hither Pomerania" both redirect here Schwerin (ʃveˈʁiːn is a City in northern Germany and the capital of the state

The eastern smaller region in the state (German: Vorpommern— Hither Pomerania in English) was once the western part of the former duchy and greater region of Pomerania which occupied both banks of the Oder river, most of which now is part of Poland with the border along the Oder. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Western Pomerania is a translation of "Vorpommern" (also "Hither Pomerania" both redirect here The Oder (known in Czech and Polish as Odra) is a River in Central Europe. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The western and larger portion was similarly the historic duchy of Mecklenburg. Mecklenburg ( Low German: Mekelnborg) is a region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

The Baltic Sea coastline and its islands (such as Rügen), the cities, as well as the Mecklenburg Lake District are very popular with tourists, making the state one of Germany's leading tourist destinations. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. Rügen (ˈʁyːgən or Rugia is Germany 's largest Island. It is located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern The Mecklenburg Lake District (German Mecklenburgische Seenplatte) is the largest coherent lakes and canals area in Germany. Moreover, the universities of Rostock (est. The University of Rostock (Universität Rostock is the University of the city Rostock, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. 1419) and Greifswald (est. The University of Greifswald (full name Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald is located in Greifswald, 1456) are amongst the oldest in Europe.

Major cities include Rostock, Schwerin, Neubrandenburg, Stralsund, Greifswald and Wismar. Rostock (ˈʁɔstɔk from Polabian Roz toc, literally "to flow apart" is the largest City in the north German state Schwerin (ʃveˈʁiːn is a City in northern Germany and the capital of the state Neubrandenburg ( New Brandenburg, nɔʏˈbʁandənbʊʁk is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Stralsund (ˈʃtʁaːlzʊnt is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated at the southern Coast of the Strelasund (a sound Greifswald (ˈɡʁaɪ̯fsvalt from German: popular etymology Greif, "griffin" proper etymology akin to "grip a plot not yet cleared and taken Wismar (ˈvɪsmaʁ is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about

The state's name is frequently abbreviated as MV. A common but informal name is Meck-Pomm.

The state was the site of the 2007 G8 summit.

History

Mecklenburg

(main article: Mecklenburg)

Late medieval Gothic brick architecture in Wismar

Mecklenburg, comprising two thirds of the present state's territory, has had a long history. Mecklenburg ( Low German: Mekelnborg) is a region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. Wismar (ˈvɪsmaʁ is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about Mecklenburg ( Low German: Mekelnborg) is a region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Whilst the earliest prehistoric inhabitants may have been of Celtic origin, over two thousand years ago Germanic tribes from Scandinavia began to move southward and settle in Mecklenburg. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well By the 6th century, the Germanic tribes were driven out or assimilated by Polabian Slavs, who remained rulers of the area until the 12th century. In the late 12th century, Henry the Lion, Duke of the Saxons, conquered the Obotrites, subjugated its Nikloting dynasty, and Christianised its people. Henry the Lion ( German: Heinrich der Löwe; 1129 &ndash 6 August 1195) was a member of the Guelph dynasty and Duke of Saxony The Obotrites (Abodriten also commonly known as the Obodrites, Abotrites, or Abodrites, were a confederation of medieval West Slavic tribes The Grand Ducal House of Mecklenburg is a North German Dynasty of West Slavic origin that ruled until 1918. In 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. A duchy is a territory fief, or domain ruled by a Duke or Duchess. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Though later partitioned and re-partitioned within the same dynasty, Mecklenburg always shared a common history and identity. The states of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz became Grand Duchies in 1815. Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a Duchy (from 1815 a Grand duchy) in northern Germany, formed by a partition of the Duchy of Mecklenburg. Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a Duchy and later Grand duchy in northern Germany, roughly consisting of the present day district of Mecklenburg-Strelitz A grand duchy is a territory whose Head of state is a Grand Duke or Grand Duchess. After the First World War and the abdication of the German Kaiser, the monarchy was abolished and a republican government of Mecklenburg was established. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Abdication (from the Latin abdicatio, disowning renouncing from ab, away from and dicare, to declare to proclaim as not belonging to one Kaiser is the German title meaning " Emperor " with Kaiserin being the female equivalent " Empress "

See also: Obodrites and Ostsiedlung

Vorpommern

(main articles: History of Vorpommern, History of Pomerania)

Vorpommern (English: Western or Lower Pomerania) is the smaller, western part of the formerly German region of Pomerania; the eastern part has been part of Poland since the Second World War. The Obotrites (Abodriten also commonly known as the Obodrites, Abotrites, or Abodrites, were a confederation of medieval West Slavic tribes This article covers the medieval eastward migrations of Germans Western Pomerania is a translation of "Vorpommern" (also "Hither Pomerania" both redirect here The history of settlement in the Pomeranian region goes back some 10000 years when after the Ice Age Megalith cultures in the Bronze Age Germanic Western Pomerania is a translation of "Vorpommern" (also "Hither Pomerania" both redirect here Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Vorpommern was also under Swedish rule after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of It was annexed by Prussia in 1815. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state

See also: Rugians, Veleti, Rani, Ostsiedlung, Pomerania, Hither Pomerania, and Swedish Pomerania

GDR and reunification

The state was formed in 1947 under the Soviet occupation forces; the name was soon shortened to "Mecklenburg" (as a concession to the Poles, who feared future German territorial claims over former German areas under post-war "Polish administration", including eastern Pomerania). The Rugians (Rugii were an East Germanic tribe whose ultimate origins have been traced to Rogaland in Norway, whose population probably was the The Veleti (Wieleten Wieleci or Wilzi(ans (also Wiltzes; German Wilzen) were a group of medieval West Slavic tribes within the territory This article covers the medieval eastward migrations of Germans Western Pomerania is a translation of "Vorpommern" (also "Hither Pomerania" both redirect here Swedish Pomerania (Svenska Pommern Schwedisch-Pommern was a Dominion under the Swedish Crown from the 17th to the 19th century situated on what is now the The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 It was a constituent state of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) upon its formation in 1949. The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state In 1952, the government abandoned "states" in favour of districts (German: Bezirke). As a result of this, Mecklenburg and Vorpommern were replaced by three districts covering roughly the same area (Bezirk Rostock, Bezirk Schwerin and Bezirk Neubrandenburg) under the highly-centralised GDR government. The administrative changes also made the historical border between Mecklenburg and Pomerania vanish from the maps.

Prior to German reunification in 1990, the postwar eastern states were reconstituted, including Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany

Geography

Chalk cliffs (Rügen)

Sixth-largest in area but only fourteenth in population among Germany's sixteen states, it 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 Poland. Rügen (ˈʁyːgən or Rugia is Germany 's largest Island. It is located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. is the northernmost of the 16 ''Bundesländer'' in Germany. The former English name was Sleswick-Holsatia the Danish name is Lower Saxony ( German: Niedersachsen ch is pronounced before an s --> lies in north-western Germany and is second Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Its administrative seat is Schwerin. Schwerin (ʃveˈʁiːn is a City in northern Germany and the capital of the state The largest city is Rostock with approximately 200,000 people. Rostock (ˈʁɔstɔk from Polabian Roz toc, literally "to flow apart" is the largest City in the north German state Other major cities include Greifswald, Güstrow, Neubrandenburg, Stralsund and Wismar. Greifswald (ˈɡʁaɪ̯fsvalt from German: popular etymology Greif, "griffin" proper etymology akin to "grip a plot not yet cleared and taken Güstrow (ˈgʏstʀoː is a town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Neubrandenburg ( New Brandenburg, nɔʏˈbʁandənbʊʁk is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Stralsund (ˈʃtʁaːlzʊnt is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated at the southern Coast of the Strelasund (a sound Wismar (ˈvɪsmaʁ is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about The state's Baltic Sea coast features several islands, most notably Germany's biggest island Rügen, but also Hiddensee, Usedom and Poel. Rügen (ˈʁyːgən or Rugia is Germany 's largest Island. It is located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Hiddensee ( is a carfree island in the Baltic Sea, located west of Rügen on the German coast Usedom (Usedom, Uznam) is a Baltic Sea island on the border between Germany and Poland. Poel (pøːl or Poel Island ( Insel Poel) is an island in the Baltic Sea &mdash making in the largest part the north and east boundaries of the The southern part of the state is marked by a multitude of lakes, the largest of which is Lake Müritz. The Müritz (from slavic "little sea" is a Lake in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, northern Germany.

See also List of places in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. This is a list of geographical features in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

Districts

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is currently divided into twelve Kreise (districts): These districts are going to change in 2009.

Furthermore there are six independent urban districts:

1. Rostock (HRO)
2. Greifswald (HGW)
3. Neubrandenburg (NB)
4. Schwerin (SN)
5. Stralsund (HST)
6. Wismar (HWI)

Statistics

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the least densely populated and least industrial German state, being the sixth largest in size, but only 14th in population, it has an unemployment rate of 15,1 %,^[3] a poverty rate of 14,9%, and a child poverty rate of 27,8%, ranking first in Germany in all these categories. Bad Doberan is a district in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Demmin (dɛˈmiːn is a district in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Güstrow (ˈgʏstʁo is a district in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Ludwigslust is a Kreis (district in the southwest of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Mecklenburg-Strelitz is a Kreis (district in the southern part of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Müritz is a Kreis (district in the southern part of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Nordvorpommern ("North Western Pomerania" is a Kreis (district in the northern part of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Nordwestmecklenburg ( Northwestern Mecklenburg) is a Kreis (district in the north-western part of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Ostvorpommern is a Kreis (district in the eastern part of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Parchim is a Kreis (district in the southwestern part of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. This is the article about the district of Rügen For the island see Rügen Rügen is a Kreis (district in the northeastern part of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Uecker-Randow is a Kreis (district in the eastern part of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Rostock (ˈʁɔstɔk from Polabian Roz toc, literally "to flow apart" is the largest City in the north German state Greifswald (ˈɡʁaɪ̯fsvalt from German: popular etymology Greif, "griffin" proper etymology akin to "grip a plot not yet cleared and taken Neubrandenburg ( New Brandenburg, nɔʏˈbʁandənbʊʁk is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Schwerin (ʃveˈʁiːn is a City in northern Germany and the capital of the state Stralsund (ˈʃtʁaːlzʊnt is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated at the southern Coast of the Strelasund (a sound Wismar (ˈvɪsmaʁ is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and ^{[4] [5]}

Culture

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. Northern Germany is the geographic area in the north of Germany. is the northernmost of the 16 ''Bundesländer'' in Germany. The former English name was Sleswick-Holsatia the Danish name is 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. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany.

Architecture

The cities are characterised by a certain "Hanseatic" style also found in other parts of Northern Germany (e. The Hanseatic League (also known as the Hansa) was an alliance of trading cities and their Guilds that established and maintained trade g. Lübeck) as well as in countries like Estonia (e. Lübeck ( is the second largest City in Schleswig-Holstein, in Northern Germany, and one of the major Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region g. Tallinn) or Latvia (e. Tallinn (historically known by the German, Swedish and Danish name Reval or the Polish name Rewal, among other names Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. g. Riga). Riga (Rīga riːga) the Capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. A common feature of many towns in Mecklenburg and Vorpommern is Gothic red brick churches dating back to the Middle Ages. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. 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 reasons of trade. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. The Mecklenburg Lake District (German Mecklenburgische Seenplatte) is the largest coherent lakes and canals area in Germany.

Museums, art and theatres

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is home to many cultural events throughout the year. In addition to many regular museums and art galleries, Stralsund offers the very popular Deutsches Meeresmuseum (German Maritime Museum; the most popular museum in Northern Germany), Ribnitz-Damgarten the Deutsches Bernsteinmuseum (German Amber Museum). Stralsund (ˈʃtʁaːlzʊnt is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated at the southern Coast of the Strelasund (a sound Northern Germany is the geographic area in the north of Germany. Ribnitz-Damgarten is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

During summer, many open air concerts and operas are open to visitors. The Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Music Festival of MV) attract 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. Caspar David Friedrich ( September 5, 1774 &ndash May 7, 1840) was a landscape painter of the nineteenth-century German Romantic Romanticism is a complex artistic literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the Painting (pān'tīng in Art, is the practice of applying Color to a Surface (support base such as e Greifswald (ˈɡʁaɪ̯fsvalt from German: popular etymology Greif, "griffin" proper etymology akin to "grip a plot not yet cleared and taken

Language

Low German dialects

Whereas today the vast majority of people speak Standard German (also called High German), a few centuries ago most people spoke what is called Low German (German: Plattdeutsch or Niederdeutsch). Standard German ( German: Hochdeutsch) is the standard varieties of the German language used as a Written language, in formal contexts Low German or Low Saxon (in Germany: Plattdüütsch or Nedderdüütsch; in Netherlands: Nedersaksisch or Nederduuts It is not "low" in prestige, however, but rather originates in the geographically lower (northern) part of Germany.

Due to several sound shifts in Standard German which did not occur in Low German, Low German is rather distinct and is considered a separate language by some, a dialect of German by others. At its highpoint, the late Middle Ages, it was the lingua franca of the Hanseatic League, a trade organisation in northern Europe. A lingua franca (from Italian, literally meaning Frankish language, see etymology under Sabir and Italian below is any Language widely The Hanseatic League (also known as the Hansa) was an alliance of trading cities and their Guilds that established and maintained trade More than 1500 years ago, "Old Low German" (also known as Old Saxon) was also the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons, who originally came from northern Germany before leaving for England. Old Saxon, also known as Old Low German ( ISO 639 -3 code osx) is the earliest recorded form of Low German, documented from the 9th century For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland That is why, there is often a closer similarity between English and Low German words than between English and Standard/High German words, for instance:

• English water = Low German water (High German: Wasser)
• English he = Low German hei (High German: er)

Low German is protected by the state's constitution and, similar to Welsh in Wales, taught at school and at university level. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic There is also a diverse Low German literature by such authors as Fritz Reuter or Rudolf Tarnow. Fritz Reuter ( November 7, 1810 &ndash July 12, 1874) was a German Novelist. Rudolf Tarnow ( February 25, 1867 in Parchim - May 19, 1933 in Schwerin) was a Low German writer Low German has also been recognised by the Netherlands and by Germany (since 1999) as a regional language according to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. A regional language is a Language spoken in an area of a Nation state, whether it be a small area a federal State or Province, or The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages ( ECRML) is a European Treaty (CETS 148 adopted in 1992 under the auspices of the Council of Europe Within the official terminology defined in the charter, this status would not be available to a dialect of an official language. As a result of this, Germany would appear, therefore, to have at least implicitly adopted the stance that Low German is not a dialect of the German language, but rather a separate language.

Food and drinks

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 bratwurst ( pronounced:) is a Sausage composed of Pork, Beef, or Veal.

Religion

Following the Christian Reformation, led in Germany by Martin Luther, the traditional faith in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is Protestantism. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. There are also a number of Catholics and people of other faiths. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". As a result of the extremely secular laws of the former communist GDR, more than three quarters of the population are now non-religious or agnostic. The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state

Education

University of Greifswald

University of Rostock

Universities & colleges

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has two of the oldest universities of Germany, and indeed Europe:

• University of Rostock (est 1419)
• University of Greifswald (est. The University of Greifswald (full name Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald is located in Greifswald, The University of Rostock (Universität Rostock is the University of the city Rostock, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The University of Rostock (Universität Rostock is the University of the city Rostock, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The University of Greifswald (full name Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald is located in Greifswald, 1456)

Also, there are four colleges / technological universities.

• Fachhochschule Stralsund
• Hochschule Wismar
• Hochschule Neubrandenburg
• Hochschule für Musik und Theater Rostock
• Baltic College Güstrow
• Fachhochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung, Rechtspflege und Polizei in Güstrow

Schools

The state's school system is centralised. The Hochschule Wismar University of Technology Business and Design, (in German Hochschule Wismar Fachhochschule für Technik Wirtschaft und Gestaltung) in 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"). Abitur (from Latin abire = go away go off is a designation used in Germany and Finland for final exams that young adults take at the end of Besides, there are also independent schools, comprehensive schools, and trade schools.

Politics

Schwerin Castle - Seat of the state parliament

Minister President

The Schwerin-based executive is led by a cabinet, in turn led by a Minister President, who is the official head of government. Schwerin Castle ( German: Schweriner Schloss) is a Castle located in the city of Schwerin, the capital of the Bundesland of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Schwerin (ʃveˈʁiːn is a City in northern Germany and the capital of the state A minister-president (Ministerpräsident is the Head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments who presides over the council of ministers

Here is a list of minister presidents of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (1945-1952: only Mecklenburg)

1. 1945 - 1951: Wilhelm Höcker (SED)
2. 1951: Kurt Bürger (SED)
3. 1951 - 1952: Bernhard Quandt
4. 1990 - 1992: Alfred Gomolka (CDU)
5. 1992 - 1998: Berndt Seite (CDU)
6. since 1998: Harald Ringstorff (SPD)

Parliament

See also: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election, 2006

The last election of the state parliament (German: Landtag), located in the capital city Schwerin, took place on 17 September 2006. Wilhelm Höcker ( June 29 1886 in Holzendorf; † November 15 1955 in Güstrow) was a German politician ( SPD, The Socialist Unity Party of Germany ( German: Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, SED) was the governing party of the German Democratic The Socialist Unity Party of Germany ( German: Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, SED) was the governing party of the German Democratic Bernhard Quandt (* 14 April 1903 in Rostock; † 6 August 1999 in Schwerin) was a German politician ( SPD, Alfred Gomolka (born 21 July 1942 in Breslau) is a German politician and Member of the European Parliament for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. Dr Harald Ringstorff (born September 25 1939 in Wittenburg) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party ( SPD) and Minister-president The Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election of 2006, was conducted on September 27, 2006, to elect members to the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the state diet of the German federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Schwerin (ʃveˈʁiːn is a City in northern Germany and the capital of the state Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The five-year term ends in 2011.

Tourism

A pier in Graal-Müritz

Sellin on the Isle of Rügen

The "state of a thousand lakes" is mainly characterised by its unspoilt nature. Graal-Müritz is a Seeheilbad (seaside health resort in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Sellin is a municipality on the Isle of Rügen, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Rügen (ˈʁyːgən or Rugia is Germany 's largest Island. It is located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's varied coastline offers peninsulas such as Fischland-Darss-Zingst as well islands like Rügen (Germany's largest island), Hiddensee or Usedom. Fischland-Darß-Zingst is a peninsula at the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany. Rügen (ˈʁyːgən or Rugia is Germany 's largest Island. It is located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Hiddensee ( is a carfree island in the Baltic Sea, located west of Rügen on the German coast Usedom (Usedom, Uznam) is a Baltic Sea island on the border between Germany and Poland.

A total number of 283 nature reserves, 110 landscape reserves and three of Germany's 14 national parks are scattered all over the state - the most prominent perhaps being Jasmund National Park, Müritz National Park and Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park. A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution The Jasmund National Park is a nature reserve in the northeast of Rügen island in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The Müritz National Park (Müritz-Nationalpark is a National park situated roughly in the middle between Berlin and Rostock, in the south of the The Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park ( Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft) is Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 's largest national park situated at the Many lakes used for fishing and sailing are in the Mecklenburg Lake District. The Mecklenburg Lake District (German Mecklenburgische Seenplatte) is the largest coherent lakes and canals area in Germany.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern also attracts tourists with its nearly 2,000 castles, palaces and manor houses, which often function as venues for concerts and festivals.

The old towns of Wismar and Stralsund are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites and feature late Gothic red brick architecture so typical for Hanseatic cities. Wismar (ˈvɪsmaʁ is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about Stralsund (ˈʃtʁaːlzʊnt is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated at the southern Coast of the Strelasund (a sound A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The Hanseatic League (also known as the Hansa) was an alliance of trading cities and their Guilds that established and maintained trade

Main sporting attractions include Bundesliga football club Hansa Rostock and the international sailing event Hanse Sail. History For more details on this topic see History of German football 1974 marked the introduction of the second tier of the Bundesliga FC Hansa Rostock is a German football club based in the city of Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The Hanse Sail in Rostock is the largest maritime festival in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and one of the largest in Germany. Had the bid for the 2012 summer Olympics in Leipzig been successful, the sailing competitions would have taken place off the coast of Rostock. Rostock (ˈʁɔstɔk from Polabian Roz toc, literally "to flow apart" is the largest City in the north German state

Notable people

Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Prussian Generalfeldmarschall

• arts and film: Caspar David Friedrich, Marianne Hoppe, Philipp Otto Runge
• business: Ernst Heinkel, Carl von Siemens, Georg Wertheim
• literature: John Brickman, Hans Fallada, Walter Kempowski, Fritz Reuter, Rudolf Tarnow, Ehm Welk
• politics: Ernst Moritz Arndt, Egon Krenz, Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, Harald Ringstorff, Angela Merkel
• science: Theodor Billroth, Gottlob Frege, Otto Lilienthal, Gustav Mie, Ferdinand von Mueller, Paul Pogge, Heinrich Schliemann, Nobel prize winner in physics Johannes Stark (1919)
• sports: Tim Borowski, Thomas Doll, Marita Koch, Jan Ullrich, Jens Voigt

Miscellaneous

• Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is Germany's number-one tourist location, the main destinations being the Baltic Sea coastline with islands such as Rügen or Usedom, spa towns like Heiligendamm, and the Mecklenburg Lake District. Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher Fürst (Prince von Wahlstatt (gɛphaɐt lebəʁɛçt fɔn blyçɐ December 16 1742 - September 12 1819 Caspar David Friedrich ( September 5, 1774 &ndash May 7, 1840) was a landscape painter of the nineteenth-century German Romantic Marianne Hoppe ( April 26 1909 - October 23 2002) was a German Theatre and Film actress Philipp Otto Runge ( 1777-07-23 – 1810-12-02) was a Romantic German painter and draughtsman Ernst Heinkel ( January 24 1888 &ndash January 30 1958) was a German aircraft designer and manufacturer Carl Heinrich von Siemens (often just Carl von Siemens) ( March 3 1829 in Menzendorf, Mecklenburg) - March 21 1906 Georg Wertheim ( February 11 1857, Stralsund &ndash December 31 1939, Berlin) was a German Merchant and founder Hans Fallada ( July 21, 1893 - February 5, 1947) born Rudolf Wilhelm Adolf Ditzen in Berlin, was one of the most famous German Walter Kempowski ( April 29 1929 &ndash October 5 2007) was a German writer Fritz Reuter ( November 7, 1810 &ndash July 12, 1874) was a German Novelist. Rudolf Tarnow ( February 25, 1867 in Parchim - May 19, 1933 in Schwerin) was a Low German writer Emil Welk, known by his nickname Ehm Welk ( August 29 1884 &ndash December 19 1966) was a German Journalist Ernst Moritz Arndt ( December 26, 1769 - January 29, 1860) was a German patriotic author and Poet. Egon Krenz (born 19 March, 1937) is a German former Communist, who briefly served as leader of the German Democratic Republic Helmuth Karl Bernhard Graf After the Franco-Prussian War Moltke superintended the preparation of its history which was published between 1874 and 1881 by the great general staff Dr Harald Ringstorff (born September 25 1939 in Wittenburg) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party ( SPD) and Minister-president (ˈaŋɡela doʁoˈteːa ˈmɛɐ̯kəl (born Angela Dorothea Kasner, 17 July 1954 in Hamburg, West Germany) is the Chancellor of Germany. Christian Albert Theodor Billroth ( 26 April 1829 at Bergen auf Rügen in the Kingdom of Prussia. Friedrich Ludwig Gottlob Frege ( 8 November 1848, Wismar, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin  &ndash 26 July 1925 Otto Lilienthal (born 23 May, 1848 in Anklam, Province of Pomerania &ndash died 10 August, 1896 in Berlin Gustav Adolf Feodor Wilhelm Ludwig Mie ( September 29, 1869 Rostock &ndash February 13, 1957 Freiburg im Breisgau) was Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG (German Müller) (June 30 1825 &ndash October 10 1896 was a German-Australian Physician Paul Pogge ( December 24, 1838 &ndash March 16, 1884) was a German explorer in Africa. Heinrich Schliemann (ˈʃliːman ( January 6 1822 in Neubukow Mecklenburg-Schwerin - December 26 1890, Naples) was a German Tim Borowski (born May 2, 1980 in Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany) is a German football Thomas Doll (born 9 April 1966 in Malchin, Germany) is a former footballer and coach Marita Koch (born 18 February 1957 in Wismar, East Germany) is a former sprint athlete. Jan Ullrich (born December 2 1973 in Rostock, East Germany) is a German former professional Road bicycle racer. Jens Voigt (born September 17, 1971 in Grevesmühlen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) is a German professional Road bicycle racer The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. Rügen (ˈʁyːgən or Rugia is Germany 's largest Island. It is located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Usedom (Usedom, Uznam) is a Baltic Sea island on the border between Germany and Poland. The seaside resort Heiligendamm, situated on the Baltic Sea coast was founded in 1793. The Mecklenburg Lake District (German Mecklenburgische Seenplatte) is the largest coherent lakes and canals area in Germany.
• Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the least densely populated German state. The largest city is Rostock, followed by the state's capital Schwerin. Rostock (ˈʁɔstɔk from Polabian Roz toc, literally "to flow apart" is the largest City in the north German state Schwerin (ʃveˈʁiːn is a City in northern Germany and the capital of the state
• During the chancellorship of Angela Merkel, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has hosted the first official public meeting with President George W. Bush in 2006 and the 33rd G8 summit in 2007. (ˈaŋɡela doʁoˈteːa ˈmɛɐ̯kəl (born Angela Dorothea Kasner, 17 July 1954 in Hamburg, West Germany) is the Chancellor of Germany. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The 33rd G8 summit took place at Kempinski Grand Hotel in Heiligendamm in the old Duchy of Mecklenburg in the Northern German state of Both political events were financed by state and federal budgets.
• The historic centres of Stralsund and Wismar are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Stralsund (ˈʃtʁaːlzʊnt is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated at the southern Coast of the Strelasund (a sound Wismar (ˈvɪsmaʁ is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex

Gallery

Shopping street in Rostock	Neuer Markt (New Market), Rostock	World Heritage Site Stralsund	Schwerin
A church in Neubrandenburg	A site of classical concerts: Granitz Hunting Castle	Schloss Ralswiek - one of the many castles in MV	2007 Binz
Hotel "Ahlbecker Hof" in Ahlbeck	Panorama of Hiddensee	Jasmund National Park	old water mill

Notes and references

External links

• Official state portal (German, English, Polish)
• Official tourism website (German, English, Chinese, Japanese, Swedish)